Mag Wheel Question

...Has anyone ever turned a tube type mag wheel into a tubeless mag wheel? I'd really like to get rid of the tubes on the '79 KZ650 I'm working on. If it's just a matter of filling in the two tire lock holes in the wheel, I'm OK with that. I'm just wondering if the bead can handle it. I would think that the bead would seal, but you know what they say about thought.

...So, long story short, has anyone ever converted their tube type mags into tubeless?

It's dangerous to run without using a tube on a wheel that's designed for using a tube.

Some folks may get by with doing so, but under certain conditions the tire may suddenly deflate, such as when hitting a large bump while leaned over in a curve with insufficient air pressure.

Due to the additional risk involved when running a ridge-less rim without a tube, the safer practice is to always use a tube on a ridge-less rim, regardless of the tire.

The main danger when running a ridge-less rim without a tube is when hitting a pothole or bump while leaned over at speed, when the tire bead may escape a ridge-less rim, causing instant deflation.

Those to whom the above scenario will never happen may be willing to assume the additional risk of running a ridge-less rim without a tube.

For those willing to assume the risk, or unwilling to heed the warning, or who just don't give an R.A., and are bound and determined to run tubeless on a ridge-less rim, there are some internet sites with suggestions about how to seal a spoke wheel rim (perhaps equally applicable to sealing tube-style mags).

And after all that, it doesn't resolve the risk involved with running a tubeless tire on a non-tubeless style rim.

Good Fortune!

So my 77 650 C-1 with mags has tubes? The intrawebnets are not clear on this. Is there a way to tell from the outside? I'm 36 hours from my basket-case's first tire swap and now I'm wondering if I need tubes.

gsnfl wrote: So my 77 650 C-1 with mags has tubes? The intrawebnets are not clear on this. Is there a way to tell from the outside? I'm 36 hours from my basket-case's first tire swap and now I'm wondering if I need tubes.

Parts diagrams at kawasaki.com show tubes on both front and rear wheels.
Oddly, a rim strip is shown only on the rear wheel.
Not to say that kawasaki.com never makes a mistake.
The wheels on hand might be from a later tubeless model.

The wheel itself may have "TL" or "Tubeless" cast somewhere on the wheel.
But even that isn't a 100% guarantee.

In any event, the safest course imo is to be guided by the ridges or absence of ridges inside the rim.

Lots of good info on kawasaki.com, including parts diagrams, part names, part numbers, models sharing same part, availability, etc. Here's a link for help with navigating the site and finding information.
kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...w&catid=13&id=376734

Good Fortune!

YES! You need to use tubes. One obvious indication is the 2 extra holes in the rear wheel for rim locks. Ed

Patton wrote:

Attachment tubevtubelessrimtxt.JPG not found

It's dangerous to run without using a tube on a wheel that's designed for using a tube.

Some folks may get by with doing so, but under certain conditions the tire may suddenly deflate, such as when hitting a large bump while leaned over in a curve with insufficient air pressure.

Due to the additional risk involved when running a ridge-less rim without a tube, the safer practice is to always use a tube on a ridge-less rim, regardless of the tire.

The main danger when running a ridge-less rim without a tube is when hitting a pothole or bump while leaned over at speed, when the tire bead may escape a ridge-less rim, causing instant deflation.

Those to whom the above scenario will never happen may be willing to assume the additional risk of running a ridge-less rim without a tube.

For those willing to assume the risk, or unwilling to heed the warning, or who just don't give an R.A., and are bound and determined to run tubeless on a ridge-less rim, there are some internet sites with suggestions about how to seal a spoke wheel rim (perhaps equally applicable to sealing tube-style mags).

And after all that, it doesn't resolve the risk involved with running a tubeless tire on a non-tubeless style rim.

Good Fortune!

...OK, the answer to me is the ridges. I was wondering if the bead edge was any different. It doesn't look like it is. The difference is the inner ridges holding the tire in place so the bead of tire seats against the bead edge of the rim properly.

...Thanks, General! I appreciate the info.

650ed wrote: YES! You need to use tubes. One obvious indication is the 2 extra holes in the rear wheel for rim locks. Ed

...not necessarily obvious. The rim locks were what I wanted to get rid of and holes can be easily plugged.

...didn't you ever wish you had a valve stem opposite the one you have? Doesn't it always seem when you want to get to it, it's in the least accessible position. That's one hole plugged.

KraZyRIDER wrote:

650ed wrote: YES! You need to use tubes. One obvious indication is the 2 extra holes in the rear wheel for rim locks. Ed

...not necessarily obvious. The rim locks were what I wanted to get rid of and holes can be easily plugged.

...didn't you ever wish you had a valve stem opposite the one you have? Doesn't it always seem when you want to get to it, it's in the least accessible position. That's one hole plugged.

YES - NECESSARILY OBVIOUS! I was answering your question which was:

"So my 77 650 C-1 with mags has tubes? The intrawebnets are not clear on this. Is there a way to tell from the outside?"

And my answer was "One obvious indication is the 2 extra holes in the rear wheel for rim locks."

It has nothing to do with wishing about valve stems. :blink: It has everything to do with the simple fact that no Kawasaki TUBELESS wheel has ever used rimlocks - so if you see the holes for the rimlocks the wheel was intended to use tubes and it will not have the internal ridges as shown in Patton's excellent photos. You can plug up the holes with bubblegum, but that will not make your tubetype wheel a tubeless wheel. Ed

That was me asking not the original poster! Thanks for the guide...I need tubes

OOOOps! My bad; and I do apologize to Krazyrider. :blush: However, the answer is to your question is still the same, so I hope it helped. Ed

650ed wrote: OOOOps! My bad; and I do apologize to Krazyrider. :blush: However, the answer is to your question is still the same, so I hope it helped. Ed

...apology accepted!

...but, don't you think it would be nice having two valve stems? Never having to roll back your bike because the one always ends up where you can't get to it? :woohoo:

...I can dream, can't I?