mstateglfr 

First, its absurd there are so many tricks needed.

My combo is H + Son Hydra rims that are tubeless and Panaracer GravelKing SS in 43mm that are tlc/tubeless.
I cant get the tires to seat.

1 strip, tires won't seat.
1 strip and soapy water spread along the sidewalls, nope.
2 strips, tires won't seat.
2 strips and soapy water spread along the sidewalls, nope.

I've pulled the valve core to allow more air in.
I've used my Topeak Booster without success.
I've used a gas station pump without success.
I've used an air compressor without success.

Air just blows out all around the tire.


Obviously I can take em to a shop, but I need to understand what I'm doing wrong as it shouldn't be a difficult process and I dont want to rely on bringing wheels in for help each time I want to change tires or need to pull one.

My old tires were wtb Resolute and they hooked on fine, until the end when it was brutal to seat them too.
Its like I am doing something wrong now, but can't figure out what since it just isn't that many steps.


Currently, a tube is in the tire to seat it and ill pull the tube tomorrow which will break one bead, but then when pumping it tubeless, hopefully it'll reconnect since less air can escape.



Any ideas/thoughts/tricks? Would I add a 3rd strip?...I've seen it mentioned that 3 wraps for road tubeless is sometimes needed.

dabac

How have you inflated them?
If you have tires that have a loose fit, you need to dump a lot of air into them quickly. Don’t use an inflation device, use that compressor attachment that’s only a nozzle with a valve. Or add that 3rd strip.
I’ve used a 3mm thick neoprene tape originally intended for pipe insulation to build up difficult rims.

masi61

Yet another trick is to put a tube in it and inflate to seat the beads. Then deflate, dismount one bead without disturbing the other. Then remove the tube and reinstall the tubeless valve. Give it pressure now from the air compressor or booster pump with the valve core removed to get maximum air in. This should work. Having the tube in there could also lead to success a 2nd way as well: helping bed down the tubeless tape better. What brand and width of tape are you using? What tubeless valves are you using? Does H+Son Hydra require a specific valve? I ask this because if you have enough of a poor seal with your valve or tape, that alone will prevent tubeless beads from giving you that satisfying “pop, pop, pop...” you so need to hear right now.

shelbyfv

I've seated those same tires (different rims) using the tube first/break one bead method. I removed the valve core and pumped fast with a regular floor pump. I didn't lube anything. IIRC the rim had a little more pronounced "tubeless bump" than the Hydra but I can't see how that would matter. Persevere
Ooops, my tires were the SK.

walnutz

Weird. It sounds like you are doing everything right. 3 strips seems like a lot, but maybe it’s the answer.

sometimes I have to kind of cup my hand around the valve area when pumping an unseated tire for the first time to help the air stay in the channel. If that makes sense.

unterhausen

I wouldn't call tubeless tape a "strip," but what kind of tubeless tape are you using?
My gravelking seat using a hand pump on Stan's rims. I have some Maxxis where I had to get a air blow gun to get enough air in to have them seat. Like this one https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Pi...00AV/100064491
Take the valve out. I had to reduce the diameter of the end a little to get it to fit the presta valve a little better.

Koyote

If your current attempt (with the tube in the tire, helping beads to seat) doesn't work, I've got only one idea: with just the tire (no tube), put the valve core back in, and use a 16g CO2 cartridge which will give a fast and huge blast of psi - in my experience, even better than a compressor. If it works, then let the tire sit for a while to settle into the rim, then later remove the core (make sure the wheel is supported, no pressure on it - works best with the wheels on the bike, bike in repair stand - this is so the tire beads stay seated) and put in sealant through the valve. Then pump back up with air.

If this method doesn't work, you're only out one CO2 cartridge.

Good luck, and keep us posted. I'm interested to see how this turns out.

texbiker

A trick I've seen used on car and truck tires to seat the bead: wrap a strap around the outside of the tire and tighten it some to force the air out to the beads when you air up the tire.

yannisg

I've had similar problems with Hutchinson fusion 4&5 road tires with Shimano rims.
Usually, I can inflate a new tire with just a floor pump, and if that doesn't work a compressor will (no sealant added).
The problem arises with used tires, not worn, that have been removed for cleaning. It is almost impossible to inflate them even with a compressor without sealant.
Adding sealant usually works, but not always. There has been a few cases where even with sealant it would not seal, and I would have to install a new tire even when the used one was not worn.
With Mtn tires I do not have such problems due to the increased volume.
Due to the above difficulties with the road bike tires I'm considering to revert back to using inner tubes on road tires.

trailangel

2 wraps of rim tape for road.
Did you wrap the tape over the rim hooks so it would not seat?

Redbullet

I have installed for the first time new tubeless a few days ago, on old DT Swiss rims. Surprisingly, I managed to do it only with the normal pump and some intensive effort. The rear wheel was a little more difficult, but it worked very well with the special liquid as below. You need to spread it along tire edges and then it lubricates and seals the edges a little bit - it was exactly what I needed. I assume that other brands produce similar products of the same quality.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Schwalbe-Ea.../dp/B00JQN28UM

mstateglfr 

Update- i had put a tube in to seat one side last night and tried to fill the tire with my booster with one side seated- didn't work.
I then tried a co2 cartridge- didn't work.

Took em to a shop and 2 guys work on em with air comproessors for 10 minutes before one got the first tire to seat. Another 5min and he got the remaining tire to seat.
Both guys just said 'yeah, it took a bunch of air'.

$10 later, I have 2 wheels that I can use.

Thanks all for the ideas- its good to know I was trying most everything that was suggested- at least I wasn't way off.
I will try the strap around the tire in the future if needed.

Its odd that such an issue(seating tires) is so common, yet the tech is embraced by so many.
I like running lower psi and not worrying about it being too low and pinching, but man it can be quite the process sometimes.
Maybe some of those tubolito tubes would be good, if they really are as light and strong as claimed. Seems like its moving backwards for tech though.

Koyote

I’m glad you got the tires mounted, and that it only cost you a few bucks. That’s a good result. I’ve never had any serious problems doing it myself, and I am not mechanically inclined. And you seem to know what you’re doing. So I suspect you just had a weird combo, nothing more than that.

This is why I will let a shop do it, if that is at all possible. If I have a bike in for other work, and I’m close to needing tires, I will just have them provide the tires and put them on for me. At this stage of my life, I’d rather spend money than deal with hassles. Plus, I really like my shop – I like giving them money.

PS: the universe is telling you to go back to the Resolutes. Really!

walnutz

To get that much air at home, I use this: https://g.co/kgs/FZ3f8J

Also, I carry CO2 only for emergency situations on the road.