I had to get a tire replaced today, while at the place I noticed one of the tech putting a tube in a tire on what looked like a '30's wire wheel. He first took the tube and put a little air in it to get it to shape, then he took a container of baby powder sprinkled it on the tire and rubbed it in. Then he flipped it over, did the same thing and deflated it before he put it inside the tire. I have never heard of or seen this done before, how about anyone here ???
The proper material is 'tire talc'............baby powder has oil in it and is not good for the rubber tube...........corn starch will work too. Ray
Didn't you have a bicycle when you were a kid. The tubes used to have powder all over them when you took them out of the box.. A buddy had a flat on his Harley the other nite. Took the tire off and found a wear spot on the tube that was leaking.. No powder..
Tire talc also helps the installer get the tubes evenly into the tire. My buddy recently had a set of slicks mounted and evidently the shop didnt know this trick. When he did his first burnout the rear end bounced violently...the tubes were so wadded up in the tire that they threw the balance way off.
You can use weight lifters talc as well, on drag cars you screw the tire to the rim so you don't spin it and tear the air tube out of the tube, the talc also helps keep the tube moving around inside the hot tire and keeps the tube returning to a point so as the tube wont tear out the air nozzle.
The over use of baby powder on babies bottoms is one of the reasons for people having lung cancer today. It is not good. There is talcum powder and there is powdered chalk. One of them is the bad one.
If my Mom got lung cancer it may have been caused by the fact that she always had a cigarette in her mouth when she powdered my ass. I never heard of a baby getting ass cancer have you? It must be the ground chalk.
I had to replace a tube in a bias ply a year ago and realized I had no baby powder to use. Dr. Scholz foot powder works mighty fine!
I use chalk for a carpenter's chalk line. Comes in a convenient squeeze bottle, & cheap at the lumber yard.
Eaglebeak is right. Baby powder is not good for the babies or the person changing the diaper. Babies have tiny little lungs and aspirating that crap several times a day for a few years is not good. Corn starch is OK, though. For your babies butt, or for your inner tube.
Wow I am glad I posted this, like I had said I had never heard of this. You can be sure I will do this when I mount my 21" tires for the HA/GR (the way that is going it should be around the year 2050)
It's common when mounting motorcycle tires. It allows the tube to slide inside the tire and not fold and pinch which will cause a flat. I've always used baby powder and not had any problems with it.
You mean that J&J, the same guys who make no more tears is poisoning our babies? Giving them lung cancer and respiratory problems? I think Rachel Ray or that Doctor Oz nut would have made a cover story of a topic as hellish as this by now.
OT, but here it is...baby powder is not carcinogenic to the baby or you, BUT the powder when used in excess is aspirated into the lungs and can cause breathing problems. Also why mineral oil should never be used orally as a laxative because it can be aspirated and will remain in the lungs FOREVER! Now does anybody want to know how treat poison ivy/bee stings ?! lol
I use baby powder to install boots on spark plug wires, install plug wires into magneto caps and any other place where overcoming natural friction of rubber on rubber (or similar products) is desired. I know that electrical grease works, but it's not as easy to brush off on my jeans as the talcum. All the other explanations of talcum inside tires/on tubes in correct. Been done that way since day one...that is the first day AFTER somebody got a pinched tube flat. dj
One of the benefits is it keeps your hands soft and supple so when you go home at the end of the day your wife will be happy! Really! When I was young and worked in construction my hands were so callous that I make my wife's panty hose run, she hated that!
Me, hey Joe i just found out that baby powder could cause lung cancer, Joe, where did you hear that, Me on the HAMB, it's a traditional hot rod site, Joe, WTF! I have allways used dish soap, for the tube and the tire beads when mounting, never tried baby power.
You're right, it can't be, no company would ever sell a product that could harm anyone. Pass me a Camel; I'm trying to install these asbestos tiles. For lunch I'm having a hamburger mad (oops, made) from animal-fed beef.
Dear Doctor HAMB, My rear end is all red... I mean my hot rod's rear end is all red... what should I use stop that itchy twitchy feeling? Sincerely, Stumped in Symco
I'm sending over our highly skilled Tech, 'Bubba' he has the very thing for your'e HOT ROD, his own brand of 'Lube-In-A-Tube. I'm sure you'll enjoy... Oopps, I mean your'e car will enjoy... No! that's not what I mean to say... Oh well, I'm sure you get what I mean.
If you go down in the basement of a real old house and pul off some of that real powdery stuff from the pipes and smash it real good with a hammer till you see all the little crystals glistening in the light, that stuff works really good, it's one of the A's best o's things you can use. Theres this other powdery stuff that works great too, it comes from the ashes of a south american plant, it's really expensive so be careful not to waste any, be careful with the dust, it's makes your nose really numb, you may want to wear a mask, or maybe not.
When you powder the inner tube and inflate the tire, let the air back out of it so the tube can get in a relaxed position. Reinflate the tire and add the left over talc to paint to flatten the finish. Talc is what's in the flattening additive.
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