Valves for tubeless tyres on original Minor steel wheels

[jagnut66]

Hi,
I encountered a problem today which I hadn't anticipated and hadn't encountered before, so I thought I'd better raise / share it with the wider Morris community, as it maybe or might become a widespread issue for us who buy tyres independently and then need to get them fitted.
I have found it gradually more difficult, not impossible though, to source tyres of the correct size for our standard steel wheels. However I interpret this as simply being that the options for 'where' we can buy them are shrinking.
That is not the immediate problem though.
What I found today is that my local tyre fitters no longer stock the rubber (pull through the hole in the wheel) valve that fits standard Morris Minor steel wheels.
The ones they stock are much slimmer, for modern wheels which require them now, rather than the thicker ones they used to use and which seemed to cover a multitude old old wheels as well (Morris, MGB, Triumph, etc.).
Unfortunately these slimmer valves pull straight through the valve hole on the Morris wheel and therefore won't seal.
They are now going to have to order some of the older (wider) ones in, so I can have my tyres fitted.
Obviously this won't affect those wishing to use tyres with tubes in but for anyone who likes the option of tubeless on their original wheels it may prove a problem.
Maybe it's time to suggest to the likes of ESM that they stock valves as well? As they have bulk buying power it may be a good (cheaper) option for us?
Best wishes,
Mike.

[KevinB]

Just my recent experience... My saloon needed new tyres and I ordered new 155 radials from an online supplier, sold as a suitable replacement for my standard wheel rims.

I took them to a local tyre fitters and they had no trouble fitting them to the rims without inner tubes. I don't know exactly what valves they used, but they seemed to be readily available from their stock.

I watched one tyre fitted and they were careful to clean up the bead area with a wire brush and applied some liquid before fitting, so as to get a good seal. And they've been fine since.

[mike1864]

Blockley Tyres sold me "large tyre valves" to go with the tyres I'd specified for a Minor.
50p each.

[jagnut66]

I've just measured the hole with my callipers and it comes out around 15.86mm. TR414 valves specify that their base is 19mm.
I would be interested to see what more members have found, though sourcing your own valves, as well as tyres, may well be the way to go in order to circumvent this issue.
I have found them on eBay now but like those who have posted so far, I wasn't looking for them in past years, as it was never a problem before.....
Best wishes,
Mike.
https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DCh ... ECk&adurl=
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306536236839 ... 6335781457

[ManyMinors]

Tyre valve sizes changed during Minor production. Series MM and Series 11 cars require a larger diameter valve than most Minor 1000s
As somebody has already said, specialists such as Blockley tyres keep both sizes in stock.

[jagnut66]

Series MM and Series 11 cars require a larger diameter valve than most Minor 1000s

Interesting and something I didn't know, I have some Minor 1000 wheels, I will get my callipers back out and measure the hole.
Best wishes,
Mike.

[jagnut66]

The Morris Minor 1000 wheel valve hole is around 11.62mm, so over 4.5mm difference in size between that and a Series 2 wheel (the one with the studs for holding the hub cap in place).
Now there's a pointless question for pub quiz night! lol
Best wishes,
Mike.

[59Elva]

Has anyone had leaking problems with the riveted rims and tubeless tires? Do I remember correctly that there were welded web as well or am I confusing with the early/late Sprite wheels?

[jaekl]

The larger valve stem continued a couple years into the Series III before changing to the smaller hole. Personally, I've had no leaks from riveted wheels. The welded ones were introduced during the Series V vintage.

[geoberni]

When I had the Blockley's fitted to Basil 3 years ago, I obtained TR413 Valves as the local garage I used wasn't sure if he had valves to fit Minor Wheels.

There's a good article about the different valves on the Blockley website: https://www.blockleytyre.com/technical/ ... s-and-uses

[Blaketon]

There is an item on tubeless tyres in the latest Minor Matters, which says that only Minor 1000 wheels are suitable for tubeless (I'm guessing most have seen it but a copy is shown below. I have ESM van wheels, running tubeless but the old wheels also ran OK tubeless. I am not aware of any issues with valve sizes but suggest that those, who specialise in older cars, could advise.

[geoberni]

There is an item on tubeless tyres in the latest Minor Matters, which says that only Minor 1000 wheels are suitable for tubeless (I'm guessing most have seen it but a copy is shown below. I have ESM van wheels, running tubeless but the old wheels also ran OK tubeless. I am not aware of any issues with valve sizes but suggest that those, who specialise in older cars, could advise.

I suggest you read my article again.
It does not say

only Minor 1000 wheels are suitable for tubeless

It says

Let's make one thing clear; as far as the Minor goes, the earlier pre-1954 wheels were riveted together and intended for tubed tyres. However, post 1954, the pressed wheels were intended for tubeless tyres.

Was that not clear enough??

And the article is in the Club Members Magazine, but you don't have to be a Member to access these message board pages.
The Magazine does state that "Material published in Minor Matters may not be published elsewhere without the permission of the Editor".
I would assume that includes on electronic media.

[jagnut66]

My wheels are the series 2 type, they were in good condition and I had them stripped and zinc plated before I repainted them.
I am not sure exactly what year they date to, as I collected them together from various sources (my car came with two series 2 wheels fitted the rest were Morris 1000), as I fancied having the right wheels for my car, they now have tubeless tyres fitted, as that's what I have always fitted to my Minors in the past.....
I've just downloaded this image of a series 2 wheel, I take it these are the riveted type you are talking about:

Morris Minor series 2 wheel.jpg (149.47 KiB) Viewed 3006 times

I had been told that along as they weren't corroded or damaged then they should be okay for tubeless tyres.....
Best wishes,
Mike.