Drag Tyres FAQ

[Squeak]

Q. Can I swap the tyres from side to side? (From left to right and right to left).
A. Hoosier does suggest, depending on how much the tyres are run, swapping tyres on a regular basis. The main reason for swapping tyres is to help smooth the wear of the tread. By swapping tyres, it causes the tyre to be run backwards, thus causing the tyre to wear differently, which cleans up the tyre tread. You should watch for improper wear patterns on the tread, such as the rubber rolling or feathering. The tread surface should have a fine grain or velvet look to the surface.


Q. Can I screw the beads of the tyres to the rims?
A. Hoosier drag slick and Quick Times are available to screw to the rim. Use a Hex washer headed sheet metal screw #14 x 3/4". Use eight to twelve screws both sides of the rim on both rims. Also, match screw positions on both sides of the same rim.


Q. Should I use tubes in slicks and DOT tires?
A. Refer to Tubes section. The decision to run tubes is ultimately up to the racer. Hoosier drag slicks are capable of safely running without tubes. The Quick Time DOT tires should be run with a tube, when the tyre is run on the street, but can be run without tubes at the track. Both the slicks and DOT tyres have a tendency to loose some air over a period of time. If the tyres completely loose air overnight, be sure to check for holes.


Q. The tyres are graining up, feathering or balling up badly across the entire tread.
A. Rotate tyres from side to side to help with tread wear. Should go away after a couple of runs. Make sure proper compound is being used.


Q. The tyres are wearing unevenly on the outside of tread or inside of tread only.
A. Having too much air pressure will cause the tread profile to crown and wear the inside of the tread prematurely. Having too little air pressure will cause the tread edges to wear improperly.


Q. The tyres are halfworn out with less than 50 passes on the tyres.
A. Shorten the burnout time in the waterbox. Too much burnout will shorten the tread life of the tyres. The D05 and D07 are both aggressive compounds which need shorter burnout time than the Goodyear, Mickey Thompson and Firestone. The most wear of a drag tyre comes from too much time in the burnout procedure.


Q. Brand new tyres have bulge or indentation on sidewall of tyre.
A. Tubes have a tendency to wrinkle or shift while mounting. Recheck tubes for proper placement. If bulge or indentation is located directly across the valve stem, the tube is too small and is being stretched. Replace with larger tube. If no tubes were used, send to factory for inspection.


Q. At the back half(end) of the track the tyres have a tendency to shake or vibrate the car.
A. Make sure the tyres(mounted) are balanced. Unbalanced tyres may have a tendency to shake or vibrate the car. It is good practice to balance the rim by itself before mounting the tyres to see how out of round or balance the rim is itself.


Q. The tyres have a tendency to spin off the starting line.
A. First, how much air pressure is being used? By lowering air pressure at half pound increments, the tire should hook better. When the car feels unstable at the back half of the track, the tyres have too low of air pressure. After an unstable feeling run, raise air pressure. The optimum air pressure will be located between the tire rolling(folding) over on itself and the tyre spinning off the line.

Second, how long do you spend on burnouts. The longer the person stays in the water box, the more the tyre heats up. Tyres can actually get too hot and lose the traction performance. Very little time needs to be spent in the waterbox, because of the aggressive compounds on the tyres. Outside temperature also may affect traction performance. If the temperature is colder than normal, increase burnout time. If the temperature is hotter than normal, decrease burnout time.

Third, swap the tyres from side to side. The tread rubber may be rolling up, which decreases traction performance. By swapping tyres from side to side will clean off the rolled rubber.

Fourth, how much horsepower does the motor have. Sometimes the car may have excessive horsepower which will overpower tires with the D05 compound. If this is the case try a bigger tyre, if possible, and with the D07 compound.


Q. The tyres are severely wrinkling at the starting line or rolling over on itself.
A. The tyres have insufficient air. Increase air pressure by half pound increments. This combination may need a stiff sidewall construction.


Q. When the tyres wrinkle the wrinkles leave several dull white X's on the sidewall.
A. The dull white X's are caused by the oils and wax used in the sidewall rubber compound which over a period of time will rise to the surface of the sidewall. A good tire cleaner and rag will remove the X's. The X's will not hinder performance or safety of the tyre.


Q. The sidewalls of the DOT tires are weather cracking.
A. Over a long period of time, tyre sidewalls have a tendency to harden and crack. Hoosier Quick Time DOT tyres are built with four body plys and extra rubber for reinforcement and air retention. The weather cracking has to be serious for the tire to be unsafe(cords showing). Usually the cracks are insignificant and the tyres are still safe to race on.

[Richf]

Q. Should I use tubes in slicks and DOT tires?
A. Refer to Tubes section. The decision to run tubes is ultimately up to the racer. Hoosier drag slicks are capable of safely running without tubes. The Quick Time DOT tires should be run with a tube, when the tyre is run on the street, but can be run without tubes at the track. Both the slicks and DOT tyres have a tendency to loose some air over a period of time. If the tyres completely loose air overnight, be sure to check for holes.

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Do not run tubes in drag tyres unless tyre is bolted to the rim.

Drag tyres often turn on the rim during launch , if a tube is fitted this turning can pull the valve off the tube resulting in rapid deflation of the tyre