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    #1

    Tube to tubeless conversion

    Hi guys and gals!!
    I'm in the process of replacing the tires on my cast wheels for my 78 GS750EC. These are probably the original tires. The bike has only 11,000 miles on it and the tires are completely bald. The prior owner must have enjoyed taking chances. These tires had tubes but I want to replace them whith a pair of tubless Dunlop D404's.
    Will just any wheel stem from the local auto store work, or will I have to get a special kind from the bike dealer and spend $5 bazillion dollars for them instead of just $4.95 for a pair of nice steel ones from the auto store?
    I appreciate your input!
    Thanks!
    GS750GUY (Harold)
    Tags: None
    #2
    Two types of E-style mags

    The first cast wheels were meant to be used with tubes. Shortly after, they started using mags marked "tubeless", meant to use without a tube. Some people run tubeless on the rims not marked for them, with varying results. Some are fine, but some leak slowly. The mags I got when I changed over were not the tubeless type, and I've always run tubes in them, so I don't have any first-hand experience with how they do without tubes. I've heard of people with slow leaks using what I believe is named "Slime", a sealant and balancer. I got another front wheel with a front end I was going to swap onto my 1978 GS 750, and it IS marked tubeless. As to the stems, I don't know for sure, but they look like the metal ones used on car alloy wheels.
    1979 GS 1000

    Comment

      #3
      Originally posted by GS750GUY View Post
      Hi guys and gals!!
      I'm in the process of replacing the tires on my cast wheels for my 78 GS750EC. These are probably the original tires. The bike has only 11,000 miles on it and the tires are completely bald. The prior owner must have enjoyed taking chances. These tires had tubes but I want to replace them whith a pair of tubless Dunlop D404's.
      Will just any wheel stem from the local auto store work, or will I have to get a special kind from the bike dealer and spend $5 bazillion dollars for them instead of just $4.95 for a pair of nice steel ones from the auto store?
      I appreciate your input!
      Thanks!
      GS750GUY (Harold)
      GS cast wheels are ONLY designed for a tube. You need to do some machining to the existing hole to reliably accept a tubless valve stem. Save your self a lot af aggravation and just run tubes. You don't have a 150 mph race bike......

      Comment

        #4
        I was in the business when the first cast wheels came out. Tubed. Yea, I'm friggin old.
        Then the tubeless rims came out. The unconfirmed factory word was that the tubeless rims were the exact same as the tubed rims except the tubeless rims were leak tested for porosity. I really don't know if this is 100% true but I do know that folks ran tubeless tires on non marked "tubeless" rims with success. Some people sealed the inner cast wheel to hedge their bets.

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by Road_Clam View Post
          GS cast wheels are ONLY designed for a tube. You need to do some machining to the existing hole to reliably accept a tubless valve stem. Save your self a lot af aggravation and just run tubes. You don't have a 150 mph race bike......
          I agree with all of this.

          Unfortunately, the problem is I would consider myself a pretty serious sport tourer. Tubeless tires are a huge advantage when it comes time to field repair a flat which can easily be done with a plug. I heard I could lose the tubes in my wheels as I have an 83 1100E. However, I will go from a full 32 lbs of tire pressure to 15 lbs within 3 days. So, if you ask my opinion, the GS mag wheels should be run with tubes.
          Currently bikeless
          '81 GS 1100EX - "Peace, by superior fire power."
          '06 FZ1000 - "What we are dealing with here, is a COMPLETE lack of respect for the law."

          I ride, therefore I am.... constantly buying new tires.

          "Tell me what kind of an accident you are going to have, and I will tell you which helmet to wear." - Harry Hurt

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by Jethro View Post
            I agree with all of this.

            Unfortunately, the problem is I would consider myself a pretty serious sport tourer. Tubeless tires are a huge advantage when it comes time to field repair a flat which can easily be done with a plug. I heard I could lose the tubes in my wheels as I have an 83 1100E. However, I will go from a full 32 lbs of tire pressure to 15 lbs within 3 days. So, if you ask my opinion, the GS mag wheels should be run with tubes.
            I consider myself in the same class. I've been running tubeless tires on my '83 1100E for fifteen years or more. My tires don't lose any more air pressure than the tubeless tires on my '04 FJR1300. I had to ream out the valve holes and I make sure the bead seating surfaces are very clean. I know of at least a half-dozen GS owners who run tubeless tires with no issues.

            Of course, MY '83 is the much nicer BLUE model so that may explain why I don't have any problems. \\/

            Joe
            IBA# 24077
            '15 BMW R1200GS Adventure
            '07 Triumph Tiger 1050 ABS
            '08 Yamaha WR250R
            "Krusty's inner circle is a completely unorganized group of grumpy individuals uninterested in niceties like factual information. Our main purpose, in an unorganized fashion, is to do little more than engage in anecdotal stories and idle chit-chat while providing little or no actual useful information. And, of course, ride a lot and have tons of fun.....in a Krusty manner."

            Comment

              #7
              For what ever reason the stock original wheels on my 79GS850 rear is marked tubless front is not marked go figure

              Oh the rear looses more air than the front w/tube

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by SqDancerLynn1 View Post
                For what ever reason the stock original wheels on my 79GS850 rear is marked tubless front is not marked go figure

                Oh the rear looses more air than the front w/tube
                Same here. One marked and one not marked on my '79. I've decided that both'll be tubeless.

                Comment

                  #9
                  OK now you guys went and got my curiosity up. Just went out to the garage and checked the wheels on my (wife's) '82 850L. BOTH of them are marked "TUBLESS TIRES APPLICABLE". \\/

                  Checked the pressure, compared it with the reading before we went on our New Year's Eve ride. Only lost 1 pound in each tire.:-D

                  It's too wet and sloppy to go out to the shed to check the 650, so might check it when it dries out a bit.


                  .
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                  hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                  #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                  #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
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                  Comment

                    #10
                    Tubeless tires require a special bead seat, because the beads have to form an airtight seal on the rim. Not all cast wheels, aluminium or magnesium, are suitable for tubeless tire fitment. If a tube is inserted, it is then possible to fit a tube-less tyre to a tubetype rim. Also, some tubed tires require a tube because of leakage through the actual tire, not the rim...this is true of Metezler tires. They have a special liner they put in their tubeless tires to prevent leakage.

                    That being said, I've run tubeless tires without a tube on my '81 GS1100E for at least 15 years with no problems. Most tire shops will not mount a tubeless tire on a tube-type rim.

                    Hap

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Well I don't know what the problem is with the Dunlops I run, maybe they are for tubes only? They aren't radial, they are bias-ply. But without a doubt, even when they were new they lose a lot of pressure within a week. Not really a big deal, I should be forced to check my tire pressure anyway before every ride. The front seems to lose less air than the rear.
                      Currently bikeless
                      '81 GS 1100EX - "Peace, by superior fire power."
                      '06 FZ1000 - "What we are dealing with here, is a COMPLETE lack of respect for the law."

                      I ride, therefore I am.... constantly buying new tires.

                      "Tell me what kind of an accident you are going to have, and I will tell you which helmet to wear." - Harry Hurt

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Jethro View Post
                        Well I don't know what the problem is with the Dunlops I run, maybe they are for tubes only? They aren't radial, they are bias-ply. But without a doubt, even when they were new they lose a lot of pressure within a week. Not really a big deal, I should be forced to check my tire pressure anyway before every ride. The front seems to lose less air than the rear.

                        I had the air loss problem with one set of rims on a GS1000 I fitted tubless tires on for a guy. I had to resort to sealing the inside of the rims with a marine epoxy barrier coat. Problem solved. Had to balance the bare rims too.

                        Earl
                        Komorebi-The light filtering through the trees.

                        I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion. H.D.T.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Tubes to tubeless

                          Thanks Guys! I've considered all of your arguements and think I will try going tubless mainly due to the ease of field plugging any future flats. I've learned from the experience I just had at removing the old front tire from the wheel that this is nothing I want to try to tackle out on the road somewhere. Plugging is far easier Plus they make all kinds of tire bead sealants these days. Plus it will save me the cost of tubes.
                          THANKS FOR ALL YOUR INPUT!
                          GS750GUY

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Originally posted by jknappsax View Post
                            The first cast wheels were meant to be used with tubes. Shortly after, they started using mags marked "tubeless", meant to use without a tube. Some people run tubeless on the rims not marked for them, with varying results. Some are fine, but some leak slowly. The mags I got when I changed over were not the tubeless type, and I've always run tubes in them, so I don't have any first-hand experience with how they do without tubes. I've heard of people with slow leaks using what I believe is named "Slime", a sealant and balancer. I got another front wheel with a front end I was going to swap onto my 1978 GS 750, and it IS marked tubeless. As to the stems, I don't know for sure, but they look like the metal ones used on car alloy wheels.

                            This stuff, or one of its variants, does work on leaks, but is of little value on rims/wheels due to centrifugal force causing it to move away from the rim, and into the tire itself.
                            Bertrand Russell: 'Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.'

                            ​

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Don't believe the hype.

                              I converted My 1980 GS550 to to tubless tires on non-tubeless rims over a year ago. No problems, no air loss.

                              I just did another set of mags on my 1000 a couple weeks ago. Again, no air loss, no problems.

                              Comment

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