Tubes or Tubeless?

Michael Pliska · 10-17-2008, 03:49 PM

I suppose this will be as much of a disagreement amongst people as the timers thread!

Back when I was running S/G and brackets almost nobody ran tubeless, but now it seems that a majority of people are tubeless. I saw on a different thread (in the stock/SS forum) that running tubes was seen as dangerous as they felt a blowout would be catastrophic with a tube but only a slow leak if tubeless. Am I missing something?

I crashed my car in the top end before (boomed a motor just before the traps), and one of the rear wheels was completely bent (where it landed on its side on the guardrail), but it was still holding air. It went up enough on the other side that the sidewall was all chafed, but it still did not loose any air. This was a tube chassis Vega with 16x32 Goodyears with natural rubber tubes and rim screws.

A year ago I watched a friend in Top Dragster (running 13" slicks tubeless with rim screws), and she got sideways due to a cross wind, and bounced side-to-side until one tire blew (it broke the rim screws), at which point she did a barrell roll.

What are the arguments pro and con? Obviously you remove rotating mass by eliminating tubes and screws, but I am more concerned with safety.

Regards,

Chris DeGidio · 10-17-2008, 04:05 PM

We've always used tubes.Not necessarily from a safety standpoint,but the sidewalls last longer using tubes.

SSTRACER323 · 10-17-2008, 06:06 PM

I ran tubes in my S/ST car. It made my car more stable that is for sure

Lou SG2340 · 10-18-2008, 07:35 AM

Ran tubes for years, now I don,t. Do not see a difference.

R&S Motorsports · 10-18-2008, 03:49 PM

Always ran Tubeless and never had a problem however I go through a set of tires about every 100 runs sidewalls go away! On a side note your friend with the top dragster was that like a old comp elimanator car with only 13" wide tires?

Michael Pliska · 10-18-2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R&S Motorsports

Always ran Tubeless and never had a problem however I go through a set of tires about every 100 runs sidewalls go away! On a side note your friend with the top dragster was that like a old comp elimanator car with only 13" wide tires?

Not sure if it was originally a comp car, but it was a fairly lightweight, small-block powered mid-7 second car. She had mentioned that it ran a bit slower but obviously hooked better with a bigger set of tires. This was at a bracket finals, and the track prep was pretty decent.

10-17-2008, 03:49 PM	#1
Michael Pliska Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Happy Valley, OR Posts: 260 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Tubes or Tubeless? I suppose this will be as much of a disagreement amongst people as the timers thread! Back when I was running S/G and brackets almost nobody ran tubeless, but now it seems that a majority of people are tubeless. I saw on a different thread (in the stock/SS forum) that running tubes was seen as dangerous as they felt a blowout would be catastrophic with a tube but only a slow leak if tubeless. Am I missing something? I crashed my car in the top end before (boomed a motor just before the traps), and one of the rear wheels was completely bent (where it landed on its side on the guardrail), but it was still holding air. It went up enough on the other side that the sidewall was all chafed, but it still did not loose any air. This was a tube chassis Vega with 16x32 Goodyears with natural rubber tubes and rim screws. A year ago I watched a friend in Top Dragster (running 13" slicks tubeless with rim screws), and she got sideways due to a cross wind, and bounced side-to-side until one tire blew (it broke the rim screws), at which point she did a barrell roll. What are the arguments pro and con? Obviously you remove rotating mass by eliminating tubes and screws, but I am more concerned with safety. Regards, __________________ Michael Pliska 643 S/G

10-17-2008, 04:05 PM	#2
Chris DeGidio Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 364 Likes: 8 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Tubes or Tubeless? We've always used tubes.Not necessarily from a safety standpoint,but the sidewalls last longer using tubes. __________________ Nautilus Racing

10-17-2008, 06:06 PM	#3
SSTRACER323 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Coal City, IL. Posts: 775 Likes: 3 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Tubes or Tubeless? I ran tubes in my S/ST car. It made my car more stable that is for sure __________________ The Doughboy Lee Lones S/ST 323L

10-18-2008, 07:35 AM	#4
Lou SG2340 Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Disputanta Va (30 minutes from VMP) Posts: 122 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Tubes or Tubeless? Ran tubes for years, now I don,t. Do not see a difference.

10-18-2008, 03:49 PM	#5
R&S Motorsports Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wind Lake, WI Posts: 54 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Tubes or Tubeless? Always ran Tubeless and never had a problem however I go through a set of tires about every 100 runs sidewalls go away! On a side note your friend with the top dragster was that like a old comp elimanator car with only 13" wide tires?