Fitting Tubeless Tyres Problems

royh

I am having problems fitting tubeless tyres.

I have Bontrager Rythm tubeless rims, Stan's tubeless kit and Continental Race King tyres.

I have followed the instructions to the tee, but can not get the tyre beads in place. This means when inflating the tyre, it impossible to create any sort of air seal and hence all the air escapes - making it impossible to inflate. I am using a floor pump.

(the beads easily pop into place when using an inner tube).

Is there a way to sort this? Thanks.

toasty

Get lots of washing up foam around the outside of the bead and pump faster! The foam will allow it to slide into place, create a barrier for a split second and highlight where the air is mainly coming out.

With some tyres I had more luck applying pressure on the tyre where the valve stem is, squishing it down and forcing the air around.

Careful not to use too much water in the foam, a bit is fine but if you go OTT you water down the Stans stuff.

nicklouse

slightly lost here you are using tubeless rims and a tubeless kit?

fit valve to rim. fit tyre, inflate add slime/gunk or whetever to seal the tyre.

Jon_Gardner

Hi,

You will find it easier to inflate the tyre if you use genuine Bontrager rim strips instead of the rubber (and expensive) rim strips in the Stans kit. You will also need some Bontrager UST valves.

Rythm rim strips here..
http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/bontr ... ml#aTC1835

Valves...
http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/bontr ... ml#aTC0822

If you do carry on with your Stans kit then I find as a rule of thumb that the harder it is to mount the tyre on the rim then the easier it is to inflate! If your tyre is going onto the rim very easily then try adding a layer of velox rim tape (or similar) underneath the Stans strip. The rim tape pushes the rim strip against the tyre bead and reduces the rate of deflation when you're trying to get it to seal.

Good luck!

RedJohn

A couple of things to try:

1. Use a CO2 cartridge, or a compressor, or a garage line for that first inflation - this will inflate much quicker than a pump and will pop the tyre into place and make a seal before the air has a chance to escape.

2. If your rims are a bit narrow, you may also need to stretch the tyre at the valve area so that all the air goes up into the tyre rather than some escaping immediately round the side. You may need three hands for this mind you ...

toasty

RedJohn wrote:

2. If your rims are a bit narrow, you may also need to stretch the tyre at the valve area so that all the air goes up into the tyre rather than some escaping immediately round the side. You may need three hands for this mind you ...

This is why I find it handy putting that part against the floor and applying pressure to squish it down on occation

Wish proper tubeless tyres in proper tubeless rims I've never had to do anything, no rim strips etc. Just put them on, add some solution and pump up as Nick says.

pilsburypie

As Jon said - use those rim strips he linked to - they are specific to the wheels.

Also put tubes in and inflate to 60psi, the bead pops on and leave inflated for 24 hours or more. This is what cured your exact problem for me. Streches them just that little bit. Then, as said use a strong 1:1 solution of fairy:water to "lube up" the rim and tyre beads generously just before inflating. I also like to give the tyre a hard pat all around the circumference just before pumping up to aid the seating of the bead.

Then pump hard and fast - good long strokes........ eeerrrr sorry, I digress!

nicklouse

Bontrager tubeless rims do not require a rim strip.

CO2 cartridges are not good for some fluids as effect the curing properties.

oh and this might help seat the beads.

bells0

Fairly sure Bonty wheels do need the Bonty tubeless strip. They don't come fitted as standard [or didnt on my 09 Fuel EX8].

I tried in vain to get a standard Maxxis advantage on mine after running Mud x's over winter. Couldn't get the bead to seal, so ended up buying UST Ignitors instead - seated and stayed sealed without sealant from the off.

Shall stick to using tubeless ready or ust tyres from now on, less hassle!

Anonymous

bells0 wrote:

Shall stick to using tubeless ready or ust tyres from now on, less hassle!

exactly right, trying to convert non ust tyres is a minefield and not reliable even when finally fitted.

co2 is a good idea to seat the tyre but you then need to deflate and reinflate it a few times to expel the co2 as it is supposed to stop the tyre milk from working.

the inner tube idea works a treat too, i did this with a set of supersonic speed kings (worst tyre conversion ever) as they wouldnt work but after 24 hrs, they inflated with a track pump.

nferrar

Had problems getting Conti mountain kings inflated a couple of days ago, in the end I had to leave it with a tube in @ 50psi overnight, next day they sealed pretty easy (although I was careful to only break the seal on one side of the tyre when taking the tube out. I found they leak through the sidewalls a lot though (protection version) so you might be better off adding more sealant than normal to.