DIY tubeless kits

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

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El jefe'

by El jefe'

Have any of the you guys :shock: tried rolling your own Tubeless tyre
kits?

In my country they want $220- $180 for a kit to do two wheels.
http://www.tubelesskit.com/
http://www.notubes.com

Surely I can buy a Mavic tubeless valve insert, and mix up some latex from
somewhere?
Anyone done it?
What do you use for a rim-strip/rim-sealer?

Jeff

by Weenie


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ADV

by ADV

Two of the main ingredients are 3M filament tape and 3M electrical tape; available anywhere. As for the valve stem, UST will not work as they are designed to fit in the crevace of UST rims. As a result they do not have a round base like stan's do. So key is to find valve stems and the special latex suspension. hmmm

popawheelie
Posts: 1019
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2002 3:42 pm
Location: in Colorado

by popawheelie

I remembered mountain bike action magazine had a conversion article so I looked it up in there back issues. You can buy a back issue from them or maybe someone you know is/was a subscriber? Dec. 2001 is the issue that shows how. I've bought liquid latex for road tires through Tufo tires. As I remember that is the stuff that they used to seal the tire to the rim. You just seat the tire with some inflation and then roll the latex around on the inside where the sidewall seat against the rim. They spelled the whole process out in the article. Couldn't you glue in a presta valve with some heavy duty glue? Some of the glues like shoe glue are really strong. Have fun!!

popawheelie
Posts: 1019
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2002 3:42 pm
Location: in Colorado

by popawheelie

Shoe goo is made to fill in where people wear off parts of there tennies. It's supposed to be pretty tuff stuff.

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Cyco
Posts: 1875
Joined: Sat Nov 30, 2002 4:49 am

by Cyco

That MBAction article was the original Stans kit.


Boj

by Boj

Here's the best DIY tubeless explanation I came across. Its from my clubs forum.

"Here's How you can tubless up your current treads for under $40.
Ingredients 2x 24" inner tubes. The thinner the better. I'm talking road tyre width. $8 ea 1 liter bottle of liquid latex from any latex rubber suplier fro $18. Either brush on or spray on. Spray on is pre diluted but may be too thin.
2x sets of wheels and tyres with the spoke holes taped.
Air compressor or CO2 pump.

Assembly
Take your 24" tubes and cut them with sissors down the middle opposite the valve till you have something that looks like 2 rim strips with the valves in them. Now seat these with in the rim the same way you would a tube. Wow they fit snug on a 26" rim don't they. Exactly what you want. None of this slit 26" tube nonsence. Ok now you have to put your tyres on. Set the tyres on the rim so that the slit inner tube will splay ourt either side of the tyre when inflaited. It's this interface with the tyre bead and slit tube which needs to be a good seal for all this to work. Next you have to prepare the liquid latex. If you have the brush on variety you'll need to dilute it 50/50 with water and only 80 to 100 ml is needed for each tyre. Now take your sealant mixture and pour it into the tyre either using a syringe and hose attachment or by any other means that ends up with the sealant in the tyre and every thing else in place.
Inflate your tyres with an air compressor or co2 cartrige. Floor pumps just won't work. Once inflated rotate and flip the wheel on all axies to spread the sealant over the bead and tube interface.
And there you have it. DIY tubless. Cheap and effective. I just raced this setup at eildon without issue at 30psi. Contrary to what everyone says this does work and your tyres don't roll off on corners. This should work with any tyre but I've heard reports that some super light xc tyres aren't airtight enough. Have fun and remember you'll do a better job doing it your self."

It seems to make a lot of sense.

by Weenie


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El jefe'

by El jefe'

Awesome stuff..
Cant wait to try it , thanks for that.
Jeff

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