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Who runs slicks W/O balancing?
Posted By: dvw
Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 03:48 AM
I don't have my slicks screwed to the rims. Had them balanced. Cars been shaking. Just checked them. The weights are 180 off where they need to be. Tires must have slipped on the rims. I don't really want to drill these rims for screws. If you run unbalanced what were your results?
Doug
Posted By: ro23car
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 03:58 AM
Quote:
I don't have my slicks screwed to the rims. Had them balanced. Cars been shaking. Just checked them. The weights are 180 off where they need to be. Tires must have slipped on the rims. I don't really want to drill these rims for screws. If you run unbalanced what were your results?try gluing them. alot of drag radial guys do that.
Doug
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 04:10 AM
Quote:
I don't have my slicks screwed to the rims. Had them balanced. Cars been shaking. Just checked them. The weights are 180 off where they need to be. Tires must have slipped on the rims. I don't really want to drill these rims for screws. If you run unbalanced what were your results?
Doug
Try gluing them as said... I used trim adhesive years
ago and it held fine... but I always balance them
Posted By: JERICOGTX
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 09:53 AM
I have never balanced my slicks. Never any shake down track.
Jeff
Posted By: rebel
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 12:06 PM
don't screw or balance, don't have problems either but i'm only running 9's. i do however, mark the valve stem on the slick, watch it move on the first meeting, swap sides for the next & only see the slicks come 1/3 back to where they started before, then stop moving altogether at the following meetings. Hoosier & M/T's both react the same.
Posted By: bonefish
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 12:22 PM
srcewed,not balanced,33x14.50.never a prob but i was only runnin low 9,s.
Posted By: dennismopar73
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 12:52 PM
I have never balanced rear slicks ,never had any issues,
a a matter of fact ,my fronts are not as well ! not going down a highway at a set speed ,
Posted By: mafo
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 01:58 PM
If you think about how a drag slick grow and flex, I believe it s wasted time and money
Posted By: pittsburghracer
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 03:01 PM
I bought new wheels so I posted a question about screwing slicks and balancing over on the bullet and this is what most do. If mounting slicks on mew wheels WITH-OUT tubes guys scuff and clean the wheels lip, soap the inside of the tire carefully (side walls for leaks) keeping the slicks lip clean and dry, mount the slick on the wheel, spray or brush "High Tac" gasket sealer on the slicks lip, blow up slick to 20 pounds pressure over night, bubble balance and mark slick and wheel to see if it moves or I should say how much it moves. Most of the guys said it will move some and stop but the don't re-balance. I didn't really want to drill my new wheels and they said if you do it this way you don't have to drill them.
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 03:06 PM
I have to admit I have never balanced rear slicks. I know a lot of Pro's do and they balance between runs. Personally never had a vibration from slicks. If I were to balance I would bubble balance as it just makes more sense to me.
On the hijack. I have glued the beads on a customers tires. He has yet to run them.
Leon
Posted By: Eric
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 03:11 PM
Quote:
If you think about how a drag slick grow and flex, I believe it s wasted time and money
Thats my opinion also...mine are screwed and I stopped balancing them years ago. If you really want to keep the weights on smooth some RTV over them and they will stay.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 03:12 PM
I dont know why you guys dont balance them.. I've
had to add a lot of weight on some... I sure dont
like them bouncing as I go down the track... hell
I've seen them bouncing off the track(down track)
but you guy do as you wish... I will continue to balance
Posted By: 572_HEMI_Cuda
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 04:01 PM
I DON'T balance mine.
Posted By: Quicktree
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 04:15 PM
Quote:
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If you think about how a drag slick grow and flex, I believe it s wasted time and money
Thats my opinion also...mine are screwed and I stopped balancing them years ago. If you really want to keep the weights on smooth some RTV over them and they will stay.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 04:27 PM
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Quote:
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If you think about how a drag slick grow and flex, I believe it s wasted time and money
Thats my opinion also...mine are screwed and I stopped balancing them years ago. If you really want to keep the weights on smooth some RTV over them and they will stay.
I've never had a problem with the stick on weights and
putting Duct tape over them... thats what I see the
pros do so its good enough for my junk
Posted By: oldtimer5151
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 04:50 PM
When you balance, you balance the tire, inter tube, and wheel the whole assembly. The tire must adhere to the track and not bounce. I have, like Mr P, always balanced mine and think it helps with even tire tread wear. The people who make them recommend that they be balanced.
Posted By: Triple Threat
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 04:53 PM
Mine are not screwed, nor balanced. And sometimes it vibrates, depending on how the tire has spun on the wheel. Got a little too liberal with the soap when mounting.
My next set of tires i'm going to drill them and balance.
Posted By: tboomer
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 05:04 PM
Quote:
Thats my opinion also...mine are screwed and I stopped buying them years ago. If you really want to keep the weights on smooth some RTV over them and they will stay.
*Fixed* 
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 06:02 PM
I had a pair of slicks that where really bad, it would feel like it was hopping off the ground around a thousand feet in high gear
I balance every pair now on a bubble balancer
No screws or tubes, I do use dishwasher soap and water to mount them and then inflate to 25+ lbs to help seat the beads, I check the circumferences with a seamtress tape and inflate them to get them both within 1/4 inch of each other at race pressures
I do mark the wheel and tires and watch for rotation(slipping)I swap them to the other side if the tires are moving very much, as already said once they move and get swapped to the other side they seem to stop moving after that
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 06:38 PM
I've got a cheapo manual tire machine and a bubble
balancer here at the house and on some I've had to
re-mount them several times to get them round and
some what near on balance then put them on the balancer..
some slicks look like a egg going around... I will
on most of them drive it down the road then back and
jack it up and see if they are near round then balance..
I had a buddy that had a spin balancer and that was
nice to see if they were round(but he died and his
wife sold off his equipment)
Posted By: 572_HEMI_Cuda
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 06:53 PM
I talked to Hoosier about balancing my 33x10.5x16 tires on 16x16 dbl beadloc rims and they told me dont bother and I run between 158-163 mph with no problems.
Posted By: dartman366
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 06:57 PM
I am with Mr P, Oldtimer and a few others and balance mine with a old bubble balancer from a service station, I tried running a set not balanced once and the car hopped all over the track, took them off and balanced them and hopping went away,,I will never run them un-balanced again, mine are also screwed and with tubes.
Posted By: SportF
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 07:27 PM
I didn't balance a set of slicks once. Drove 85 miles to the track, made one bouncy pass. Drove home and THEN balanced the slicks. I figure that balance job cost me an easy $120, a wasted day, and a day not racing. This was the gamble for a $15 balance job. I'm not willing to gamble that way any more.
Posted By: Barnstorm
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 07:38 PM
I run 14x32's with tubes and screws and it has NEVER occurred to me to not to balance. Some have taken a lot of weight. Don't want any problems at 140.
Posted By: pittsburghracer
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 08:00 PM
In all my years of racing I tried back to back sets without bubble balancing them and will never do it again. I honestly didn't feel anything going down the track but even though I lock tite about every bolt on my race car I had bolts getting loose that never did before and have not again since I went back to balancing them.
Posted By: VernMotor
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 08:09 PM
I have done both on my car.. Nothing changes.. waste of time and money for me.
Posted By: Eric
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 08:28 PM
Guys...I'm no expert..but I think after one burnout if you took the wheel off it would be out of balance again..just my thoughts...
Posted By: 572_HEMI_Cuda
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 08:53 PM
Quote:
Guys...I'm no expert..but I think after one burnout if you took the wheel off it would be out of balance again..just my thoughts...
Another statement made to me by Hoosier. Actually they said the tires "true-up" after each burn-out.
But ultimately you need to feel comfortable going down the track.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 08:57 PM
Quote:
Guys...I'm no expert..but I think after one burnout if you took the wheel off it would be out of balance again..just my thoughts...
If you burn the rubber off all the way around it should
still be in balance... if it were to bounce in the
burnout it would burn the rubber off at different areas
more than other areas... thats when I use to see the
most irregular wear on my tires when I didnt balance
and that got progressively worse with each burnout...
I balance but you guys can do what ever works for you..
I dont say my way is the right way... but I see the
pros doing it all the time and it works for them
Posted By: Challenger 1
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 10:18 PM
I have run over 25 pair of 16X32" slicks unbalanced mounted by yours truly on beadlock wheels to 265 MPH with no trouble.
Posted By: dvw
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 10:27 PM
Well this is what I'm going to do. I have a bubble balancer. I balanced them and the tires must have moved. They can't shake any worse than they were with the weights 180 degrees off. I'll run it this weekend unbalanced and report back. I really don't want to drill my Vintage American 200S wheels.
Doug
Posted By: TheOtherDodge
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 10:39 PM
Quote:
Quote:
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If you think about how a drag slick grow and flex, I believe it s wasted time and money
Thats my opinion also...mine are screwed and I stopped balancing them years ago. If you really want to keep the weights on smooth some RTV over them and they will stay.
I've never had a problem with the stick on weights and
putting Duct tape over them... thats what I see the
pros do so its good enough for my junk
Exactly what I do. With Slicks, I screwed them in. But now that I run Drag Radials, I glue them.
Posted By: joes68340s
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 10:39 PM
This is good thread. It is interesting how many need balance with tubes or not. I have felt a vibration in the burnout. That is bothersome but did not have a problem down the strip. Ive run tubless no screws and tubed and screwed.
Posted By: pattyboy 572
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 11:33 PM
Screwed, balanced, silver aluminum duct tape ,over weights...(not the plastic one, its used for hvac work ...) been balancing for years...140 mph
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 11:45 PM
Quote:
This is good thread. It is interesting how many need balance with tubes or not. I have felt a vibration in the burnout. That is bothersome but did not have a problem down the strip. Ive run tubless no screws and tubed and screwed.
I run tubes in my tires.. they give me a longer side
wall life.... plus they dont leak down like a non
tubed tire(even with soap).... with the weight of
the tubes and the tire you can get some really out
of balanced tires
Posted By: dennismopar73
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 11:52 PM
Quote:
This is good thread. It is interesting how many need balance with tubes or not. I have felt a vibration in the burnout. That is bothersome but did not have a problem down the strip. Ive run tubless no screws and tubed and screwed.
In the water box the tires have the ability to be at the same speed for some time, thus it would be like going at 50 70 mph on a highway,thus they can bounce.Note that is the most area where tires will bounce off balance if the speed is very gradual or steady.
On track you have a constant load, and you are traveling up the speed equasion ,so they do not have the ability to reach a speed and stay there,
But in a water box you tend to go at a certain level and stay and note there is not much load on the tire
Posted By: B3422W5
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/29/13 11:58 PM
Ran tubes and screws and never balanced slicks, and never an issue with many, many sets.
Posted By: Whompin_Wedge
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 12:26 AM
Quote:
Well this is what I'm going to do. I have a bubble balancer. I balanced them and the tires must have moved. They can't shake any worse than they were with the weights 180 degrees off. I'll run it this weekend unbalanced and report back. I really don't want to drill my Vintage American 200S wheels.
Doug
Doug,
M/T tires will be in Bowling Green this weekend. Worse comes to worse they can balance them for you there.
Also, we balance ours.
Casey
Posted By: WHITEDART
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 01:51 AM
I have done it both ways. never felt any difference. so do what ever you fill safe with. but if a car got sideways with out the slicks having screws could the tire come off the bead
that would been one of my fears
Posted By: dvw
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 03:29 AM
Trust me you don't get much more sideways or close to being on 2 wheels than I was last week. No issues with the beads coming off.
Doug
Posted By: 572_HEMI_Cuda
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 03:42 AM
Quote:
I have done it both ways. never felt any difference. so do what ever you fill safe with. but if a car got sideways with out the slicks having screws could the tire come off the bead that would been one of my fears
If you are so far sideways traveling at a speed at which you feel the tire will come off the bead, you probably have bigger problems.
That being said, I'll say it again, each individual driver needs to feel comfortable with balancing a tire or not.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 03:54 AM
Quote:
I have done it both ways. never felt any difference. so do what ever you fill safe with. but if a car got sideways with out the slicks having screws could the tire come off the bead that would been one of my fears
I lost control of my car at 135 mph..it was completely
sideways(I'm talking 90* to the track) and up on
2 wheels...but I screw the tires on so I dont know
if it would have peeled them off or not... but I run
just under 7 psi in the slicks so I have a idea that
it might have if not screwed on... that was before
I put the wing on the back of my car... remember that
the more pressure you run the less likely they are
to peel them off
EDIT
I had the wheel cranked all the way over... I just got
lucky and it finally straightened out and I didnt crash
or hit the guy in the other lane which I ended up in
Posted By: max_maniac
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 04:58 AM
I have purchased slicks from Harlowe tire and they say to balance them. I have also purchased slicks and have taken them to 2 local tire guys who are racers and they say to balance them. Based on that I have always and will continue to balance the slicks...
Russ
Posted By: an8sec70cuda
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 02:09 PM
I run mine screwed to the rim, but never balance them. Never had any issues.
Posted By: Thumperdart
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 05:17 PM
Quote:
I have purchased slicks from Harlowe tire and they say to balance them. I have also purchased slicks and have taken them to 2 local tire guys who are racers and they say to balance them. Based on that I have always and will continue to balance the slicks...
Russ
Exactly.............why not just throw the crank and rods in un-balanced. I bet if all of those on here balanced their tires ALL of em would need some weight and the main reason is the overlaping of the cords weather bias or radial from what I`ve heard............ 
Posted By: FastmOp
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 05:25 PM
Screws and balance for me. I have a shake every time I don't balance and since I run tubes I need the tire to stay in place on the rim. My car became more consistant with the screws and tubes.
Posted By: 1967dartgt
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/30/13 11:56 PM
Quote:
I dont know why you guys dont balance them.. I've
had to add a lot of weight on some... I sure dont
like them bouncing as I go down the track... hell
I've seen them bouncing off the track(down track)
but you guy do as you wish... I will continue to balance
If your slicks are bouncing down track you need new shocks bad! Lol
Posted By: Crizila
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 12:24 AM
Not screwed, but bubble balanced. I mount them dry or a little soap and water.
Posted By: 1967dartgt
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 12:38 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Guys...I'm no expert..but I think after one burnout if you took the wheel off it would be out of balance again..just my thoughts...
If you burn the rubber off all the way around it should
still be in balance... if it were to bounce in the
burnout it would burn the rubber off at different areas
more than other areas... thats when I use to see the
most irregular wear on my tires when I didnt balance
and that got progressively worse with each burnout...
I balance but you guys can do what ever works for you..
I dont say my way is the right way... but I see the
pros doing it all the time and it works for them
I guess you start and stop your burn out on the same spot on the tire every time. Dam your good I can never stop in the same spot as I started.lol
Posted By: Locomotion
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 01:01 AM
I've always balanced them. No screws now on my 9" slicks. I don't remember if I always screwed my bracket Challenger 14x32's years ago.
I have a theory that the unbalanced, bigger, low pressure tires will not be felt as much as unbalanced, smaller, high pressure tires. I run my 9" slicks at 21 lbs. That also lessens the need for screws. I sometimes mark them and do see that they move a bit even at that pressure. They move back somewhat after I swap them side-to-side and eventually stabilize. It does bother me not to rebalance once or twice through the tire's life. But it's usually too inconvenient to do.
Another theory of mine is that just because you don't feel it, it doesn't mean it's not there. It's splitting hairs, but if an unbalance is trying to move a tire up & down, even a bit, while going down the track, it's wasting energy that should be accelerating the vehicle forward.
At some point, enough added weight may offset any benefits of a balanced tire. But I've seen some tire/ wheel combos balance better by just rotating the tire on the rim during mounting. Nothing is "perfect".
Posted By: dusturbd340W5
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 01:33 AM
this debate will go on forever I personally have never and will never bother to balance a true slick as they distort so bad going down track I see no way that they will stay balanced the whole run anyway. But to each there own
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 01:46 AM
Quote:
Quote:
I dont know why you guys dont balance them.. I've
had to add a lot of weight on some... I sure dont
like them bouncing as I go down the track... hell
I've seen them bouncing off the track(down track)
but you guy do as you wish... I will continue to balance
If your slicks are bouncing down track you need new shocks bad! Lol
Those were brand new shocks... same ones I run now
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 01:48 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Guys...I'm no expert..but I think after one burnout if you took the wheel off it would be out of balance again..just my thoughts...
If you burn the rubber off all the way around it should
still be in balance... if it were to bounce in the
burnout it would burn the rubber off at different areas
more than other areas... thats when I use to see the
most irregular wear on my tires when I didnt balance
and that got progressively worse with each burnout...
I balance but you guys can do what ever works for you..
I dont say my way is the right way... but I see the
pros doing it all the time and it works for them
I guess you start and stop your burn out on the same spot on the tire every time. Dam your good I can never stop in the same spot as I started.lol
Do what ever the hell you want... I dont care
Posted By: Crizila
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 02:38 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Guys...I'm no expert..but I think after one burnout if you took the wheel off it would be out of balance again..just my thoughts...
If you burn the rubber off all the way around it should
still be in balance... if it were to bounce in the
burnout it would burn the rubber off at different areas
more than other areas... thats when I use to see the
most irregular wear on my tires when I didnt balance
and that got progressively worse with each burnout...
I balance but you guys can do what ever works for you..
I dont say my way is the right way... but I see the
pros doing it all the time and it works for them
I guess you start and stop your burn out on the same spot on the tire every time. Dam your good I can never stop in the same spot as I started.lol
Do what ever the hell you want... I dont care
Well I do! - and that's why I balance my slicks - although I am somewhat unbalanced myself
.
Posted By: 1967dartgt
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 03:14 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I dont know why you guys dont balance them.. I've
had to add a lot of weight on some... I sure dont
like them bouncing as I go down the track... hell
I've seen them bouncing off the track(down track)
but you guy do as you wish... I will continue to balance
If your slicks are bouncing down track you need new shocks bad! Lol
Those were brand new shocks... same ones I run now
So you are really going to tell me a few ounces made your shock lose control of your tire and it bounced going down the track under power? What brand of shock were you using?
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 03:23 AM
So you are really going to tell me a few ounces made your shock lose control of your tire and it bounced going down the track under power? What brand of shock were you using?
You dont want to believe me so I wont even bother..
but I will say it was more than a few onces... you
do what you want... and I'll do what I want... done
Posted By: mopowered
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 03:30 AM
Screwed here (a must), Balanced? Your joking right?
Posted By: Whompin_Wedge
Re: Who runs slicks W/O balancing? - 07/31/13 07:50 PM
Quote:
Screwed here (a must), Balanced? Your joking right?
I wouldnt say screws are a must, we have note screwed these (according to weld there was no need) and we have never had a problem. Been 1.28 60ft
Casey