Ghetto Tubeless

**BushwackerinPA** · 10-22-2007, 11:13 AM

this thread is for those who havent tried it yet and I figured a how to might get some more people to try it.

I have been running 'ghetto" tubeless on my Giant since I got it about 3 months ago. If you havent tried tubeless yet on your MTB there really is no excuses to not give this try yet. Your bike will be be almost impossiable to flat, not to mention you can run alot lower pressures giving you better traction, a smoother ride, and in some cases about 1inch more 'travel"

I figure I would write alitte how to with some pictures on this pretty simple task.

so how to do tubeless the "ghetto" way

Stuff you will need

1.your wheels - UST is nice but you really dont need it
2.tires of your choice, UST is nice but you do not need to use UST
3.stans tubeless or any other liquid latex sealer will work
4. x2 20inch Schrader BMX tubes
5.floor pump
6.compressed air
7. something to cut the 20inch tube
8.a open mind

optional

tire levers
water

1.Take the wheels off the bike - duhhh

2. remove your old tube and tire from the wheel

3. clean the wheel off

4. take out the ringlets that make you wheel work with a presta valve, if you wheel is not drilled wide enough for a scrader valve. Take it to a bike shop or drill it yourself if you feel comfortable doign it.

5. streach the 20inch bmx tube around you wheel, this may require a partner.

6.(pictured below) inflate the 20inch bmx tube so you can untwist it and get a centerline.

7.(pictured below) take what ever you want to cut the tube with(i used scissors) and cut all the way around the tube.

after you are all the ways around the wheel streach the remaining tube over the sides

8.(pictured below) install the tire, making sure to keep the flaps extended on both sides. water could help here as the rubber to contact isnt excactly slippery.

9. take your sealant(I used stans) and put a ample amount in the tires, if you not concerned about weight the more the better. I do this though the sidewall.

10. Using a very strong air compressor(auto repair shop should have this) inflate the tire, the high pressure air should set the bead. IF you are having trouble try put water on the tire bead, if your still having trouble find a stronger air compressor

this is what the tire will look like afterwards

if you notice there is sealant coming out of the bead this is ok. The sealant will eventually clot and seal the air in.

11. Those flaps of excess tube hanging off the edge it time to get rid of those. Just take the scissors and cut around them making sure to leave some excess there. This isnt a beauty contest and with a little hanging out you will be able to use your "rim strips" again should you decide to change tires

12. repeat for the other wheel and enjoy

.

caring for you tubeless wheels

the only thin i have noticed that is weird is that the first fews days the tires will leak air. make sure you keep them filled with air so you dont have to reset your bead.

IMO tubeless ghetto or not is the ONLY way to go on a MTB its is one of those things you do and ride better because of it.

**mntlion** · 10-22-2007, 12:52 PM

well written also works with 24" tubes too, but I think it might be a better fit with 20"

**tromano** · 10-22-2007, 01:00 PM

Josh, Nice write up. Did you switch back to fire XC for riding in the burgh?

I bought the stans kit and tried it before going ghetto about 6 weks ago. The best thing about the kit was that it came wih the stans sealant. Other than that the stans kit is a piece of crap. Good luck finding an autoshop with an air compressor for presta vaulves. I guess if you have a compressor and the presta adapter then it might work as well as ghetto tubless w/ schraders. Just my $.02.

I used rhynolite rims and a panaracer cinder rear and a wtb weirwolf front. Panaracers sealed up fine with no compressor. The Weirwolf needed a compressed air to seal. One thing I noticed was when sealing the panaracers a large number of small pinhole leaks in the sidewalls were bubbleing for a few hours. Its easy to seal the sidewalls up by just leaving the tire sitting on its side for a few minutes and then flipping it to get the other side. Less rotating weight than tubes and no flats. <3

**flyby** · 10-22-2007, 02:57 PM

I think this one covers it pretty nicely as well
http://www.nsmb.com/gear/tubeless_12_04.php
________
vaporizer shop

**Beaver** · 10-22-2007, 05:17 PM

I noticed you've got your seat off your bike. When is it necessary to do that step?

**BushwackerinPA** · 10-22-2007, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Beaver

I noticed you've got your seat off your bike. When is it necessary to do that step?

bike is upside down your picture comprehension sucks

**m1e448** · 10-22-2007, 06:05 PM

Stronger air compressor is not always the answer. I've seen people blow tires off the rim thinking that the one more 'pop' was coming when they were beading them up. Big mess and usually people have their hand on the bead causing a huge welt and black and blue for a while.

I prefer to bead it up without stans at first(if possible) using compressed air jolt at first, then slow, then remove the valve core easy if using stans presta or schrader like here and add the stans using a syringe or some sort of tube.

See here for stans video. Spinning and shaking helps seal faster.

http://www.notubes.com/movieinstall.php

oh yeah nice write up bushwackinpa