Blown tubes

[whiteapeman]

Just checking in to see if anyone else has had tube problems such as this. I am having a serious problem with my tubes blowing out since December '08. All in all I think I just blew my 6th tube recently (all new), two in the last week alone.

I have bought all my tubes, tires (NDT's) and flaps from Wallace Wade in Texas just last December, other than the tube blow-outs I have no complaints whatsoever.

There is no rubbing from the inside rim as the flaps do an excellent job with complete coverage, not to mention the inside of the rims are sanded very smooth and painted...there are absolutely no punctures through any of the tires or flaps whatsoever. The tubes are not blowing on any of the seams or the anywhere near the metal stem, it is typically on the sidewalls with complete two foot tears traveling the length of the tube.

I find that they typically happen midday, when traveling down the highway between 50-55 mph for periods of over an hour. Down here in the Florida Keys, I keep the tire pressure no more than 45psi (even though they are rated for 50psi cold). Every time a tube blows the first thing I do (after landing in the off-road ditch of course) is take a reading of the other three working tires to make sure the midday heat here didn't expand the air pressure too much...they are always a constant 45psi. I'm convinced that the heat from the road plays a part, combined with the prolonged traveling speed...I'm just not sure which part. I don't think it's the switchover to NDT's as I had the same problem with my radials (thus the reason for getting new tires in December).

I was told that I should try talcum powder or cornstarch in between the tire and tube to reduce any friction the two may have, something we haven't tried yet. Perhaps this is the problem or just a faulty batch of tires? Though I can't see how a tube with 45 psi in it finds enough room to create enough friction to cause such disastrous blow-outs on the regular, unless of course the friction is very minute.

I have switched over to Universal Vintage Tires in Hershey, PA for the tubes with success...thus far.

Any suggestions?

[gimpyrobb]

All I can think of is radial tires with biasply tubes, or bad tubes.

[sermis]

I'm with Gimp. Radial tubes. Another thing to watch is dirt and small rocks. Keep the floor clean when mounting. If you are like me and stand all over the rim when mounting your shoes will pick up small things and put it into the tire. It does not take much to cause the tube to go bad.
Try 55mph, 395 / 20 on the front of a deuce. Now that was fun.

[Barrman]

Besides the proper tubes for the proper tires and dirt already mentioned. Do you inflate the tube before you put the tire on the rim?

You should be putting the tube inside the tire, airing it up until the sides start to move out a bit, leave the Schrader valve out so the air will go away, air it up again to aid getting the flap on while the air is escaping again and then put another shot of air in to make sure the flap is seated. Then, putting the can on and locking ring before you air it up from a distance.

The only tube troubles I have ever had have been because of dirt/rocks and not getting the tube all nice and happy inside the tire before I put the rim on.

Now, yes I have had several blow outs. However, those were all tubes that were patched after they had holes in them from rocks or un happy twisted tubes. Don't patch the tubes is my hard earned advice. Carry at least one fully mounted spare tire and a NEW in the bag spare tube is my new method. Patching tubes is just a temporary fix at best, not a permanent installation as I tried to make one a year ago.

[randyscycle]

I had a similar problem too, and only in the Summer after a road trip of say 50-60 miles of steady highway miles.

I was using radial tubes, and running TSL's on the stock rims. I had good flaps and they were Goodyear tubes that were quite thick and heavy-duty.

On the first flat, there was a small tag inside the tire that was glued to the inside. It came loose I suppose from the scrubbing of the tube, wadded up and rubbed a hole in the tube.

The second flat showed no sign of any foreign object, and by the time I stopped, the tire had been flat long enough that the tube was torn pretty badly. Not sure if it was from the actual blowout, or from the driving a little too far on the flat.


The third (and last) flat was similar to the first, but again, no foreign object I could find, just a very small localized spot rubbed on the tube and no real reason I could see.

After this and enough of replacing expensive and less common to find tubes, I ordered a set of Marsh wheels and now run tubeless. I keep a plug kit in the toolbox, but as of yet haven't needed one, and I can run 50 all day without worry.