When a slick’s sidewall is left in a severely wrinkled (flat) condition for long periods of time, the damage can become permanent. If your race car is parked for long periods of time, there’s a good chance the tires will lose pressure or “bleed down.” Some tire brands are more prone to bleed down than others, and it can become a pain to deal with flat tires. Some wheel rims may leak if they are made from porous aluminum or have poor welds.” Over time, air bleeds through the thin rubber sidewalls or may leak around rim screws. “A nut holds (metal valve stems) securely in place, preventing them from popping out under high centrifugal force,” Bickel said. “One drawback to tubeless tires is that they all leak slightly. If you suspect this may have happened, dismount the tire and check the inner tube for leaks in a water tank or with a soapy water spray.īickel says he prefers to use metal valve stemsover the pull-in rubber types for tubeless tires. This can cause tire balance problems and a gradual bleed down of air pressure. “If an inner tube develops a slow leak the lost air forms a pocket between the tube and inner tire. Many inexperienced racers have damaged inner tubes by installing them in a twisted condition or with the valve stem under tension. ![]() If you must install tubes, have them mounted by professionals. This causes a sudden loss of air pressure. If the tire turns at all on the rim, the tube turns with it and pulls the valve stem off. Any other type of tube cannot withstand the constant flexing that comes from low inflation pressures and, of course, sidewall wrinkling.īickel notes: “I have seen tires rip through the rim screw on a particularly hard tire-wadding launch. When it comes to tubes, you should only use new natural rubber racing-type tubes that are correctly sized for your slicks. Tire turned on rim (tears off valve stem).Bickel cites the most common causes of inner tube rupture as: There’s always a risk of rupture when it comes to tire tubes. As a result, the tires will accelerate faster, and you’ll most likely be rewarded with a lower ET slip. With less mass, there is less inertia to overcome. From Bickel’s vast racing experience, most racers prefer to run tubeless drag slicks without tubes in order to reduce tire mass. Tubeless drag slicks, on the other hand, may be run with or without inner tubes. As famed chassis builder Jerry Bickel is quick to point out, tube-type tires must always have inner tubesinstalled to prevent leaks. It really depends upon the recommendation of the tire manufacturer along with the application. So what tire setup do you need for your vehicle? Ponder all of the combinations, and the big picture starts to get a wee bit confusing Go to a dragstrip and you’ll see cars with beadlocks, tire screws, and what appears to be nothing holding the tire bead to the wheel rim.
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