Leave Tube in Tire?

[JoeM 7,874]

Yesterday, I had a rear tire go flat. The tire is an ATV / Golf Cart style with a tube installed. The tire is rated tubeless. 

After adding air and checking for leaks, I have found the only place air is coming out is at the stem. Seems like the tube is failed. 

The tire was tubed prepping for liquid fill and now have changed my mind and just using air. 

These tires are extremely tough and are hard to remove from the rim. 

I can break the bead push the tube stem into the tire and install a tubeless stem to air up. 

See any issues with leaving the tube in the tire?

[Ed Kennell 38,186]

If you can break the bead on the stem side,  couldn't you get the tube out Joe?     Maybe patch it for reuse.

[pacer 3,173]

5 hours ago, JoeM said:

air is coming out is at the stem.

 

That likely could be it needs to be tightened/snugged up --- or, for sure replace it! I like to keep a handful of those on hand.

 

Another option... unscrew the one in the good tire and put it in the leaker and see if that makes it not leak.

[JoeM 7,874]

I should have been more specific, the air was coming out between stem and rim. 
Bit the bullet and decided to break it down. I cheated and left the tire out in the sun for an hour and it made the whole deal amazingly easy. 
Turns out the tube was folded when assembled. Rubbed through on the crease at the side wall. I know I had trouble getting the beads on these tires to pop initially. I lubed them up and had to relive the air pressure a couple time to make them go. Even when I went tubeless the were tough and piped like the old days! 
I can’t remember, but I think I used gojo the first time as lube. This time I used dawn and it went much better. But the tire was softer from the sun. 
you can see the outline of the crease in the photo the tube is blown up pretty big 

[pacer 3,173]

2 hours ago, JoeM said:

Turns out the tube was folded when assembled

 

This is the primary reason why I always use a tube at least one size smaller, or more, than the tire size.

 

Some back ground: I worked at Delta Air lines as equipment mechanic. The double deck baggage carts (some 15-18 of em) used a 5.70-8 tires and when I started working there I was surprised at the many flats I was getting, and on teardown finding the tube folded.... pretty quickly I switched to replacing the tubes with 400-8 and my flats dropped dramatically! Even so, it was surprising how many flats there were with typical reasons - FOD (foreign object debris)  --- from driving on the airports apron!!

[JoeM 7,874]

17 minutes ago, pacer said:

always use a tube at least one size smaller

sure makes sense. 

 

amazing........... stuff on an airport apron.  

[ranger 1,750]

I don’t know how it is now but, we were always told not to put tubes in tubeless tyres because tube tyres had an internal surface that allowed the tube to move without “sticking” to the inside of the tyre and potentially damaging the valve stem, (tubeless did not) if the tyre was to move slightly (Peeling out, Burnouts, etc). This was for road going motor vehicles, but I suppose its possible our ‘lower’ powered horses could, (with low tyre pressures and lots of weight for grip) spin the rim inside the tyre enough to cause damage?

[ri702bill 8,327]

I use tubes for all my winter tires and fluid fill them. When installing the tube I use a LOT of baby powder inside the tire and on the tube, Inflate to no more than 5 PSI to seat the bead, bounce the tire / rim on the floor to allow the tube to wiggle into position without folds - no issues.....

[John2189 453]

When using a tube, I inflate it enough to seat the bead, then let the air out then inflate to the recommended psi. I’ve never had any problems doing it that way 

[Rob R 966]

18 hours ago, JoeM said:

I should have been more specific, the air was coming out between stem and rim. 
Bit the bullet and decided to break it down. I cheated and left the tire out in the sun for an hour and it made the whole deal amazingly easy. 
Turns out the tube was folded when assembled. Rubbed through on the crease at the side wall. I know I had trouble getting the beads on these tires to pop initially. I lubed them up and had to relive the air pressure a couple time to make them go. Even when I went tubeless the were tough and piped like the old days! 
I can’t remember, but I think I used gojo the first time as lube. This time I used dawn and it went much better. But the tire was softer from the sun. 
you can see the outline of the crease in the photo the tube is blown up pretty big 

An old trick an ole timer taught me years ago is pre inflate the tube pror to putting it in the tire (if new tube) then coat it with baby powder..... deflate and install NO issues  installing.