ET Drags with Tubes?

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John_Heard
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#16 Post by John_Heard » Wed May 07, 2008 6:08 am

When you think about it, how does the rotational force from the wheel transfer to the tube then back into the tire? just friction and most people put baby powder in them... All I can see that it would do is add a very small amount of stiffness in regards to compression forces. I really don't see how they can help that much. I've looked at pictures of sidewalls at launch on same weight cars, same ET's with and without tubes, they appear to distort the same..

Now if you glued the tube to the tire and rim somehow, then it makes sense you would pick up some amount of rotational stiffness due to the increased rubber cross section. Someone tell me how they add stiffness to the sidewall cause I can't picture it???

I can see where more rim screws or bead locks would make a difference in sidewall life...

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#17 Post by Craig W. » Wed May 07, 2008 6:29 am

sc racing wrote:A lot of us dont run as fast as you guys so in your opinon do you think the tubes would help in slower cars that run in the 10's or 11's ?
In a 10-11 second car, I'd run tubeless and save the weight. I never had to run tubes until running mid to low 9s.
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#18 Post by MOOSE » Wed May 07, 2008 9:51 am

John,

I can't tell you how it does it. All i have to go off of is the fact that the tire lasts longer. I know exactly when the sidewalls are gone by my 60' times. My car is very consistant in the 1.28 to 1.30. When the sidewalls go it won't 60' any better than a 1.35. I have went through 10 sets of slicks with the tubes and I always get more passes than I did running without tubes. The only thing I can say is maybe it's more of a support for the sidewall than anything. It's kinda like having a sports bra for a set of double D's :D


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#19 Post by John_Heard » Wed May 07, 2008 10:14 am

I may have to reconsider my thoughts it if it helps the tires live longer. I would like to understand why though.

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#20 Post by Craig W. » Wed May 07, 2008 4:50 pm

I'm grasping at straws here, but could air pressure infiltrate the sidewalls of a slick without tubes and gradually weaken it?

With a tube, you only have the rubber of the tube pushing against the sidewall.

Not sure that holds water, but its something different to ponder.
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#21 Post by jmarkaudio » Thu May 08, 2008 12:06 am

I have run tube in everything I have had up till my current ride, had none in them when I bought it. One good thing about tubes, you set the pressure and don't have to worry about airing them every run.
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Re: ET Drags with Tubes?

#22 Post by hugger73hatch » Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:32 am

Well I got a set of ET drags 28/9/15. Decided to try them without the tubes first. Have not made it to the track, but I will let everyone know as soon as I do, which will hopefully be this weekend.
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Re: ET Drags with Tubes?

#23 Post by stroker1 » Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:32 am

I don't profess to be real fast (6.60s 1/8th mile), but my Hoosier Slicks will hold air till the cows come home without tubes. Sitting over the winter they only dropped from 13 lbs to 10 lbs and sat from October till April. Every MT slick I've had will not do that without tubes. That being said I pull the same 60' times with Hoosiers without tubes as the MTs do with tubes. I've had SLIGHTLY better 60' times with MT slicks without tubes than Hoosiers without tubes. Just have to constantly add air to the Mickeys.

BTW, I've had way more sidewall life from the Hoosiers also. But I'm only 2900 lbs without driver (ME). Personally I don't care for the tubes, but I'm not making 1000+ HP in a 3400 lbs car either!!
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Re: ET Drags with Tubes?

#24 Post by fishman » Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:25 pm

Everybody has there own theory.......but i run tubes just as a safety issue and not having to pump them up with air every run or finding them flat in the morning.......but that is just me....i could care less if i loose 1/100 or 2/100 running a tube i just feel safer and one less thing to worry about

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Re: ET Drags with Tubes?

#25 Post by hugger73hatch » Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:23 pm

Ok, finally made it back with the new tires. This is the first time I have had a set of "real" slicks. I feel it will probably take a few passes before they break in, but I may be wrong. I only got 2 passes, as I had a problem I had to fix.

60' went to a 1.55, and the car was still spinning some. I think it is unloading the suspension. I have one video from my first pass tonight when the car had a 1.64 and ran 11.97, spitting and popping like crazy (timing was way too high, not sure how that happened, but it did). I will ry to get that up to see what everyone thinks. Second pass numbers were as follows:

60' 1.5535
330' 4.6431
1/8 7.2514 @ 94.6
1/4 11.424 @ 117.65

Also the air was not very good tonight either. The water grains were 95 gpp. Last time to track car ran same et in a lot better air.

Just want to get some opinions on how long it may take to "break in" those et drags, or if it really doesn't take any time. Also was curious as to what air pressure most everyone is running in them.
73 Nova Hatchback, 408 Small Block 13-1, Iron Heads, 6.972 @ 98.362, 1.468 60', 3450 lbs, still tuning
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Re: ET Drags with Tubes?

#26 Post by sc racing » Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:30 am

I never had to "break in " a slick, as far I know do your burnout and call it good. Air pressure will vary from car to car but you can look at the pattern on the tire and go from there.

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Re: ET Drags with Tubes?

#27 Post by 572 BBC » Sun Nov 30, 2008 6:36 pm

IM THINKING CAR WEIGHT AND SUSPENSION WILL DICTATE ANSWER...MY CAR GOING DOWN THE TRACK IS 3000 LBS TUBE CHASSIS 4 LINK DOOR CAR I RUN ET STREETS @ 9 LBS WENT MID 8S LAST SUMMER WITH NO PROBLEMS!!! NO TUBES!!!

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Re: ET Drags with Tubes?

#28 Post by chpcamaro » Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:50 pm

ok now this is strange i had more problems running with tubes then someone came up to me and said take those tubes out and let the tire do it's job (now this was years ago) so i did it that night and went back the next to finsh the weekend out and what a difference for me 11lbs of air and i didn't even have to worry about the burn out the car hooked and left so thats why i will never run tubes again. it really made a big differnce from spinning to hooking?? so maybe it is different from car to car who knows only way i can explain it.
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