Inner Tubes

You may find there is an option of central valve or offset valve inner tubes. This describes how the valve exits your wheel rim, through the centre of the wheel (central valve) or from the side of the wheel (offset valve). The majority of European vintage and classic cars from the mid '20 will want an offset valve on their inner tube. Vintage cars with beaded edge tyres and some American cars such as a Model A Ford stuck with central valve inner tubes. H/D denotes heavy duty inner tubes.

Rim tapes are used on wire wheels to protect the inner tube from the spoke ends in the centre of the wheel and are available in two sizes, 14" - 17" and 18" - 21"

Flaps are essentially very heavy duty rim tapes and are used solely in straight sided wheels.

Vintage Car Inner Tubes

Inner tubes were essential with all manner of tyres until the safety rib was developed and the tubeless wheel rim. When a tyre is 70% profile or taller it can be fitted with an inner tube. Tyres that are 65% profile or less should not run an inner tube.

Classic Car Inner Tubes

A large portion of the classic cars on the road today are fitted with wire wheels. Wire wheels were designed to be fitted with inner tubes. All the tyres that were fitted to the classic cars with wire wheels were not low profile tyres and therefore should fit inner tubes.

Radial Tyres and Inner Tubes

Inner tubes are not essential on modern radial tyres, however, there are situations in which fitting an inner tube is advantageous, providing the tyre is 70 profile or higher. If you run your radial tyres on a wheel without a safety rib, inner tubes will be an advantage, similarly, if you aren't sure about the quality of your wheel rim then an inner tube would be preferable with radial tyres.