slicks

[dusterbd]

have a set of used slicks taking up a lot of room in parts storage. i got them for free, and they still have some life in them as evidenced by the wear holes. i was told by somebody that after a year or two, slicks arent worth keeping any more. is this true? theyve been up there for at least a year now.
anyway, just wondering if theyre worth keeping anymore, or if i should toss them and buy a new pair the next time i go to the drags.
oh yeah. no dry rot, etc. perfectly good shape, near as i can tell.
michael

[zij576ca]

Depending on financial situation, I'd be inclinded to keep 'em, but run tubes when/if you use 'em.

[dwc43]

It's a must to run tubes in slicks anyways. What you need is a durometer to check to see how hard the rubber is. When storing slicks, wrap them in soaked rags of track claw or other tire treatment and seal them with plastic wrap and you can use them until they are worn out.

[Kevin Garceau]

i was told by somebody that after a year or two, slicks arent worth keeping any more. is this true?

Generally yes, but if you have a fairly good working or low horsepower car you may be ok. I wont run any slick after is sat the winter. I will sell them off and start fresh.

It's a must to run tubes in slicks anyways

HUH? DWC usually your advise is spot on. But this wrong and misleading. Slicks are not designed to run tubes. It is generally considered very dangerous these days to run a tube im them. Proper treating of the slick before mounting will ensure they hold air. I always had the best luck with Hoosiers for holding air. Tubes in slicks generally dont get as good of traction when properly set up and can become a little unstable down track.

[rumblefish360]

Some slick tire manuafacuterd recomend tubes for there slicks, some do not and say its OK.

[dusterbd]

so what im gathering is that they are usable, but only at a fraction of the stickiness of a new slick. correct?
thanks guys.
michael

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by dusterbd

so what im gathering is that they are usable, but only at a fraction of the stickiness of a new slick. correct?
thanks guys.
michael

Depends. Tires leak out chemicals. I guess the best way to explain it is it's kinda like a paint job. As it cures it gives off fumes that anyone can smell. Tires have chemicals that evaporate in them too and at different rates. Take our oval track slick, every time we get them hot (1 heat cycle for x number of laps) they get a little bit more dried out and a little bit harder. That's why sometimes sticker tires hook better and some times scuffed in tires work better. At one track nearby, scuffs are always better than stickers. So it's hard to say without trying them out. That's one reason we take tire temps notes and durometer readings and measure them everytime we turn around. Keeping records is a must even for a weekend warrior. Without them, you have no rule of thumb to go by.

And every type of slick that I have ever run on a drag car had carved right into the sidewall rubber, tubes required. Never had a problem running tubes as long as the wheels had rim screws or bead locks on them.

[dave571]

Last year I used a set of 30X9's on the 330. Got them used at a swap meet. Must have had 2 years on them already. They worked good for me.

They were radial good year slicks. No tube required, none used.

12 second car.

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by dave571

Last year I used a set of 30X9's on the 330. Got them used at a swap meet. Must have had 2 years on them already. They worked good for me.

They were radial good year slicks. No tube required, none used.

12 second car.

Nice car, but I liked the other pics that you sent me even more ... LOL!!

[dusterbd]

thanks guys
michael

[Kevin Garceau]

And every type of slick that I have ever run on a drag car had carved right into the sidewall rubber, tubes required.

Last ran tubes in 1992 when one blew down track. Have had probably 12 sets since then, not one of them said I had to run tubes. I have never seen a slick that says you have to run tubes.... dont know anyone that does anymore. Too dangerous...

Might be a good idea to ask this question in the Drag Race section...

[dwc43]

MNH-MHR-03 $119.95
Estimated Ship Date: Tomorrow
OverviewBrand: M&H Racemaster
Product Line: M&H Racemaster Drag Race Slicks
Rim Diameter (in): 13
Tire Size: 22.00 x 8.00-13
Sidewall Style: Solid white letters
Tire Construction: Bias-ply
Directional: No
Tube Required: Yes
Asymmetrical Tread Pattern: No
Tread Width (in): 8.0
Tire Diameter (in): 22.00
Section Width (in): 10.00
Recommended Rim Width: 8 in.
Tire Size 1: 22.00
Tire Size 2: 8.00
Tire Compound: HB-11
Roll Out (in): 70.00
DOT Approved: No



GWR-PH336 $189.95
Estimated Ship Date: 4/3/05
OverviewBrand: Phoenix Race Tires
Product Line: Phoenix Drag F/X Slicks
Rim Diameter (in): 15
Tire Size: 30.00 x 9.00-15
Sidewall Style: Solid white letters
Tire Construction: Bias-ply
Directional: No
Tube Required: Yes
Asymmetrical Tread Pattern: No
Minimum Recommended Rim Width (in): 10
Maximum Recommended Rim Width (in): 10
Tread Width (in): 9
Tire Diameter (in): 30
Section Width (in): 13
Recommended Rim Width: 10 in.
Tire Size 1: 30.00
Tire Size 2: 9.00
Tire Compound: F-9
Roll Out (in): 94
DOT Approved: No


MTT-3066 $188.95
Estimated Ship Date: Tomorrow
OverviewBrand: Mickey Thompson
Product Line: Mickey Thompson ET Drag Slicks
Rim Diameter (in): 15
Tire Size: 30.00 x 9.00-15
Sidewall Style: Black wall
Tire Construction: Bias-ply
Directional: No
Tube Required: Yes
Asymmetrical Tread Pattern: No
Minimum Recommended Rim Width (in): 7.8
Maximum Recommended Rim Width (in): 9.8
Tread Width (in): 8.8
Tire Diameter (in): 30.0
Section Width (in): 12.5
Recommended Rim Width: 7.8-9.8 in.
Tire Size 1: 30.00
Tire Size 2: 9.00
Tire Compound: L8
Roll Out (in): 94
DOT Approved: No


GDY-2000 $184.88
Estimated Ship Date: Tomorrow
OverviewBrand: Goodyear Racing Tires
Product Line: Goodyear Eagle Dragway Special Slicks
Rim Diameter (in): 15
Tire Size: 28.00 x 9.00-15
Sidewall Style: Solid white letters
Tire Construction: Bias-ply
Directional: No
Tube Required: Yes
Asymmetrical Tread Pattern: No
Minimum Recommended Rim Width (in): 8.00
Maximum Recommended Rim Width (in): 8.00
Tread Width (in): 9.00
Tire Diameter (in): 28.00
Section Width (in): 12.00
Recommended Rim Width: 8 in.
Tire Size 1: 28.00
Tire Size 2: 9.00
Tire Compound: D-3
Roll Out (in): 88.00
DOT Approved: No

There's 4 manufactures slicks pulled at random from Summit Racings site and all 4 require tubes. I don't want to argue, but like I said, I've never seen a slick that did not reqire a tube. Now some of those cheater slicks are tubelss, but they wont stick like a slcik will either. Why do you think a tube would blow out at speed? At one time they were even required in your street car tires. We have even run them in our dirt track cars before to keep from rolling the tire off the rims due to low air pressures. Tubes for slicks have metal stems that clamp to the rim and we were using passenger car tubes without that feature. We did the same thing to these tubes that we did to our drag tubes. We rubbed the tires and tubes down with baby powder to keep the rim and tire frim sticking to the tube. We have never had any trouble with tubes either in slicks or dirt track tires.

[dhper4manz]

you don't need tubes to run in slicks, period.
there is less air pressure fluctuations between rounds when using tubes over non tubes. that is the only plus to running $100 racing tubes.

A negative of tubes is not knowing when your gonna pinch a tube and knock yourself out of a race. It happens.
also tubes can "ball Up" and cause an inbalance while running down the track. that's no good at any speed.

Go with no tubes.

As far as the question of whether to use these tires that have been sitting a couple of years, sure try them out. An ultra competitive bracket racer might not because of the fatigue in the side wall of the tire. Every time the car is launched the side wall is strength is reduced. at a certain point in the tires life it will cause inconsistant 60 ft times.

[heigleracing]

you don't need tubes for slicks. more of a problem than anything

[TK]

ok, ve had 2 pairs of slicks in my life, and they required tubes. there is this dragster, a nitro burning, blown 500 inch ford style car that ran 7's, it was called the alienator, it had tubes! all my buds cars have tubes in they're slicks, maybe you guy's have some special slicks down there?

[Kevin Garceau]

This is right off Hoosiers website....

6. Should I use "tubes" in slicks and DOT drag tires?

ANSWER: The decision to run tubes is ultimately up to the racer. Hoosier drag tires are capable of safely running without tubes. The Quick Time DOT tires should be run with a tube when the tire is run on the street, but they can be run without tubes at the track. Race tires are inherently susceptible to air leakage due to being built of very light gauge material needed to perform in various racing applications. A decision to use a tube should be based on your application and needs.

Goodyears site is so large I couldnt find anything on it.
Until something changes I will NOT run tubes in anything I own on the dragstrip. This question gets asked often at some of the drag racing online forums and I would say its about 95% say no tubes, 5% say tubes.

Phoenix and M/T say you should to avoid air pressure loss because of thin sidewalls.

There is probably a reason Summit says you should... $$$$$$

They will help with losing pressure in some cases. I load up the inside of my sidewalls with Dawn Dish Detergent. Can wheel the car outta the trailer and still have to take air back out.

[Kevin Garceau]

Some good info...

http://drr.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x/a/tp...3463#703103463

http://drr.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x/a/tp...7755#343107755

Well bummer thought I could wrangle some more up.

Its a personal decision. Like I said, dont know many in the tracks that I race at anymore that run them. I like Chip Johnson's quote "I thought people stopped running tubes when they stopped using bleach for burnouts"....lol he is National Stock champion.

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by Kevin Garceau

There is probably a reason Summit says you should... $$$$$$

They will help with losing pressure in some cases. .

Those are the manufacture specs, not Summits.

[cutting torch]

Originally Posted by dhper4manz

you don't need tubes to run in slicks, period.

A negative of tubes is not knowing when your gonna pinch a tube and knock yourself out of a race. It happens.

diaper4menz, If you say that slicks don't need tubes, period, I take that to mean you think they hold air just fine without tubes. So why exactly would a pinched tube, inside a tire that can also hold that air, knock you out of a race?

torch

[creative1]

"Goodyears site is so large I couldnt find anything on it."

lmao... i cant even find TIRES on their website!!! and when i DO find some, they deny having ever made anything like it!

i have a couple of goodyear wranglers... size 12-31X16.5"... according to goodyear, there aint no sech amimal... but i got them!

i dont do business with anyone that denies making their products, either by act or ommision.

[Kevin Garceau]

diaper4menz, If you say that slicks don't need tubes, period, I take that to mean you think they hold air just fine without tubes. So why exactly would a pinched tube, inside a tire that can also hold that air, knock you out of a race?

Generally if prepped right a slick without tube will lose very very little air. GY's seemed to me to lose more air than my Hoosiers. I take dawn dish detergent and soap up the insides of the sidewalls real good, this softens the rubber inside somewhat and fills in any small pin holes. I fill the tires up before I put them into the trailer to travel, and still have to let air out when I get to the track.

I put the daytona away in sept of 2003, didnt race last year and Air still in the tires.

Im thinking what he talks about getting knocked out of a race. If you pinch the tube in the sidewall of the tire upon launch you "can" tear it. Baby powder helps some with this. But if you tear your tube, you now have just lost the race, and may be out for the weekend unless you score another tube. I have seen many a racer tear the tubes out over night and put in good valve stems and run the next day without tubes because he ripped one.

[zij576ca]

IMHO, I would follow the recomendations of the manufaturer of the slick. If the manufacturer says run tubes with their tire, then use tubes. If they don't say, ask what their recomendation would be in regards to your application. If you absolutely do not want/will not run tubes, then buy Hoosiers (as Kevin Garceau reported, Hoosiers are designed to run either way). Myself, every set I've ever bought had embossed into the side of the slick "tubes required". Don't know about anybody else, but if I see that on the side of the slick, I'll run tubes.

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by zij576ca

IMHO, I would follow the recomendations of the manufaturer of the slick. If the manufacturer says run tubes with their tire, then use tubes. If they don't say, ask what their recomendation would be in regards to your application. If you absolutely do not want/will not run tubes, then buy Hoosiers (as Kevin Garceau reported, Hoosiers are designed to run either way). Myself, every set I've ever bought had embossed into the side of the slick "tubes required". Don't know about anybody else, but if I see that on the side of the slick, I'll run tubes.

I agree with you and that's why we ran tubes with our slicks when we ran them.