So, I want to replace the ancient crusty old bias ply tires on the front of our 1950 Chrysler Windsor (they were installed in 1957!!!) with some more modern radial rubber....however the wheels were meant to be run with tubes. My question is (and yes i did a forum search but couldnt come up with any definite answers) what type/brand tube should I run in these wheels? Any vendors you would recommend I use or stay away from? Or should I just throw the wheels into the woods and find some steelies that will bolt up made to mount tubeless tires on?
I've had good luck with Firestone brand tubes. I get them at the local farm and tractor store Feldmans. Do NOT run the parts store tubes!
I have never seen or heard of any disc-type wheels labeled "tube" or "tubeless". Several cars even offered both tube and tubeless during the same mid-'50s year, with the same wheels, because the tire construction determines the need for a tube, not the wheel, with very few exceptions, like some wire designs. I prefer Diamond Back because the tires they modify are current/modern brand new DOT certified, and they only sell tubeless radials.
I have a 50 Desoto and I put radials on the factory steel wheels with no problems. For me the challenge was finding the right valve stems as the holes in the wheels are oval shaped. I didn't put a ton of miles on the car until switching to salt flats but had no problems up to that point.
V8 Bob, tubeless rims have a ridge around the rim about an inch from the edge for the tire to hop over and help make a better seal.. Tube type rims do not have this ridge and should not run tubeless tires.. That being said, many will tell how they have run tubeless tires on tube type rims for 20 years without any problems.. I would not....
Well the factory wheels that are on the car have an "oval" shaped hole for the valve stem, it isnt perfectly round like other wheels. I had an old timer at my shop look at them and he told me I definitely have to run tubes in them because of that, or get some more modern wheels with a round valve stem hole meant for tubeless tires.
I ran tubeless Allstates on my 52 DeSoto in the early 60's, I had discount Co-oping with a Sears owned manufacturing Co. The stems were metal and three pieces and had threads on the outsides of the stem before the valve cap. The stem came thru the hole in the usual manne,r then piece two, essentially a rubber backed washer, was put over the stem and piece 3 was a hex nut which clamped the ***embly together. I never had a problem with the arrangement. I have seen these recently, but I don't where. Coker might have them. Also they were rust free. Don't chuck your rims yet.
That ridge is a safety bead that became standard in the '60s, years after tubeless tires arrived. The bead helps keep the tire on the wheel during low pressure hard driving, blow outs, etc. It really has nothing to do with running tube or tubeless tires. Tubes cannot help retain the tire on a wheel. Yes, I've been running tubeless radials on stock '51 Ford wheels for many years, as have many many others.
As an ex tire chucker for Sears I am familiar with the safety ridge on modern wheels...what really threw me was the odd-shaped valve stem hole. Bolt-in valve stems are readily available at just about any decent tire shop...I may have to give them a whirl and see what happens. I tried to stick some modern steel wheels on the front but they are the wrong offset and hit the outer tie rod, so plan B is to retain the factory steel front wheels but with modern rubber. It was pretty sketchy driving that car at 45MPH with those antique front tires up there!!
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