Drag Racing question
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 629
Likes: 1
Drag Racing question
I know I should really post this in the drag racing section but.........
In my search to go a little quicker each trip down the track, I really wanting to go with a slimmer tire on the front. I street drive my car alot but it just doesn't make sense to race with those big stock wheels (1979). I'd like to put something like 3.5" or 5" max up front. Any ideas would be a help. I know all about the caliper clearance problems, but need to find the way around it. Who's got the problem beatin?
In my search to go a little quicker each trip down the track, I really wanting to go with a slimmer tire on the front. I street drive my car alot but it just doesn't make sense to race with those big stock wheels (1979). I'd like to put something like 3.5" or 5" max up front. Any ideas would be a help. I know all about the caliper clearance problems, but need to find the way around it. Who's got the problem beatin?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Re: Drag Racing question (Indynut)
I just got some skinny front rims (15 x 3.5) with 165 R 15 tires...
They didn't clear the calipers.. so - I ordered 1 inch wheel adapters for $65 off Ebay... You could also get Centerline Auto Drag or Convo Pro Skinnies that should clear the calipers.
They didn't clear the calipers.. so - I ordered 1 inch wheel adapters for $65 off Ebay... You could also get Centerline Auto Drag or Convo Pro Skinnies that should clear the calipers.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,909
Likes: 26
From: Clymer PA
Re: Drag Racing question (Indynut)
One solution is to keep your current tires and fill them to about 40psi of air. I do this with my car. There are two main benefits. The first being that a tire with more air will roll easier. The second reason is that when you pump the tire up it will move the front end up slightly...this aides with the weight transfer.
How fast are you running. I'm running low 12s with stock rims up front. I doubt you will see much of an increase in speed. If I would do anything I'd get rid of the heavy Chevy rally rims. The rims are rotating mass. Any weight that you shave off of them is worth 5 times that. For instance say you switch rims and shave 15lbs off of the rear rims. That's the equivelent to shaving off 150lbs....which is .15 in the 1/5 mile.
How fast are you running. I'm running low 12s with stock rims up front. I doubt you will see much of an increase in speed. If I would do anything I'd get rid of the heavy Chevy rally rims. The rims are rotating mass. Any weight that you shave off of them is worth 5 times that. For instance say you switch rims and shave 15lbs off of the rear rims. That's the equivelent to shaving off 150lbs....which is .15 in the 1/5 mile.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 0
From: Germantown Maryland
Re: Drag Racing question (bence13_33)
One solution is to keep your current tires and fill them to about 40psi of air. I do this with my car. There are two main benefits. The first being that a tire with more air will roll easier. The second reason is that when you pump the tire up it will move the front end up slightly...this aides with the weight transfer.
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:iagree: this is what I do. I put 235/15s on the front using my aftermarket Alum rims.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Re: Drag Racing question (bence13_33)
One solution is to keep your current tires and fill them to about 40psi of air. I do this with my car. There are two main benefits. The first being that a tire with more air will roll easier. The second reason is that when you pump the tire up it will move the front end up slightly...this aides with the weight transfer.
How fast are you running. I'm running low 12s with stock rims up front. I doubt you will see much of an increase in speed. If I would do anything I'd get rid of the heavy Chevy rally rims. The rims are rotating mass. Any weight that you shave off of them is worth 5 times that. For instance say you switch rims and shave 15lbs off of the rear rims. That's the equivelent to shaving off 150lbs....which is .15 in the 1/5 mile.
How fast are you running. I'm running low 12s with stock rims up front. I doubt you will see much of an increase in speed. If I would do anything I'd get rid of the heavy Chevy rally rims. The rims are rotating mass. Any weight that you shave off of them is worth 5 times that. For instance say you switch rims and shave 15lbs off of the rear rims. That's the equivelent to shaving off 150lbs....which is .15 in the 1/5 mile.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,844
Likes: 0
From: Pearland TX
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Drag Racing question (GrandSportC3)
The stock rims are pretty heavy indeed.. including the factory alloys... Some light weight Drag Race wheels can make a lot of difference in you ET... You might even be able to take .2 - .3 off your ET just because of the weight savings...
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 2
From: Severna Park Md
Re: Drag Racing question (GrandSportC3)
I wish I had the money..ide get me some pizza cutters for the front and some slicks for the rear and mount em on the lightest wheels I could find. I would use em at the track only and save my radials for the street. I have a ball of rubber ive been adding to from the rubber stuck to the fender wells and quarter panels. Its almost the size of a tennis ball.
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 629
Likes: 1
Re: Drag Racing question (Indynut)
I do plan on using my stock wheels and TA's for my daily driving needs but I really make it better at the track. I have been running with 40 PSi up front on race day. That's only until I get this sorted out. Does anyone have pics of their set-up?
Thanks again everyone!
Indynut
Thanks again everyone!
Indynut
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Re: Drag Racing question (bgrice)
The stock rims are pretty heavy indeed.. including the factory alloys... Some light weight Drag Race wheels can make a lot of difference in you ET... You might even be able to take .2 - .3 off your ET just because of the weight savings...
Just don't expect those small drag tires on the front to last any time at all on the streets. They are designed for straight.... not day to day cornering on rough concrete.
Just don't expect those small drag tires on the front to last any time at all on the streets. They are designed for straight.... not day to day cornering on rough concrete.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Re: Drag Racing question (isosceles)
I'd be willing to bet you'd no longer be able to take a corner at a decent speed without massive understeer. :eek:
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 87
From: State of Confusion
Re: Drag Racing question (Indynut)
Indynut, tho' I don't run 'skinnies' on my Vette, I do run them on my '79 Z28. If you go this route, and choose to run 'Mickey Thompson' 26" tires, the SUMMIT catalog shows two different tires in the same size. MAKE SURE you get the ones built for 3000+ pound vehicles; I ran the 'other' ones for a while (my Z tips the Toledos at 3800+), and even at 'just' 105 MPH, they were a bit unstable. The 'correct' tires got rid of any problem :thumbs:
