Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Posted: **Wed Apr 08, 2015 6:22 pm**

Are these the correct inner tubes for my 165/80/13 tyres?
They have a straight valve and I'm assuming this is right.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-TYRE-TIRE ... 4d0c90064a
Thanks,
Kev.

Posted: **Wed Apr 08, 2015 10:58 pm**

I can't say on those particular tubes but here in the states I haven't been able to buy a good inner tube for quite a while. I've gone back to resurrecting old Dunlop's....the one's that the experts say you should throw away and replace with new just because they are old.
The final straw was on a set of tubes just for 13" tires that I bought form Moss. 50 miles and I had a flat in heavy traffic so that I couldn't pull over immediately. Damaged my new tire and the tube went flat because of a manufacturing flaw. Little balls of rubber that were never fused together.

Kurt
26/3754

Posted: **Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:30 am**

Thanks Kurt,
I've now ordered 5 Michelin tubes from Classic Tyres here in the UK. They need offset valves apparently.
Hope they come without the little rolled up rubber bits :shock:

Kev.

Posted: **Thu Apr 09, 2015 4:27 pm**

Experience taught me to be very careful that the tyre fitter ensures not a single bit of grit is present in the tyre. Even tiny objects caught between tyre and tube can cause a puncture. I also swapped out all the cheap inner tubes for Michelin ones from http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/. You could feel the difference in the quality of the rubber.

Posted: **Thu Apr 09, 2015 8:41 pm**

Also look for foil or paper manufacturing stickers inside the tire that will wear a hole in the tube-that happened to me. You can peel them off or scrub off with a wire brush.
Do you have to run tubes with those rims? I thought folks were going tubeless now? Eric

Posted: **Thu Apr 09, 2015 8:46 pm**

I'm not sure why you would be using tubes....

I draw your attention to this....

http://www.avonmotorsport.com/resource- ... be-fitment

Posted: **Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:29 pm**

The avonmotorsport article goes on to say that tubes should be fitted to a non-safety wheel. I have been advised that my wheels do not have the second bead inside the rim and a tube is recommended. I'm sorry that opinion is so divided on this issue but I'm not about to ignore safety recommendations from someone who I beleive is giving me good sound advise.
Anyone out there who wants to go tubeless - fine, me I'm using tubes.
The debate goes on.

Posted: **Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:17 pm**

As I understand it the "safety" ridge is there to reduce the likelihood of a flat tyre coming off the rim.

A flat tyre is flat, with or without a tube....

Posted: **Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:23 pm**

I have bought these 165x13 tubes from this company, which I am sure you will be a bit miffed at what price they are and what you have possibly paid Whoops sorry for that but worth a punt at these prices, good luck

http://valveandbalance.com/inner-tubes/ ... 70r13.html

Posted: **Fri Apr 10, 2015 10:03 am**

[quote="weddingcarclive"]I have bought these 165x13 tubes from this company, which I am sure you will be a bit miffed at what price they are and what you have possibly paid Whoops sorry for that but worth a punt at these prices, good luck]

You'll see from my original post that I looked at ebay tubes and I have looked at many other 'cheap' options, but my original question was whether the valves were straight or offset. The correct valve is offset and the ones you're taking a punt on are straight. You pay your money, you takes your choice, but as you say - good luck :wink:

Posted: **Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:23 pm**

nomad wrote:The final straw was on a set of tubes just for 13" tires that I bought form Moss. 50 miles and I had a flat in heavy traffic so that I couldn't pull over immediately. Damaged my new tire and the tube went flat because of a manufacturing flaw. Little balls of rubber that were never fused together.

Kurt
26/3754

We have discussed this on the forum previously and I now run my S4 tubeless. The problem appears to be that modern tyres are designed to be tubeless and have ridges inside (ie they are not smooth) and therefore abrade the surface of the tube until you have a puncture. This manifests itself as a very distressed looking tube with lots of little bits of balled-up rubber on the surface and no other obvious cause of air loss.

I suspect that if you could find proper smooth tubed tyres the make/quality of the tubes wouldn't matter.

A straw poll on the forum suggested that most Elans are running around happily tubeless. :wink:

Posted: **Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:20 pm**

nebogipfel wrote:
nomad wrote:The final straw was on a set of tubes just for 13" tires that I bought form Moss. 50 miles and I had a flat in heavy traffic so that I couldn't pull over immediately. Damaged my new tire and the tube went flat because of a manufacturing flaw. Little balls of rubber that were never fused together.

Kurt
26/3754

We have discussed this on the forum previously and I now run my S4 tubeless. The problem appears to be that modern tyres are designed to be tubeless and have ridges inside (ie they are not smooth) and therefore abrade the surface of the tube until you have a puncture. This manifests itself as a very distressed looking tube with lots of little bits of balled-up rubber on the surface and no other obvious cause of air loss.

I suspect that if you could find proper smooth tubed tyres the make/quality of the tubes wouldn't matter.

John, if you had seen the tube you would agree that it was a flaw in the manufacture of the tube. I do not run tubes on solid wheel cars. This particular car [Mk2 MG Midget] has wires.

You make a good point....all tires now days seem to have a very rough inner surface.

Kurt
26/3754

A straw poll on the forum suggested that most Elans are running around happily tubeless.

Posted: **Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:22 pm**

Ah...I see I screwed up the quote! :mrgreen:

Kurt
26/3754

Posted: **Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:31 pm**

nomad wrote:Ah...I see I screwed up the quote!

Kurt
26/3754

Yes sadly if you run wires then of course you have no choice. I don't doubt you may well have had a faulty tube but I suffered regular punctures with my Elan using tubes, the Uniroyal tyres I bought have ribbed inners and were clearly damaging the tubes in the way I described.

I don't know if you can still buy tubed type 13" tyres but would suggest it might be a good idea to investigate when you next need a set.

Posted: **Sat Apr 11, 2015 4:27 am**

John, I'll keep that in mind when fitting the next set.

Kurt.

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