Air Tube Kinking Issues

Correcting a Kink in a Khyam Air Tube

In most cases, any kink appearing in the air tube at the centre or top corners is caused by the internal bladder sitting slightly out of alignment, this can happen during inflation of the air beam and pegging out.

This can be corrected easily by following the steps below.

 

1. Remove the Air Tube from the Tent

  1. Fully deflate the affected air tube and unzip the tent sleeve that houses it.
  2. At the rear base of each end of the air tube, locate the small loop and toggle and unclip them.
  3. Each end of the air tube sits on a Velcro tab on the groundsheet—detach both ends from these tabs.
  4. The valve end of the tube also sits on a Velcro ring on the tent wall—remove the valve from this ring.
  5. Approximately 30–40 cm up from the base of each end, there are Velcro tabs on the outside of the air tube that correspond with tabs inside the tent sleeve. Detach these.
  6. Once all fixings are released, pull the air tube up and out through the base of the tent sleeve.

 

2. Open the Air Tube Coat

  1. Locate the zip runner on the black outer coat of the air tube (usually positioned at one end). The runner will be secured with a small zip tie for safety.
  2. Ensure the tube is completely deflated, cut the zip tie, and unzip the coat.

 

3. Check and Correct the Bladder Alignment

  1. Inspect the internal bladder along the full length of the tube. Ensure there are no twists or rotations.
  2. The bladder is intentionally slightly longer than the outer coat so that a small amount of excess material can gather at the corners and central apex. Check these areas carefully to ensure the bladder is not twisted or bunched incorrectly.

 

4. Reassemble the Air Tube

  1. Once satisfied with the bladder alignment, zip the coat closed and secure the runner again with a small zip tie.
  2. Inflate the tube to approximately half pressure. If any twists or creases appear in the coat, gently massage them out until smooth.
  3. Inflate the tube to full pressure and check for any remaining kinks. Once confirmed, deflate the tube fully.

 

5. Refit the Air Tube to the Tent

  1. Position the air tube back into the tent, ensuring the valve is correctly seated on the Velcro ring.
  2. Reconnect all toggles, loops, and Velcro tabs at the base and sides of the tube.
  3. Inflate the tube so it stands upright, then slide it carefully into the tent sleeve and zip the sleeve closed.
  4. Inflate the tube to full operating pressure.

 

Further guidance on air tube bladder removal/replacement is available by following this link - https://khyam.co.uk/pages/changing-an-airtube-bladder-on-your-khyam-air-tent-awning