Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Inner tube damage

Just took the front tyres off to replace with new Blockleys. On inspection I find the spoke nipples have cut in to the inner tube quite deeply in places. It seems to be every other spoke - the ones which terminate on the inboard end of the hub. The nipples are not damaged or sharp but they do protrude a bit. Both Blockley and Motor wheel services say the nipples should be covered by the tyre bead but they are obviously not. Best suggestion so far is duct tape over the nipples which sounds like a bit of a bodge. Anybody got a better idea?

Rim bands?

There are rubber rim bands that are purpose made for the task. The M3W would need offset holes to match the tube. That being said, I have used duct tape on a variety of motorcycle rims for the last 50 years with no ill effect.

Rim bands made for the job is best but I cant see tape being a problem unless any glue residue is left.

File down any protruding spoke ends before fitting the rim band/tape and a bit of French chalk/talc needed too!

Nipples and duck tape in the same sentence!!!!! ooooooooooooo.

During the first 3 years of my 4 years of M3W ownership I had 4 punctures in the same (offside) front wheel.
I e-mailed Mark Cerrone about the lack of rim tape and he in turn got onto MWS who supply the wheels to MMC and was fed the same line about rim tape not being necessary because the tyre bead prevents the tube from coming into contact with the spoke nipples.
If the puncture occurs at speed, by the time you realise what has happened and come safely to a halt, the actual tyre has suffered enough damage to render it unsafe for further high speed use.
Consequently, a puncture costs you the price of a new tube and a new tyre, (not much change out of £100).
I now have a couple of layers of duct tape in the offending wheel and for the last 18 months it has been OK.

Rim trapes will be of no use here as the spoke nipples are not in the well of the rim but off on one side. A tape would just ride down into the well and not cover the nipples at all. my concern with duct tape is getting it under the tyre bead, that would surely not be good. The nipples are all smooth, no sharp edges, I suspect the tyre, as it flexes, traps the tube on top of the nipples and sort of nibbles at it as the load comes on and off, especially when cornering. I will cut a section out of an old tyre tomorrow and see how it looks from the inside. surely I can't be the only one to have noticed this problem?

Phil
I spoke to MWS about tapes when I ordered the Blockleys and was told they were not suitable for offset spokes. I kept the old tubes as spares and have just been out and inspected them. They are heavy duty Blockley, have done 7000ml and have no spoke marking, not even slight imprints.

Ditto. Fitted rim tapes because I was supplied them with set of Excelsiors, but they serve no purpose due to offset spokes.

i use this:

http://www.advancetapes.com/Advance-Gaffa

works very well, no damage at all!!!