Wire Wheels

[MilesP]

I want to put radial on my 55 whenever I comes back from motor rebuild . I have the tires I wonder if the stock Kaiser wire wheels ore tubeless or do they have tubes?

[R-Sargent]

You will need tubes , just bought a new reproduction set of wire wheels and they even required inner tubes

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

This is not unusual.  Kelsey-Hayes made a similar type wire wheel for Chrysler Corporation (supposedly only the center hub cap is different on the 15 inch size) at the time.  Chrysler's were tube tire types into 1955

[Terry T]

I would contact the seller of your radials.
I put Diamondback radials on my HJ, and they argued against tubes.

I put Coker bias (tubeless) on my Darrin.
My mechanic incorrectly installed tubes in the rims.
After blowing out 2 tubes in 3 years, I took out the remaining tubes before I got standed--AGAIN!!!

[MilesP]

I currently have diamond back"s ready to go one I have tubeless on my 51 and was hoping for tubeless on my 55 wire wheels. If their are tubes on the existing tires will they work in the new tires or will I need new tubes.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

I tried tubeless on My Wire Wheels & only one would not leak. I put tubes back on all 4 & have not had a issue It for Years.
No problem less the tire goes bad in Heat. It was an old tire by then... Time to change.

[darrin145]

I agree with Terry about contacting the tire dealer. In my experience, I had K-H wires on my '60 Imperial and kept losing air. I installed tubes and a few miles later lost a tube due to it rubbing on the end of the spokes (inside the wheel). Off came the tires to install wheel liners and new tubes, never another problem. My Darrin and '57 T-bird have K-H wires, liners and tubes with non Coker bias ply tires, I have never lost any air. If you insist on using radials it is my opinion that you should use radial tubes and don't forget the liners. Also with radials, you should have the alignment "tweeked" and get a second opinion on whether radials are OK to use safely on the old style wheels, I once rolled one off a front wheel on one of my Amphicars.

Gary.

[boatingbill]

Darrin145, I remember this problem back in the day. It seems people put in tubes without the
inside rubber wheel liner and the tube would get cut on wire wheel rims. I remember some non
wire rims having a rough spot too and would damage the tube unless the rim was buffed inside or a
wheel liner was installed.

[joefrazer]

With either the original style wire wheel, or today's repops, you will need rim liners. Without them you will cause the tubes to chafe and leak. The way the rims are made precludes them from being a 'sealed' style rim like the standard steel wheel used on KF cars.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

With either the original style wire wheel, or today's repops, you will need rim liners. Without them you will cause the tubes to chafe and leak. The way the rims are made precludes them from being a 'sealed' style rim like the standard steel wheel used on KF cars.

This is True.
Check the old liner as well before new tube & tire.