tubes on 40 inch stickies - crazy ?

[GU Junkie]

Last week i bought some 40 x 17R Maxxis stickies in prep for Tuff Truck and I wont be able to beadlock them for a few weeks. I want to get out and get some seat time with the 40's so need to do something quickly. Not interested in secondairs though.
I have used Simex tubes in tyres for years and never had an issue including a set of 37 x 17R stickies but ..... I have been told the tube wont expand enough to fill the 40" tyre.
Anyone had any experience with tubes in 40's.

[MogLux]

Shaun tubes wont work.... they are correct you cant get them to fill out in a 40... depending on the rim you have you may not even need anythig if its only for a small period of time.. treps have a stiff side wall and dont flex new like an iroc...
If your worried about it sika flex them to the rims like you did with your 37s... just a pain in the ass to break the bead when you get bead locks..

[Micka]

Or you can be like the 3 tooth rednecks in the States and use tech screws to hold them to the rim.

You should be fine running them without beadlocks. I ran 37" creepies for years with no beadlocks at 6-8psi and rolled one once.

[flexytj]

simex tube will work but will fail if the tyre spins on the rim as it will tear the valve out also make sure there is no debris or stickers
on the inside of the tyre that will rub into the tube as the rubber will be thinned out from stretching to suit a 40 inch tyre. .

to anyone that thinks a 280/85/16 simex tube wont stretch far enough blow one up on the floor
of your workshop and see how big they get till the eventually let go .

personally i would just run them tubeless untill you get bead locks as i hate tubes .

[GU Junkie]

Thanks for your thoughts guys.

I did a read thru b4 posting this as there are a number of threads discussing tubes and boy is it a controversial subject. I've personally run tubes on 5 different sets of comp tyres including 2 sets of 33's, 36 swampers, and 2 sets of Maxxis sticky 37's. I've never had a valve tear, a tube come off, go flat or even get shite in the bead (the sikaflex also helps as youve seen Matt but it's no good by itself). I have never had the need to run beadlocks as the tubes work so well. So it surprises me when people poo poo them with so much conviction.

I had no concept of wether 40's would roll off the rim without tubes/beadlocks especially with the low pressures I would need to run and hence the post so appreciate your comments Micka.

Flexy - I love tubes as they are cheap and they work, but u do need to sikaflex to stop the crap getting in the bead which also helps them to stop spinning and tearing valves. If ur on a budget and cant afford beadlocks then go for a simex tube and some Automotive sikaflex 227.

I spoke to the simex importer (Chris Hummers business I think) and they advised their 16 x 285 (the biggest one they have) wont expand enough to fill a 40".

Anyways I have got hold of a 15-55 x 17 which John from Jmac was kind enough to fit for me today whilst doing other stuff on the truck. They are a heavy duty earthmoving tyre with TR15 valves which are perfect and what the original simex tubes had so we had to drill out the rim.

Get to try stuff out this weekend and will let you know. If they work I wonder if they could be left in even with the beadlocks as this would seal the inside of the tyre??

Too much typing .... I need to top up my drink

[A.R.T Racing]

I'm with you on the tubes. I have run standard tubes for years and only 1 flat in a winch comp. I don't know why everyone bags them. I'm forever pulling out bits of bark and timber and rocks from my strengthened rims (no beadlocks) and who has seen me with a flat tyre? They are a real budget alternative that works. I still can't believe how much guys spend on beadlocks why not just put tubes in and drive!

I haven't had experience with anything bigger than 35's so maybe bigger tyres are different.

[GU Junkie]

Had a good day out Sundy with tyres performing well. It was a bit rushed straight up and we didnt get the chance to bed them in. Only issue was we ripped one valve out which I doubt would of happened if we'd taken time to sikaflex them.