# Saving a 1.375 tire



## bikiba (Jun 8, 2015)

So I was able to find exact rollfast replacement rims which look brand new.**super excited**

the bike also came with 1 perfect 1.375 back tire, the front is seen below. I was thinking of trying to save it with super glue. this is the worst part of the wheel and I think the woman was riding on it this way for a while. Anyone think it can be saved??


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## Jeff54 (Jun 8, 2015)

bikiba said:


> So I was able to find exact rollfast replacement rims which look brand new.**super excited**
> 
> the bike also came with 1 perfect 1.375 back tire, the front is seen below. I was thinking of trying to save it with super glue. this is the worst part of the wheel and I think the woman was riding on it this way for a while. Anyone think it can be saved??
> 
> ]




Not a chance in hell with super glue..

yet there's 1 glue: HH-66, it'll glue the crap out of rubber, vinyl and junk. . 

perhaps if you got HH-66 inside of the broken bindings and then, I used to do as a kid,  cut an old tire and glue it inside too.. 

Otherwise if that doesn't work just to hold air but not rider, fer-get-a-bout-it.


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## bikiba (Jun 8, 2015)

thanks Jeff - ill try tht


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## bikeyard (Jun 8, 2015)

Does your other tire match?  I believe I have some 1.375


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## bikiba (Jun 8, 2015)

bikeyard said:


> Does your other tire match?  I believe I have some 1.375



 I believe it does...[ if my memory is right ]


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## bikiba (Jun 18, 2015)

Jeff54 said:


> Not a chance in hell with super glue..
> 
> yet there's 1 glue: HH-66, it'll glue the crap out of rubber, vinyl and junk. .
> 
> ...




Jeff - I checked out the HH-66 and it says it is for vinyl. You sure it works on rubber?


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## Jeff54 (Jun 18, 2015)

bikiba said:


> Jeff - I checked out the HH-66 and it says it is for vinyl. You sure it works on rubber?




Whelp here's what I can tell ya about HH-66. I bought it to patch a dinghy. It was patched before by somebody who used 'all the right stuff' two part based glues, etc. yet it's almost all unglued.. then I discovered a guy who has a U-tube video about patching em.. friggen outstanding!!.. So, I bought a can off of a web site that was less than e-bay's: http://www.sailrite.com/ A sailboat place no less, that actually has it less than e-bay, go figure?  .  I know for the chemical odor of it that it's some type of rubber glue with an kicker, because rubber glue fails on vinyl. I haven't gotten around to patching the dinghy yet but have been gluing the crap out of everything plastic, and or vinyl  I never could before, including rubber. .  I have not even gone through as much detail  that guy in the u-tube did to stick it, and yet it friggen works. Of course if I do get around to the dinghy it'll be his way or the highway, [grin]  

I wish I had some of this stuff while my kids were growing up, cheap butt robotic toys with gears and levers falling apart I'd have to melt/weld back together. 

Anyways, yes I have successfully glued 1 rubber item and actually just brushed it a little thick on 1 side and stuck it together for 24 hours to insure it's dry. . You're suppose to glue both sides and rest then stick it just like any other rubber glue..  I was being lazy cause it's not advertised to do it, but it did. 

Obviously I can't guarantee it'll work for your old tire but shesh dang, this is the most amazing vinyl/rubber glue I've ever seen! 

And tip,, if you use it; get the top of the can back on ASAP, it'll go a long, long way but can and will dry up if you're not very careful to keep it sealed. My can hasn't dried but, I can smell the chemicals and know all to well how those will set up inside the can and spoil my new found fun. .


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## partsguy (Jun 18, 2015)

What is significant about this tire that it justifies your time and effort to save?


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## SirMike1983 (Jun 18, 2015)

partsguy said:


> What is significant about this tire that it justifies your time and effort to save?




Decent 1.375s (ISO 599) cost a mint. It's possible you could pay more for your tires than the entire rest of the bike. A good set is easily $100, mint running closer to $300 per set. It's not single tube 28 inch tire prices, but definitely getting there. 

Fortunately ISO 597 (Schwinn S5 and S6 type) tires are very close, though not perfect. Apparently some of these 599 rims can take a 597 tire and it works OK. Some of the taller walled ones won't take the tires though. I have have at least two sets of rims here that can take 597s, and possibly a third. However, in the past, I had a couple sets that you couldn't slip the tire onto. 

I would love to see 1.375 tires made again, but I don't ever see it happening. Only the people running the earlier US roadsters and lightweights want them (1930s-40s mostly). These bikes have among the smallest of all followings. They are one of the best kept secrets in vintage bikes (not to let it out or anything).


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## vincev (Jun 18, 2015)

after you patch it dont ride the bike any farther than you can walk.


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## SirMike1983 (Jun 18, 2015)

vincev said:


> after you patch it dont ride the bike any farther than you can walk.




True- and probably don't ride it at all. If that tire "pops" on the front wheel, it could mean a lively time as you come to a skidding halt. If it delaminates entirely, it's over the bars and a broken collar bone probably. Front blowouts are bad, bad stuff.


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## bikewhorder (Jun 18, 2015)

Your tire is toast. I can sell you some nice ones.


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## bikiba (Jun 18, 2015)

Like mike stated up above, I have fit the 597s on the rim, but since I bought another bike to get some sweet original rims, the back tire is perfect and I was hoping to salvage the front.


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## Jeff54 (Jun 19, 2015)

Heck I didn't know that. So, Here's-a watta I'm-a gonna do for a-you. Lucky for you, I have an old 50's tire that was waiting fer the trash. Just minutes ago,  I chopped two pieces off and cause I've got so much confidence in this stuff, without cleaning, dusting, nutin, I just brushed a gob on 1 side of a piece, put them both together in small vise. We''ll have another looky see later this evening or so.












SirMike1983 said:


> Decent 1.375s (ISO 599) cost a mint. It's possible you could pay more for your tires than the entire rest of the bike. A good set is easily $100, mint running closer to $300 per set. It's not single tube 28 inch tire prices, but definitely getting there.
> 
> Fortunately ISO 597 (Schwinn S5 and S6 type) tires are very close, though not perfect. Apparently some of these 599 rims can take a 597 tire and it works OK. Some of the taller walled ones won't take the tires though. I have have at least two sets of rims here that can take 597s, and possibly a third. However, in the past, I had a couple sets that you couldn't slip the tire onto.
> 
> I would love to see 1.375 tires made again, but I don't ever see it happening. Only the people running the earlier US roadsters and lightweights want them (1930s-40s mostly). These bikes have among the smallest of all followings. They are one of the best kept secrets in vintage bikes (not to let it out or anything).


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## bikiba (Jun 19, 2015)

Jeff54 said:


> Heck I didn't know that. So, Here's-a watta I'm-a gonna do for a-you. Lucky for you, I have an old 50's tire that was waiting fer the trash. Just minutes ago,  I chopped two pieces off and cause I've got so much confidence in this stuff, without cleaning, dusting, nutin, I just brushed a gob on 1 side of a piece, put them both together in small vise. We''ll have another looky see later this evening or so.



 cool ... once they bond see if you can tear them apart


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## Jeff54 (Jun 20, 2015)

bikiba said:


> cool ... once they bond see if you can tear them apart





While waiting I stuck a loose connection on the top so I could monitor the hardness of the glue as it sets. I connected the other by using a small C clamp that was only tight enough for the two pieces of rubber to touch for a few hours, until the glue could hold it on its own. Then I'd know if it, while the glue was setting, had enough strength to continue holding with the force of the rubber wanting to pull them apart.  

I only applied I gob of glue to 1 side of the top and bottom sections, without having  cleaned or prepared any of the rubber: 






On the Top piece; The main gob of glue  has grabbed well but with little effort failed on opposite, unglued  side :







The part in vise; A good pressing of the two sides, feels well joined as I prepare to pull.






Easily separated,  and in contrast to the top connection, the  glued side  just cleaned the surface off of the tire while the bare side grabbed.. Go figure? 


. 







The section in the vise, the glue is saturated into the old rubber enough where it won't peal off and resists scratching: 






On the top glued part  where the glue remained, it's stuck pretty good, resists scratching, pealing and pulling. While the glue on the unstuck sides peals off easy. 








It's a pass/fail. It came apart easy, leaving one side stuck in good while removing rubber from the other. The glued side has grabbed and is tough to scratch  or break off, while the removed side lost its strength once pulled off, all of the glue on it is easier to remove. .

It wants to stick  and may work well in your tires providing you create the right conditions for the glue to soak in enough to grab it. .

You couldn't just seam a tire together like stiches, but may be able  coat the bindings and draw the rubber back over to seam it. And add an glued under lament (7-10" old cut piece of tire or?)  to hold the bindings.


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 20, 2015)

I have a decent tire this size I'd take 15-20 plus ship once I grade it.
Chris


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## bikiba (Jul 4, 2015)

Jeff54 said:


> It's a pass/fail. It came apart easy, leaving one side stuck in good while removing rubber from the other. The glued side has grabbed and is tough to scratch  or break off, while the removed side lost its strength once pulled off, all of the glue on it is easier to remove. .
> 
> It wants to stick  and may work well in your tires providing you create the right conditions for the glue to soak in enough to grab it. .
> 
> You couldn't just seam a tire together like stiches, but may be able  coat the bindings and draw the rubber back over to seam it. And add an glued under lament (7-10" old cut piece of tire or?)  to hold the bindings.




i tried myself. bought the HH glue and it didnt work. i applied a liberal amount to both the rubber side and the liner and all it did was eat the liner color.


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## bikeyard (Jul 4, 2015)

Send me your address.  Thanks Jim


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## Jeff54 (Jul 4, 2015)

bikiba said:


> i tried myself. bought the HH glue and it didnt work. i applied a liberal amount to both the rubber side and the liner and all it did was eat the liner color.





Yeah, most likely, the rubber is just to old, dried to get a good grab. On the surfaces where the glue came off easily it took a small layer of rubber with it. 


top portion in photo, top layer of rubber was pulled off:






That illustrated that the glue stuck to the rubber but the composition of the rubber is too weak to maintain. 

It might work inside the tire using a patch, a cut off of another. Like I'd said before, as a kid I would chop a section off another tire and line the bad one with it. Without glue it solved issues of broken bindings, sidewall splits and warn holes. Obviously this 'fix' didn't last long but worked long enough until I could fund another tire. Funny, I just remembered the sound when riding of one of my patches like this, and along with that, the little bump. 

Presumably, using glue could aide in increasing the usage. Because it does stick to the top layer of the old rubber, I would, if at this task, complete the gluing process and then don't attempt to test or pull them apart but stick the tire on, fill with air and see if it'll hold. 

It would be a hit and miss in your case, with broken bindings and such otherwise I don't know of any other resource that wouldn't do the same thing; stick to the top layer of the rubber.


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 4, 2015)

The only adhesive I would consider is Loctite 480, which is a specialty adhesive for old rubber. It's very expensive. I don't consider this a very productive project for using such expensive adhesive as well, given the chances of failure and given the damage that failure while riding could bring.


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## Jeff54 (Jul 4, 2015)

SirMike1983 said:


> The only adhesive I would consider is Loctite 480, which is a specialty adhesive for old rubber. It's very expensive. I don't consider this a very productive project for using such expensive adhesive as well, given the chances of failure and given the damage that failure while riding could bring.




Perhaps if the glue could penetrate the rubber. That has been the various problems I've had with different glues; penetration. Plastics are always easy because it's harder and melts the top layer which welds em.. Vinyl's and rubbers are tougher. HH-66 is the only glue I've ever found that penetrates em enough to bond.  I've tried several different types of glue on vinyl with limited to no success. Or moreover, with vinyl, as long as you never pull or mess with it, it holds reasonably. Back in the day, patching waterbeds was only successful as long as ya didn't screw with it. Kids toys, for-get-about-it. With HH-66 I've had more success than with anything else I've ever heard of or tried. Albeit I have not had to put it to the test as I required, when gears or levers broke inside of kid toys. Nothing worked other than scraping vinyl plastic off the toy somewhere and welding the pieces together with an soldering iron. Yet I have managed to glue things I never could before with it, I don't run across the types of breakage I did with kids. . 

I'd bought it originally, exclusively, to glue seams back together on this little dinghy a year ago but, as it's going, I may need to buy another can because, I keep finding junk it'll fix. 



The HH-66 test obviously does not penetrate old rubber enough to maintain a strong bond. 

If locktite 480 can penetrate the rubber like oil does and be flexible it ought too work.


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## bikiba (Jul 7, 2015)

bikeyard said:


> Send me your address.  Thanks Jim




Jim - i wanted to thank you publically for sending me over the tires.... they are fantastic and was a giant surprise. Thank you!! 

Once i get the back one off and on ill post up some new pix. those 1.375s just do not want to come off! 

thanks again!!


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