Chinese rims ruining inner tube stems???

Last summer I bought off of Amazon two 12x28 6 loop rims for my Dad's IH444. I also bought inner tubes because there was so much rust on the rims the beads of the tires were in terrible shape and didn't hold out much hope I could get them to seal mounting them tubless. I can only assume the rims were imported from China, it was $369 for two rims, from a place called RAParts Inc. Amazon part number is 672478A, but no longer shows up on Amazon.

After mounting both tires, they started to leak air after about 30 minutes. I took them back apart and both valve stems were torn from the tubes. This did not happen during installation, as there were no leaks, then all of a sudden ~30 minutes after mounting and seating the bead you could hear a small leak and then all of a sudden the leak was huge. Both valve stems ripped clean off.

I was then able to get one of the tires mounted tubless and holding air, the right tire however was just not going to work tubless. So I tried the one old good tube I had. Same deal, after 30 minutes, leaked, valve stem ripped off. Is it possible the hole in the rim is in the wrong location? The tires are 13.9 x 28 "on a 12 inch rim".

The old rims are long gone so I cannot compare the stem hole location.

Today I tried the glue on tube stem replacement patches on two tubes, tried one of them in the tire again, same thing, lasted 30 minutes or so then ripped right off the tube. I used tons of baby powder this time thinking the tube was somehow getting stuck.

I am super frustrated, have mounted dozens of tractor tires, never had this issue. WTH is going on here?

Here is an album with some pictures: https://imgur.com/a/K8H434u

Not sure what to do next. The tread on these tires is in good shape and I'd hate to have to buy new tires so they can be mounted tubless...

I went ahead and ordered US made tires for my 14K trailer, might as well support the economy. My tire dealer said he had no issue with US made and not too many with Chinese, that clinched the deal.

The rims look pretty standard.

If the tire is off the wheel, try slipping the damaged tube around the wheel, line up the stem hole and try to blow some air in with the blow gun.

See what happens, see if the hole tries to pull away as it is inflated.

Maybe the tube was made wrong.

Might be worth just taking them to a tire shop, let them deal with the frustration.

(quoted from post at 19:47:27 06/12/20) The rims look pretty standard.

If the tire is off the wheel, try slipping the damaged tube around the wheel, line up the stem hole and try to blow some air in with the blow gun.

See what happens, see if the hole tries to pull away as it is inflated.

Maybe the tube was made wrong.

Might be worth just taking them to a tire shop, let them deal with the frustration.

Click to expand...

Not thinking the tubes were made wrong, because the same thing happened to the old tube, which was a GOODYEAR. I did think about what you suggested, take the tire completely off the rim and put a tube only on the rim and inflate. Not sure it will be the same situation as having a tire on there, but could be a good check.

Chinese parts screw me every time. Not even sure there is a US manufacturer of 12X28 rims anymore?

Chinese tubes are junk. I've had several that the stem leaked.or ripped out. Even my tire guy refuses to sell Chinese tubes.

(quoted from post at 20:17:09 06/12/20) Chinese tubes are junk. I've had several that the stem leaked.or ripped out. Even my tire guy refuses to sell Chinese tubes.

Click to expand...

Thing is, one of made in USA tubes I had, the stem ripped off in the same fashion as the Chinese tubes. Really seems like the culprit are these Chinese rims.

IF the tube was put in backwards it will do that. So now next time put some air in the tube and make sure you have the tube with the stem in the right orientation for the rim when you put it together. I'll bet that will solve your problem. Hole in the rim should be in the bent section of the rim between the lip and the flat center. Not on the flat part of the rim. It should also have flattened section where the stem comes through too. Might check for any sharpness to the hole edge.

(quoted from post at 03:19:09 06/13/20) IF the tube was put in backwards it will do that. So now next time put some air in the tube and make sure you have the tube with the stem in the right orientation for the rim when you put it together. I'll bet that will solve your problem. Hole in the rim should be in the bent section of the rim between the lip and the flat center. Not on the flat part of the rim. It should also have flattened section where the stem comes through too. Might check for any sharpness to the hole edge.

Click to expand...

Yeah, multiple ppl are telling me that I am installing them backwards, but not my first tractor tire/tube. I know that I am not installing them inverted. That's why this is so frustrating.

It looks like a sideways tear to me as if the stem was lined up with the hole but that most of the tube was off.

You could always take a die grinder and try to smooth and open the hole a bit. Maybe use those thicker rubber stem bushings you can get.
AaronSEIA

I think the stem hole in the new rim is specific to tubless use. The depression around the actual hole allows the stem (on a tube) to be recessed. this
causes the tube adjacent to the hole to stretch excessively, rupturing at the stem attachment point. were it mine, I would probably fill in the area
surrounding the stem "dent" to make it much more flush. I would use body filler to do it, tapering the "fill" about 6 inches from the hole "dent". Jim

Hi, looking at your photo the valve stem is either been put on the wrong place on the tube or the hole is wrong in the rim.

I tried to find a photo online of a 444 rear rim that you could see the valve stem but this the best I could find.
See how in the photo below the valve stem is sticking up straighter, yours appears to being pushed to the outside of the rim, like the stem was mounted to much to the center of the tube.
I realize the type of stem in my photo is for adding liquid ballast.

I did some tests today. Pulled the tire off the rim, put an old tube on and filled it with air the best I could as it has a torn off valve stem. Now, the tube off center quite a bit, just wondering when the tire is on, is the tire bead yanking the tube away from the hole in the rim and tearing the stem?

The valve stem hole in the tube lines up fine with the hole in the rim:

https://imgur.com/LfeJrkX
https://imgur.com/QlOTgU9
https://imgur.com/jRfb9Bp
https://imgur.com/bEPZ7bK


Here is the part number stamped on the rim, not sure if this gives any indication where it is manufactured:
https://imgur.com/qCBfBzP

Is there really such a thing as a rim for tubless only?

Here are my recommendations and they are worth what you are paying for them. It is a long shot but maybe you could buy a truck style replacement valve stem as shown on the tube in the link. Maybe difficult to find probably only available through a specialty truck tire shop, if even available at all. Part of what I going for is to NOT have the valve stem held in place by a nut. I would suggest putting it on the used tube, I just feel that it is probably a better quality tube than the new ones. I also agree with Jim about transitioning the area around the stem with body filler, in particular the area that comes into the rim center at such an angle. Lastly or if the other type of stem can’t be acquired you might consider just moving over between another set of loops and drill a new hole in a flat area. Then you could probably use the regular tractor style replacement stem that is fasten in place. Of course in the future if you install tires that could be used tubeless then the other hole would need to be dealt with. For the time being I assume the replacement stem you got is the tractor type that is held in place with a nut, it could be placed in the original angled hole and cut off outer airing sections so the tube has something to set against inside the rim.
Example valve stem

I don't suppose you have the old rims to compare where the valvestem hole is?

At this point I'd drill a new hole for the valvestem, to center the tube.

They make plugs for unused valvestem holes, any ag tire dealer should have them.

(quoted from post at 09:24:06 06/13/20)

I don't suppose you have the old rims to compare where the valvestem hole is?

At this point I'd drill a new hole for the valvestem, to center the tube.

They make plugs for unused valvestem holes, any ag tire dealer should have them.

Click to expand...

Old rims are long gone, of of them didn't even have any metal left where the hole for the valve stem was supposed to be...

I took some pictures of the valve stems on some of my tractors. I don't see any glaring difference form the rims I bought for the IH444:

https://imgur.com/6KUeC3K
https://imgur.com/7tnQYRO
https://imgur.com/TcEOf8t

I don't see any noticeable amount of difference in position of the hole in your new rim and the ones on my tractors. I don't think the rim is the problem.

Are you using any tire/rim lube? (Freylube, Camel Tire mount "Stuff", or other) a light coating on the rim, as well as the tire head can help prevent rusting and will help free the tube to slide around the rim to best position. I also inflate and deflate the assembled tire two or three times, to get the tube to move around to relieve strain on the stem.

And yes, true tubeless rims are different, than tube type rims, in the bead areas.

(quoted from post at 17:24:59 06/13/20)
I don't see any noticeable amount of difference in position of the hole in your new rim and the ones on my tractors. I don't think the rim is the problem.

Are you using any tire/rim lube? (Freylube, Camel Tire mount "Stuff", or other) a light coating on the rim, as well as the tire head can help prevent rusting and will help free the tube to slide around the rim to best position. I also inflate and deflate the assembled tire two or three times, to get the tube to move around to relieve strain on the stem.

And yes, true tubeless rims are different, than tube type rims, in the bead areas.

Click to expand...

I was using baby powder between the tube and the tire.

I finally got around to replacing the valve stem on the tube that was in this tire, I see no issues with the hole location in the rim, looks to me like there is plenty of room for the tire bead.