'shoppin for drag use-only tires for six cylinder performance Comet. torquey little six could use stickier tires than the BF TA's on test&tune / drag days. useable drag tires for setup include few drag radials but many bias-ply Hoosier Quick Time Pro D.O.T. , and similar which seems reasonable for occasional strip use. I was surprised bias-ply race tires are tube-type, thought tubes were less safe at low PSI?. Comet currently has 245/60/14's on 7 "rims rear - 25.6" , 205/7014 front 25.4". 15 X 7 wheels also avilable... "drag radial" sizes are mostly for imports with 22" or similar heights advice appreciated thanks
M&H Racemasters come in sizes that you can use look on their site. nearly all bias ply slicks are tube type tires, you must use a racing tube. You may also consider M/T sportsman pros or M/T drag radials, they should also come in sizes that you can use.
M/T ET Streets, and the Hoosiers you mentioned as well we have used with sucess. You will need the 15" diameter rims and at least a 8" wide. I could recommend several others if you wanted to go radial ply. Same size and width rim too.
the tubes for drag tires have reinforced METAL,VALVE STEMS,that are made for drag racing .you should also be screwing the slicks to the rims to prevent the slick from spinning and damaging the tube.but i have seen people use no tubes at all.with a METAL BOLT IN VALVE STEM.,with good results but i have never tried it.if you want to aviod all of that just go with a tubeless street drag tire or a drag radial,unless your one of those slaves to "tradition" and it pains you to use any modern technology.
We have run Goodyear,Hoosier and Mickey Thompson slicks tubeless with no problems......You always want to coat the entire inside of the tire with Palmolive or similar liquid soap to help the sidewalls not seep air...
I don't condone any of this but.... The latest trend is to not run tubes. Why? I have no clue other than weight. The other is to not screw the tire to the rim. Why? I guess some guys like to push the safety limit. When I ran Pinks All Out in 2010 at Norwalk, I was amazed at all the cars running slicks that were not screwed. Like I said, I don't condone it. I run tubes and screws.
I ran 26x8.5 MT ET Drags without tubes, or screws with no problems. I think the "tubes required" is probably a liability issue.
Without tubes, slicks wont hold air for more then a few days. The sidewall is so thin the air bleeds through. This is just something else to consider if you dont run tubes.
What Old Jetstar said. Use a metal valve stem, coat the inside of the tires with Palmolive dish soap, use screws on the rims and have fun. I never had any problems doing this in the 10 second cars that I had. They also held pressure pretty well between races.....only lost a couple of pounds at most. And both cars would turn 1.40's in the 60'. Bill
The screws are for looks on most cars as well as the slicks. That is not to say that the little comet doesn't need slicks just a general observation. I had an old racer friend once tell me that if your tires don't spin you have too much tire. Granted you don't want one to go up in smoke either it is a ballancing act.
They havent run tubes or screws in drag slicks for 20 years. The modern tire & wheel are designed to not need this. However if you are running really old wheels it may be necessary to have tubes & screws. Yes drag slicks leak down but thats not a problem when you are adjusting the pressure every run anyhow. Bottom line IF you dont need to run tubes & screws dont & by the way almost all rules reqiure metal valve stems tubeless or tubed.
The metal valve stem rule --metal stems required with tubeless tires if the car is in the 11s or quicker
Somebody had better come and tell the Goodyear Eagle Drag Slicks that are on my car they're supposed to be leaking! They've had the audacity to hold air for the past 2 seasons without tubes!
I think that it depends on the tire whether they are going to leak down or not. I personally don't have a problem using a tube in a tire that the manufacturer suggests a tube. Yes it costs a little more but speed costs money. Oh while I am at it I guess I am not "they" either, I have been screwing slicks for the last 20 years.
Well I'm not alergic to laytex. Which reminds me I use those ribbed ones that say ribbed for her pleasure, but I turn them inside out because I am not in it for that.
I Raced back in the 60's to mid 70's Goodyear Ripplewall Slicks with Tube's and Pinned and if there were No Pins the Tires would Spin of the Rim's and Pins are Not for Looks just my 3.5 cents
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