darbleinad

howdy guys,

i am in need of some advice. i am looking to improve my ets, just like everyone else, and i have a real problem with traction. my 60ft times are about 2.4 if i am lucky, 2.5 is much more common. traction is a severe problem with my 3.23s and open rear end. currently i am in the process of swapping in some 4.11s and a posi carrier. this should be ready to go by wednesday night. i dont have time to work on it this weekend. anyway, the posi should help, but i would like to upgrade my tires for the strip. currently i am using 27.5x9.5 goodyear eagle cascar slicks (think of cascar as the canada equivalent of the Busch series). anyway, these are a radial construction tire and have a stiff sidewall because they are designed for circle track use. i would like to upgrade to a sticker, shorter tire for the track. by the way, the car is an 84 TA with 260 000 kms, and a old worn out, completely stock suspension. yes i know i should fix this, but i dont have time right now. i have 15 x 7 rims.

now, on to my question. what tires should i get? BFGs drag radials or Nittos? the word is Nittos last longer, but BFGs are sticker?

what about M/T ET streets or ET drags? how much sticker are the ET drags?

i dont mind changing the tires at the track, but i suppose changing them at home right before i go to the track would be much easier abnd i would have to lug a bunch of stuff to the track. obviously if i get a true drag slick i will have to change them at the track.

anyway, what do you drag race veterns recommend?

darbleinad

in the end, i want the tire that will give me the best results in terms of improving traction and therefore ets. i dont mind getty a sticker tire that doesnt last as long because i simply dont have time to make it the track more than once a month at the absolute most during the season. drag radials and slicks are very expensive here in canada, so i want to get the ones that will result in the most et reduction. i know my car has the potential to run low 13s, especailly, with the new posi, 4.11s, and the new hedman long tubes i installed last night, but the traction issue is really holding me back. i would love to see some 60fts times in the 2.0-2.1 range.

kfoley

Are you running the stock rear? If so I wouldn't reccomend drag slicks, it won't take too many launches with those. I don't have any personal experience, but I would go with BFG's from everything I've heard.

darbleinad

yep i am still running the stock rearend. obviously i am rebuliding it with all new bearing and what not when i change the gears and add the posi, but it will still be an old weak 10 bolt. so that is a great point, slicks may be too much for it.

i was doing some reading and Stephen87IROC, mentioned that a taller tire helps traction more than a wider one, so perhaps i just need a sticker tire, not a shorter one. cause with the 4.11s going in i dont need to worry as much about a taller tire killing the rear end ratio.

please keep the advice coming. thanks guys.

25thmustang

You cannot beat a straight drag slick for traction. The next best thing is what I have a DOT slick. I use MT ET Street 26x10.5x15s. These tires hook very well for my application and with posi i pulled a 1.794 60' and with an open rear (damn t-loc) I pulled a 1.854. These tires can also be run on the street as I have done more than a few times, and a drag radial will not grip as good as these. Not to dog on DRs as a recent test showed the 15" drag radials to be nearly as good as the ET Streets, but the ET Street are much easier to make hook, and alot more consistent! I say go with an ET Street or other DOT slick, and if you live close enough to the track drive them there!

One quick question. You say you have 2.5 60's yet ran a 13.8 @ 99. I too ran a 13.8 @ 99, but that was with a 2.0 60'? Seems weird!

AlkyIROC

ET Street and ET Drag tires use the same compound. The only difference is the tiny rain grooves in the Streets to get them a DOT rating. Just be aware that DOT tires and slicks use a different tire sizing. A slick width is measured across the tread and a DOT tire is measured across the sidewalls.

I don't recommend using any DOT slick on the street. They are only produced for racing classes that require the use of a DOT tire. They are never intended for street use.

Buy an extra set of rims and have a set of slicks mounted on them just for the track. I'm harder on my slicks than you'll ever be and I get 2 seasons out of them before they're worn out. That's roughly 200 1/4 mile passes.

darbleinad

i have an extra set of rims already. thats what my cascar slicks are mounted on and i swap them on at the track. sounds like the ET drag or ET street is the way to go and it looks like they will last a long time.

what size in the ET drag would you recommend for a 15 x 7 rims and a rear gear of 4.11? what size in ET street?

thanks for the help.

darbleinad

i would kil for a 1.8 60ft. i ran 13.8 with the cascar slicks and the track glued to the 1/8 mile. i pulled a 2.3 60ft that run. i got a really good launch that time.

AlkyIROC

What rpm do you shift at now and what rpm are you crossing the finish line at?

Cascar slicks are not really designed for drag racing. The rubber is too hard and they don't have the proper oils in the rubber to make them sticky like a drag tire. I'm not sure how accurate those Cascar sizes are but an ET Drag 28 x 9 should be a close replacement size. It's actually 27.3" tall. The ET street 28 x 11.5 is about the same size.

You can check out the MT tire sizes at http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/

darbleinad

cool. thanks for the info. as for the cascar slicks, they arent designed for drag racing, but they are a slick, and they are much better than my street tires. you really have to heat them up real good. a big, smokey burnout is key.

as for shiftinh, i usually shift at 5500 and cross the line at about same.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

I know the DOT slicks are "not designed" to be street driven, but these are the only tires I've run out back for 2 years/seasons and have'nt had any problems. Driver just has to be concious not to hang a corner like Andretti or go driving through the timber. Sometimes when I think about it I'll air them upto 20psi, but most times whatever the psi goes down to sitting on the trailer ride home is what gets ran around town. Sure I might be able to get more life, but I figure a $400 investment per season in tires is a small price in the big picture, just for my owm peice of mind. Oh I should mention that I gotta order a new set to finish out this year already-gotta be from going rounds this season

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

According to http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/strip.html , ET Drags are either "L4", "L8" or "M5" coupound. ET Streets are all M5.

For what it's worth.

I just started running Hoosier Quick Time Pro DOTs. I run both DOT-required and slicks-allowed classes, so these make muster for either. I've only made 8 runs on them, but so far I'm impressed. I just need to figure out how much burn-out I need to do.

darbleinad

thanks for the tips guys. i have a feeling if i get the et streets i will change them at the track, unless i am in a huge hurry, and its easier to change them at home.

five7kid, you hit on my next 2 questions........... 1. anyone know much burnout the ET streets like?

2. are hoosier quick time pro DOTs better than M/T ET streets? anyone used both? any other brands to consider? the quick times are available in more sizes on summit, but also cost more.

25thmustang

darbleinad, we have used both ET Streets and Quick Time pros. I will let you know every peice of info though. The QTs we used were 26x9.5 and the ET Streets we used were 26x10.5s. The QTs hooked less consistent and less because they were on a 9" rim and the tire patch was less than the rim causing distortion! The ETs were on an 8" rim and the patch was perfect and hooked better! On the same car the ETs pulled a 1.69 and the QTs pulled 1.80. If equipped with the same size they would have hooked the same, but this is what happened to us.

As far as the burnout mine like alot of heat. The more the better. I usually let the tires pull the car out of the burnout!

Boxeat2469

I use Nitto drag radials. Great handling tire, V rated, and hook just fine at the track. I run consistent low 1.7 60' times, with a best of 1.69. Thats on the same tires that I drove to the track on and just lower down to 15 psi. With MT ET Drag full slicks on I only do a couple hudredths better, with a best of 1.68 60' time. I use the 275/50/15 drag radials on a 8" rim. Works for me. Only suspension mods are tubular rear control arms with relocation brackets. Springs and shocks are stock.

darbleinad

thanks for the info guys. i am now in the process of finding the best deal on some tires, likely ET streets. not sure if i will be ordering from the states, or getting them from here in canada.

i really appreciate all the help you guys have been. i have never bought drag tires before, other than the cascar slicks which were 40 bucks for the set (mounted and balanced) and therefore a no brainer. any i should be able to make the right decision now, cause you guys have gievn me some great advice.

Dano 00TA

I agree with Boxeat2469
I have Nitto extreme drag tires and love 'em....at the track at least. They're not so great for a everyday tire though considering you're driving over oil residue/dust on the street so traction is gonna be limited. If you're gonna run 'em all the time they ain't gonna last for squat either Mine are almost worn out with only about 7000 miles on 'em and maybe 3 trips to the track.