Bad06vette

I have an opportunity to pick up some ET Street bias ply for a good price... Just need to find some 17in wheels to run them on. They are 11.5in and I was hoping to find a cheap set of z06 run wheels to run them on.

Just wanted to know if anyone was running them and what are your impressions? Likes/Dislikes? Let me know...

LS1LT1

'Stage IT' has used them as well as drag radials on his yellow LS3 manual, I think he's done pretty well with them too (they hooked good enough to help break his rear unfortunately ). Hopefully he'll chime in here with some more info.
Most others stick with drag radials though, especially us automatic guys.

Bad06vette

Yikes, break his rear?

I have a manual and will launch at 3k or less each time. Hopefully, I won't dead hook and break! I just need something to help me get off the line... The best I have cut on street tires is a 2.28, yikes!

dsp300c

i thought that if you are running radials up front it is best to run drag radials out back b/c if you don't run radials with radials then the car on the top end down the track will start feeling like it is getting out from underneath you....or am i wrong...i thought that is what i read when i was looking at sticky tires...they said get MT ET Street Radias not MT ET Streets

Joe_G

I had them...but you better plan to get front bias plys if you want to run them. They are very wobbly at the big end, particularly if you can get to 120 mph or so. The rear of the car starts to wander in the lane. It's scary at first, but you get used to it - I never had any trouble and could always control the car....

but I was always afraid if someone came at me or I neeeded to do an evasive manuever I'd spin the car. I finally realized it wasn't worth the danger and I didn't want to hassle and the expense of the skinny bias fronts.

Traction was good, but I never got a better 60 ft than with drag radials, but they were more consistent than drag radials - they never spun but DR's can spin if track prep is less than optimal. Plus they wear out a lot faster than drag radials and you can't drive on the street with them. In summary they are great if you trailer your car, and are great for a dedicated drag car, but for a street car, I stick with drag radials.

Definitely don't go from street tires to bias plys. Get some DR's.

PRE-Z06

agree w/ previous statements...would like to add in their favor that they absorb some of the driveline shock of a manual and prevent wheelhop, #1 rearend killer...kinda overkill though if you're not launching over 3k rpm

Stage IT

In my opinion its the best tire to run if you have a manual vette. I yes i broke a rear on them but i also broke a rear on DRs a month before that. I dont think either was really tire related i believe they were faulty aftermarket RH output shafts. The ET streets will be better on your rear than 17'' DRs because both can dead hook your car but in the process the bais plys will wrinkle taking up some of the shock were as DRs with the stiff side walls will send the shock right into the drive line. Its fine to run radial skinneys and bias rears accually i prefer it...you have more control this way even though it's easier to over correct if your not used to the bias ply tires. a misconception that bias all the way around makes them fell better. With them front and rear there will be more of a flooting fell like steering a boat.

Stage IT

oh did i metion they are my street tire setup also

Bad06vette

How about running the ET Streets with my kdw2s up front? I hear that it is in some ways dangerous to run a radials with non-radials... Although, all my buddies do it on there cobras/mustangs, etc. But, obviously... I want to be more cautious.

Bad06vette

Bump.

I am about to buy some c5 wagon wheels or some c5z wheels. Fronts of course, so I can run a 17in tire.

Do you think I will be good using the ET street slicks?

All my buddies (who drive cobras) keep telling me that DRs suck and that I should get slicks... adn that DRs are not worth it, and yada yada yada...

I need some pointers. The car will be taken to the track prob twice a month and I'll do 3-4 runs each time. These will not be street driven. Just put on and off at the track.

Let me know ya'lls thoughts!!!

TinSecondRice

I run et streets on the back and stock tires up front. It hooks great but is wobbly. The first run was a little scary, but you get used to it quick.

LS1LT1

Yes. And the 17" wagon wheels (or Y2K thin spokes or Magnesiums...ironically I now own a set (2 each) of all three LOL) should be good with the 17" ET Streets (aka: bias plies) mounted on them. The 8.5' width is at the lowest end of the rim width scale (listed as 8.5" - 11" I believe) but the tires do look quite natural on there.

LS1LT1

Yes many others have spoken of that as well, having skinnies on the front (be they radial or bias ply skinny tires) will help ease some of that sway/looseness up top though.

TinSecondRice

Yes I am working on getting a set of gto spare wheels for the front and putting new tires on them. Got one so far, one to go!

Bad06vette

well since you have a set (2 each) of all of those... would you like to sell me one of those sets? Lol. I have posted in the c5 section... but, no luck so far. I was trying to get the 17in wagon wheels... because they are ridiculously cheap!

Let me know if you would like to sell one of your THREE drag sets!

LS1LT1

My wagon wheels are painted grey actually (not painted very well unfortunately) but the M/T drag radials on them are worn smooth. As of right now I'm still deciding what I'm going to do and what drag set up I want to run so I'm keeping them all for a bit even though my garage space is limited LOL.
And yes wagon wheels really are available very cheap, I've seen them for as little as $75.00 for two 17" rims!

Joe_G

Also 275 DR's are over an inch shorter than bias plys...that gives a very nice gearing advantage.

I dropped from 1.8's (every time) with et streets to 1.6's and 1.7's on DR's, with an occasional 1.9 when the track isn't properly prepped.

I'll never go back to bias plys for the safety reasons I typed above. That wobbly feeling is bad...but what control do you think I'd have if I had to change lanes at the top end. Likely none. And I've had to avoid a fox and a 3' crane (bird) at the big end at our track, so it's a real conern!

LS1LT1

On paper it's shown as less than an inch (they're both listed as 26" tall but in reality the bias plies are roughly 26.5" and the drag radials are roughly 25.7") but the drag is still clearly shorter.

Bad06vette

Well, let me know if you decide to sell! I would love to get my hands on a cheap set asap!

8850

Started out with Nitto DR's on my 98 Camaro. They wore out very fast. Chunks came out during the burn out. Switched to ET Streets and ran them 7 years, street and track. They lasted me about 4000 miles a set. Probably 100+ passes per set. Maybe some DR's are better now. You do get some squirm with the Streets but with about 25 psi it is lessened to an acceptable level. And with the proper width wheel you don't need to run lower than 25 psi. With to narrow wheel you will get the crown effect and the outer portion of the tire is not making contact with the ground. With the correct width the tire is contacting 100% resulting in better traction and allows for more air pressure. I ran 25 psi and got much better traction than with the Nitto DRs.

My best was a 1.44 60' on ET Streets. With a proper burn out they held like glue and were probably good for even better 60's.

I ran the car with radials and bias tires up front and made no difference. Just keep the pressure up in the ET Streets.