When are Tubes Necessary?

Tires and tubes go hand-in-hand, but it can sometimes be confusing. Some tires require tubes, others don't. Some wheels require you to run tubes, others don't. So let's get down to it. When are tubes necessary for your tire and wheel combination? The first place to look is our product listing to see if the tire is designated as a "tubeless" tire. We always list this on our our website product page, or in our catalog. If our tire is listed as a tube type, that means you must also buy tubes for it. This sounds logical, but we do run into cases where a customer buys tires and forgets about the tubes. Also, any time you buy new tube-type tires, we suggest buying new tubes...that's not a sales pitch, it's the right thing to do. Tubes wear out and deteriorate just like the tires, so it's cheap insurance against a tube failure. Always make sure there are no foreign objects inside the tire before installing the tube. Also, baby powder prevents the tube from chaffing as it rubs against the tire. Folks using wire wheels must always use a tube (regardless of whether or not the tire is listed as tube-type or tubeless), as the air can generally find a way to sneak past the spokes and nipples. For instance, our new American Classic 6.70R15 bias look radial is a tubeless tire, but you must run a tube if you're mounting them to a set of Thunderbird wire wheels. In the case of wire wheels, we also sell Tubeless tires are pretty straight forward. In most cases you can mount them to the wheel, and air them up, and they will remain inflated, unless there is damage to the tire or wheel. With that said, buying a tubeless tire doesn't mean that you CAN'T use a tube. It simply means that the bead is designed to seal against the rim without the use of a tube. As mentioned, wire wheels require the use of tubes. When it comes time to buy new tires for your vintage car, truck or motorcycle, always remember tubes, rim strips and/or flaps if applicable. Coker Tire offers the largest selection of tubes, hardware and accessories for thousands of applications. If you're unsure about the correct tubes for your vehicle, our tire experts are available Monday through Friday 8am to 8pm Eastern time at 1-800-251-6336, and they can point you in the right direction. [products]