Tubeless conversion, no safety bead: use bead sealing compound?

[davidji]

Have you tried using a bead sealing compound like https://www.amazon.com/Xtra-14-101-Seal-Bead-Sealer/dp/B000GKD722
as part of a tubeless conversion on a rim that didn't have bead retention grooves/safety bead? Has it worked to maintain the bead seal in event of a flat, allowing a simple plug and inflate repair?

I had sealed both rims on my Africa Twin, but the front rim has no safety bead and when I deflated the tire at home, the bead seal broke. It was hard to seat at home with a full sized compressor and a ratcheting strap. Nothing short of fire would have done it for me roadside. When it was clear I couldn't do a simple plug and inflate flat repair, I reinstalled the tube in front.

I'm about to change the front tire again, and I wonder if it's worth trying again, using a bead sealing compound. Or just keep dealing with tubes?

The Shinko I tried with the tubeless conversion earlier had a loose fit--no friction at all to keep it in place when deflated. I expect the Pirelli I'm about to install to fit tighter.

 

[stangmx13]

bead sealer is like a tar. its used to fill in imperfections like wheel corrosion and it dries rubbery. its not a glue. I doubt your tire bead will be affected at all.

sounds like u are dealing with the same stuff as cyclist running tubeless tires. theres always that chance the bead will pop off, if u cant plug and refill the tire fast enough. standard procedure is almost always insert a tube in those cases.

 

[davidji]

Thanks. I guess I've read about using RTV for that as well. Though the stuff I've read about that most recently was that it's a bad idea.

If this tire has a snug fit, plug and inflate flat repair would be more likely. But I think I'm just gonna keep using a tube.

Plugging a tire may be simplest. But patching a tube with the wheel still on the bike is simpler than removing the valve stem and installing a tube.

 

[GB500guy]

I have one of these and it works where a standard ratchet strap fails:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JPwpC4_7uY

-Bill

 

[davidji]

I have one of these and it works where a standard ratchet strap fails:

Good to know. When I did it that way before, my ratchet strap did fail (the mechanism came apart), but I got the bead set. Didn't think it was worth carrying if I might not even get a single use out of it.