When using ET Streets or ET Drags do you have to run tubes?

Bob

 

i run tubes

 

You don't need to run the tubes. That said, if you don't you will need to pay closer attn to your air pressure. Applying a coating of dishwashing soap (Palmolive, etc) to all interior areas of the slicks before you mount them will help reduce the leaks thru the sidewalls.

 

I've never run tubes. As mentioned above, they will leak through the sidewalls. Dish soap helps seal the inside of the tire and if you install tubes, you just coat the tube with baby powder before installing it so that it doesn't stick to the tire.

When I used MT tires, I had one tire that always leaked down from 12 to 5 psi in 2 weeks. One day when it was raining out, I could see the bubbles coming right through the sidewalls.

Tubes add weight but also add stiffness to the sidewalls. When using tubes, you should be using natural rubber race tubes not generic synthetic rubber tubes. If you produce enough torque to cause the tire to spin on the rim, if it's not screwed on, you can rip the valve stem out of the tube.

I currently run Hoosier slicks with no tubes and the tires are screwed onto the rims because I was making them spin on the rims. They leak down a little bit but not as bad as the MT tires did. I check tire pressures at every race anyway. Sometimes they need a couple of pounds of air, sometimes they need none.

 

We did a test at an event with my brothers mid 10 sec Mustang. Ran it with tube car would go 1.40-1.41, with out tubes 1.45-1.47. We put the tubes back in after the car slowed down, car went back to going 1.40-1.41. This is on a Hoosier 10x28 slick, car has gone a best of 1.36. With my car I also run a tube, my feeling is it adds stiffness to the sidewall something thats need with a heavy car.

 

Im with steve..heavy cars need the sidewall stiffness.

...steve..you coming to the NMCA event the weekend of may 16-17 in Louisiana?

 

Nope, I hope to be on the dyno that weekend trying to find some more power for the north vs south race.

later

 

I have no tubes in 26x11.5x16 et streets on salad shooters and haven't lost any tire pressure since they were mounted 6 months ago. I guess I got lucky...

 

Mickey Thompson specifies the ET Streets as "tube type tires".

Basically if I am going to go 100mph and there is any chance that spending a few bucks on tubes can make me hook up more consistently, have a higher level of safety, and be less prone to problems (like air loss), I'm doing the tubes.

I run tim screws too because they do turn on the rim if I don't. BAsically if you are going to spend a bunch of bucks to make your car go fast why not spend a few more and do it the right way?

 

i never used to use tubes. this year i started using them, and am definitly never going back to not using them. the only drawbacks are the extra weight, and the price

as mentioned before, these heavy cars seem to like the extra sidewall stiffness (although you could order a "S" version of ET Drags for a stiff sidewall). the car is more stable on the top end with them, its nice not having air leak down, and it gives me a little more peace of mind knowing that at 130mph+ a peice of debris will have to cut through both the tire and the tube before it sends me into the wall

 

I ran 26x10.5-16 ET Streets and 28x11.5-15 Hoosier QTP's with no tubes, and no problems. But I had rim screws and never went under 12psi. Just switched to 28x10.5-15W ET Drags, and opted for the tubes. Just seemed like it you hit them hard enough, the tube is a little insurance. It does seem to be a huge weight penatly though.. I got the Summit drag tubes and they weighed a lot.... forgot to actually weigh them. I would guess about 4 to 5# for each tube.

 

i dont remember what tubes i used in my 28x14.5 QTPs, i think i used the same size and brand tubes that are in my new slicks. the Mickey Thompson brand tubes in my new 28x10.5Ws weigh 5.1lbs each

FWIW, my car likes the 28x10.5Ws a lot more than the 28x14.5 QTPs