Abstract: The invention provides in a first aspect a method of converting a tire building drum into a sleeveless tire building drum. The method comprising the steps of providing a tire building drum having a center sleeve, removing the center sleeve, providing a plurality of cover plates and a plurality of segments located underneath the coverplates, the segments connected to radially oriented pistons for radial movement of the center section; Providing a plurality of holes on said coverplates, connected the holes to a fluid manifold, and connecting the manifold to a vacuum source. The invention provides in a second aspect, a sleeveless tire building drum which includes a rotatable drum comprising a left and right section and a center section. The center section is radially expandable, and the left and right sections are axially movable.