Ghetto tubeless woe...
 

Subscribe now and choose from over 30 free gifts worth up to £49 - Plus get £25 to spend in our shop

[Closed] Ghetto tubeless woes

15 Posts
6 Users
0 Reactions
71 Views
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Maxxis wire advantage onto wtb laser disc trail. Wrapped rims in 2 layers gorilla, hole, stem, stem covered and hole cut. Bead of tyre just sits tight in the middle of the rim hole and I can't pull it even close to the bead - when I do it just leaps off the other side.

Put a tube in overnight to try and stretch the bead out a bit.

Will I need a compressor?


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 9:58 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Oh, and soapy suds just made the tyre slip into the centre channel more easily.


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 10:03 pm
Posts: 3387
Full Member
 

Wire beads can be a bit tricky, they tend to want to "pinch" together. Folders tend to want to open out. which make sthem easier.
Compressor, can make a big difference, as will lots of soapy water.
You could try a length of string around the centre of the tread this can push the beads out. I've never out it to work but some people have.


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 10:04 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Lots of soapy didnt help.

Might just wait and take it all down to the local garage and sit and have a play by the air compressor for cars.


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 10:15 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

The local garage compressor (if like a tesco 20p job) is a croc o shite and won't help....

You need a decent pump as well as technique.

I've had lots of success in recent times - mostly due to the B & Q compressor I bought for a hundred quid but I've also been successful with a 12V car compressor and a Joe Blow Track Pump.

Is the bead of the tyre quite tight in the middle of the rim with tape? If you've got a helper try the following:
1) Suspend the wheel off the ground - hooking it over the handle bars helps.

2) apply suds.

3) Get a helper to pump like crazy with a track pump or use a 12v car compressor whilst gently pushing on the tyre above the valve to get a good seal at least near the valve - you'll know when this is achieve as you won't hear the air escaping near the valve.

4) with your helper pumping away work around the tyre trying to pull the bead out and gently patting the tyre all the way round - the suds and hissing should show you where to focus

With any amound of luck it will suddenly inflate (fingers crossed)


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 10:45 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

The bead isn't tight, just its neutral position is to sit in the middle of the rim rather than on the hook (or anywhere near it. If I pull it out one side, either the other pops back in or it sits for a few seconds then pulls back to the centre.

Pushing down on the tyre does not seal onto the bead, it pushes it closer onto the centre of the rim.

Suds lubricate this slide away from the bead.

I don't have a helper.


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 11:14 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Is there a way to inflate it with a tube in then remove the tube and add stans?


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 11:14 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Reading your post again, I could be wrong but ghetto to me usually involves a 20 tube that is cut down the middle to act as a rim strip, once the tyre is inflated te excess is carefully cut obvious with a knife I thought to use just tape you needed a tubeless ready rim i.e with a bead hook.

Where abouts are you based?


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 11:29 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

If using a ust rim an tyre you can pre-inflate with a tube and then carefully break the bead on one side whilst keeping the other side's bead attached to remove the tube and install the tubeless valve. it won't help in your situation as doesn't sound like you have a ust tyre or rim


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 11:32 pm
 mboy
Posts: 12580
Free Member
 

Personally, to me it sounds like you've got a baggy tyre/rim combo, which probably won't work too well with the gaffa tape ghetto method.

IMO, more reliable, and easier to inflate (largely cos it is stretched over the sidewalls of the rim) is the 20" BMX tube cut down the middle method. Done several tyres this way now, all of them inflated very easily, though getting ultra porous Kenda Nevegals to stay up was a bit more tricky!


 
Posted : 27/04/2012 11:48 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

I was under the impression that the gorilla tape method was basically the stans strips method, which is supposed to work with my rim / tyre combo (apparently wtb have a very good hook).

It's just getting the bead into f'ing place.


 
Posted : 28/04/2012 12:06 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

When you inflat the tyre with a tube do you hear the bead popping on to the rim?

A google search suggests a some people have had struggled with tubeless on your rim until they built up the middle of the rim with a weather strip to reduce the channel.

Stick with it - it's worth it once you succeed!


 
Posted : 28/04/2012 8:19 am
 sv
Posts: 2811
Full Member
 

Compressor or ghetto inflator, the Trail rim works well once you get the beads in.


 
Posted : 28/04/2012 9:01 am
 sv
Posts: 2811
Full Member
 

Take the valve core out and neat washing up liquid on both beads too.


 
Posted : 28/04/2012 9:02 am
Posts: 48
Full Member
 

Sounds all too familiar to my experiences!

I went through a combination of tyres sealing methods etc.

Then I kept pulling the Bead off the rim. Through my experiments I have concluded that the best combination is tubeless tyres with tubeless rims! Doh!


 
Posted : 28/04/2012 9:24 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

I made a ghetto inflator. 90psi. Inflated first time. 80ml stans in the shraeder vale (thank god for removable cores) and another ghetto inflator inflate and BOOM. Tubeless tyres with two strips of gorilla tape.

Thanks for all your help!


 
Posted : 28/04/2012 10:49 am