Tubes
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Original Smith
Topic author - Posts: 3699
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:43 am
- First Name: Larry
- Last Name: Smith
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 13 Touring, 13 Roadster, 17 Coupelet, 25 Roadster P/U
- Location: Lomita, California
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
Tubes
I have a fresh Extra Quality brand 30X 3 1/2 tube. It's very nice quality, and I used them ten years ago when I restored my 1925. It is made in USA. It has a Dill rubber valve stem. Why aren't they still available?
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Allan
- Posts: 6609
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:21 pm
- First Name: Allan
- Last Name: Bennett
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 van, 1917 shooting brake, 1929 roadster buckboard, 1924 tourer, 1925 barn find buckboard, 1925 D &F wide body roadster, 1927LHD Tudor sedan.
- Location: Gawler, Australia
Re: Tubes
Probably because the present suppliers went for the cheapest units, with no regard for quality or being fit for service. Yours probably hold air too Larry. I thought that's what tubes were meant to do, but not so these days.
There are alternatives in Michelin and Blockley. They are more expensive but at least they do hold air. In a recent post a question was raised about a product which cold be used to make the present offerings to hold air, with a suggestion that adding a $50 dose of stuff would be a good investment! At that point, the extra dollars needed to purchase a quality product makes sense. Why would anyone suggest paying $50 to make a new tune fit for purpose?
Allan from down under.
There are alternatives in Michelin and Blockley. They are more expensive but at least they do hold air. In a recent post a question was raised about a product which cold be used to make the present offerings to hold air, with a suggestion that adding a $50 dose of stuff would be a good investment! At that point, the extra dollars needed to purchase a quality product makes sense. Why would anyone suggest paying $50 to make a new tune fit for purpose?
Allan from down under.
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Loftfield
- Posts: 271
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 1:26 pm
- First Name: Thomas
- Last Name: Loftfield
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 Touring, 1912 Express Pick-up
- Location: Brevard, NC, USA
Re: Tubes
Blockley's are a few $$$$ more but well worth the investment. Rubber at least twice as thick as the "standards". They come with a nickel plated metal stem, couldn't possibly ask for more. Always arrive in USA within a week of ordering. Can't imagine it would be any more time for you folks down under. Recently sought tubes for some 31x4 tires for Buick. The lady at Blockley looked up all the possible sources for that size, recommended their size close enough to fit, did my homework for me. Blockley wins all the contests!
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TWrenn
- Posts: 3743
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:53 am
- First Name: Tim
- Last Name: Wrenn
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13 Touring, '26 "Overlap" Fordor
- Location: Ohio
- Board Member Since: 2019
Re: Tubes
From my experience, rubber notwithstanding, seems perhaps the biggest issue is that "innocent" $5 Schrader valve inside the stem. They're nothing but probably Chinese junk anymore, and that's why they don't hold air! Unless Blockley uses their own, or a different make of valve, which I have no idea, who knows if they'll stand up to the hype down the road or not.
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Original Smith
Topic author - Posts: 3699
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:43 am
- First Name: Larry
- Last Name: Smith
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 13 Touring, 13 Roadster, 17 Coupelet, 25 Roadster P/U
- Location: Lomita, California
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
Re: Tubes
I had a talk with Blockley a while back, and they aren't interested in offering their tires with a rubber valve stem. The metal ones they used are not what Ford offered. They are way too big, even though they will work. Reproduction people now days don't do the research needed to make the product correctly.