Drag Slick Tubes.....whats the life spand???

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Cudafever

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I have new slick to replace my old worn out ones. Can i just swap the tubes onto the new slick.......or are they a one time, deal.

Just look up some new ones, WOW! there a lot more expensive then i remember them being.

On that note, any body now were i can get tubes cheaper the $65 each!

Slick is a 26X10X15
 
i have used the same tubes over and over....
 
Glad to hear that!! Was worried that the tube would stick to the inside of the slick.
 
Cudafever said:
Glad to hear that!! Was worried that the tube would stick to the inside of the slick.
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I "baby powdered" mine :). Never had a failure.....

If you're running fast, or low pressure, screws will help just incase there's a chance of spinning the tires on the rims.
 
Thanks Rick!
I have screws but only like 4 on each bead. think its time for a few more of them.

Have gone from a 340 to a 408 with 456 gears and a cam built for lots of bottom end.

Look like i have my plan for tonight!

With my 340 i could put it in 2nt gear, brake it, and mash the skinny peddle (to check my stall) with no problem.
Had to jet my carb up 6 steps last night. With it in High gear my brakes and my left foot are not enough to hold the tire.

I haven't been able to make a full pass because of my "Bone White spark plugs" and slicks that are showing a couple of threads#-o
 
I just removed the natural rubber tubes from my 10 year old slicks. They were well baby powdered when installed and they still look like new. I went with drag radials this time and they are tubeless.
 
I don't run tubes...its just added weight, AND if you get a hole in your slick you can't plug it at the track if you're running tubes. For example: I just watched a friend of mine miss out on going to the division finals because of a tube....his tire went down just before time trials at the last points race, he quickly found the leak, prepped the tire, shoved a plug in it, but because the valve stem was not designed to hold air (because it was made for a tube), all the air leaked out around the stem and it went flat again. He pulled the wheel and ran it to a tire shop down the road, missed his time runs, got it fixed, got back right as round 1 was starting, just guessed at the dial and lost. All he needed was 1 rd win I think and he would have made it...#-o Needles to say, he said he will be removing the tubes from now on.
 
Flyfish, with not running tubes does your slicks need adjusted for pressure each run, or do they stay pumped up to where you put them? What slick do you run?
Rod
 
I have never ran tubes in any of my slicks either.
 
I don't run tubes either on screws in rims. I run low 10s. Just before mounting slicks you coat the inside of rim with Dawn liquid soap. They hold air just as long as a tube.
 
Thanks for all of the reply's!

The tubes and tires are over 10 years old and they came out of the old slicks like new.

The slicks say "tube type" right on the sticker, and give you the tube side to use...........SO.....there back under a new set of slicks. Now i just have to install all my screws and bolt them back up.

I don't thing the old slicks would have last another burn out! one slick had 3 different spot were you could see cords or belts showing through.

Kinda glad my spark plugs showed so Lean of a condition, and i stop that night. I was going to do a good burn out and run it out the 1/8 mile.
could have damaged my tubes and fender wells/quarter panels :eek:ops::pale:
 
Cudafever said:
I don't thing the old slicks would have last another burn out! one slick had 3 different spot were you could see cords or belts showing through. /QUOTE]

Congrats on the new pair! Quitting when you did likely not only saved the car, but possibly you?

The cool thing is, you'll be shocked at how much better the car performs now :thumbrig:. A couple "good" burnout's to heat cycle them, and that babies gonna hook like no tomorrow :D. Heck, it might be enough difference to change your launch procedure or even the chassis/shock setup.

Good Luck! Enjoy...
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OldmanRick said:
Cudafever said:
I don't thing the old slicks would have last another burn out! one slick had 3 different spot were you could see cords or belts showing through. /QUOTE]

Congrats on the new pair! Quitting when you did likely not only saved the car, but possibly you?

The cool thing is, you'll be shocked at how much better the car performs now :thumbrig:. A couple "good" burnout's to heat cycle them, and that babies gonna hook like no tomorrow :D. Heck, it might be enough difference to change your launch procedure or even the chassis/shock setup.

Good Luck! Enjoy...
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Thanks Rick. I hope they HOOK real good! Or I'm going down that unknown path of chassis mods.
With my 340, i thing i could have got away with 9" slicks, but that's partly why they lasted me 10+ years.

I got my frame connectors in and all welded up. Helped the frame twist by a Bunch!

Just drop/drained my brake in oil. Will be ready for a test and tune on Saturday

My shocks are not adjustable. I hope i can make it work with what i have.
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rod7515 said:
Flyfish, with not running tubes does your slicks need adjusted for pressure each run, or do they stay pumped up to where you put them? What slick do you run?
Rod
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I used to run Hoosier quick time pros, like others have said, the dish soap trick makes them seal great. My last set I needed to add about a pound of air to one of the tires every 2-3 weeks...that's it. When I put my first set of Hoosier QTP's on the car I ran tubes, and it worked fine. When I replaced the tires I tried it without tubes and the car hooked better...so I ran without tubes ever since. I just recently (a couple months ago) switched over to a drag radial, but I ran my car tubeless for over 10 years.
 
The thing that burns my butt. For reasons, I have to run a 8x22x13 slick, on my Cuda. Several companies make this size, but they are all "tube type". Try to find a tube, any tube, that will work. Even the companies that make he tire, don't have a tube available.
 
Why such a short tire hight and why are you stuck with a 13" rim?
 
Cudafever said:
Why such a short tire hight and why are you stuck with a 13" rim?
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OK, back in the "old" days (1970's), stock eliminator cars had to keep the original rear (7 1/4). Lowest ration available when I started was a 3.91, hence the short tire. I actually got the first set of 6x22x13 m&h made. I had seen a similar set on a road race car, and contacted them about a drag slick. Eventually wound up with a 8x22x13 on 8 in wide steel wheels. When I started racing my 66 Cuda, about 2001, I used the same size tire, as I did not want to move the springs, or touch the fenders. The only other tire that would clear was a Pheonix 26x6x15W. Any other tire I tried, the sidewall (section width) would either rub the spring or fender lip. The 13 inch slicks have the large part of the sidewall lower then the fender lip. The tire works on my car. It 60 fts at 1.78-1.79 with a 170 slant six, and 3250 lbs.
PS: I could run a 8x22x15 tire, but then would need new rims, and still not be able to get tubes.
 
About 1976, I bought a loaded stock 72' Chevelle SS 396/402 with a T/400. I got it to daily drive, but as most of us, I couldn't help running it a few times. It was 15.40ish car with the 2.73 gear it came with, and I was determined not to mess with it at all.

Well, my neighbor had a 64' Chevy II with 13x5.5 wheels on the front with B60/13 Concorde Trac-Action Belted tires. The 64' was a transition year to the 5x4.75 pattern but still had 13" stock wheels. When he finally went to a mag wheel, I just had to have them and he gave them to me.

Fast forward, and I installed air shocks on the Chevelle, and used those 13's for track use. Those tires were somewhere in the 21/22" diameter range, and it took about 90lbs in the shocks to make the car level...lol. My purpose was to see how much the "gearing" change would make a difference vs the G70/15's that were on it.

Hard to believe a big block, although super mild, could hook at all with those tires, but it did very well, and actually went in the 14.80/90 range with them. Guys at the track thought I was completely nuts, but I brought them out 3 times and went rounds each time using them. Never won, but it was a lot of fun.....and the guys I beat were shaking there heads. :D



Sorry for the long post, just reliving my childhood.....lol.
 
Tubes are good to go as long as they hold air... I always run tubes in my cars. If you ever seen a race car spin a rim inside a slick and flip you will want tubes.
 
OldmanRick said:
About 1976, I bought a loaded stock 72' Chevelle SS 396/402 with a T/400. I got it to daily drive, but as most of us, I couldn't help running it a few times. It was 15.40ish car with the 2.73 gear it came with, and I was determined not to mess with it at all.

Well, my neighbor had a 64' Chevy II with 13x5.5 wheels on the front with B60/13 Concorde Trac-Action Belted tires. The 64' was a transition year to the 5x4.75 pattern but still had 13" stock wheels. When he finally went to a mag wheel, I just had to have them and he gave them to me.

Fast forward, and I installed air shocks on the Chevelle, and used those 13's for track use. Those tires were somewhere in the 21/22" diameter range, and it took about 90lbs in the shocks to make the car level...lol. My purpose was to see how much the "gearing" change would make a difference vs the G70/15's that were on it.

Hard to believe a big block, although super mild, could hook at all with those tires, but it did very well, and actually went in the 14.80/90 range with them. Guys at the track thought I was completely nuts, but I brought them out 3 times and went rounds each time using them. Never won, but it was a lot of fun.....and the guys I beat were shaking there heads. :D



Sorry for the long post, just reliving my childhood.....lol.
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Rick that's to funny!
I did a similar trick. had a 73 cuda with a 318 2:76 gears in the rear. found some low profile 14" tires that were 22" tall. didn't have air shock so it look real silly. Drove into the track with my 26" tall tires and swap them for the 22. Looked Real Dorky......But they worked:D

Charrlie_S
I guess i just didn't realise the wheel well space was that tight on the first gen A-bodys
figured you could stuff more in there that that.
That's a grate 60' time !!!!!
 
I run quick time pros. I orginialy got tubes but my rims made it a pain with the valve stem. I took the tubes back and have had them on the car since may. Might have dropped 1 or 2 pounds at the most.
 
Cudafever said:
I guess i just didn't realise the wheel well space was that tight on the first gen A-bodys
figured you could stuff more in there that that.
That's a grate 60' time !!!!!
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Actually, you can. Just have to do something with the fender/wheelwell lip. But my Cuda is just too restorable to "butcher".
 
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