Installing Slicks on Wheels

[JimNolan]

Has anyone used Mickey Thompson ET Street bias ply slicks W/0 tube. If so, what did you use to help seal the tires ( dish soap, tire sealant etc.) and would you tell me your experience with them holding air. These are going on steel rims w/bolted valve stems. It's not like I won't be carrying an air tank with me and they'll see no street use. Thanks guys, Jim

[fastback 427]

I've had a set with no tubes. Very slow leak, maybe a pound a week or so. We mount with soap and water, then brush a small amount of hi-tack sealant on the bead to stop the tire spinning on the rim. Works very well, and we don't have to drill the rims for screws.

[Joe-JDC]

If you drop the pressure at the track to where they work best, you will need to keep an air tank close by to top off before the next run, or on the way home.  Mine always leaked slowly, regardless of soaping, just because when they wrinkle, it always weakens the rubber somewhere and starts a slow leak.  If you let the car sit, it is always best to raise the rear and install jackstands to keep them from collapsing from a leak.  Now, some folks never lower the tire pressure to the point that they wrinkle at launch, so I am not going to speak to that.  Mine always leaked slowly over time, that is why I went to radials.  Joe-JDC

[cjshaker]

I've been using them on my Mach for almost a year now, and had very little or no leakage between drives with no tubes and no sealing compound of any type. They've been off the car and stored in my heated studio all winter and are still holding full pressure. But that is with new aluminum rims (older aluminum rims WILL make a difference, but steel should be much better) and I have not ran them at the track yet, but plenty of street miles last summer. If you leave them on the car and don't drive it for more than a week, the car needs to be jacked up to keep them from flat-spotting.

[JimNolan]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your posts. It helped. Jim

[JimNolan]

I want to post this picture of my new slicks. Mickey Thompson ET Streets 26 X 10.5 / 15. Mickey Thompsons website lists these as having a 10.5 section width. Jim PS. It won't take a picture so I'll just tell you. The Section Width was 10" with 30lb of air in it.

[cjshaker]

I can almost picture it now

[TomP]

ET Streets are not slicks, they are meant to run tubeless. The ET Drag slicks are not , they are much thinner sidewall and mine leak pretty good even after the dish soap thing. Not a big deal for a day at the track but leave it overnight and you need air.