Need help with drag tires.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 807
Likes: 0
From: Fort Wayne IN
Need help with drag tires.
I have a 6 speed 383 that runs 12.2's@119 with 1.89 60ft. with 315's on 17 inch wheels. I was looking into an auto conversion but it doesn't look economical. So I need to find a setup that will work for the 6speed. Will drag radials make a big diffrence? I tried a set of 15 inch ET streets with 12 psi and no tubes and I thought I was going to die at 80 mph when I was racing. It started swaying side to side real bad and just kept getting worse. So are 16 inch ET streets any better or will tubes help out?? Also suspension advice would be very helpful
Thanks
Brad
Thanks
Brad
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 13,298
Likes: 14
From: Somers NY
Re: Need help with drag tires. (fstvette)
You always will have that problem if you mix radials & bias tires.. If I had a 6 speed, & planned to drag race a lot.. I'd go with 4.27 rear, and 28" tall tires... if you use ET streets you could go to bias fronts & not have the sway problem...
As for my car, I use BFG drag radials (325/50x15) on Weld Pro Star 15x10" wheels in the rear, & 15x3.5" in the front, with 165x15 DOT tires on the front..
I also removed my front sway bar.. needless to say I go SLOW around corners..
However with the 275/50 Nittos I would 60' in 1.69 - 1.71 on a good track, but spin like #$%^ if the track was the least bit slippery.. So thats when I went to the 28" tall tires... my 60' slowed down to 1.75 - 1.76 BUT I never spin..
Also Mackey with a lot more HP than I have will 60' in 1.64 on the same Drag Radials..
I'd look into DRs & you wont have the sway problems...However with a stick car to 60' good you will need as much gear as you can live with, & BIG tires...
[Modified by Red96Coupe, 9:34 PM 9/27/2001]
As for my car, I use BFG drag radials (325/50x15) on Weld Pro Star 15x10" wheels in the rear, & 15x3.5" in the front, with 165x15 DOT tires on the front..
I also removed my front sway bar.. needless to say I go SLOW around corners..
However with the 275/50 Nittos I would 60' in 1.69 - 1.71 on a good track, but spin like #$%^ if the track was the least bit slippery.. So thats when I went to the 28" tall tires... my 60' slowed down to 1.75 - 1.76 BUT I never spin..
Also Mackey with a lot more HP than I have will 60' in 1.64 on the same Drag Radials..
I'd look into DRs & you wont have the sway problems...However with a stick car to 60' good you will need as much gear as you can live with, & BIG tires...
[Modified by Red96Coupe, 9:34 PM 9/27/2001]
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 32,782
Likes: 11
From: Former NCM Drag Racing coordinator, National director Corvette Challenge Spring Hill, Tennessee: Whiting, New Jersey
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: Need help with drag tires. (Red96Coupe)
You always will have that problem if you mix radials & bias tires.. If I had a 6 speed, & planned to drag race a lot.. I'd go with 4.27 rear, and 28" tall tires... if you use ET streets you could go to bias fronts & not have the sway problem...
As for my car, I use BFG drag radials (325/50x15) on Weld Pro Star 15x10" wheels in the rear, & 15x3.5" in the front, with 165x15 DOT tires on the front..
I also removed my front sway bar.. needless to say I go SLOW around corners..
However with the 275/50 Nittos I would 60' in 1.69 - 1.71 on a good track, but spin like #$%^ if the track was the least bit slippery.. So thats when I went to the 28" tall tires... my 60' slowed down to 1.75 - 1.76 BUT I never spin..
Also Mackey with a lot more HP than I have will 60' in 1.64 on the same Drag Radials..
I'd look into DRs & you wont have the sway problems...However with a stick car to 60' good you will need as much gear as you can live with, & BIG tires...
[Modified by Red96Coupe, 9:34 PM 9/27/2001]
As for my car, I use BFG drag radials (325/50x15) on Weld Pro Star 15x10" wheels in the rear, & 15x3.5" in the front, with 165x15 DOT tires on the front..
I also removed my front sway bar.. needless to say I go SLOW around corners..
However with the 275/50 Nittos I would 60' in 1.69 - 1.71 on a good track, but spin like #$%^ if the track was the least bit slippery.. So thats when I went to the 28" tall tires... my 60' slowed down to 1.75 - 1.76 BUT I never spin..
Also Mackey with a lot more HP than I have will 60' in 1.64 on the same Drag Radials..
I'd look into DRs & you wont have the sway problems...However with a stick car to 60' good you will need as much gear as you can live with, & BIG tires...
[Modified by Red96Coupe, 9:34 PM 9/27/2001]
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 0
From: Colleyville Texas
Re: Need help with drag tires. (fstvette)
Use to run 1.7's 60' times with the 16" ET Streets at 17PSI and had no problems. 12PSI seems low. If you were getting 1.89 60' times with regular street tiires those are good times. Have the 325-50-15 BFG drag radials on my six speed now. if your a serious bracket racer wanting consistency these are good tires. J/J are right-the 4.27 rear is what you need. Lost a .1+ and 2 MPH with the 28" tires and my 4.09 gears. I also run with the 315 Nitto drag
radials.
radials.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 456
Likes: 0
Re: Need help with drag tires. (fstvette)
Red Rocket is right. Too low of air pressure will make the car sway. I had the same problem when I put my ET Streets on. My first run down with the air pressure around 12-14 lbs I thought I was going to crash. I have the 16" without tubes on '85 corvette rims and I still kept the stock front radials. Now, when I drive to the track I put about 30 lbs in and when I get to the track I drop them down to around 18 lbs and that cured the sway- even at 120+ mph.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 0
From: Marietta, South Carolina, USA
Re: Need help with drag tires. (fstvette)
You get the best hook from ET streets with low air pressur but then the car will sway a lot so you have to find the right air pressur to make it hook at take off and not sway at the top.
Jay
Jay
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 807
Likes: 0
From: Fort Wayne IN
Re: Need help with drag tires. (MrJay)
Good info guys thanks. Will 16 inch Et streets be more stable than 15's? I have already hacked my brakes in the back so the 15's will fit. Also what sizes and offsets are you guys running? Front and rear for the people that have race wheels.
4.27 gears WOW. I fry the heck out of the et streets with 3.45's. I was launching at 3000. I have heard to up the launch rpm to get out of the torque of the motor but I don't think my motor losses too much torque up top. I was thinking of 3.92's but that might even be too high with a 200 shot of N20.
Also To tube or not to tube? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Thanks
Brad
4.27 gears WOW. I fry the heck out of the et streets with 3.45's. I was launching at 3000. I have heard to up the launch rpm to get out of the torque of the motor but I don't think my motor losses too much torque up top. I was thinking of 3.92's but that might even be too high with a 200 shot of N20.
Also To tube or not to tube? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Thanks
Brad
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 0
From: Colleyville Texas
Re: Need help with drag tires. (fstvette)
There should not be a big difference between the 15" and 16" ET streets. If you are frying the ET's at 3,000 RPM's, you must be adding a 100+ hit of juice at the line. My recommendation would be: add a set of skinnies in the front, 28-12.50-15 ET streets in the back, remove your sway bar in front, add some drag shocks and a DRM bracket in back. You will need a set of 15X10 wheels with the ET's and a 7/16 spacer to fit. If you want to drive on the street and to the track, put on a set of 325-50-15 BFG drag radials on the 15 x 10 wheels. Long tubes will add 15HP/TQE and make the spinning issue even more of a challenge. 3.73 gears, 383 stroker and a 200 shot of nitrous should work well with the 325's or 28 ET's.
[Modified by Red Rocket, 7:48 PM 9/28/2001]
[Modified by Red Rocket, 7:53 PM 9/28/2001]
[Modified by Red Rocket, 7:48 PM 9/28/2001]
[Modified by Red Rocket, 7:53 PM 9/28/2001]
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 807
Likes: 0
From: Fort Wayne IN
Re: Need help with drag tires. (Red Rocket)
I don't have Nitrous yet. I have a feeling that the road wasn't the best and I probably didn't heat them up enough. I don't have line lock yet so I didn't want to fry my brakes. I am sure at the track they would have hooked up. Heck I launch at 3000 rpm on my street tires at the track.
Which shocks? A friend recommeded koni yellow sports? I plan on putting bushings in this winter the DRM plate, shocks, and what else? I just took the front sway bar off. Man I never thought I would drag out my vette :sad:
Where is a good starting place to launch at with the 15 inch et streets on the street and at the track?
Thanks
Brad
[Modified by fstvette, 9:23 PM 9/28/2001]
Which shocks? A friend recommeded koni yellow sports? I plan on putting bushings in this winter the DRM plate, shocks, and what else? I just took the front sway bar off. Man I never thought I would drag out my vette :sad:
Where is a good starting place to launch at with the 15 inch et streets on the street and at the track?
Thanks
Brad
[Modified by fstvette, 9:23 PM 9/28/2001]
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 4,724
Likes: 16
From: Little Elm TX
Re: Need help with drag tires. (fstvette)
Looks like about everything is covered in this thread, but if you do have the brakes already clearanced for 15" rims, then I strongly recommend them, they have a lot more Tire options vs the 16" rims.
Air pressure depends on your rim/tire combination, but if you're running ET streets with a 26" tire and a 3000 + raceweight, MT suggests 16 psi, thus a cold 12-14 psi will tyically get you their.
good luck
Beach
Air pressure depends on your rim/tire combination, but if you're running ET streets with a 26" tire and a 3000 + raceweight, MT suggests 16 psi, thus a cold 12-14 psi will tyically get you their.
good luck
Beach
