Fulvia Wheels

[tbalon]

Are there wheels available for the Fulvia that utilize tubeless tires? I actually have tubeless tires on one of my cars but needless to say if it goes flat the tire has no retainer ridge to keep the tire on the rim. I am basically looking for a set of rims that I can switch between my cars for driving longer distances while still retaining the original rims and tires.

[Peter LC]

No offense, but... ...what's wrong with using inner tubes? As far as I know, the steel wheels are all meant to be used with inner tubes. Not 100% sure about the Cromodoras.

Just out of curiosity, what tire size are you using on which series of Fulvia? I've been looking hard for Michelin 145R14 MX or even X's, but to no avail. I've finally settled on Firestones in 145R14 that, according to someone who should be able to tell, have slightly more vague cornering but are more stable in a straight line. At a third of the cost, too.

Of course, on a series 2 the choice is a lot easier because of the 165 width they are meant to be fitted with.

[tbalon]

The availability of tube tube tires here in the US is pretty limited although coker has michelins that will work. I have a 67, 69 and a 75. The 67 is actually set up for autocross and is running relatively low profile tires both for lower sidewall height as well as better overall gearing to make up for the 4 speed transmission but are the tubeless tires on the stock rims an accident waiting to happen? In that low profile, tubeless is all that is available and wider rims would also be nice for autocross.

[VAR1016]

Well, I have been running low-profile tyres on 6 x 14 Cromodoras for nearly 20 years (and many friends have too.

I have never had a problem despite doing umpteen trackdays, and probably 100,000 road miles including two continental tours.

The tyres do not even lose pressure - or at least no more than is usual.

Obviously it's up to the individual, but these are my experiences.

PdeRL

[tbalon]

Actualy it was more of a question rather than a statement. I have had tubeless tires on my 69 for over a year with no issues but I suspect that if the tire does go flat for whatever reason that the tire will promptly come off the bead of the rim as there is no retaining lip on the inside of the rim to hold the tire bead in place.

My original thought was that if there was in fact a tube inside that you could at least inflate the tire and reseat the tire bead but a running flat with a tube would likely cut the tube and you would be no better off than a tubeless tire. On my 69 I did have to modify the inside of the valve stem a bit to get it to seal but other than that it appears fine.

I appreciate the response that you have run tubeless on the track (I assume alloy wheels and not steel wheels) and have had no problems. I had heard that there were cormodora rims (for a porsche 914 I believe) that had a similar bolt pattern to the Fulvia/Flavia but were originally intended for tubeless tires and this is part of what prompted my original question.

[VAR1016]

That's a possibility; the VW P.C.D. was 130mm, the same as that of the Fulvia; however I do not know what the internal diameter of the centre was; on a S1 Fulvia this is very large - it's 75mm (I think) on an SII.

Of course tubes should not be run inside tubeless tyres; first, the ciorrect size is not available for low profiles and second, they are likely to overheat.

Paul

[Otto-valvole-per-tutte]

Paul,

Congrats on your new jobbie at Barries!

:P

So all the Grale stuff out and Fulvia priorities?

:wink:

Cheers, Pieter