Sorry Barney, but I have to take exception to your comments.
We have got experience with wire wheel cars that drive many thousands of
miles each year. Also there are many early alloy wheel cars that
require tubes due to porous wheel castings. I've never seen a case
where a correctly installed tube has failed in a manner that indicates a
tubeless tire caused the problem. If any evidence is forthcoming I
would be interested and am willing to keep an open mind.
The information I have been able to secure from the manufacturers of
wire wheels are as follows.
1. Sealing the spokes with silicone is now an accepted method of
reducing corrosion of the inside of the wheel due to water intrusion.
2. The only wire wheel rim recommended for use without tubes is one
which incorporates a safety shoulder, as used on modern steel wheels.
Just because sealed spokes hold air does not mean that the wheel and
tire will be safe when at low pressure. Check with the manufacturer of
the wheel before running without tubes. (This is a very interesting
point, as I don't know if the MGB Rostyle wheels were ever designed for
tubeless tires). Hmmmm. Please note, this becomes a problem only
during catastrophic failure where the tire can be ripped from the wheel
and the instant deflation causes loss of control. This is why rally
cars typically use tubes, a sideways impact on a rock will instantly
deflate a non-tube tire.
3. Make sure that the tube is the correct size for the tire. For that
matter, make sure that the tire is not oversized for the wheel.
According to every manufacturer recommendation I have seen, 185/70 14
tires are not recommended for use on a 4.5" wide wheel, yet they are a
very common fitment.
Ok. That's enough to get some yelling going on. Please note that the
above comments are based on manufacturers recommendations, not limited
personal experience. These are the guys who have to buy the liability
insurance for the products they manufacture and sell.
Kelvin.
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