Chamber or tubeless, whichever is better. Which is better - tube or tubeless tires? Understanding! Advantages and disadvantages

Let's think about which tires are better for a car, tube or tubeless? Even 10 years ago, in 90% of cases, tires with cameras were installed on cars, but now it is exactly the opposite, that is, almost 90% - without a camera. So why did this happen? Why are tubeless options taking over the automotive market? Let's see ...

Chamber tires

Chamber variants were the first to appear, it was quite a long time ago, already in 1887 (it was invented by a veterinarian - John Dunlop, and even then he put them on a bicycle) and those chamber types are not like today's ones. They were widely used until the 90s - 2000s, then tubeless ones came to replace them.

Structure

It consists of an upper / outer part, often this is the tire itself, which does not fit so tightly to the metal disc, it can deflate, so it needs a lower sealed circuit that will hold pressure. It is such a contour that is the wheel chamber, which is inserted into the inside of the tire. It is clear that this whole structure is put on a metal disc.

Advantages and disadvantages

It has a number of advantages, as well as a number of disadvantages, compared to the tubeless type. The pluses include - low price, and not susceptibility to deformation of the rim. But, unfortunately, the pros end there. But there are a lot of disadvantages - they wear out much faster, they heat up more, and, accordingly, the car's handling is worse, it also loses air very quickly when a wheel is punctured.

Tubeless tires

The next in the question is a more perfect version, which does not have a camera in the building. They appeared relatively recently, about 10 - 30 years ago. However, in widespread use, they are used only for 10 - 15 years and very quickly capture the market.

Structure

It consists of the upper / outer part, the tire, which is also the inner layer of the wheel, that is, there is no usual tube in such rubber. The inner layer, consists of a special sealing rubber, which holds the pressure inside very well (that is, two in one), fits snugly to the disc, and therefore no additional contours inside are needed. In the event of a puncture, it envelops a foreign body. It is put on directly on the metal wheel.

Advantages and disadvantages

There are many advantages, this is both a long service life, much superior to the chamber options, and low heating due to the lack of an air cushion between the tire and the chamber (accordingly, better handling), and during a puncture it will hold air longer (than the opponent), which will allow you to get there at least to a car service, and at most you can drive for weeks, pumping up the wheel, the main thing is not to take out a foreign object. But it also has disadvantages - the price is much higher than the chamber version. It is also susceptible to disc deformation, if you bent the disc, flying into a large hole, then you need to go to the tire service and straighten the disc, otherwise the tubeless wheel will deflate.

That's all in our article, I would like to summarize. Of course, tubeless options are more perfect, and there are less troubles with them, they run longer, if you want a step in evolution. When punctured, you do not need to remove the tire, just screw the tourniquet into the puncture site - that's it! It seems to me that the second type will soon disappear into the past for good.

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• It is lighter, which is important for speed and maneuverability.
• Easier to maintain
• With small punctures, it is quite enough to get to the nearest tire changer, there are cases when a person drives a car for weeks with self-tapping screws. Some people specially screw in self-tapping screws during punctures, treating them with a sealant, and for some time the wheel does not really release air.
• Cools faster
• When punctured, it descends much more slowly, this is due to the fact that the space filled with air is divided into many sections.

• Heavier, which affects speed and maneuverability.
• Installation is more laborious, since you also need to work with the tire.
• Heats up faster
• There is an opinion that the wheels with cameras are outdated, perhaps this is so.
• Faster "blows away"

If you are reading this article, then you already know that there are two types of tires - tube and tubeless, therefore, you are interested in which one is better. This is what this article will be about today. In the heading "" we have repeatedly weighed all the pros and cons in this or that controversial issue, today we will talk about tires, and more specifically, about that. Go...

• Labeling of tube tires - TT (from the English Tube Type - tubular, tube type or simply, tube).
• Tubeless tires are usually denoted - (TL from the English. Tubeless - without tubes, tubes, or simply tubeless).

What is a tubeless tire

The main question that arose when I first learned or heard about this type of rubber was - "How is the air held and does not come out, that is, what ensures the tightness of the connection between the tire and the disc?" As it turned out, a special layer of special rubber is responsible for the tightness, which is applied during production on the inner ring of the tires. A disc for "tubeless" differs from a conventional disc in a more complex structure and reliable fixation. On the rim of a tubeless tire, there are so-called "humps" that firmly hold the bead ring of the tire in the right place.

The advantages of "tubeless"

1. Tubeless tires have more than enough advantages, but the main thing is considered to be the ability to maintain normal tire pressure in the event of a puncture. Simply put, if you hit a tubeless wheel, then on it you can drive more than a dozen kilometers, and if available, even several hundred. In addition to convenience, this advantage also provides a high degree of safety, since with an instant drop in pressure in the wheel, you can lose control and get into an accident. For example, in the event of a puncture, a tube tire almost instantly loses pressure, the reason is especially the tire and the rim, there is no strong connection between them and the air under pressure leaves the tube through the puncture, as well as past the rim of the rim, after which the air goes out through the valve hole of the rim. In the event of a puncture, a tubeless tire loses air only at the puncture site and then, as a rule, only in the event of a collision with this place. If the puncture is small, then the pressure drops very slowly.

1. Another advantage of a tubeless tire is weight. Tubeless much lighter than tires with a tube, therefore the load on the suspension will be lower.
2. During driving, tubeless tires heat up less in the case of fast and long driving.
3. The increased safety and reliability of tubeless tires is beyond doubt, due to the design and high strength of the tires, the likelihood of rapid depressurization is practically zero.
4. Simple and quick repair. There are special pastes and sprays that can instantly solve the problem of a puncture. Compared to tubeless tires, which require a lot of time and tools to repair, even women can do tubeless repairs. This means repairs, after which you can get home or to the nearest station for a full repair.
5. Tubeless tires have a longer service life, approximately 10-12%. This is achieved due to better temperature conditions and enhanced heat transfer from tire to rim, as well as the stability of the internal air pressure in the tire and the absence of any friction between the tube and the tire.

Disadvantages of tubeless tires

1. There are also drawbacks to the tubeless. For example, their installation requires special attention, special equipment and a certain skill. Damage to the bead and flanges can cause the tubeless tire to leak or need to be repaired.
2. Overhaul of a tubeless tire is carried out on special equipment by specialists and this "pleasure" costs a lot of money. Unlike tube tires, which can be repaired by yourself, tubeless repair requires great skills and appropriate tools.
3. Prolonged driving on a flat tire (please do not confuse it with a punctured one, but pumped up to optimal pressure) is fraught with destruction of the sealing layer and the tire as a whole.
4. Tubeless tires often blamed for a flaw called weak sidewall. However, in my subjective opinion, the accusations are groundless. First of all, it should be noted that perfect tires do not exist and, whatever the manufacturers say, ideal tires are still just a myth. The goal of the manufacturer is to achieve not only strength from the tire, but also to ensure the comfort of passengers while driving. The aforementioned sidewall is responsible for this factor, its softness provides a feeling of smooth movement. A rigid sidewall will not give anything good except for races, even a flat road will seem bumpy with a "wooden" sidewall.
5. Another significant disadvantage of tubeless tires is the vulnerability in the area of ​​joining the rim and bead of the tire. If, for example, you "remember" a disc at least a little (after getting into a hole, or catching a curb) you will have trouble, the wheel will deflate instantly, almost like a tube tire upon a puncture. The fact is that a violation of the tightness of the connection, which occurs due to damage to the disc, will lead to the fact that the pressure in the tires begins to drop rapidly, in other words, the wheel will deflate.

Chamber tires: features, advantages and disadvantages

Chamber tires perhaps they could have lived for a very long time if they had not been supplanted by more advanced tubeless successors. The latter simply ousted their predecessors and were warmly received by the entire global automotive community. By the way, some "Old Believers" still use tube tires, for that they have their own reasons, for example, the following - the camera can be replaced, repaired, and with your own hands - cheap and cheerful! In principle, in some ways they are right, and if you do not take into account all the dubious "pluses" of the tubeless, then differences between chamber and tubeless only that the latter, in the event of a breakdown, will allow you to get home or to the nearest service station, without problems and danger to life. The chamber wheel, as mentioned above, will deflate almost instantly.

Among other disadvantages, chamber tires are also dangerous in that there is a high probability of a puncture of the camera from the inside with a worn out or torn cord. As a result, you will get a punctured wheel and a stationary car. If a tubeless tube is punctured, then the air is not able to quickly leave the boundaries of the tire due to the reasons described above, and also because in the event of a puncture with a sharp object (screw, wire, wooden thorn, etc.), the object itself gets stuck in the tire becomes such a cork. By plugging the hole he made, he does not allow air to escape through the puncture.

On the other hand, you can always use a spare wheel and use it to drive home or to service, it is not necessary to start disassembly on the spot and tube tire repair... Although from time immemorial it was considered a "trifle" business for a stern Russian peasant to glue the camera and disassemble the wheel. It is not surprising that the tubeless was not invented by "we", but by some "foreign squishy" who did not know how or did not want to tinker with a jack, glue and other tools. 🙂 But, all these are jokes ... In fact, the tubeless was invented by a good smart person, thanks to whose efforts we solve problems associated with a puncture easily and simply, without wasting time and effort. In addition, now developing great speed, there is no need to worry about the loss of control in the event of a puncture.

As you can see, in the question which is better tube or tubeless tires, the answer will be obvious, tubeless have a number of advantages, so when buying tires, it is worth choosing them. Thank you for your attention, those wishing to supplement this opus can do it through the comment form. Until next time on the site site.

A couple of decades ago, tube tires ruled the show and stood on almost every car. However, since the 2000s, tubeless tires began to confidently conquer the market, and today a passenger car on tube tires is practically not found. What is the fundamental difference between tube and tubeless tires? How are some better than others and what are the disadvantages of both? Understanding.

As is obvious from the name of the tires, their main difference lies in the design itself. A tube tire consists of a tire and a special tube with a valve, which is inflated with compressed air. The tire is the upper (outer) part of the tire, in contact with the road while driving, has a tread and all the characteristics we are used to. And the chamber is a sealed internal circuit, which is a rubber tube closed by a ring, pumped with compressed air. The camera is inserted into the tire, and the entire structure, in turn, is put on the disc. Due to this structure, the tire of the tube tire does not fit very tightly to the disc, and the main load of maintaining the pressure in the tire falls on the tube. In turn, the camera does not differ in great mechanical strength, and therefore needs protection from external influences, punctures and impacts, which is what the tire provides. Such is the symbiosis.

A tubeless tire is itself both a tire and a tube. The device of a tubeless tire is such that it does not have a separate tube, its role is played by an inner sealing layer a couple of millimeters thick, which is “welded” to the tire from the inside even at the stage of vulcanization. This elastic layer of a mixture of synthetic and natural rubbers holds compressed air well and at the same time fits snugly to the rim - that is why the tubeless tire device does not require any additional internal contours, it is put on immediately on the rim. The inner sealing layer also helps with punctures: if a small sharp object (a piece of wire, a nail, etc.) is stuck into the tire, it will get stuck in the inner layer and will not fall out, preventing air leakage through the puncture.

A tubeless tire device, by the way, requires a more complex disc. In particular, such a disc has special humps - annular protrusions on the rim landing flanges, with the help of which the tubeless tires are securely fixed. The beads of tubeless tires are sealed with an additional rubber layer, which ensures tightness at the place of the tire landing on the rim.

Today, tubeless tires are used by all cars and many trucks, but there is still room for tubeless tires. Tires with a tube are installed on motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, scooters and bicycles - on the so-called spoke wheels, which, as a rule, do not hold a tubeless tire with the required tightness. In addition, tubeless tires are still used today in trucks and light trucks - tubeless tires are just beginning to gain popularity here. Some "Old Believers" also use tube tires, considering the main advantage of being the ability to replace a punctured tube without replacing the tire, as well as the ease of repairing the tube with their own hands.

Tube tires are more affordable than tubeless tires;

In case of lateral damage, it is sufficient to replace only the punctured tube, and not the tire completely;

Chamber tires do not require special disks and can fit on any tires.

A tube tire is much heavier than a tubeless tire;

A punctured tube tire will go down almost instantly and will require replacement right on the road; you will not be able to get to the service station on it;

There is a high probability of internal puncture of the chamber by torn or frayed cords;

Repairing even small punctures requires disassembling the wheel.

Slow depressurization and the ability to maintain normal pressure for a long time after a puncture, which increases traffic safety and allows you to drive a punctured tire to the place of repair;

A tubeless tire is much lighter than a tube tire, which reduces the load on the vehicle's suspension;

Tubeless tires have greater durability, since they are less prone to overheating, have stable internal pressure, and also do not suffer from friction between the tube and the tire;

Driving comfort on a tubeless tire is much better as the sidewall is softer.

Installation and overhaul of tubeless tires requires complex manipulations that can only be performed by a specialist using the necessary equipment; self-repair and installation of tires is impossible;

Damage or deformation of the wheel rim in the place of connection with the tire bead will lead to depressurization and wheel deflation;

Driving on a flat, tubeless tire is fraught with destruction of both the sealing layer and the tire as a whole.

1. In a tube tire, the tube size must necessarily correspond to the size of the tire. Attempting to squeeze a larger tube into a smaller tire will cause wrinkles to form when the tube is filled with air, and any fold is a potential weak spot.

2. The camera is not installed in a tubeless tire. Generally. Even if damaged. It would seem that this should increase the strength of the damaged tubeless, but in reality it is simply dangerous. An air cushion forms between the tube and the liner in a tubeless tire, which can damage the tire, especially when the load on the wheel is suddenly increased when cornering and when braking.

3. Of course, all four wheels must be fitted with identical tires. But it doesn't even need additional mention.

This question often arises among buyers of used cars already equipped with rubber. How to tell if you got tube or tubeless tires? Doubts can also arise when contacting an unreliable tire fitting: was the right rubber installed? Externally, tube and tubeless tires, already placed on the disks, do not differ from each other - the whole difference is hidden inside, and we do not see the insides. Most

the obvious and indisputable way, of course, is to break the tires: this way you will be able to visually evaluate the inside of the tire.

If this option is not suitable, refer to the markings on the sidewall:

TT - marking of tube tires, short for Tube Type - "tube type"

TL or Single T - tubeless marking, from Tubeless - "without a tube"

The variant with the marking can be questionable if all the inscriptions on the tires have been erased during use and will no longer help to determine whether the tire is tube or tubeless. On very old tires, the inscription Tube Type or TT may be completely absent, since at that time there were no options, all tires were tube and did not need marking. But do you need such old tires?

The last option, how to distinguish a tube from a tubeless tire, is to carefully examine the nipple. On a tube tire, it is longer and smoother, on a tubeless tire, it is short, with a small bead. If you lower the wheel and try to push in the nipple, then the tubeless tire will not allow it to sink, since the nipple is firmly attached to the surface. But on a tube tire, the nipple can fall almost to its full height.