BoneGraft
25-11-2008, 01:42 PM
Found this on SMJ and thought it was interesting. They have a thread about a poor mans tubeless conversion using silicone sealant to seal the nipples and 3-4 wraps of duct tape over that. There are quite a few using it with reportedly good results when done properly. I thought this method was a more elegant approach that also reportedly works well and allows for easy spoke adjustment without the fear of breaking the seal on the silicone and causing leaks.
Originally posted on SMJ by Jerico1080
Here are some photos showing how to make a tubless rim-strip out of a bicycle tube (the advantages of this method over silicone sealant have been previously described in this thread). I decided not to use an additional rim strip to protect the tube from the spoke nipples, because they had enough left-over silicone sealant that I figured there wasn't a way the tube would get sucked in and torn during wheel flex.
Step one: Go to a bike shop and get a 16"x1.75/2.125" bicycle tube (the thicker the rubber, the better) and a couple little tubes of tubular tire cement.
Next: Cut the tube in half along the outside circumference and clean all the powder and shit off of it--you're going to want it clean with no contaminents, acetone works well.
Next: Stick the valve in the valve hole on the rim and stretch the tube around the rim, making sure it's centered in rim channel and splayed open up on the shoulders (see photo 1).
Next: Trim the tube so the edges go up just a little bit on the radiused edge (see photo 2). On a rear wheel, the channel is usually wide enough so you don't have to trim the tube at all.
Next: Fold one side of the tube over on itself so it's out of the way and run a 3/16 bead of the tire cement right in the radius of the edge of the channel (see photo 3).
Next: Once you've completed the bead around the wheel, gently start folding the tube into the bead so the glue gets smooshed out and up the shoulder a little (see photo 4). Work your way around and try to keep the tube from springing back all at once.
Next: put a rubber glove on and smooth the bead out with a finger to make sure there are no air bubbles or excess glue blobs. Repeat for the other side.
Since the valve stem isn't threaded, I'd put a hose clamp or zip tie around it to keep it from getting pushed in the rim too far when inflating/checking pressures and possibly damaging the glue seal. Also, I should say again it's not a bad idea to do some sort of rim strip to keep the spoke nipples from tearing the tube (like you would in your normal tube set-up) unless they're already goobed up with silicone.
http://vsmr.net/albums/bitsnbobs/pre_cut.sized.jpg
http://vsmr.net/albums/bitsnbobs/trimmed.sized.jpg
http://vsmr.net/albums/bitsnbobs/glue.sized.jpg
http://vsmr.net/albums/bitsnbobs/glued.sized.jpg
I think the pic above is BEFORE the glue was smoothed out.
Now I can't say I'm about to go and rip off my tyres and toss the tubes but what do people think? A good idea or disaster waiting to happen?
Originally posted on SMJ by Jerico1080
Here are some photos showing how to make a tubless rim-strip out of a bicycle tube (the advantages of this method over silicone sealant have been previously described in this thread). I decided not to use an additional rim strip to protect the tube from the spoke nipples, because they had enough left-over silicone sealant that I figured there wasn't a way the tube would get sucked in and torn during wheel flex.
Step one: Go to a bike shop and get a 16"x1.75/2.125" bicycle tube (the thicker the rubber, the better) and a couple little tubes of tubular tire cement.
Next: Cut the tube in half along the outside circumference and clean all the powder and shit off of it--you're going to want it clean with no contaminents, acetone works well.
Next: Stick the valve in the valve hole on the rim and stretch the tube around the rim, making sure it's centered in rim channel and splayed open up on the shoulders (see photo 1).
Next: Trim the tube so the edges go up just a little bit on the radiused edge (see photo 2). On a rear wheel, the channel is usually wide enough so you don't have to trim the tube at all.
Next: Fold one side of the tube over on itself so it's out of the way and run a 3/16 bead of the tire cement right in the radius of the edge of the channel (see photo 3).
Next: Once you've completed the bead around the wheel, gently start folding the tube into the bead so the glue gets smooshed out and up the shoulder a little (see photo 4). Work your way around and try to keep the tube from springing back all at once.
Next: put a rubber glove on and smooth the bead out with a finger to make sure there are no air bubbles or excess glue blobs. Repeat for the other side.
Since the valve stem isn't threaded, I'd put a hose clamp or zip tie around it to keep it from getting pushed in the rim too far when inflating/checking pressures and possibly damaging the glue seal. Also, I should say again it's not a bad idea to do some sort of rim strip to keep the spoke nipples from tearing the tube (like you would in your normal tube set-up) unless they're already goobed up with silicone.
http://vsmr.net/albums/bitsnbobs/pre_cut.sized.jpg
http://vsmr.net/albums/bitsnbobs/trimmed.sized.jpg
http://vsmr.net/albums/bitsnbobs/glue.sized.jpg
http://vsmr.net/albums/bitsnbobs/glued.sized.jpg
I think the pic above is BEFORE the glue was smoothed out.
Now I can't say I'm about to go and rip off my tyres and toss the tubes but what do people think? A good idea or disaster waiting to happen?