[screamingchief]

I have no idea why anyone would take a risk and run tires w/o the tubes.

A tube aint gonna do jack$#!t if the tire has a serious issue at speed!

And it wont keep it from getting punctured by debris either.

It'll just mean the tube will get punctured too likely.

So do tell how exactly they make any car "safer"...

As for the M/T recommendations,,,believe very little of what your read,and only half of what you see.

They (M/T) do that to cover their a$$ legally,gives them one more thing to blame should a failure occur and litigation follows,plus they make more money off folks buying tubes.

Dont believe me,,, do please go to your local tracks and look around some,go ahead and talk with the other fellow racers,you'll find many many fellas running without tubes in some very very fast cars.

If you use tubes you hafta screw 'em,otherwise spin the tire even a tiny bit and "presto" you got yourself an instant flat likely!

But hey,nobody is twisting anybodies arm here,run whatever ya'll want,not my concern really...



He asked,I just answered.

[JSchmitz]

I run 9" hoosier slicks on 8" rally one rims. I don't run tubes. I didn't use soap inside. They hardly leak down at all. I did put screws in them. I tried without screws first. The slicks would move about 1/16" per pass. It probably wouldn't have hurt anything. I put screws in anyhow. I've talked to guys at the track that leave them turn on the rim with no problem. I wasn't comfortable with it.

What is the soap supposed to do for you? I know it's supposed to keep it from leaking. How?

I talked to a guy at the track last time out. He'd just talked to one of the tire mfg's. I don't remember which one. The tech told him, "Officially you're supposed to run a tube, but DON'T"

The only reason I would run a tube is to see if a stiffer sidewall worked better. I would also like to try radial slicks. Anyone tried with vs. without tube, radials?

[Brad B. Hillebrand]

So, MT is the problem and their recomendation is just to point blame should an issue occur. I guess it's all a bunch of lies. I guess all the other tube manufacturers are just in it for the money, as the tubes are completely unnecessary. It's all a hoax......So, disregard the cautions...I think that's a pretty tall statement.....As pointed out, some don't use them and that's their choice.

[60man]

Joe. I never ran tubes in my old road race days...I felt the didn't allow the tire to "work" as intended...I've been running with out tubes since my MT days..The only way I could stand a chance of keeping air in them was using the soap deal.. I would apply two coats..time permitting. MT's leak like sieve.. Since going to Hoosier radial slicks (9.0X30X15R) I don't need the soap. They always hold air !! I also am able to run 22-26 PSI and hook better than I ever did with the MT's with no walking around....My car is HEAVY and I have never ran with screws either.. I'm not as fast as a lot but I can cut a 1.50 sixty foot and run low 11's...MTs and low air pressure scared me to death....
Might want to try some radial slicks Joe..
Going with a 505 and time will tell..probably need to go to a 10.5" RADIAL..

[Bill Eveland]

This is kinda related so has anyone refilled their tire with pure nitrogen air?

There are several benefits including reduction of air pressure loss because the molecules of nitrogen are larger than oxygen, reduction in variance of tire pressure due to reduction of water vapor concentration and reduction of long term rubber degradation due to decrease of oxygen concentrations.

That was from a GM tsb on their views on using nitrogen in tires. Any thoughts?

[Old Goat Racer]

Always liked Firestone slicks (now Phoenix) ran'em without tubes, they leaked. Soaped them, lasted for a while, seamed like the soap dried up what with the heat in the tire & wrinkling on launch. Soaping was short lived. Tires would go flat in a week. I run tubes.

[JKrull66]

I tried the soap in my 14.00 32's ..... they still go flat.
Just my 2 cents.
John Krull

[JSchmitz]

I may have run tubes in mine, if I didn't have to drill out the valve stem hole. I didn't want to drill my rally one rims. Don't they make a tube that fits through a standard valve stem hole?

[John Bailey (GTOKID)]

BRAD, ITS FASTER....I CAN;T THINK OF ANYONE WHO RUNS TUBES.

[WDCreech]

I posted this a while back. If you don't run tubes, coat the complete inside of the tire, as well as the bead, with dishwashing liquid. I never have to ad air unless the tire cools down overnight.

[MrPushrod]

Originally Posted by Brad B. Hillebrand

I have no idea why anyone would take a risk and run tires w/o the tubes. To me it's a risk not worth taking. So, $50 bucks for a tube, well worth it....

Agreed.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Ahem...
Gots my 15 x 5 Rally IIs (thanks bman).
Gots my M/T ET Drag slicks & Naturalle Rubber tubes & screws (Thanks P-Dude).

Gots an unsprung weight penalty of 12lbs (or 96 Lb sprung weight load ballast penalty of +.01s ET) if I use them tubes

Seems to me, them tubes are WORTH the +.01 ET penalty...moreso then my significantly heavier fat-front Street tires at 40Lbs unsprung (or 320Lbs load ballast penalty of +.04 ET.) and I'm gonna use them Front Street tires.

Gots my answer. HIS
================================
Ooops, that would be 15" x 7" on 5" pattern Rallys IIs, factory designed for...
Half-Inch Studs

[Old Man Taylor]

I ran tubes in my old M/T 28x10.5 slicks because they had a soft sidewall. I have been running my 29x11 Goodyear's for several years without tubes and without screws.

[johnta1]

I don't see how the tube is safer than a non tube slick.
If the tube gets a hole there is no way it's going to hold air, you'll be on the rim in no time.

With a tubeless slick, about the only way it'll go flat instantly is if it broke the bead seal.
I've done the tube thing and got tired of getting pinhole(s) in the tube, and the slick going flat usually while getting ready to run. It will not hold the air pressure for the full run.
That is dangerous.

When I went tubeless, I've never had a flat or a leak that would stop me from making a run.

I usually adjust the air pressure once when I first get to the track and never worry about it again.

May leak down a couple pounds through the week sitting in the trailer.
I only run 5 pounds so I still have a couple left to hold it up.

Just my 2¢

[JSchmitz]

Originally Posted by Brad B. Hillebrand

I have no idea why anyone would take a risk and run tires w/o the tubes. To me it's a risk not worth taking. So, $50 bucks for a tube, well worth it....

What is the risk? Where are the horror stories? I've not heard any. Anyone have a story of a catastrophic failure with or without a tube?

[Jagtec1]

I say, a tube is NOT going to save your arse if the tire has a problem. If the tire is going to shred, it's going to shred and the tube won't hold up to that abuse...if they did, we'd just run tubes, and no tires. I'd like some proof that a tube would be beneficial in a catastrophic tire loss.

[mikeb]

I know a bunch of really fast guys down here and none of them to my knowledge run tubes. I tried running both with and without tubes and couldn't tell much of a difference from a stability standpoint at the top end of the track (with M/Ts) but I got a better 60' and a better ET without them. I didn't know to coat with soap at the time so I get to air them up every couple-3 weeks.

[60man]

Originally Posted by Jagtec1

I say, a tube is NOT going to save your arse if the tire has a problem. If the tire is going to shred, it's going to shred and the tube won't hold up to that abuse...if they did, we'd just run tubes, and no tires. I'd like some proof that a tube would be beneficial in a catastrophic tire loss.

Agreed Darin....a tube is NOT the same as a inner liner that NASCAR and others use. Those are a tire within a tire..
MT says to use tubes.....so the tire will hold air !!!DUH...
But all can do what makes them feel safe....

johnta1 :5 pounds of air !!!! Man my car would look like a snake going down the track...

[johnta1]

Yeah, but you're about 2 tons heavier than me.

[SlowSpitzer]

No tubes here. Have not used them in over 10 years. I went thru what John said, tube gets a hole, you are done.

Save your money, lose the tubes!