Tubes! A bit of a rant

Tiny

Tiny

Well-known member
When I bought my coupe in January one of the first things I did was replace the 40 plus year old Wards Riverside tubes and tires. The tires looked like dry lake beds and were rock hard. I found a good deal locally on some Universal tires and ordered new tubes from a supplier. Removing the old tires was not fun at all but I did finally manage to replace all 4 of the drivers with my new tires and tubes.
Fast forward 1 week.
I come home from work one day to find the rim sitting on the garage floor. The tire is flat. I found this odd as the car hadn't been driven in a couple of days due to weather. I tried to add air only to find that the tube was leaking faster than i could add air. So what to due? I pull the tube out and put an old Wards tube back in. I called the supplier and was told that this is a very common problem. WTF? Being a company that is interested in customer service he sends me a new tube and I send him the failed one back.
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago.
There is a big local car show with a "cruise" on Friday night. I run home on my lunch hour to grab the coupe so I can go to the show after work. Yes you guessed it another flat tire. Quickly I put the age unknown Garfield spare on and zoom back to work. The show was great and enjoyed by my whole family.
Fast forward to last week
I've already put an old tube back in to fix issue from the previous week. Guess what I find Saturday morning? Yes your right another flat. On goes the trusty old spare again. At this point I am out of old tubes that will hold air. I'm not sure why they wont hold air now, my dad says it because I'm trying to put new air in them. LOL anyone have some NOS air I can buy?
I have ordered another foreign made tube, but how long will it last?
The bonus is I'm getting really good at changing tubes:)
The other bonus is that so far they have all failed in my garage not out on the road.
So what do you guys do?
All of these have failed where the stem is attached to the tube. How are the brass stems that you put in the tubes? Are they a show only thing?
Anyone have some NOS USA made tubes they want to sell?
Why doesn't someone make a quality tube?
 
I bought a new set of long-stem tubes from Firestone. They are thick like the originals, and made of real rubber. They never leak. Put 30 lbs. in tires months ago, still at 30 lbs.

It's important to make sure there isn't anything sharp inside the rim (obviously). And, use rim liners. Not the thin ones, the thick ones. Then, after filling the tube to 35 lbs., let all the air out and fill it again. This helps get rid of pockets between the rim and the tube.
 
Where did you buy the Firestone tubes? I was told they are all made overseas and if anyone tells you different their a liar. I use rim liners and did the inflate deflate trick. Nothing has "popped" them. The stems keep coming unglued. I'm sure it has to do with the 12 year old in a communist country working under slave like conditions not having much pride in his work, but I don't want this to turn political.
 
Sorry to hear of your woes...I just purchased new Firestone tires and Coker tubes...(TR 135). So far so good...now you have me crossing my fingers.
Tom
 
Bikers are having the same problem when they have to use tubes in their
wire wheels. I've read in earlier threads on this subject that you have better luck when you use the metal stem tubes. The more "communist
China" stuff we buy the more we are only screwing ourselves, period!:(

Bob-A:D
 
Duffy1 said:
Changed to 1935 , ford 16 in. rims with tubless tires. Problem solved.
Click to expand...

If only I didn't think 16's and radials look so bad on a Model A:)
Don't get offended Duffer it just my opinion. And its your car, build it they way you want.
I have been eyeballing the 17's on my hotrod that have tubes that have had no problems but I'm not sure a rubber rake will go well on my stock A. There like 750 and 550's
 
Have you coated the inside of the tire with corn starch to lubricate them?

When the tube inflates if they are not lubricated then they can stick and the tube does not straighten itself out. Twists and pulls will stress the tubes.

Corn starch lets everything find their right place.
 
Bob
Don't even get me started. I just recently threw away a bunch of CHI COM crap tools.
Kevin
I have not tried that, but after so many issues you can not believe how gently and perfectly I can install a tube. If tube changing were and Olympic sport I'm sure I could medal!
 
Tiny, my '31 Fordor was parked in dry storage on the wheels in 1972. In 2010 the Wards tires still had air in them and weren't flat. Whoever made tires and tubes for Wards, made damned good stuff.
 
I just put Goodyears and new tubes on my A. Got them from Berts, not a hint of trouble. BTW my tire guy told me if you have a bad liner, just use Duct tape. They have been using it for years.
 
I am having the SAME problem. In the past couple years I've had to buy 4 new tubes, and all 4 have gone bad at some point. Currently, I have in my possession a tube my brother bought from Wallace Wade 1 week ago. I put it in my spare tire, and the valve stem leaked instantly. Tried tightening and putting in a different valve. Nothing worked. These new tubes are junky **** and I'm pissed. Why do they sell stuff that they know is bad? Shouldn't they warn you?
 
whirnot
I hope your luck is better than mine. Bert's was the supplier of the tubes, but this is not their fault at all, so don't read it that way. They get about 80% of my Model A money.
Rock
I hear you. I wish I could just drop the coupe off at the Monkey Ward and get some new Riversides
 
Tiny ;

You can buy 16 in tubless bias ply tires that stand taller than a radial tire and look pretty good on a model A . Most folks in our club that are running 16 `s buy these tires. I would think changing tubes with the help of the lady in the photo you posted a while back would be an encouragement to keep buying those crummy tubes.
 
There are no tubes (19 inch) for model A's made in the USA. I've searched and searched. I had 4 flats in 10 days, all in my shop, all with new tubes !! I bought from 3 different vendors. Been through 7 tubes ! Finally, Berts (with a warning) had some Chinese tubes that have lasted a little over a week. Hope they hang in there. I had 3 that wouldn't hold air right out of the package, that's quality !!! If you have old decent tubes keep them, all the new stuff is crap. Patch them as many times as you need to but don't even think about replacing them !!!!

It really cuts down on the fun when everytime you take the car out you worry about crap tubes failing.
 
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