Slicks
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 389
Likes: 7
From: Cliffwood Beach NJ
Slicks
Will be buying slicks for the upcomming season, just had a couple questions. Hoosier seems to be the only one that has the right size 26/8/15 or 26/9/15. Any recomendations which size to choose, or other makes. Also, what is the story with top end instability with regular radials in front.
Car is a 68, 4-speed with 3:70 rear. Traps 114 to 116, 60ft times were biggest problem last year.
Car is a 68, 4-speed with 3:70 rear. Traps 114 to 116, 60ft times were biggest problem last year.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 32,545
Likes: 2
From: Lithia FL
Cruise-In II & IV Veteran
CI VI Drag Champ!
The deal is the radial front and bia rear will cause the car to sway at high speeds. Some are okay with it, some are not. I tried it about 117 mph and did not like it.
I seems to be worse with wider front tires too.
Let's wait and see what some of our C3 racers might add.
I seems to be worse with wider front tires too.
Let's wait and see what some of our C3 racers might add.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
From: East Lyme CT
I run 28x11.5x15 Mickey Thompson slicks on my '70. They are mounted on Weld draglites that are 10" with a 3 1/2" back space.
I run MT frontrunners on the front. They are the perfect match for the slicks. I have no problem with sway at high speed (150+).
I run MT frontrunners on the front. They are the perfect match for the slicks. I have no problem with sway at high speed (150+).
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,172
Likes: 86
From: State of Confusion
ARCH, sorry I can't offer anything regarding the bias/radial problem, or another supplier of 26" slicks, but I will suggest this:
if you do decide to put street-legal skinnies up-front, Mickey Thompson sells a few that are approx 26" tall that fit a 3.5"/4" rim, and one is specifically designed for cars tipping-the-Toledos over 3500 pounds (maybe they have stronger sidewalls? ).
I ran them on my Z28, including when it was driven to/from the strip:
I don't have the part-number in-front of me, but it was clearly-listed in the Summit catalog when I bought them.
if you do decide to put street-legal skinnies up-front, Mickey Thompson sells a few that are approx 26" tall that fit a 3.5"/4" rim, and one is specifically designed for cars tipping-the-Toledos over 3500 pounds (maybe they have stronger sidewalls? ).
I ran them on my Z28, including when it was driven to/from the strip:
I don't have the part-number in-front of me, but it was clearly-listed in the Summit catalog when I bought them.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 389
Likes: 7
From: Cliffwood Beach NJ
Thanks for the input. Looking to make some changes for next year and still trying to sort it all out on a cost effective basis. Might just have to get skinny tires because once the season starts I don't want to be scrambling around. So much to do!
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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
If traction is a concern, I'd go with bigger gears in the rear (4.11's) and taller slicks (28 inch tall). Sidewall height is just as important as tread width. 28 x 9 slicks will give you more traction than a 26 x 9 slicks. I'm using 29.5 inch tall slicks on my '68 (Hoosier Radial Slicks 30 x 10.5 - 15 in the rear). In front, I'm using 28 x 4.5 - 15 Moroso DS-2's. Therefore, I'm running a radial/bias-ply combination and if I keep my tire pressure too low, the car would sway pretty bad above 125 mph..
Last edited by GrandSportC3; Dec 31, 2007 at 11:53 PM.
Pro
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 537
Likes: 0
From: Conway SC
Arch - I'm not running slicks, have BFGs DRs on my C4 and I'm only 112 MPH in the traps but I do run Monroso skinnys up front and I will tell you that I am very happy with them. They wear well and provide some very good braking traction with no "wiggle" down the track. I have them mounted on 15X3.5 Weld Prostars and I believe the tire is 26" tall. Just thought the information might be helpful to you.
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
Arch - I'm not running slicks, have BFGs DRs on my C4 and I'm only 112 MPH in the traps but I do run Monroso skinnys up front and I will tell you that I am very happy with them. They wear well and provide some very good braking traction with no "wiggle" down the track. I have them mounted on 15X3.5 Weld Prostars and I believe the tire is 26" tall. Just thought the information might be helpful to you.
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
BTW - my front skinnies and Convo Pro wheels weight less than 20 lbs each. That would be a total of 70 lbs rotating mass reduction which would get you about .2 - .3 better ET's... Each lbs of rotating mass is worth about 4 - 5 times what static weight loss is worth..
