Guys,

Won a football pool over the weekend for a grand. I want to buy some rear tires and wheels for the strip. Can't decide on Drag radials or slicks. I don't really want to change the fronts (BFG T/A's) at this point - will slicks mandate that? I'm still running stock axles in the 12 bolt with an Auburn Pro Series POSI. Should I take those into my consideration as well?

Also was thinking of Weld Drag Lites for the wheels to mount them on. Any opinions here?

Wnat to save enough for a different converter but not sure that will work out.

Help me out.

Troy.

Some people think you can only run radials with radials. I dont see it. I did the same thing as you now I have radial front and non-radial rear. In terms of drag radials or slicks choice is up too you slicks will grip better. Id keep the street tires on and have the slicks in the trunk for the strip. If you are going to rely on one set of tires for everything try the drag radials. Drag lites are nice wheels...my budget didnt allow so i stuck with 15x10 rally's good luck.
Dane

Go with a 15x10 5.5 B.S. Draglite...I just happen to have a pair of New Hoosier Quick time pros 29x13.50 For Sale.... I was cutting 1.519 60ft's with them.....I have a few friends who run these on the street...They are a DOT street legal slick.....But a great track tire also.....Email me or look in the classified for the info.....

p.s. with my radial non radial combo ive sprinted over 100 and made short stops just like I was on the strip with out any incidents

Thanks Scott but I think that perhaps the 29" tall tire is too tall. I was looking at the 28" tall options. My pass at 108MPH was on 27" tall BFG T/A's at 6000 RPM in the traps. I think the 29's would bring the RPM's down too much. What do you think?

I was thinking of using the rally's as well but thought they were a little heavier but I could use the same lugs nuts. What sort of lug nuts do the Drag Lites need?

Troy.

Aluminum wheels should be considered a must. The weight saving is substantial. It is unsprung weight so it is about ten times more helpful than sprung weight savings. Choose a wheel that looks good to you.

Mixing radials and bias ply tires on the strip isn't an issue. It's going around corners and hwy curves that is a no-no.

As said, if you don't want to change tires at the track, the DRs are OK. They are nowhere as consistent as real slicks. M/T streets seem to be much better but won't work on the street. Changing tires is a pain but it is the best way to get consistent ETs. My 2 cents.

Thanks Pat - I will get the Alum wheels then. I can put up with changing tires at the track if need be. I had no plans on running slicks on the street. No reason to.

A few things...

Aluminum wheels are lighter and are the way to go if you were going to buy wheels. You will need 3" wheel studs to use the Drag Lite aluminum wheels. and you might as well go 1/2" while your at it. So make sure they will be compatible with your street wheels. Get McGard lug nuts or better....and carry a 1/2-20 die with you and a few extra lug nuts.

Save yourself the aggravation and first break the lug nuts loose with a 4-way and then use a cordless drill 14.4v or higher to spin the lug nuts off and then on. The fine threaded 3" stud takes forever with a 4-way. I can change two tires in under 10 minutes with a cordless drill, but it is 30 minutes plus with a 4-way and what a pain..I did that once !!! (the first time).

Unsprung weight is equivalent to 1.7 X sprung weight. saving 16 pounds in wheel weight is like 18 x 1.7 = 27 pound savings in dead weight off the car.

I saved an actual 32 lbs (32 x 1.7 = 55)when switching from my 4 stock ralley wheels to 4 Weld Prostars, but could not get any confirmed savings in ET. I can't explain it, but it just did not show up in any timeslips even with weather corrections.

If you can go aluminum definetly do it, any weight savings is a step in the right direction.

Tom,

Now you have me wondering if I really want to go through with a wheel change. Perhaps putting some MT ET's or BFG Drag Radials on another set of Rally's for the back would be the way to go. I probably go to the strip twice a year if I'm lucky to get the time. I don't want to have to buy a drill and spend 15 minutes changing wheels if I could throw on some DR's at the house and drive to the strip. Hmmmmmm...... Somebody make up my mind for me will ya.

Troy.

I like drag radials, I don't like to change wheels back and forth, so I'm currently running slicks on the street,just put 30 psi in them and drive away. I've had my best 60ft. ever with drag radials,but like said before,they are not consistent,and I didnt start moving up in the points last year til I put slicks on the car in july. I will go back to drag radials when these slicks wear out,I accomplished my goal of a top 10 in points this year,so now I'll just go for the fun of it.

my best e.t. on drag radials was 11.85...best on slicks is in the signature graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Troy,

Changing wheels at the track isn't that bad really.

for best results use the Hoosier QT Pro or the MT ET Street or a slick The Drag Radial is good too, but like Bob inferred they are "touchy". You must have a cordless drill, if not then this is a good excuse to buy one. Under $60 for a 14.4 volt at Se@rs. I would mount them on some extra rally wheels and not spend the $350 for 2 Draglites if you only go twice a year.

Since you may only go twice a year, make sure you make it worth your while when you do go with positive traction using a QTPro or ET Street or a slick.

Nittos! graemlins/thumbsup.gif
I've managed 1.67 60fts running them with a mild small block.
I've had BFG Drag Radials & MT ET streets...I would much rather get caught in the rain with a set of Nitto 555R's on my car.
Plus, they're a radial tire and actually have a DOT tread wear rating...unlike the others.

Originally posted by Troy70SS:
Hmmmmmm...... Somebody make up my mind for me will ya.
Troy, I'm not as fast or quick, as these other guys but, Roberts got an eleven second street car, and the difference in his best E.T. isn't a whole tenth.

I bought the Drag Radials, and I'm satified.
Way better than street radial performance, and the covienience, of leaving them on.

If you were a serious racer get the M/Ts, or real slicks.

For us guys that only get to the track 3 or 4 times a year, real drag tires don't seem worth it.

My opinion. :rolleyes:

I have a cordless drill but I'm not sure that it will do the trick. It's an older 12v DeWalt. I used the hell out of it building my house and shop - don't know if it has much left.

Anyway, my real concern is changing wheel studs in order to run the Draglites and then not being able to put my corvette rally's on there for cruising. I'm thinking the best of both world's might be to buy the ET Streets and throw them on some 10" rally's which would make for a quick change. That still means dragging a jack to the track or making sure one of my buddy's will be there with their rigs.

I don't know guys - I think I'm still on the fence. I guess the real question is, can I win a few rounds with the DR's or Nitto's? If not, it seems like a waste to buy them.

How consistent have you guys been with the DR's or Nitto's? What has been the problem? Spin off the line? How much difference will I see with the M/T ET's or slicks?

Do any of you have concerns about my stock 12 bolt axles?

Still uncertain......

Troy.

I had trouble with the Drag radials around the low 13 second mark. With how nose heavy my car is getting real good weight transfer is something that has and is an on-going challenge to improve. If you do not heat the DR's just right they won't stick consistently.

I guess I would say that they have a narrower band of temps that will hook very well. with a bias slick or DOT slick your range of acceptable burnout is greater.

The 12 volt will do fine, you will have to break the lug nuts loose with a 4-way anyway, the drill makes spinning the lug nuts off the threads after they are loose quick.

I would put a c-clip eliminator kit on the shopping list. The stock axles can handle a lot but they are old and positive axle retention is a VERY wise safety upgrade.

http://www.boomspeed.com/mc71454/mustang_axle_fall_out.jpg

Originally posted by Troy70SS:
How consistent have you guys been with the DR's or Nitto's? What has been the problem? Spin off the line? How much difference will I see with the M/T ET's or slicks.

Troy. I ran BFG DR's for a couple years. My 60's varied from about 1.95 to 2.20. This would be from one round to the next on the same day. Made dialing in very difficult. Going to real slicks, my 60's dropped to the low-mid 1.60's (1.62 to 1.67). Dialing became much easier.

do you want the draglites? i have centerline telstars and you dont need the 3 in studs and they take regular acorn lug nuts i think they may be like 2-3 lbs heavier than draglites but i lkie them and the work well for me. also my input in tires: get et streets. i put mine on at home in my garage and drive out to the track on them i havent had any problem with them.

Originally posted by Troy70SS:
How much difference will I see with the M/T ET's or slicks?In my case, I went from a 9 x 30 Hoosier radial slick to a 325/50-15 BFG drag radial.

best 60' on the Hoosiers was 1.47

best 60' on the BFG's has been 1.49

Maybe these results aren't typical, but I'm very impressed with how well the drag radials have been working for me.

Are they consistent Todd? With your suspension they might be alot more consistent than mine were. I've had my best ever 60 with d/r...just not often enough graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Originally posted by Rapid Robert:
Are they consistent Todd? With your suspension they might be alot more consistent than mine were. I've had my best ever 60 with d/r...just not often enough graemlins/thumbsup.gif Bob, here's the 60's since the very first pass on them.

Sept 6, 2003
1.600
1.523
1.531
1.699 (experimented with a too high start line rpm)

Oct 5, 2003
1.530
1.503
1.512
1.514

Oct 26, 2003
1.515
1.517
1.512
1.516
1.495

EDIT: Did I mention all of these passes are on my least favorite local track? (history of poor track prep)

I'm going to go back to them when these slicks wear out. Hopefully with the adjustable uppers,SSM bars and a newly installed swaybar I can do a little better this go around. Much easier to drive around town on d/r than slicks.

You may want to check ou the new M/T Drag Radial. The tread pattern looks better than the BFG. The drag radials will work, but they must be used properly...tire pressure, burnout technique, etc.
I have trouble at times hooking up on a poorly prepped track.