MaNiAk86

iTrader: (2)

I just picked up a set of 26x11.5 et streets used and they came with tubes... ive mounted a couple sets of ET streets before and never used tubes. Is there an advantage to it? or am i better off without them?

AlkyIROC

Yes and no.

ET street and ET drag are designed as tube tires. The sidewalls are very thin and will usually leak. Using a tube eliminates leaks but creates problems if you drive over something and puncture the tube. Normally, running a tube also means using rim screws. If the tire spins on the rim, it will rip the valve stem off the tube.

I run my ET drag's tubeless. The biggest advantage is weight saving. Before installing the tires, get a bottle of Palmolive dish soap. Any brand will do but Palmolive is preferred by most racers. Coat the inside of the tires thoroughly with the dish soap and let it dry for a day or two. You can add a second or third coat allowing it to dry each time. The liquid soap when dry will seal the pores in the rubber and greatly reduce the air leakage.

Any slick that's run tubeless should have metal screw in valve stems. They're available from most tire shops. Not all rims can easily accept tubes. The valve stem hole may not be big enough for the tube's valve stem and will need to be drilled out.

Even after soaping the tires, they will still probably leak down. I run about 8 psi in my slicks and after sitting for about 2 weeks, they're down to less than 5 psi. Every race weekend I need to fill them back up. Over a weekend, they don't lose any pressure but I take an air tank with me to the track anyway to adjust pressures.

If you do use the tubes, the trick to installing them is to give them and the insides of the tire a good coating of baby powder.

I just installed my new slicks for the last race of the year a couple of weeks ago. I didn't use rim screws and still don't have tubes in them. I marked the tires and after the race, the tires haven't spun yet.

MaNiAk86

iTrader: (2)

thanks... I mounted them today tubeless. i did not do the dish soap thing. leaking down doesnt really worry me cause im only runnin them at the track day at a time so fillin em up is no biggie.

Why do i need metal valve stems? i mounted et streets on my bro's truck too and the tech inspector said that as well

also i marked the wheel/tire to see if theyre spinnin or not, i used alot of bead sealer to really glue em on

AlkyIROC

Legally, you don't need the metal valve stems until you run 11.99 or quicker with tubeless tires but a nice chrome valve stem looks better than an ugly rubber stem in a nice rim.

1bad406

iTrader: (1)

They like to use the metal valve stems because they have a nut on the back to hold them in. The back tires don't have alot of air pressure like a street tire would to keep that rubber valve stem pushed in place. Atleast thats what I was told and it makes sense to me.

AlkyIROC

I highly doubt a rubber stem will fall out or in even with low pressure. It would have to be pretty old and dried out before the rubber could deteriorate enough to fall through the hole. The metal stem gives a safe guard and won't fail tech even with a slower vehicle.