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angel
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I'm bringing this thread back because I need some opinions / help on tubeless tyres on a R4.
Some time ago I fitted new Continental Eco Contact tyres to both my '75 Export (old style wheels) and the Jogging (5TL style wheels - ones with rectangular holes). Inner tubes were fitted on both cars, as the tyre fitters said that both sets of wheels were not suitable for tubeless tyres, lacking the safety bead.
After about 10.000 kilometers I had a flat on the Export. I got the wheel to a tyre shop, and the guy told me that the flat was caused by the inner surface of the tyre not being smooth, because it was not designed for inner tube fitting. I asked him to covert the wheels to tubeless and he refused (because they were lacking the bead) but eventually did it after I insisted. I never had any problems for the following 3000 kilometers.
The Jogging had done 20.000 kilometers and had its share of off-roading, heavy loading, long journeys or any combination of these, and its tyres almost didn't lose their pressure. That was until two weeks ago, when I had two consequent flats at 50 kilometer intervals. It's starting to get a little adventurous when you realize you have a flat tyre, a flat spare tyre and you are located 30 kilometers far from civilization, at 1p.m. ...
So I must convert the Jogging to tubeless tyres, too. Is it really that dangerous, given the fact that it is driven a little harder? Are you still running tubes with modern tyres? Any other opinions?
Some time ago I fitted new Continental Eco Contact tyres to both my '75 Export (old style wheels) and the Jogging (5TL style wheels - ones with rectangular holes). Inner tubes were fitted on both cars, as the tyre fitters said that both sets of wheels were not suitable for tubeless tyres, lacking the safety bead.
After about 10.000 kilometers I had a flat on the Export. I got the wheel to a tyre shop, and the guy told me that the flat was caused by the inner surface of the tyre not being smooth, because it was not designed for inner tube fitting. I asked him to covert the wheels to tubeless and he refused (because they were lacking the bead) but eventually did it after I insisted. I never had any problems for the following 3000 kilometers.
The Jogging had done 20.000 kilometers and had its share of off-roading, heavy loading, long journeys or any combination of these, and its tyres almost didn't lose their pressure. That was until two weeks ago, when I had two consequent flats at 50 kilometer intervals. It's starting to get a little adventurous when you realize you have a flat tyre, a flat spare tyre and you are located 30 kilometers far from civilization, at 1p.m. ...
So I must convert the Jogging to tubeless tyres, too. Is it really that dangerous, given the fact that it is driven a little harder? Are you still running tubes with modern tyres? Any other opinions?
The 5TL wheels you have are later type and are tubeless,not dangerous and you can fit them too cars with front disc brakes.
Nearly all the early wheels should have tubes but if you use lots of talcum powder it helps with the modern tyres rubbing,unless you have tube type tyres of course.
French tyre fitters always put tubes in the early style wheels as a matter of course, as they are not designed for tubeless. Because the original tyres had soft walls and ran on low pressure 20psi or 1.3bar to improve the ride (and the Michelins never seemed to wear out).
Nearly all the early wheels should have tubes but if you use lots of talcum powder it helps with the modern tyres rubbing,unless you have tube type tyres of course.
French tyre fitters always put tubes in the early style wheels as a matter of course, as they are not designed for tubeless. Because the original tyres had soft walls and ran on low pressure 20psi or 1.3bar to improve the ride (and the Michelins never seemed to wear out).