Tell me about rim tape.

[The Surveyor]

I'm looking to mount some new tyres on some refurbished wire wheels with new inner tubes. What sort of protection do I need between the spoke nipples and the new tubes?

Do I need special rubber rim tapes, cut sections of old inner tubes, or what? Duck tape has been suggested but is that viable?

Any practical guidance appreciated.

Thanks

Paul

[niagra]

You can get rim tape for motorbike rims, so I guess you can buy similar for car wheels.

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk

Try these guys.

[RichB]

MWS just fitted rim tape when they fitted my new tyres. Simple and cheap.

[deadslow]

[RichB]

Love him... well not literally!

[anonymous-user]

Any opening post that contains the words rim, rubber, and nipple is just full of WIN.

[V8 FOU]

Bike ones are available in different widths, so wider ones would be better for you. I may have some in stock if needed.
Also, there are tubeless spoked wheels available for Harleys etc that seal the well with silicon - that would really protect the tube and the inside of the rims! The biggest problem with spoked wheels is the ingress of water around the nipples, so when I build a wheel I always paint the well with hammerite as the chrome is very thin on the inside being in the "shadow" of the plating process.

[The Surveyor]

Excellent, thanks for the suggestions, I'll look at some rubber rim tape. The rims are allow and spokes / nipples are stainless so I'm not concerned with rust, but don't like the idea of damp getting in behind.

Cheers

Paul

[anonymous-user]

This is the thread that keeps on giving, double entendre fans.

[niagra]

I find that a little lube around the rim helps protect the rubber from splitting.

[SV8Predator]

The Surveyor said:

The rims are allow and spokes / nipples are stainless

If you meant the rims are aluminium alloy, I'd be interested to see photos of those wheels.

[Lotus 50]

The Surveyor said:

... but don't like the idea of damp getting in behind.

...and the tape also helps stop chafing and punctures in the tube...

[RichB]

SV8Predator said:

The Surveyor said:

The rims are allow and spokes / nipples are stainless

If you meant the rims are aluminium alloy, I'd be interested to see photos of those wheels.

Turrino/Borrani style you mean? Alloy hubs and rims with stainless spokes etc.

[V8 FOU]

RichB said:

urrino/Borrani style you mean? Alloy hubs and rims with stainless spokes etc.

Stainless nipples ('ere we go again...) can react with alloy rims. Best to use nickel ones.

Ooo-err Matron! Nickel Nipples!

[RichB]

I didn't mention nipples.

[anonymous-user]

My wife asked for a double entendre, so I gave her one.

[The Surveyor]

SV8Predator said:

The Surveyor said:

The rims are allow and spokes / nipples are stainless

If you meant the rims are aluminium alloy, I'd be interested to see photos of those wheels.

Doh, yes meant that the rims are alloy. They're the refurbished Borrani ones off the Maserati

[lowdrag]

The spokes, very stiff and hard, come into contact with the rubber, which is often applied with a dose of "Fairy" liquid. To give extra protection, there is an extra band of rubber called an "inner tube". This prevents the outside rubber from sudden deflation. Here are the alloy rims needing such protection:-

[RichB]

I see you have a Turinno wheel there, do you have good reports of them Tony?

[The Surveyor]

The Surveyor said:

SV8Predator said:

The Surveyor said:

The rims are allow and spokes / nipples are stainless

If you meant the rims are aluminium alloy, I'd be interested to see photos of those wheels.

Doh, yes meant that the rims are alloy. They're the refurbished Borrani ones off the Maserati

Here's one of mine:-

Paul