MTFCA Forum

Wanted to get some talc before installing some tires. We were out at the shop so I did a little shopping. Amazon was around 14$ plus shipping(I don't shop there nor do I have Prime) for 16 oz, other prices for 16 oz were in that ball park. I found this one at 3.35 for 13 oz plus shipping (which wasn't too bad); https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/ ... retalc.php
Might have been able to find it as cheap or cheaper local, but didn't want to spend a whole lot of time looking or driving around.

Some use Baby Powder for this job but after decades of use on new borns they tell us it can cause Cancer
and should be avoided...
Alan

I would try NAPA, O'Reilly and Advance Auto Parts websites.

You should be able to order it online and have it delivered free to your nearest store if they already don't have it in stock.

According to O'Reilly's website, I can order a 1 lb. can tonight and pick it up after 3:00 pm tomorrow at the store that is six blocks from me.

I can also get an 8 lb. (!) jug of talc at Fleet Farm - website says its currently available at my nearest store:

https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/van-si ... 8?Ntt=talc#

A can of tire talc will last a very long time. My dad has a 1 lb. can of on the shelf that must be at least 40 years old. I just used some a couple weeks ago.

Regarding baby powder: if you do use baby powder, be sure it is actually talcum powder. Some brands are not talcum but corn starch.

I've used both the new baby powder (corn starch) and old (talc) and found that they seem to both work equally well for installing T tires.

What is the purpose of tyre talc?

Allan from down under.

It acts as a dry lube to allow the inner tube to move in the casing when the tire (tyre) is installed. Like when used on a babies butt (back in the olden days), to also prevent chafing. Should help when installing rubber stemmed tubes on split rims.

Allan wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 11:47 pm

What is the purpose of tyre talc?
Allan from down under.

From the INTERNET
Talc is a clay material and is used as a lubricant to assist in putting tubes and tires on rims. The "cancer" issues were caused by traces of asbestos in the mined talc between 1971 and early 2000's which led to some women (13,000 woman suing J&J) claiming it caused their ovarian cancer. So to clarify the cancer causing agent was the asbestos and not the talc material. One suit was awarded to a woman that had terminal mesothelioma. Current formulations of Baby Powder contain corn starch and talc and are safe to use and no longer contain traces of asbestos. But like any powder or dust it should not be inhaled.

It also makes the tire beads MUCH easier to stretch over the rim. Also, it's not near as messy as tire lube, which does work great though. Dave

Using it as a dry lube between the tube and tyre makes sense, and explains why it is rarely used in tyre shops today. How many inner tubes are fitted these days? The brush-on goo used to fit modern tubeless tyres gives the fitter more control in applying it, and probably is a better lubricant.

Allan from down under.