ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

Today I made the first passes on a new set of 30x9x15 M/T ET Drag radials and after a couple runs I looked at the paint marks I had put on the tires to indicate where the valve stems were and I found that the LH tire had moved about 2 1/2" and the RH about 1". I was running 20psi in the radials so I am pretty surprised that they are spinning on the wheels.

Can a person install rim screws on a tubeless tire without leak issues?

Are there any other methods that do not require drilling holes in the rims?

Thanks in advance!
Chad

Re: ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

Chad Did you mount the tires your self? If not did the person that did use tire grease? Dismount the slicks ,clean the tire+wheel and remount using Dawn dish soap. As it dries it get's sticky. Corky

Re: ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

We screw our tubeless Hoosier radials to the rims with no problems.

Re: ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

Chad,
Contrary to popular belief, you can use tire screws with radial tires. Higher air pressure won't guarantee that the tire will not slip on the wheel. See the attached pictures. This car has gone 7.80 @180 at Milan Dragway on drag radials. You had better believe that radial tires will slip, and when they do, it can cause some uncomfortable top end handling. Tires can slip unevenly side to side (inside and outside on same wheel), and this can put the tire in a bind. Screw them down and forget about it.

Re: ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

Sorry, had to resize the pictures.

Re: ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

Chad, I was told by M/T tire person in Kansas City,[They mount tires for pro motorcycle`s], To use foam windshield cleaner, Tom

Re: ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

I am sure they used some sort of soapy lube to install the tires so that could be the root cause of my issue.
The window cleaner and dish soap trick sound good because I really do not want to drill the rims unless I absolutely have to.
Looks like I will make a trip up to the tire shop and have them unseat the bead so I can get them all cleaned up and have them reseated.

Would it also help to scuff the surface of the rim?

Thanks,
Chad

Re: ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

When I bought my Hoosiers they told me to rough up the wheel a little and expect some tire movement the first few runs then they would seat themselves.

Unfortunately my engine's not done so I don't know if it works.

Jim R

Re: ET Drag Radials Spinning On Wheels
 

We take an air powered body panel cutter (like a muffler gun) and using a chisel blade and low air pressure, put a lot of light ridges in the flat part of wheel. Just go slow, it looks like knurling when done right. Never had a tire move, never used screws on my radials. All it does is give the bead a rougher surface to grab onto,

Best of luck.