How to Make a Tube Rim Tubeless

Apply rim tape to the tire rim. Rim tape is a type of fabric tape that conforms to the internal "U" shape of the rim. Press the rim tape against each spoke head to ensure an airtight, leak-free coating.

Change the valve to one with a removable core. Remove the nut under the tire rim that secures the valve. Push the valve body up through the rim.

Clean the area where the grommet meets the rim strip, and clean the grommet itself. Remove any previous caulking or sealant. Automotive brake cleaner is a good liquid for removing old sealant, since it does not leave a residue.

Push the valve through the rim strip, and seat the grommet in the central groove in the rim strip. Hand-tighten the retaining nut. The removable core valve permits adding sealant through the valve opening for convenience and cleanliness.

Remove any plastic liner that has been factory-installed on the wheel. Slide a round screwdriver blade or small putty knife under the strip, and pry the strip up high enough to permit the tool to extend completely across the rim’s width under the strip. Use automotive brake cleaner to clean the rim surface.

Apply rim tape to the spoke heads. The "U" shape of the rim strip should face the same direction as the "U" shape of the rim well. Gently push the strip over the brake wall on both sides of the valve, a small area at a time, until it completely covers the brake wall.

Slide the flat-head screwdriver tip under the strip and around the rim, to pull the strip into alignment with the rim. Use this procedure to realign the valve holes, if they shift during installation. Slide the screwdriver around the rim in one direction only. This ensures that the strip advances around the rim in one direction only. Do this until the hole in the valve is aligned properly.

Attach the tire to the wheel. Larger-volume tires with a diameter of 2.0 or greater are best for a tubeless system, and tubeless tires are marked as such on their sidewalls.

Seat the tire beads on the tubeless tire to both sides of the inflation valve, to prevent gaps that allow air to escape. The tire bead is the edge of the tire that sits on the wheel, and bicycle wheel rims have a small slot or groove for the tire bead to sit in.

Insert the tire beads uniformly in the center channel of the rim. Ensure that the beads do not fold or deform prior to tire inflation, as any odd deformation will allow air to escape during inflation.

Push against the center of the tire with your thumbs while your fingers stretch the tire sidewall outward. This pulls the bead with the gap into a sealed position on the rim strip.

Brush soapy water around the rim to check for leaks by watching for air bubbles. Normal patching methods work, or use a fluid tire sealant -- often sold as "tubeless sealant." If sealant is used, hold the wheel sideways to allow the sealant to cover the leaks.

Inflate the tire to about 40 pounds of pressure. Use a compressed air source for the first inflation. Check after 20 to 30 minutes to verify that the pressure holds.

Add the liquid silicone sealant through the valve stem, using a 2-ounce squeeze bottle equipped with a nozzle, since the first inflation requires approximately 2 ounces (60 ml) to coat the inside surface of the tubeless tire. Squirt the sealant in through the valve core.

Replace the valve core, using a small wrench to tighten the core to ensure an airtight seal.

Hold the wheel horizontally in your hands, and tip it slightly up and down while rotating the wheel in your hands. Work all the way around the wheel. Turn the wheel over, and repeat the up and down process to ensure that the sealant is distributed against both sidewalls of the tire.