Which is better - tube or tubeless tires? Understanding! Tube and tubeless tires: advantages and disadvantages Chamber tires: features, advantages and disadvantages

For some motorists, the question of how to distinguish a tubeless tire from a tube is still relevant. We must say right away that the owners of older cars, or those who started driving 20-30 years ago, are mainly interested. The camera system is interesting for the first, because it makes little sense to put something especially advanced on a well-used "classic".

The latter simply do not trust the new skates, believing that the old chambers were more reliable and easier to repair. Among the curious are the new owners of just bought used cars. The car must be shod in the same tires, it becomes known to everyone even at the stage of acquiring rights.

Changing all wheels at once may not be part of the plans; Having gone broke to buy a car, many people are putting aside investments in new tires for the distant future. So there is an urgent need to find out what is on the disks?

How to distinguish a tubeless tire from a tube tire, there are certain ways. However, first you need to be aware of their fundamental differences, since at first glance they are almost identical, but the price is noticeably different.

A bit of theory

The main difference between a chamber and a tubeless one is in the structure. The first type of tires consists of 2 parts: a tire and a tube embedded in it, which is a rubber tube closed in a solid ring. The tubeless ray is a monolith. The outer circumference along the sides is sealed with a layer of sealing, the inner one is sealed with a spray that is impervious to air. The tubeless fit on the rims is more than dense, which is ensured by a special configuration, the shape of the bead and a smaller diameter in comparison with the same parameter of the rims.

These design features provide many advantages in operation.

• In tubeless skates, the pressure inside is much more stable than in its predecessor, cameras. This is reflected in the form of better stability, and in the form of a rather high obedience to the steering wheel;
• The main plus of tubeless tires is their safety... Having hit a nail with a wheel, you, of course, get a hole in the ramp, but it does not burst and begins to poison the air a little. The driver, even at high speed, has enough time to react and brake - the car continues to maintain controllability;

• Minor damage in the absence of a spare wheel can be moved to the nearest tire fitting. Yes, you will have to pump up the wheel every 5-10 km, but you will be able to hold out for help;
• Minor violations of integrity can be eliminated on the spot by carrying a tube of special sealant in the trunk.
• The durability of tubeless tires exceeds the service life of tubeless tires by about 20%;
• The apparent lack of tubeless cameras - in some cases the impossibility of restoring them on their own - is not an argument.

In our time, tire shops are spread along the roads almost every kilometer, and vulcanization is not so expensive that a person who managed to buy (and maintain!) A car could not pay for a one-time elimination of the consequences of a collision with a sharp object.

The combination of these benefits has led to the fact that tubeless ramps have strongly pushed the archaic variety on all fronts. Now, in order to find a camera, you will have to make some effort and spend time, they turned out to be so little in demand.

(banner_content) It is doubtful to assume that when buying a tire seller slipped a chamber ramp instead of a tubeless one, unless at the personal request of the client. However, if you need to determine what the purchased iron horse is wearing, it is worth remembering certain signs.

The easiest and most accurate way to figure out what kind of rubber is in front of you is to look for markings on the side of the ramp. The inscription "tubeless" indicates that the tire in front of you is tubeless, "tube type" warns that there is a tube inside the tire. There may be options for abbreviations only for the first letters: T or TT.

The situation is somewhat worse if the marking is erased beyond recognition. Or you come across old wheels that are missing designations. The presence of the letters TT definitely speaks of the intimacy of the slope, but the complete absence of signs does not say anything: in the days of the existence of only tubular tires, the marking was unnecessary (however, if such old slopes were caught, it is better to throw them away immediately).

In these cases, you will have to take a closer look at the nipple.... A nipple that has a small height, fits snugly and has a low rim at the base - a tubeless tire accessory. On the chamber it is longer, sleek and walks freely in the seat.

If you are not sure that you have correctly identified the appearance of the nipple, you will have to resort to a dirtier and more laborious, but 100% method of how to distinguish a tubeless tire from a tube one.

A couple of decades ago, chamber 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 have 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 inside of the tire 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 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 shelves, 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 enough to replace only the punctured tube, and not the tire completely;

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

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 likelihood 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 susceptible 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 may 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 assess 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 markings 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 deflate 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 fail almost to its full height.

Motorists will immediately understand what is at stake, but we will explain it anyway. A tubeless wheel is a wheel without a tube, that is, one tire and a wheel disc. The chamber, logically, in addition to the tire, is equipped with a chamber filled with air.
No camera
Pros of cameraless

• 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 really does not 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.

Cons of tubeless: Tubeless wheels are great for flat roads without holes or potholes. When driving on bumps, there is a risk of wrinkling, damaging the rim of the disc, from which a tubeless disc can almost instantly lower (if the disc is made of high-quality metal, then such a risk is minimal), and if this happened when cornering and at high speed, then such a wheel can "shoot" and the car runs the risk of overturning or flying into a ditch. With careful driving, this risk is minimized. Also, this can be avoided if the discs are made of high-quality metal (in any case, it is not worth reeling). Although, on the other hand, it is not difficult to catch a pothole on an unfamiliar road.
Camera wheel
Pros of a wheel with a camera: It is believed that such a wheel is safer, in fact, this is a controversial issue. Such that the chamber burst from the pothole has not yet been observed. A puncture is possible, but it is quite easy to notice it. If the puncture was at high speed, then there is also a risk to health, and even life. But in general, this wheel is really stronger, although this parameter depends on the manufacturer. Disadvantages of the chamber:

• 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"

As a result, we repeat that the main thing on the roads is a careful driving, observance of traffic rules. Control over purchased spare parts, you should not buy all sorts of self-made, but cheap things, on the road, the desire to save money can be unforgivable. In the case of wheels, the safety problem will be solved with high-quality iron on disks and high-quality rubber (this also applies to cameras and non-cameras).

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 will be discussed in this article 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 - ТТ (from the English Tube Type - tubular, tube type or simply, tube type).
• It is customary to denote tubeless tires - (TL from 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 will be able to 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 durability 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 renovation.
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 ideal 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" the disc even 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 invented not 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 a 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 comments form. Until next time on the site site.