The present invention is directed to a tire assembly having: a tire having a tread portion and a pair of sidewalls extending radially inward from the tread portion to join with a respective bead; a supporting carcass for the tread portion and sidewalls; a pump passageway positioned within a bending region of the tire, the pump passageway being operative to open and close as the tire rotates; a valve assembly in fluid communication with the pump passageway; a pocket formed in the tire; a filter assembly mounted in the pocket, said filter assembly being in air flow communication with the valve assembly, wherein the pocket has an area larger than the area of the filter housing wherein the valve assembly has an inlet, wherein the filter assembly has an outlet, wherein a tube connects the filter outlet assembly to the inlet of the valve assembly; wherein the tube is made of a rubber composition having a shore D hardness greater than 40 as measured by ASTM-D2240.