endorphin
08-27-2003, 11:46 PM
someone asked about this being reposted, and since I am running it and have played around with it I figure I am qualified. Not my idea. Got the idea here before the database got 'trimmed'.
edit: original author was JSinclair. See his article below.
Total cost is about $10 per wheel.
Required material: 20" (or 24"??) tube, a bottle of Slime or Camel (Walmart, about $7 for 16oz) tire sealant
1)You first take a 20" bmx tube. Cut all the way around the tube on the outermost line, away from the valvestem. You should end up with a flat circle of rubber with a valvestem on it.
2)Preferably remove any rubber rimstrips and use the reinforced tape on rimstrip, as it is less bulky, but it will work with the rubber strips too.
3)Place the band around your rim, put the valvestem through the hole. Let the extra rubber from the tube hang over the sides of the rim
4)Put your tire on, being careful not to make holes in the tube, although holes up at the edge of the rim really don't matter much.
5)With a compressor (gas station if you don't have at home) inflate your tire. It may require squashing the tire this way and that, but usually goes eventually.
6) Once the bead seats, the tire/tube will be jammed together, so let the air out, take out your valvestem with the tool that comes with the sealant. Put about 4 ounces (big tires seem to like more, as do older crappier tires, maybe up to 8 ounces) into the tire. Put the valvestem back in.
7) Inflate your tire to 25psi or so, now go for a ride (after reading 8 ), at least around the block a couple of times so the sealant gets everywhere inside and blocks any leaking.
8 ) If your happy, take a pair of scissors, opened just a bit, and slide along to trim the rubber hanging over the rim. Uh, if your using rim brakes you better do this before riding!
9) Your done. Feel free to lower pressure. The more you ride the first day the better it seems to seal.
Notes:
Do not use instant inflation/emergency tire inflator cans like the ones at Canadian Tire. The material they use to patch the leak hardens in less than a day and won't find little bead leaks. You MUST use a long term sealant such as Slime or Camel Tire Sealant. Added benefit is flat resistant to glass/thorns/nails for up to 2 years.
IF you can find it, Slime comes in 'tube' which is supposed to seal up to 1/8" holes, and 'tubeless' which is supposed to seal up to 1/4" holes. More fiber stuff in 'tubeless' compound. Also, Slime says its base is food grade, no enviro guilt.
I have Slime in front, Camel in back. Both seem to do fine.
You can dump the sealant in before putting the last bit of tire on, a little quicker
I have run as low as 5 psi in a 2.65 Kujo on the front without it coming off, but 5psi is getting a little squirmy. I have hit the rim at that pressure without flatting.
If you really like this system, run a bead of silicone on the rim corners before the tube, then it stays in place when you change tires.
Could also use spray adhesive on the rim, then put the tube on. Depending on strength of glue could be just right or getting too permanant come time to change nipples.
Even if you don't glue the tube you can still reuse it when you change tires
Use a hose to wash the sealant off if you need to.
The reason the tube is smaller than 26" is just so it stays tight on the rim like a rim strip does.
edit: original author was JSinclair. See his article below.
Total cost is about $10 per wheel.
Required material: 20" (or 24"??) tube, a bottle of Slime or Camel (Walmart, about $7 for 16oz) tire sealant
1)You first take a 20" bmx tube. Cut all the way around the tube on the outermost line, away from the valvestem. You should end up with a flat circle of rubber with a valvestem on it.
2)Preferably remove any rubber rimstrips and use the reinforced tape on rimstrip, as it is less bulky, but it will work with the rubber strips too.
3)Place the band around your rim, put the valvestem through the hole. Let the extra rubber from the tube hang over the sides of the rim
4)Put your tire on, being careful not to make holes in the tube, although holes up at the edge of the rim really don't matter much.
5)With a compressor (gas station if you don't have at home) inflate your tire. It may require squashing the tire this way and that, but usually goes eventually.
6) Once the bead seats, the tire/tube will be jammed together, so let the air out, take out your valvestem with the tool that comes with the sealant. Put about 4 ounces (big tires seem to like more, as do older crappier tires, maybe up to 8 ounces) into the tire. Put the valvestem back in.
7) Inflate your tire to 25psi or so, now go for a ride (after reading 8 ), at least around the block a couple of times so the sealant gets everywhere inside and blocks any leaking.
8 ) If your happy, take a pair of scissors, opened just a bit, and slide along to trim the rubber hanging over the rim. Uh, if your using rim brakes you better do this before riding!
9) Your done. Feel free to lower pressure. The more you ride the first day the better it seems to seal.
Notes:
Do not use instant inflation/emergency tire inflator cans like the ones at Canadian Tire. The material they use to patch the leak hardens in less than a day and won't find little bead leaks. You MUST use a long term sealant such as Slime or Camel Tire Sealant. Added benefit is flat resistant to glass/thorns/nails for up to 2 years.
IF you can find it, Slime comes in 'tube' which is supposed to seal up to 1/8" holes, and 'tubeless' which is supposed to seal up to 1/4" holes. More fiber stuff in 'tubeless' compound. Also, Slime says its base is food grade, no enviro guilt.
I have Slime in front, Camel in back. Both seem to do fine.
You can dump the sealant in before putting the last bit of tire on, a little quicker
I have run as low as 5 psi in a 2.65 Kujo on the front without it coming off, but 5psi is getting a little squirmy. I have hit the rim at that pressure without flatting.
If you really like this system, run a bead of silicone on the rim corners before the tube, then it stays in place when you change tires.
Could also use spray adhesive on the rim, then put the tube on. Depending on strength of glue could be just right or getting too permanant come time to change nipples.
Even if you don't glue the tube you can still reuse it when you change tires
Use a hose to wash the sealant off if you need to.
The reason the tube is smaller than 26" is just so it stays tight on the rim like a rim strip does.