Need advice on using radial tires with spokes

I want to replace my very old 40+ year tires with radials. Any advice on what the options are to use a radial tire with the spoked rims, assuming that a tube is not an option? I heard that silicone on the spokes is an option, but that sounds dubious.
Thanks

 

If your rims were not made to run tubeless, don't try and make them. The problem is not leakage at the spoke-nipples, the problem is the tire-bed.

Tubeless rims have an H2 marking, and have small himps/ridges on the tire-bed to keep the tires seated against the rim-edge, and tube-type rims don't have these.

If you run a tubeless tire on a flat rim at low pressure, the tire-heel can move away from the adge of the rim with all sorts of nasty consequences.

Best,

Jack.

 

These are the Borrani wires that came on the 1967 Mexico, so I guess these were never made to run tubeless.
Thanks

 

run a rubber inner liner, I have seen 3" wide black industrial tape used in lieu of the rubber liner too, then use a tubes

 

Are you suggesting using a tube with a radial tire?

 

Yes you can buy a tube for radial tire

Cheers

Mark

 

Ok, so what are you guys with Boranni wheels using for tires?...radials with tubes?

But what about what f308jack said:

"If your rims were not made to run tubeless, don't try and make them. The problem is not leakage at the spoke-nipples, the problem is the tire-bed.

Tubeless rims have an H2 marking, and have small himps/ridges on the tire-bed to keep the tires seated against the rim-edge, and tube-type rims don't have these.

If you run a tubeless tire on a flat rim at low pressure, the tire-heel can move away from the adge of the rim with all sorts of nasty consequences".

 

Wire wheels (Borani or other) MUST be run with a tube. If the tire is radial or not does not matter.
The spoke nipples MUST be covered. They are usually covered with a rubber ribbon. They are covered in order to protect the tube from mecanical rubbing.

In Europe, all Jaguars, MG, TR, Maserati etc. run this way with wire wheels, tube, rubber ribbon and RADIALS.

Wilfried

 

Jack is saying not to run a tire without a tube on a wire wheel unless the wheel was designed for it, which I agree. On the other hand you can safely run a radial tire on a wire wheel with a tube. Maserati has been shipping their cars with Borrani wires with tubes and radials since the early 60's. As was mentioned here, make sure you have a rubber liner or tape to protect the tube. Buy the best tube you can find. I just replaced the tires on a Mistral and bought racing tubes from Lucas Classic Tires.

Lucas Classic Tires

Ivan

 

Sponsor Classic Tires | Longstone has every classic radial and tube in stock that you could need.

I think 205VR15 Pirelli Cinturato is what you need for the Mexico, but I'm sure Dougal will be able to help you. They're also Borrani dealer so can tell you what you can and can't do.

It may sound like I'm working there, but I'm just a very happy customer wanting these guys to be successful.

 

Lucas Classic Tires is the USA distributor for Longstone products. I contacted Longstone and they prefer to channel USA sales through Lucas. Lucas prices are essentially the same as Longstone once you do the currency conversion.

I put Pirelli Cinturato 205VR15 CN72 on the Mistral and they look MUCH better than the 215/70x15 P4000 it use to have.

Ivan

 

Cool!

Would you perhaps have a pic of the Mistral wearing the new CN72? The Avon Turbosteel currently fitted to a Mistral here as a stopgap solution while Cinturatos were unavailable look to skinny and drive like a truck tire.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for all of the replies. I won't be purchasing the $500 Pirelli Cinturato 205VR15 CN72, this time around, but the better tubes make sense.
Cheers

 

The first two photos is the Mistral with Pirelli P4000 215/70x15. I never liked the sidewall lettering and the tire thread just did not look period correct.

The next two photos are with the Cinturatos CN72 205x15. Notice that these tires fill the wheel wells better.

Ivan
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Yes as stated they make tubes for this

 

Is that side marker correct?

 

Love that car Ivan...
Will you adopt me soon?

 

I think so. The other Mistral spyder (#049) has the same side markers. I did a Google search and most Mistrals have these side markers. Do you have something different?

Ivan
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What I meant was the side markers position. To my eye the marker looks too close the the bumper I did a search too and looking at older original pictures they look like they were mounted in a few different positions, but most seem to have some type of gap between marker and bumper.

 

All I can say is this is where they put the side lamps on this car. About 8 years ago the car was taken to bare metal. I checked my photos of the naked car and as you can see there was no other hole for the side lamp.

Compared to other deviations I've seen on cars I would consider this one very minor

Ivan
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