I run Hoosier 32x14 slicks now with no tubes. Thinking of buying mickey Thompson this time because they are cheaper. The Mickey Thompson say to run tubes. Do I need tubes? Do you run tubes in your Mickey Thompson slicks? Thanks

I do not run tubes in my M/Ts. Have run 10.5x28W, 10.5x29.5, 10.5x31W. They leak through the sidewalls. Soaping the inside of the side wall slows it down pretty good. I don't screw them to the rims. Plus I can plug one if it hits a screw or a nail. 60 fts seem pretty consistent, low 1.30s.
Doug

x2

Tubes help stiffen the sidewall.......which is never a bad idea, plus they don't leak

Monte

I bougt a set of M/T 14x32x15 stiff side walls last year from Summit is Sparks, NV on the way to the MATS race in Las Vegas this year in April. My car had a set of Goodyear 16x33x15 that had been on the car for over 6 years before I bought it and I could see the cords on the sidewalls breaking on the sides at the max section width, they where ran tubeless on the 15 inch wide rims with a bunch of rim screws and had a bunch of rubber left on them according to the wear dots I ran them at the big Spring Fling 4 day bracket race the weekend before the MATS race. I had the local Goodyear race tire warehouse mount my new M/T after that race, I tried to buy tubes from them and they told me that they hadn't sold or had race inner tubes or inner liners in over 5 yrs My M/T where no slower or faster than them old Goodyears No tubes in them yet, no soap either yet Probally take them off the rims this winter and soap them rascals up and try again IHTHs My car weighs 2750 with me in it, best 60 ft. so far has been 1.27 off the trans brake

I've been racing since the 60's and never ran over a screw or nail, I even drove for a few years with slicks on the street. Must be lucky. Back to the tubes. Usually I start out without tubes, soap up the insides real good but when the side walls start leaking it's time to put in the tubes. I just have a low 10 bracket car so it really doesn't matter if I do lose a couple .000 One thing I have found is the proper install of the tubes. If you have ran the slicks soaped up you need to totally get all the soap residue from inside the tire. Buy tire talc or baby powder and cover the tube and inside of the tire to keep the tube from sticking, if it sticks it rips.

Look on the Harlow Tire website. They are one of the largest Goodyear distributors in the country. Their site tells you what part number tube you need for any size Goodyear tire.

Monte

M/T slicks with tubes

No tubes in my Hoosiers and they hold air real good. I had M/T slicks some years back and had to run tubes with them as they leaked air very fast. Ron

I have always run tubes because I have an ancient set of Cragar Super Tricks on my car and I would be concerned about leakage through the rim halves. The tubes were bought from Hoosier, they have the brass threaded stem with a locknut to secure them to the wheel. I also agree with the above statement from AAR-B4, especially #1.

Phoenix tires with tubes.We have always used tubes.Tire sidewalls also last longer using them.

I always run tubes in my M/T drag slicks but in my street drag radials I run tubeless. My stick car seems to hook better with tubes
Gus

I always run tubeless and coat the inside sidewalls twice with Dawn soap and water. No leakage issues here and I must not hit my tires as hard as some of you guys as I run them till they are shot. 1.20 sixty ft times in my Daytona and 1.34's in my small block Duster. I never raced a car weighing more than 3000 ponds so that may help too.

have always used tubes

Tubes in my slicks? Yep always.

9 out of 10 bracket racers wouldnt see the difference either way. Tubes can help stiffen the tire sidewall for pro tree racing....but not using tubes does save money and do lighten the wheel/tire package if absolute low ET and peak mph is that important to you ...but it would be very negligible.

MT slicks with tubes here too!

I am running Good Years without tubes. I put the Dawn dish washing liquid inside, but apparently not enough, as they do slowly loose air pressure in a few days.
We are foot braking only, if that matters?
The tires are not pinned, but they have not moved at all so far.
When I was buying the tires and wheels, the people I asked were not using tubes, so I went that way. In the past I always used tubes, but I had not raced in many years, and some things are done differently these days.


Mark

Hoosier, tubeless with screws...

For what it's worth I put 155 passes on my 10.5W x 31 M/T w/o tubes or screws. At the end the 60's fell off about from 1.32-1.33 to 1.35-1.36 on average, but were still consistent. I don't run screws. The tires turned 180 degrees during the first 30 passes, then settled down.
Doug

Something people never consider is that sometimes the air loss isn't porosity in the sidewalls - it's actually a bead leak from the low tire pressures not seating the beads.

Like i said I don't use tubes but I seal them twice with Dawn dish soap and water BUT I also don't use screws. I seal the tire to the rim with High Tack Gasket spray. Some guys that use screws forget about upping the tire pressure when they screw the slick to the rim and actually push the slick away from the rim creating an air-leak.

--------------- From the Mickey Thompson website tech--------------------



PROPER INSTALLATION OF RIM SCREWS WITH TUBE TYPE TIRES
1. Begin by drilling 12 equally spaced holes on both the inner and outer flange of the rim. See the diagram 4-A below.

Note: (Mickey Thompson strongly suggests that you use Drag slick mounting screws only, and that you follow the rim screw manufacturers suggested drill bit size.)

2. Trial run the screws through all 24 (32) holes. Running screws in the hole and back out again. A dab of grease on the screw will help.

3. Check for any sharp edges that the screw may have pushed out or caused during the trial run through. If any sharp edges are found de-bur and make sure the inner bead flange of the rim is smooth and clean.

4. Mount tire and tube. Have an experienced professional install the tire and tube on proper equipment. (Refer to Mickey Thompson Tech Bulletin #2 for tube mounting procedures and Mickey Thompson Tech Bulletin # 8 for proper procedures to check rollout (circumference).

5. Before installing the screws, inflate the wheel and tire assembly to 20 psi. Put a small amount of grease on each screw and install into wheel and tire assembly. Deflate assembly to operating pressure. Inspect rim flange and bead area for proper bead seating. If bead is not fully seated, re-inflate and reinstall screws.

6. For best results, static balance or "Bubble Balance" the assembly once screws are installed.

7. Periodically you should check the wheel for loose screws and inspect the rim bead area to be sure that there is no bead area separation.

Note: It would be good practice to inspect after each pass when you are checking your air pressure.

I ran Mickeys on the Duster tubeless and Goodyears with tubes. I run tubes in the Arrow in the Hoosiers for reaction time. I personally like a stiff sidewall and the tires seem to last quite a bit longer.

hoosier 10.5x30" no tube soap inside and they hold air like tubes are in. tires are screwed to the rim.