Watanabe designed only for tubes?!

Harold996tt · Postby **Harold996tt** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 10:51 pm

Just picked up a set of brand new Watanabe F8F for my NA and had them sent to Bob Jane T Mart for some tires.

I was pretty surprised to be told by the guys there that the wheels are designed to be used only with tubes as they are not designed for tubeless tires. This is clearly confusing as I can't think of any good tube tires in existence anymore.

What's the story here and what tires do those with Watanabes use and how does one safely install tubes? The Bob Jane store basically said it did not want to try installing any tires on the wheels.

I am pretty confused why watanabe would design and manufacture wheels not intended for use with tubeless tires.

Any information is much appreciated.

jimmy_vee · Postby **jimmy_vee** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 11:18 pm

I'd get them to take another look at them, or take the wheels somewhere else. Pretty sure that they wouldn't need inner tubes.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Mon Jun 24, 2013 11:22 pm

If they're 3 piece wheels they may have thought that air would leak out through where the front and rear barrels join.

The barrels should have a seal between them to keep them airtight.

I'd be trying another shop.

bigdog · Postby **bigdog** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:25 am

Go to a proper tyre place - most BJs wouldn't know a decent wheel if they saw one. Are they new rims? If they are old and in poor condition it's possible they may leak air, in which case you should have them rebuilt and resealed. If they are new they will be fine.

Edit - just re-read your post, they are brand new, so they will be fine tubeless, as they will comply with Japan wheel standards for new wheels.

MattR · Postby **MattR** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:21 am

The only other issue could be the bead profile on the wheel. Near the size information there should be a J or JJ this will be the profile type. Off the top of head 99% of wheels here will be a jj profile which is the standard for most road tyres.

But as said before, more likely concerned about being a three piece rim, or probably have never seen a 3 piece rim before.

I would be picking up wheels from said tmart shop and depending on location going to another tyre shop, preferably performance orientated.

MattR · Postby **MattR** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:21 am

The only other issue could be the bead profile on the wheel. Near the size information there should be a J or JJ this will be the profile type. Off the top of head 99% of wheels here will be a jj profile which is the standard for most road tyres.

But as said before, more likely concerned about being a three piece rim, or probably have never seen a 3 piece rim before.

I would be picking up wheels from said tmart shop and depending on location going to another tyre shop, preferably performance orientated.

ralt · Postby **ralt** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 10:50 am

Hi. Watanabe f8f are one piece cast I believe. Take them to another tyre shop and have them fitted. The only thing maybe if you had to have valve cores fitted they may not have had the correct ones and the easiest fix for them (and more money) was to fit tubes.

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:19 pm

Do take great wheels to a shite shop.

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 2:20 pm

They are full of crap. I have owned a set of 14x6.5 +35-ish Watanabe f8's and know for a fact there is no restriction on tyre choice. I ha e also been told by bob jane in the past that my car is front wheel drive and there is no camber adjustment in the rear... When i tried to show them otherwise they laughed so i took my money elsewhere.
Dont go to those places, they know f.uck all. Be skeptical of all mechanics though. I remember one place quoting a waterpump replacement around $1500 saying the engine had to come out and the head needed to be removed... idiots everywhere

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 2:23 pm

Oh and one of these places stamped balance weights to the front of my watanabes and threw my wheelnuts in the bin forcing me to buy new ones... Some lessons you learn the hard way :roll:

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 4:30 pm

i had a place do that once, throw my old stuff (wheel nuts and suspension bit and bobs) in the bin after i said i wanna keep it.

i said, "get the 'f' in the bin and pull it out."

they said, "no you do it, not my problem"

i said, "you dont get any money if you dont."

they said, "you dont get you car back if you dont pay."

i headed for the door, opened it and said, "see you tomorrow, maybe you will have changed your mind. don't leave my car in the street tonight."

they said, "we'll put it where we wanna put it."

i said, "okay then, i'll just collect it tonight with the spares, and return tomorrow asking for my stolen keys back."

they said, "'f' you, we'll move it to wherever so you cannot find it."

i said, "if i come back tonight and find that the car is not on your property, i will go straigth to the police station and report it stolen from this location, and you can deal with it at 9am." and i walked out, they said something i didn't here on the way out. but was probably a smart arse remark.

so i did what i said and returned about 8 pm that night. car was inside and up on a hoist with another car underneth it.

turned up the next day, "got my sh*t out of the bin yet?"

they said, "no"

i said, "see you tomorrow."

got a phone call 30 minutes later. my shite had been taken out of the bin. arseholes!

plohl · Postby **plohl** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:48 pm

Yeah, I hate dealing with tyre shops generally, but haven't had too bad of a run with a Jax down the road. Best places I have found are the motorsport/performance shops that have the right gear.

But yeah, your wata's should definitely be able to run tubeless tyres. Did you actually buy them from BJ's? Or get them else where and just ask them to fit tyres?

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 6:11 pm

plohl wrote:Yeah, I hate dealing with tyre shops generally, but haven't had too bad of a run with a Jax down the road. Best places I have found are the motorsport/performance shops that have the right gear.

But yeah, your wata's should definitely be able to run tubeless tyres. Did you actually buy them from BJ's? Or get them else where and just ask them to fit tyres?

Bob Jane stock watanabe wheels now :shock:

What Bob Jane have you been shopping at?

Harold996tt · Postby **Harold996tt** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 7:20 pm

ralt wrote:Hi. Watanabe f8f are one piece cast I believe. Take them to another tyre shop and have them fitted. The only thing maybe if you had to have valve cores fitted they may not have had the correct ones and the easiest fix for them (and more money) was to fit tubes.

Yes you are right they are one piece.

Bought them brand new from Otomoto in Victoria. I brought them to Bob Jane as quite frankly I had no idea where was a good tire shop in Perth (don't spend much time here anymore sadly so don't really hunt down good shops).

They said that the lip on the wheels were not designed to hold and seal tubeless tires and hence were made for tube tires only. Sadly I wouldn't know the difference.

Thanks guys will try hunt down another store.

Harold996tt · Postby **Harold996tt** » Tue Jun 25, 2013 7:38 pm

Mr nanotech wrote:They are full of crap. I have owned a set of 14x6.5 +35-ish Watanabe f8's and know for a fact there is no restriction on tyre choice. I ha e also been told by bob jane in the past that my car is front wheel drive and there is no camber adjustment in the rear... When i tried to show them otherwise they laughed so i took my money elsewhere.
Dont go to those places, they know f.uck all. Be skeptical of all mechanics though. I remember one place quoting a waterpump replacement around $1500 saying the engine had to come out and the head needed to be removed... idiots everywhere

Thanks very much mate. I was stunned that a set of brand new tires supplied from Otomoto would still be designed to run tubes.