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i will be looking to get a track only wheel/drag tire combo for my z. my thought was initially, 17 inch wagon wheels and picking up some used BFG drag radials. 275's. what'd you guy think, any experience, would the 18 inch wagon wheels be better with 18 inch radials out back? i have the stock rear end and want to say away from et streets, for fear of breaking at the track. also don't want to spend more than $300 or so, and can get what i listed above for around that. thanks!
i will be looking to get a track only wheel/drag tire combo for my z. my thought was initially, 17 inch wagon wheels and picking up some used BFG drag radials. 275's. what'd you guy think, any experience, would the 18 inch wagon wheels be better with 18 inch radials out back? i have the stock rear end and want to say away from et streets, for fear of breaking at the track. also don't want to spend more than $300 or so, and can get what i listed above for around that. thanks!
slow I am not 100% sure of what you are asking. But I will answer you with a couple of ideas that may help.
Wagon wheels are great wheels for the track, they are light and strong. 275's would fit on the 18x9.5 as would a 295. Many opt for fronts instead and go with the 17 x 8.5 inch wheel in the rear and the appropriate size drag radial.
slow I am not 100% sure of what you are asking. But I will answer you with a couple of ideas that may help.
Wagon wheels are great wheels for the track, they are light and strong. 275's would fit on the 18x9.5 as would a 295. Many opt for fronts instead and go with the 17 x 8.5 inch wheel in the rear and the appropriate size drag radial.
yeah, i'm thinking 17inch wagon wheels with 275 BFG drags out back. i am wondering if 18inch wagons with a little wider might be better. but i figure the weight/sidewall of the 17 would be great. also, on a stock rear, are BFGs too much, maybe go with nitto drags? i know i want to shy away from et streets b/c i'm stock rearend.
17inch wagons with 275 bfg would be good for some 1.8 short times? i don't have a lot of drag experience, but want my Z in the 7.7 range 1/8 mile.
I have about total 500 passes in two Z06s with stock drive trains and without breakage.
I'd suggest going with BFG 315.35.17 DRs on Z06 fronts. That's the combo PowerShifter was running. I used the same tire on 12" wide CCW.
If you want 1.8X 60', you should be able to get that on a heated F1SC (stock tire) with a little practice. But the BFG 315s are good for 1.7X.
The smaller DR (275 and 295) are definitely sub-optimal on a stock Z06, too small a footprint.
Opinions vary.
Ranger
i was hoping you'd chime in...remind me how wide the stock z fronts are...9.5? so 9.5 are good to run a 295-315 on? what about rear wagon wheels (looking to remain cost efficient). rear wagon wheels and 295-18 or 305/315 bfg or nittos? thx man!! i have about $300 to spend, don't know if i can squeeze z06 wheels in on that budget.
Z06 front wheels are 9.5 X 17. I've run them on the rear of my 02 and so have many other owners. The offsets are perfect.
Others can talk about the offsets on the wagon wheels. I've not used them on my Z06s.
As for tires, BFG DRs are the best choice for riding the launch learning curve. Once you get those to produce consistent 1.7s, you can drop another half tenth by going with ET Street Radials. But they require a higher (+500 to +700) launch rpm than the BFGs and therefore will wear out your clutch faster.
Finally, the narrower BFG DRs will launch slower and give more spin on the shifts than the 315s.
Z06 front wheels are 9.5 X 17. I've run them on the rear of my 02 and so have many other owners. The offsets are perfect.
Others can talk about the offsets on the wagon wheels. I've not used them on my Z06s.
As for tires, BFG DRs are the best choice for riding the launch learning curve. Once you get those to produce consistent 1.7s, you can drop another half tenth by going with ET Street Radials. But they require a higher (+500 to +700) launch rpm than the BFGs and therefore will wear out your clutch faster.
Finally, the narrower BFG DRs will launch slower and give more spin on the shifts than the 315s.
Ranger
thx! i replied to your pm, you inbox is full. let me know when you get room i'll resend it.
i have the stock rear end and want to say away from et streets, for fear of breaking at the track.
Not to stir the pot, but I feel this statement is incorrect. Most people I know that are seriuosly drag racing street cars, feel that drag radials are harder on the car than slicks because of the lack of sidewall. Sidewall flex is a weak link that will prevent breakage. Wheel hop will break parts.
However, slicks aren't really an option at the $300 price point.
Not to stir the pot, but I feel this statement is incorrect. Most people I know that are seriuosly drag racing street cars, feel that drag radials are harder on the car than slicks because of the lack of sidewall. Sidewall flex is a weak link that will prevent breakage. Wheel hop will break parts.
However, slicks aren't really an option at the $300 price point.
Just my $.02.
Mike
i see what you're saying, but i still heard of/seen more people break on et streets or slicks, than bfg or nitto drag radials.
Not to stir the pot, but I feel this statement is incorrect. Most people I know that are seriuosly drag racing street cars, feel that drag radials are harder on the car than slicks because of the lack of sidewall. Sidewall flex is a weak link that will prevent breakage. Wheel hop will break parts.
However, slicks aren't really an option at the $300 price point.
Just my $.02.
Mike
I agree. I think most people that use E/T streets launch alot higher than people that use drag radials so they tend to blame the e/t street a bit.
I personally would go with a camaro 16" wheel with 255/50/60 nittos or a 26/10.5/16 e/t street.
The C5 Z06 has been out for five years making passes at the drags.
Breakage I've witnessed personally at near stock power levels was almost always the result of driver error.
The tried and true set-up is a BFG 315.35.17 DR. They will launch at 3500-4100 just fine without breakage.
Other tires can be run but won't produce as well, that includes ET Street bias-ply which are too much tire for near-stock power levels (under 400 rwhp), unless you are prepared for 6000+ rpm clutch dumps.
I've run ET Street Radials (275.40.17) and they require 4600-5200 rpm launch at 19-22 psi to even give a slight spin. That is pretty punishing for a stock clutch. ET Street Bias-ply yield even more punishment.
Yep, I have had good luck running the 315 BFG, allthough the 18 on stock rear Z06 wheels, about 150 passes and broke nothing. Under the right conditions and power levels these tire have seen 1.4x. The ET streets can be brutal on a stock car if you dead hook, meaning no spin. I'll be running the ET Street maybe next year, but have the power. Good luck with your choice
Robert
Got about 10 2.0's with this set up....In short...I made a big mistake.
Theres just not enough flex in my set up...
Something not right, I ran 1.8s on runflats. I can not think of any good reason BFG DR's would not out perform your original runflats, that does not make any sense.
Got about 10 2.0's with this set up....In short...I made a big mistake.
Theres just not enough flex in my set up...
Nothing personal but I would say driver technique is probably the issue here. Side wall flex isn't the issue with 2.x 60'ers. I was getting 1.6x 60's out of 315 18's stock, and 1.5x's on the spray.
Robert