Life of drag Slicks ?
#2625267
02/23/19 11:24 PM
02/23/19 11:24 PM
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,675 Mt. Eden Ky.
Hemi Allstate
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Mt. Eden Ky.
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I know this sounds strange to the guys that make 100s of passes a year, but what I am asking is, are drag slicks no longer safe to use after 6 years ?
I only have about 17 runs total on my car and tires, but they have been on the car a long time. There are no signs of dry rot and they rarely have been in the sunlight. What is the life in years for these tires ? Thanks, Mark
1996 Ram 1500 Sport 1968 road runner 1952 Sears Allstate licensed, pump gas, Hemi 5.98 @ 115.73 1.33 60 ft. The best is yet to come. Painless Performance / Street RODDER magazine Top 100 for 2019
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Re: Life of drag Slicks ?
[Re: Hemi Allstate]
#2625269
02/23/19 11:30 PM
02/23/19 11:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,996 Frostbitefalls MN (Rocky&Bullw...
gregsdart
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Frostbitefalls MN (Rocky&Bullw...
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They lose the natural oil that keeps them soft. Think of the rubber molecules like fresh, wet spaghetti, then dried out spaghetti. At four years old and maybe 30 passes, i may have lost .02 60 ft. It is tuff to through away what looks like a good tire, but IMHO it is time. One other thought. Some guys switch out trailer tires sooner than that, and hopefully they aren't going as fast😀
Last edited by gregsdart; 02/23/19 11:34 PM.
8..603 156 mph best, 2905 lbs 549, indy 572-13, alky
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Re: Life of drag Slicks ?
[Re: Hemi Allstate]
#2625296
02/24/19 01:28 AM
02/24/19 01:28 AM
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,675 Mt. Eden Ky.
Hemi Allstate
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Thanks for the replies. I used 6 years as an example as that seems to be the standard for street tires and motorcycle tires. My slicks are unfortunately older than that. I was warned I might have a blowout so I wanted another opinion.
Thanks,
Mark
1996 Ram 1500 Sport 1968 road runner 1952 Sears Allstate licensed, pump gas, Hemi 5.98 @ 115.73 1.33 60 ft. The best is yet to come. Painless Performance / Street RODDER magazine Top 100 for 2019
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Re: Life of drag Slicks ?
[Re: Hemi Allstate]
#2625334
02/24/19 08:29 AM
02/24/19 08:29 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,916 A shed in England
Tig
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A shed in England
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It also depends on prior use, ours hits the tyre hard (Bias ply) and the sidewalls are gone after 30 passes with plenty of depth left on the indicators. A friend insisted he take them to use on his 496 street / strip 55 Chev rather than me donate them for sledding, he couldn't make a proper pass Car runs better with radials but early days so we have no idea on longevity. Best start from a known "datum".
'74 Challenger..9.46 @ 145.9 1/4, 6.001 @ 118 1/8 so far. 4023lb !!! # N/A, Marsh performance 655ci, Indy Maxx, T/R, Indy 600-13 X's, Street legal, pump gas, full interior, Cal-Tracs, mufflers, 3:73's and real 10.5 radials. 9.51 @ 142.4 1/4, 6.003 @ 114 1/8 with our old mule KB, 572-13, 580 wedge. RHD '68 Barracuda Fastback 323ci street/strip. Best ET 13.88 @ 99.03
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Re: Life of drag Slicks ?
[Re: Hemi Allstate]
#2625364
02/24/19 11:42 AM
02/24/19 11:42 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,206 New York
polyspheric
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New York
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The rubber decays from ozone (near any electrical device) and sunlight, and also "gasses out" in which the oil is released from the compound. If they don't smell the oil is gone and taken the sulfur with it. Storage in a pressurized bag slows/stops all 3.
Boffin Emeritus
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Re: Life of drag Slicks ?
[Re: Hemi Allstate]
#2626102
02/25/19 11:19 PM
02/25/19 11:19 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,319 Puyallup, WA
StealthWedge67
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I’ve run a set older than that. Do they run tubes? If so, I’d give them a good visual inspection. If they look to be in good shape, I’d run Em and watch them real close.
LemonWedge - Street heavy / Strip ready - 11.07 @ 120
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Re: Life of drag Slicks ?
[Re: StealthWedge67]
#2627039
02/28/19 12:06 PM
02/28/19 12:06 PM
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,675 Mt. Eden Ky.
Hemi Allstate
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Mt. Eden Ky.
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I’ve run a set older than that. Do they run tubes? If so, I’d give them a good visual inspection. If they look to be in good shape, I’d run Em and watch them real close. I found the receipt from the tire purchase and it had no date. I checked my build pictures and the new wheels and these tires were on the car in 2005 ! So they were 8 years old when I made the passes in my signature ! That makes them about 14 years old now ! I have been running them tubeless. Thanks, Mark
Last edited by Hemi Allstate; 02/28/19 12:15 PM.
1996 Ram 1500 Sport 1968 road runner 1952 Sears Allstate licensed, pump gas, Hemi 5.98 @ 115.73 1.33 60 ft. The best is yet to come. Painless Performance / Street RODDER magazine Top 100 for 2019
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Re: Life of drag Slicks ?
[Re: 340Cuda]
#2631354
03/11/19 09:55 AM
03/11/19 09:55 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,388 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,388
north of coder
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Storage in a pressurized bag slows/stops all 3. Does anyone sell these bags? what about one of those contraptions sold on late night tv that uses a vacuum pump kinda thing ? you put a bunch of folded blankets in a big bag, then it sucks the air out. used for storage of your "extra stuff". i don't know if the bags would be big enough though.
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