Tubeless Tyres

INTRODUCTION
TUBELESS TYRE

But after the introduction of engine driven vehicles, Tubed Tyres have become the norm.Tube tyres, are basically made up of natural rubber and fabric along with other compound chemicals. They also consist of a tread for traction and body support of the vehicle.The vast majority of tires are pneumatic(pressurized-air) ones with a halogenated butyl rubber tube. Traditional designs of pneumatic tyres re uired a separate inner tube which could fail because of incorrect tyre fitment or friction between the tyre wall and inner tube(due to lac! of pressurized-air) generating e"cess heat causing a blowout of air. Tube tyres #n tube type tyres, the air is enclosed inside a tube, and the tube has the valve fitted to it. #f an object pierces the tyre,it can cause the tube to burst just li!e a balloon or it ma!es a hole in the tube through which air comes out. $s this happens, the tube gets smaller and the valve thus moves out of the rim hole. Thus the escaping air rushes out of the rim through the valve hole, leading to a immediate air loss. This immediate air loss or a blow

Tubeless Tyres out is dangerous due to loss of vehicle control during motion.

Tubeless Tyres

HOW TUBELESS TYRES WORK

Tubeless tyres, as the name suggests, are tyres without the tube. The tyre is built in such a way that it can contain the air by itself. #t does not re uire a tube within it. The tyre has a halo- or chloro-butyl lining on its inside which is airtight. Together with the airtight joint between the tyre and the wheel, the membrane forms a container that holds the air for the tyre. %uring high speed cruises, the temperature within the tyre rises significantly. This in turn increases the pressure on the tyre tube. $n ordinary tyre is fairly vulnerable under such circumstances. $ny protrusion into the tyre which at other times will cause a routine puncture, due to such heat, causes the tube to burst li!e a balloon. The air escapes fast as the only air tight component in the tyre is the tube. &ometimes the air escapes with so much force that it tears the tyre as well. This may cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle which at a high speed can be fatal. The tubeless tyre is better suited to hold air than a much thinner tube. #n case of a protrusion, the air escapes only through the hole that caused the puncture, which is plugged by the very thing that caused the puncture, and hence escapes at a slow pace giving the much re uired safety. $s tubeless tyres contain the air themselves, they provide much more efficient dissipation of heat. This is enhanced if the wheels are made of alloys rather than the conventional ones.

Tubeless Tyres $nother problem with the tube is punctures which are often caused by pinholes. #n case of tubeless tyres, these are not as fre uent. There have been cases where a nail has protruded into the tyre and has stayed there for uite a few days without any significant loss in the air pressure as the nail itself seals the hole. 'n an average, a tubeless tyre is lighter than a normal tube-type tyre by about ())g. This weight difference adds to the fuel economy of the vehicle. $ tube in a tyre not only adds uite few grams to the weight of the tyre, but during the motion, this amounts to higher unsprung weight which adversely affects the handling and overall dynamics of the vehicle. &omething useful to the more adventurous drivers is the fact that on a rough terrain, one can very easily drive a tubeless tyre with a lower air pressure for better grip without fearing pinch flats. $part from these significant advantages, the small niggles that are almost synonymous with a tube li!e wear-out or abrasion due to friction with the rim, pinholes, damages due to improper mounting, spurious tubes etc are done away with. $nother area of concern is the repair of a tubeless tyre. #n case of a routine puncture caused by a nail or a nail-li!e protrusion, the most advisable method is to use a plug to seal off the puncture. *epair !its of this type are easily available and the cost depends on the number of plugs that the !it comes with. +sing the !it, a plug that loo!s li!e a mushroom, or li!e a nail with a disproportionately large head, is inserted into the puncture hole from the inside of the tyre and a solution is used as an adhesive for the plug. The e"tra bit of the plug that may stretch out of the tyre surface on the outside is trimmed. This is the simplest way to mend the most routine puncture. &een once, you can do it yourself. ,or a puncture that is too large for a plug, the remedy is to seal it by pasting a patch on the inside of the tyre. This is not the most recommended of the methods as this only seals the inside of the tyre, but ends up e"posing the metal components of the tyre to e"ternal conditions. $nother slightly comple" method is to use a compound. #n case of a puncture, the hole is sealed by inserting a compound into the cavity. +sing tongs, the metal of the tyre is slightly moved to ma!e room for the compound and then the compound is added to the cavity with the help of an additional adhesive.

Tubeless Tyres The must-haves for a car with tubeless tyres are- a plug puncture repair !it and a spare tube. .ow, why a tubeless tyre need a tube/ #n case of a puncture you cannot repair on the road, you can simply insert the tube into the tyre and use it just li!e an ordinary tubetype tyre until you get home. Tubeless tyres are not standard on all cars in #ndia yet, but the tyre manufacturers have tubeless tyres that will fit the rim size of almost all cars. %o ma!e sure that you get these for your car when you ma!e a purchase. 0very penny that you will pay for them is worth it. The wheel has turned full circle, but it has not brought about a revolution. Tubeless tyres, which have been around since the 12()s, were not adopted in #ndia till the late 122)s, when car ma!ers started rolling out their premium models fitted with tubeless tyres. They became the flavour of the season - being the 3latest4 technology - never mind that our neighbours have been running on these for over a decade now. 5atest technology or not, it is generally accepted that tubeless tyres are superior to tube tyres, and more importantly, safer. Their low rolling resistance contributes to lower fuel consumption and you are able to drive on for 1)) !m or so in case of a puncture. But today tubeless tyres, despite retailing at the same price, account for only around 1)6 of total passenger vehicle tyre sales. 78 Tyres said tubeless tyres made up 1(6 of overall segment sales while 9eat claimed that only :6 of overall passenger car tyre sales was accounted for by tubeless tyres. 'ther tyrema!ers, while refusing to disclose company sales figures, reiterated that the tubeless segment was around 1)6 of overall sales. ;hile '0< rollouts are few and for high-end models, tyrema!ers offer a wide variety of tyres across all segments starting from the <aruti-=)). 9ar ma!ers cite the absence of ade uate repair infrastructure and road infrastructure as the reasons for not having tubeless tyres in all models. 3&ince the premium end models sell mostly in the cities, there are enough repair facilities available. The same cannot be said for the semi-urban and rural areas,4 says the spo!esperson of a leading car ma!er. >et another reason is that it is preferable to mount sturdier alloy wheels for tubeless tyres, which add to the cost of the vehicle. 5

Tubeless Tyres $ severe jer! from the numerous potholes on #ndian roads can dent the rim and lead to air lea!age. ,or repairing a puncture, it is imperative to use automatic tyre-changing machines for mounting or demounting tubeless tyres on the rim. +sing traditional methods of hammer and chisel can damage the rim and results in air lea!age - so your local puncturewallah is not uite e uipped to do the job. This system can be used with ?Tubeless? tires, ?Tubeless-*eady? tires, and also with standard tires when an inner tube is used. The tubeless mode re uires special parts@ Tubeless tire -or- Tubeless-*eady tire with &uper 7uice @ Tubeless rim @ Tubeless rim strip @ Tubeless valve stem $ AregularA tire fits the tubeless-compatible rim, but a regular tire re uires an inner tube since it does not have tubeless tire beads or an impermeable layer to hold the air. Tubeless tires fit tightly and re uire uni ue mounting procedures There are some variations in the way tubeless tires from each tire manufacturer fit, so some tires are more difficult to mount than others. #f you carefully follow the installation instructions, you should be able to easily mount any tubeless tire. ;hen mounting a tubeless tire, the tire must ma!e an airtight seal against the inner surface of the rim to allow initial inflation. ;hen riding, the bead must fit the rim securely when the tire is mounted in order retain air, especially at low inflation pressures. Because of these re uirements, a tubeless tire fits the rim more tightly and can be more difficult to mount than a conventional tire on a conventional rim. #tBs especially important to pay attention to the installation instructions for tubeless tires if youBve already mastered installing conventional tiresC there are very important differences between the two. Pre-stretch the beads to a!e t"re ou#t"#$ eas"er

The 8evlar bead of a new tubeless tire will stretch a substantial amount after it has been inflated initially. #tBs best to mount a new tubeless tire onto a standard rim before installing 6

Tubeless Tyres it on a tubeless rim- any wheel will do. +se an inner tube, inflate the tire to D) psi (: B$*) and leave it overnight. This will ma!e it much easier to mount onto your tubeless rim. Use soa%y &ater to ou#t tube'ess t"res

;ith a tubeless or Tubeless-*eady tire, the tire beads have to move along the surface of the rim and remain in contact with it during the inflation process. ,riction resists this motion and causes problems. The source of the friction is between the stic!y rubber of the tire bead and the inner surface of the rim. $ film of soapy water reduces the friction, allows the tire to more easily slide into place on the rim, and lets the tire seal better. +se dishwashing li uid diluted with water (1 part soap to : parts water). Brush, wipe, or spray this solution onto both the rim and tire surfaces before you mount a tire. #f you have to fi" a flat on the trail, plain water also wor!s. Be care(u' &he# us"#$ t"re too's #t is often easier to mount a tight tire using tire tools, especially if itBs a new tire, so itBs a good idea to carry tire tools with you in case you have to repair a flat on the trail. #f you choose to use tire tools, do not use e"cessive force on the tool. #f you have to use a lot of force, something is wrongC stop and determine the cause of the problem. #ncorrect use of tire tools can damage the sealing surfaces of the rim strip or the tire beadC this damage can cause air lea!s. )*o"d"#$ 'ea!s &"th a tube'ess t"re $ properly mounted tubeless tire will EbleedB air, up to : F&# ().G( $T<) per day. #f a tubeless tire loses air faster than this, chec! potential lea!age sites. %irt, sand, grime, or roughness on any of the sealing surfaces may cause a tubeless tire to lea!.

Tubeless Tyres 9hec! that the valve nut is tight, chec! for punctures, and chec! all sealing surfaces@ Tire to rim contact @ Tire to rim strip contact @ Halve stem to rim strip contact @ *im strip to rim contact #f a tubeless tire is punctured, a small hole (less than Imm) can be patched from the inside of the tire with a stic!y glueless patch. #f the puncture hole is greater than Imm, or the tire casing is damaged with bro!en threads instead of merely punctured, replace the tire. #f the air is lea!ing from the rim strip, install a new rim strip. #f the air is lea!ing rapidly and you canAt find the air source, it may be difficult to inflate the tire enough to locate the puncture. Jowever, its easy to convert from tubeless to the use of a standard inner tube. ) tube'ess t"re ust be co %'ete'y sea'ed to the r"

Before a tubeless tire can be inflated, both beads must ma!e full contact with the rim strip at the bottom of the rim well, all the way around the rim. ,or this to happen, a tubeless tire must fit more tightly on the rim than a conventional tire. ;ith a snug-fitting tubeless tire, bare-handed installation may be difficult. #f you use tire levers for installation or removal, avoid damaging the rim or abrading the tire beads. #f either surface is roughened, air may bleed e"cessively from the mounted tire. #f the tire beads are sealed on the rim strip, air pressure will push the beads up to the rim hoo!s, where they can seal tightly. >ou donAt need a compressor to do thisC a good floor pump or an air cartridge will wor!. 0ven a hand pump may wor!, if nothing else is available.

Tubeless Tyres

CONSTRUCTION TUBELESS TYRES

Tubeless tyres, as the name suggests, are tyres without the tube. The tyre is built in such a way that it can contain the air by itself. #t does not re uire a tube within it. The tyre has a halo- or chloro-butyl lining on its inside which is airtight. Together with the airtight joint between the tyre and the wheel, the membrane forms a container that holds the air for the tyre.

%uring high speed cruises, the temperature within the tyre rises significantly. This in turn increases the pressure on the tyre tube. $n ordinary tyre is fairly vulnerable under such circumstances. $ny protrusion into the tyre which at other times will cause a routine puncture, due to such heat, causes the tube to burst li!e a balloon. The air escapes fast as the only air tight component in the tyre is the tube. &ometimes the air escapes with so much force that it tears the tyre as well. This may cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle which at a high speed can be fatal. The tubeless tyre is better suited to hold air than a much thinner tube. #n case of a protrusion, the air escapes only through the hole that caused the puncture, which is plugged by the very thing that caused the puncture, and hence escapes at a slow pace giving the much re uired safety. $s tubeless tyres contain the air themselves, they provide much more efficient dissipation of heat. This is enhanced if the wheels are made of alloys rather than the conventional ones.

Tubeless Tyres $nother problem with the tube is punctures which are often caused by pinholes. #n case of tubeless tyres, these are not as fre uent. There have been cases where a nail has protruded into the tyre and has stayed there for uite a few days without any significant loss in the air pressure as the nail itself seals the hole. 'n an average, a tubeless tyre is lighter than a normal tube-type tyre by about ())g. This weight difference adds to the fuel economy of the vehicle. $ tube in a tyre not only adds uite few grams to the weight of the tyre, but during the motion, this amounts to higher unsprung weight which adversely affects the handling and overall dynamics of the vehicle. &omething useful to the more adventurous drivers is the fact that on a rough terrain, one can very easily drive a tubeless tyre with a lower air pressure for better grip without fearing pinch flats. $part from these significant advantages, the small niggles that are almost synonymous with a tube li!e wear-out or abrasion due to friction with the rim, pinholes, damages due to improper mounting, spurious tubes etc are done away with. $nother area of concern is the repair of a tubeless tyre. #n case of a routine puncture caused by a nail or a nail-li!e protrusion, the most advisable method is to use a plug to seal off the puncture. *epair !its of this type are easily available and the cost depends on the number of plugs that the !it comes with. +sing the !it, a plug that loo!s li!e a mushroom, or li!e a nail with a disproportionately large head, is inserted into the puncture hole from the inside of the tyre and a solution is used as an adhesive for the plug. The e"tra bit of the plug that may stretch out of the tyre surface on the outside is trimmed. This is the simplest way to mend the most routine puncture. &een once, you can do it yourself. ,or a puncture that is too large for a plug, the remedy is to seal it by pasting a patch on the inside of the tyre. This is not the most recommended of the methods as this only seals the inside of the tyre, but ends up e"posing the metal components of the tyre to e"ternal conditions. $nother slightly comple" method is to use a compound. #n case of a puncture, the hole is sealed by inserting a compound into the cavity. +sing tongs, the metal of the tyre is slightly moved to ma!e room for the compound and then the compound is added to the cavity with the help of an additional adhesive. 10

Tubeless Tyres

TR)DITION)L TYRES
Traditional tyres are those that have rubber tubes within them. Kradually, with the advent of technology and innovation, new types of car tyres came into picture. $mong all the types, the most common tyres today are tubeless tyres. #n #ndia, though it has not ta!en much a hi!e but has become standard on premium and lu"ury cars.

E*o'ut"o# Till date the tube type car tyres that the industry had had a major drawbac! and that was the bursting of the inner tube. Those are made of an outer rubber tube with a butyl rubber tube within. $ir is filled inside the inner tube to maintain the level of friction between the wheel and the road. Though butyl is a good source for permeation of air, a slight damage or pric! in the tube, causes the air to lea!, eventually resulting in a punctured tyre. This disadvantage of traditional tyres lead to the evolution of tubeless tyre, a !ind of tyre that could avoid the use of inner tube and ma!e the drive more reliable.

Structure The basic concept behind the structure of tubeless tyres is the absence of tubes within them. The e"ternal structure is the same as the older types but the inner structure differs. #nstead of the inner butyl tube present in the traditional tyres, tubeless tyres are solely filled with air. To seal the air inside the tyre, the inner wall is lined with an airtight and impermeable membrane composed of materials li!e halo butylyLchloro-butyl. Butyl lining helps reduce air permeation.

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Tubeless Tyres

)D+)NT),E O- TUBELESS TYRES

The !ey benefits of tubeless tyres are that it allows cooler running and even if it gets punctured it can drive the car to a substantial distance without any jer!s and inconvenience. 5ighter weight of the tubeless tyre also adds worth to its usage because lighter the weight more is the fuel efficiency. ,urthermore, tubeless tyres re uires less balance weight, have better heat dissipation, and even have much of cost saving factors as no tube is re uired. Tubeless tyres also re uire less tyre care and maintenance.

DIS)D+)NT),E
Tubeless tires re uire that the rim be air tight and have a valve so the tire can be inflated (and deflated). $lso the wheels generally have a drop center to mount the tire, which decreases the amount of space available for bra!es. Flus repairs are a little more difficult.

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Tubeless Tyres

DI--ERENCE IN TUBELESS )ND TR)DITION)L TYRES

The !ey difference between the two types of tyres is the construction. #n traditional tyres there is an inner tube sealing the air component whereas in tubeless there is only a butyl lining on the inner wall to retain air. #n case of tube tyre, there is an instant lea!age of air in case of puncture and the car gives a sudden jer!. 'n the other hand, when the car has tubeless tyres, loss of air is comparatively much slower and can ride to an appreciable distance without delivering any !ind of jer!s.

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Tubeless Tyres

CONCLUSION
Tubeless tyres are pneumatic tyres that do not re uire a separate butyl rubber inner tube. Traditional designs of pneumatic tyres re uired a separate inner tube which could fail for a number of reasons, such as- incorrect tyre fitment, or friction between the tyre wall and inner tube generating e"cess heat causing a blowout. Tubeless tyre technology does away with the need for an inner tube thereby increasing safety. #n a tubeless tyre, the tyre, which has an inner lining of impermeable halobutyl, and the rim of the wheel form an airtight seal, with the valve being directly mounted on the rim. #f a tubeless tyre gets punctured, air escapes only through the hole, leading to a gentle deflation of the tyre. 9onversely, an inner tube could potentially burst li!e a balloon, leading to a rapid deflation of the tyre which could result in sudden loss of control of the vehicle. $ li uid tyre sealant can be added to tubeless tyres to prevent deflation. $dditionally, it is easier to mend a tubeless tyre puncture using an easy-to-use puncture !it. The !ey benefits of tubeless tyres are that it allows cooler running and even if it gets punctured it can drive the car to a substantial distance without any jer!s and inconvenience.

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Tubeless Tyres

RE-ERENCE
;eb &ites *eferred http-LLen.wi!ipedia.orgLwi!iLTubelessMtyre www.carwale.com N *esearch N $rticles bi!eadvice.inLtube-tubeless-tyresL

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