got a set of 16" wire wheels, and a couple of them need new tubes. I'm curious if I can use motorcycle tubes, or if I have to pay more to get automotive tubes. the tires are 600 16's. obviously I can run downtown to coker tire but it looks like they run 50 a tube. that just seems a bit much. I also have a friend that works at a motorcycle place. probably $10 a tube there. what you think? want to get this thing where it will roll around so I can push it in and play with it now and then. thanks.
you must be looking at radial tubes on the Coker site...bias ply tire tubes from Coker are about $16.00 each.
There is a difference between tubes made for bias tires versus radials. As the radial tire flexes more than the bias, the radial tube "should" have: 1. Different rubber compound 2. Better (stronger) splice overlap 3. Better (stronger) valve stem base 4. Heavier gauge rubber Since the tube is the air container, I would run radial tubes in the bias tire. As the industry is primarily tubeless radial, most major mfgs quit tube production years ago. Find your Michelin dealer and get him to order them. If you get older stock, make sure that they're still bagged and check for cracking where the folds are. Also bike tubes may have the stem in the center of the tube's belly, and the auto tube stem is offset for the hole. Just my 2¢ from 35 years in the tire industry. Your results may vary.
I get my tubes at the local farm and home store. They carry firestone tubes and the prices are way better. And no waiting.
Believe it or not I was at the Ocean city Md. show a few years ago and needed a tube.. Went to "Western Auto" What did I have to lose? The lady said yeah we have them. I was in shock but paid the lady and got to the gas station before it went flat again. I didn't even try Auto Zone. 16" bent spoke Kelsey's
Tubes bought from Coker for 4.50/4.75-16" bias-ply say "radial tubes" .. Have bought several and all say the same
Radial tubes are thicker, better overlap, safer at speed. If you stay in town, run whats cheap. if you haul people or travel at freeway speeds, run what needs to be run. A blowout and smashing into someone or something is going to more expensive than the few bucks you are trying to save. Ok, off my soapbox
don't pay more than $15 for tubes. i also noticed on the coker website the tubes they are recommending for bias-ply are radial tubes. hmmmm. what gives coker.
I'm down with the tractor places....ones I've bought have been made in the USA....and the better ones will carry 15" as well....
Yes, we just bought two tubes from Coker and they said radial on the sides. I called them because I thought they were the wrong ones and they said no, they sell those because they are heavier and last longer. I think they were also 15 inchers and we used them on 16 inch rims but they said that those were the right ones. I could be wrong on that last part though as my memory isn't what it used to be. Don
I run 11.00x16 radials on my WWII Dodge. Radial tubes were not available in that size. I was advised to run 10.50x15 tubes (lowboy semi trailer tubes) with the advice that it is better to stretch a heavy-walled tube than run an oversized tube. I also know of some people running tubeless radials on vintage 16" wheels-that is a mistake. They can be made to hold air, but the rim is not meant to hold a bead. They can roll off going around a corner and cause real accidents.
I use tractor supply for tubes and have had good luck so far. And lots of other tractor parts for old engines.
I have a friend that driving back from LSRU last year blew 2 of these "radial" tubes from coker .... Went to feldmans bought firestone tubes... Hasn't had another problem.
The Jalopy Journal
