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Old 02-09-2011, 09:56 AM
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Default Tubes vs No Tubes

Im thinking about putting my ET Streets back on and wanting to get thoughts about running tubes. I never ran them before, but I noticed one of my tires was going flat faster..Not sure if I had a small leak do to a rock or what but anyway..

What are the benefits for running tubes?
Old 02-09-2011, 06:58 PM
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Benefit - More rotational mass??? j/k

I have never ran them, if you have a slow leak pm me and I can help you fix it for $2 and no patches.
Old 02-09-2011, 07:39 PM
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whats the $2 fix? I dont run tubes & both my slicks leak pretty bad.
Old 02-09-2011, 07:50 PM
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Believe it not, it works and I do it on all my slicks.

Get a bottle of like orange AJAX dish washing liquid. Take both tires out into the sun, fully coat the entire inside of the tire with the ajax using a cloth of some sort (just squirt it in the tire heavily and use the cloth to smear around). Then let them dry in the sun, repeat this at least three times and your done. I use the entire bottle of ajax to make sure it is coated extremely well. I seriously don't think my slicks leak down at all anymore....
Old 02-09-2011, 07:53 PM
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Id be worried that the soap would alow the rim to slip??

Is it a bad idea to patch one if I have a nail or something in it? I just dont trust it at 100+ mph ya know..
Old 02-09-2011, 08:11 PM
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You can take your tires down to crazy low air pressures when you run tubes.
They will not leak any air over a long period of time like some slicks without tubes do.
You can mount your tires at home very easily.
They do add a little bit of weight though. Mine are 6lbs each.
Old 02-09-2011, 08:39 PM
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i use baby powder on slicks ,it helps,it goes into the pores of the tire
Old 02-09-2011, 08:48 PM
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my current tires do not have tubes and leak (even with the dish soap trick). gonna try tubes next time as i have heard they are more stable on the top end at lower air pressures. plus i have to screw the tires to the wheels which im sure will make them leak worse
Old 02-09-2011, 10:28 PM
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I run them but never ran my slicks without them. Its still feels like the *** of the car is skating around at higher speeds and when you brake from a good pull they like to bounce around. Dont know if the last part has anything to do with the tubes or not but figured I would throw that in there. Im really considering going back to a radial and see what happens and buy a set of slicks just in case. I can deal with the slicks but been real scared of twisting the stem out. Ive been told by everyone that looks at my tires that im lucky it hasnt happend yet and I dont like the idea of putting screws in with the tube either. The tube will help stiffen the sidewall up even more, I run the stiff sidewall with the tubes because thats what mickey thompson said they would run with my old set-up with the six speed. Tires never go flat....
Old 02-10-2011, 02:42 AM
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you NEED screws with tubes, no exceptions. I'd run tubes in the ET Streets, you'll kill the sidewall of the tire in no time depending how hard you're moving out
Old 02-10-2011, 05:38 AM
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Originally Posted by 223HAWK
Id be worried that the soap would alow the rim to slip??

Is it a bad idea to patch one if I have a nail or something in it? I just dont trust it at 100+ mph ya know..
I guess i should have said that, my bad.... The soap never touches the mounting surface and even if it does you can ligthly clean it with some carb cleaner. Also Perma-Tex High Tack is much better than screws if you don't want to drill your wheels. I was spinning my ET Streets on the rim several inches at low psi and hard launches. I switched over to the High tack and they stopped moving.

I have recently cut a s string of 1.35s and a best of 1.34 60fts in my 3400lb car and no slippage on the rim.
Old 02-10-2011, 08:09 AM
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ET street will always work better with tubes in them.....sidewalls are not near strong enough for a even a low powered full weight F-body......
Old 02-10-2011, 08:41 AM
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Problem with the perma-tex stuff, is I have seen rims get bent, BADLY when trying to dismount tires off of them.....

I would seriously not use that stuff. After seeing a couple rims that bent so bad, they had to be converted to a bead lock, because the outer lip literally bent so much it had to be cut off, there was no straitening it.

That was enough to make me buy a set of double beadlock rims. I may, run tubes in them once I get the tires, but I'm not 100% on it yet. If I do put a tube in, it's just to stiffen the tire up a little bit (30x10.5 hoosier bias ply slick)
Old 02-10-2011, 12:19 PM
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Since your a stick car YES run tubes. I didnt and the car would almost bounce the rim off the ground.
Old 02-10-2011, 03:44 PM
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I've run slicks since 1997 and been into the nines at 3600 lbs with no tubes and no slippage. Every car is different, and as mentioned it will add some rotating weight and stiffness to the tire setup.

also, as this topic has been discussed before.

Derek
Old 02-10-2011, 09:28 PM
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Originally Posted by JL ws-6
Problem with the perma-tex stuff, is I have seen rims get bent, BADLY when trying to dismount tires off of them.....

I would seriously not use that stuff. After seeing a couple rims that bent so bad, they had to be converted to a bead lock, because the outer lip literally bent so much it had to be cut off, there was no straitening it.

That was enough to make me buy a set of double beadlock rims. I may, run tubes in them once I get the tires, but I'm not 100% on it yet. If I do put a tube in, it's just to stiffen the tire up a little bit (30x10.5 hoosier bias ply slick)
ive seen the same thing first hand, after that i refuse to use it as well

i havent screwed my wheels yet because ive been debating selling them, but they spin about an inch on every launch.
Old 02-10-2011, 10:14 PM
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I didnt know tubes were a must with screws...I dont really want to put screws in if I dont have to..
Old 02-10-2011, 10:55 PM
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I would def put screws in but it can be done without as long as your not cutting any 1.40-1.30 60 times. I havent been to track with my new set-up but with the blower I went 1.50 multiple times and had little issues but now on the street the valve stem is moving like crazy.
Old 02-10-2011, 11:20 PM
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I had an experience with trying to run tubes with no screws and the slick spun on the wheel and tore the valve stem out in a 66 chevelle at half track it was flat and neerly wrecked the car!!!! that extra 12 pounds and 400 bucks in rims is pretty cheap versus a $40,000 car and a pooped in pair of pants if you know what I am saying... I will never run drag radials or slicks without screws and tubes both...
Old 02-11-2011, 03:47 AM
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The soap trick makes the tires stick to the wheel not slip on it.

Patching a slick is 100% perfectly fine but many shops won't do it. Find a shop that will and it is just like new. I work at a tire shop so I can assure you patching them is perfectly fine.


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