Tubes or tubeless?

[Monkeythree]

Have just finished refurbishing a set of 15" finned alloys to go on the Vixen and I have bought a new set of 185/70R15 Vredestien Sprint Classics to go on them. The tyres are marked as tubeless but I seem to recall that the fins are designed to be run with tubes in. So do I tell the tyre fitter to fit tubes or not?

[plasticpig72]

I understand that if there is not a safety band on the wheel you should fit tubes.
On my Lotus Elan i fit tubes which is what is advised by Lotus because the wheels have no safety band. Without the safety band the tyre can move on the rim under hard cornering and sudden loss of all pressure.
Try to buy the best quality of tube you can and correct size.
Alan

[Gilbert56]

Hi.
I've always used tubes with the TVR finned wheels since without them even when the wheels were new (back in 83) they would lose pressure annoyingly quickly. Tyre fitters often said I shouldn't fit tubes but I didn't see any alternative and never had any problems.

Admitedly that was with standard profile tyres. I have recently refurbiushed the wheels and fitted the Vredestein 185/70/R15 tyres like yours but not run them long enough to be able to comment on any problems.

Cheers
Gilbert

[Andrew Gray]

All depends on how you had the Fins Restored if the wheel was fully powder coated including the inside Tyre area then the issue with them loosing air is greatly reduced if not eliminated.
I run without inner tubes and same tyres as you have and no issues
Andrew

[Monkeythree]

Showed the rims to the tyre fitter today (I only spoke about it with them yesterday) and he said they needed tubes. Not because of the potential for air loss but because they don't have the safety bead and he was concerned about rapid deflation if the tyre bead got unseated. So tubes it is!

[Andrew Gray]

Monkeythree said:

Showed the rims to the tyre fitter today (I only spoke about it with them yesterday) and he said they needed tubes. Not because of the potential for air loss but because they don't have the safety bead and he was concerned about rapid deflation if the tyre bead got unseated. So tubes it is!

Fair point although in 12000 miles never had an issue
Andrew

[Monkeythree]

I'm pretty sure I ran tubeless when the car was on it's original fins when I got it 24 years ago and never had a problem. Think they were 195/65R15 tyres I fitted. But I'm older and wiser now and more inclined to go with the safer option.