When do you replace inner tubes?

[Marc Roberts]

When is the time to replace inner tubes? I have tires that need replacement, but does this indicate tube replacement as well, or can the tubes live on? They have rubber stems, they hold air, and have they never needed to be patched in the 20 years I have owned the car.

[Scott_Conger]

I'd inflate them until they are normal size when in the tire, while they're out of the tire. Bend the stem to/fro and if there are no awful stress cracks that show up at the union to the tube, I'd say you're fine.

[Model T Ron]

It would depend on how old they were. At 20 years old I would replace them just to be sure unless you do not mind the chance of a flat. Rubber ages and will crack with time. That said I just changed a set of tires on my Model A that were 10 years old and I reused the tubes.

[Scott_Conger]

My experience is that the inside of a tire is as close to a time capsule as there ever was. Where a tube will deteriorate in plastic or folded up on a shelf in 2 years, a 60 year old pumped-up tube in a tire will come out and go back in in as-new condition. I just put 4 new Riverside tires on my '23, replacing the 60 year old tires while keeping and reinstalling the pristine 60 year old tubes. My '13 has 2 red rubber tubes which likely date to the '40's and rarely need refilling. They and the old Riversides have nearly perfectly sealing valves. As I stated above, so long as there are no stress or age cracks (primarily found around the base of the stem), I use them and my experience over the last 30 years is that old tubes do not fail unless punctured or run so low on pressure that the tire spins on the rim tearing the stem off (been there, done that, my fault). FWIW, I run flaps with them as well as with new tubes.

My advice to anyone who happens to be replacing pristine old American tubes out of fear (or any other reason they come up with), to do themselves and someone else a favor and offer them for sale. They'll go fast.

[Humblej]

I have USA made 440-450 x 21 tubes I first installed new in 1978 and reused them when I finally changed my tires a couple of years ago. I have a set of USA made 30 x 3.5 Wards Riverside tires on another T that had been installed in the 1950's or 1960's and the tubes are still holding air. When I get around to changing those tires I intend to reuse those tubes too if they will actually come out of the tire and have no cracking or soft spots. I have a set of well used Wards Riverside USA made tubes for a model A, some with several patches, that are still holding air.

[speedytinc]

I covet good old tubes. The riversides were top notch. If what you got works, re use them. Inspect stems closely as Scott suggests.
If the stems have cracks @ the base, replace them with period Schraders. Dont leave old tubs out in contact with the outside air, they will develop cracks/deteriorate quickly. When I salvage tubes, I completely deflate, fold em up, baby powder, & seal in a zip-lock bag with air removed. That seems to halt the deterioration process. The old tubes I have recycled in this manner actually hold their air charge for long periods. Over a year for clinchers.(60#) The new, made in India wont.
In the past, good new tubes were not easily available. Today we have options (expensive) Like Blockleys.

If you are one of those guys that has to have new, guys like me will take them old useless tubes off your hands.

[Steve Jelf]

I could be wrong (I did make a mistake once), but I've found Hartford tubes quite adequate. So I continue to buy them for $20 and install my own metal stems.

[John Codman]

I agree with Scott Conger. I once worked in a tire store which sold Goodyear and Parelli. The boss had bid on a lot of new tires from another tire store that was going out of business. There was a set of original military-tread jeep tires in the lot. We sold the WW2 packaged tires in about 1980. We sold them as tires that should be used for display only, due to their age. A few months later I saw the guy driving his restored WW2 Army Jeep with the tires that we had sold him. I caught up with him and expressed my concern about the age of the tires. He told me that when he unwrapped them their was no cracking, the rubber was pliable, and they looked just like any new tire. At a later date I had the opportunity to examine the tires, and he was right. I would not have any concern about driving on them. The point of this is that the tubes (except for the valve stem) are not exposed to anything that would harm them. If the valve stem is OK and the tubes look good, I would not be concerned about reusing them.

[Nv Bob]

After the 20th patch haahaaa
No new tires new tubes my rule of thumb but when some want use there old tubes
If it goes flat it's a fix it charge

[Joe Reid]

When I did my tires I used new tubes and new flaps. I have had one flat tire since 1972 and that was a blown out rubber tire stem in a China tube. They were new flaps because I didn’t have any old ones. I do keep good old tubes for spares but I haven’t needed any. I’m knocking on wood now!

[Norman Kling]

I bought a 22 Roadster which had been restored in the 1960's. It had Riverside tires. I kept one for a spare and replaced the other 4 with new Riversides and also new tubes. I have not needed to use the spare but about 2 years ago, the rubber valve stem became a balloon. I replaced with a new tube and the tire is still on the spare. It is a talking point because I show it to interested people that the Riverside tire was made in the U.S.A. while we were fighting in Viet Nam and now the new tires look identical except that they were made in Viet Nam! Hope I don't need to use the spare on a tour because I don't know how far it could be driven on. Has good tread but is very old.
Norm