I have a pair of Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials (P255/50R16), and I can't hook for snot on them.

Tried 'em at the track, and only managed 60' in the 1.8 range. On full drag slicks I usually 60' in the 1.5s. So the car really hooks on slicks, but just spins the drag radials.

I launch at about 5500 - 6000.

I have a 4.33 rear gear and a T5.

Making approximately 390 hp at the wheels (on motor).

My only suspension mods are a 9" rear (if you could consider that a suspension mod) and an adjustable torque arm.

What can I do to bring my 60' down on my drag radials?

 

did you play with air pressures?

 

Somethings funky. I cut 1.6X 60fts on 17" dr's, and they're only nittos'.

 

Yeah, I tried everywhere between 12 and 20 psi. 60' worsened the higher I went, even though Mickey Thompson claims, "A radial will perform quicker the more air you can run." Wasn't the case with me.

 

run 16-17 psi, and get a set of lca relocation brackets...if you look on this very forum, there is a post by MrDude_1 that explaines how and why they work, and why it's important you have them

 

i just went a 1.41 60ft on 26 inch mt drag radials, they are the best tires ever!!!

 

I recently read that some head guy, at M/T said, they are not meant for manual trans. cars. ET streets, are for the sticks, while the radials are more suited for the autos. My friends LS1, is a stick, and he can not hook for nothing. He runs high 11s at like, 120MPH. Shagwell, looks like you had some luck with them, with 1.6xs.
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You have an auto? Right?
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Sorry, ****, I see you used Nittos.

 

i know guys with 5500 rpm stall converters and tranny brakes hookin' just fine on these tires. wouldn't you think that would hit it just as hard, if not harder, then a stick car?

 

From what I have been led to believe a drag radial will work better with a suspension that has some give to it as far as axlewrap is concerned because the sidewall is too stiff to flex as where a bias tire with a softer sidewall will tend to work better with a stiffer suspension as it has the ability to soak up the load in the sidewall


At any rate the difference could partly be made up from the difference in the tire sizes between the slick and the radial
What size slick were you running?

 

Yes, I would believe the same thing. Pretty weird that one of the manufacturers' people would make an excuse for their product. In Dec 2005, Car Craft, page 63, in "whats your problem", M/T VP Ken Warner says it. He says, QUOTE "The radial is a great choice for launching vehicle with an auto trans, unfortunatley they will not work well on a stick shift car such as yours". He goes on to say, "ET street tire, are much better suited to absorb the intense forces of a stick car launch, and will allow you to properly hook up, where as radial tires, reguardless of air pressure or compound, are not so forgiving". Sounds like a **** poor excuse to me, AFTER consumers have already purchased them. "but the fact is, you wont be able to hook your stick shifted car on them no matter how hard you try". How about that! Right from the companies VP!

I used to cut 1.65, 60s with my old 355 combo, with a stick. That was on BFG drag radial though.

 

A freakin 9 second car leaving off the t-brake from 5 grand isn't going to be any softer on a tire than a manual trans car.

 

I dont know about that even on a brake there is some loading of the driveline with a stick it goes from nothing to full power in an instant

 

hmmm...maybe it's in the tire size. all the fast cars i know of are running 15" wheels, and either a 275/60/15 or 295/65/15 tire.

 

I dunno, I personally know stick guys who all have the same complaint. Just telling what I had read. Funny that the Prez of the company has excuses.

 

Bottom line is this guy should be able to hook on drag radials with no problem. He's not making a ton of power. Work on the suspension. Get some lca brackets on it with some good arms.


And no, the driveline is not preloaded with a transbrake engaged.

 

Try not launching as hard, you might be blowing off the tires.

 

how is your suspension setup? sounds like no weight transfer moreso than tires, i've gotten 1.8s on street tires not even radials.

 

Pardon me for being foolish but if you brake stall to load the suspension then hit your brake it will lock with your suspension loaded the brake itself cant load the suspension but you can before engaging it

 

I run a 26x10.5 15. And with those I hook really well.

I've also talked to others who haven't had much luck running drag radials and a stick.
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The suspension's stock except for the adjustable torque arm. But cutting 1.5's doesn't lead me to believe that I need to mess with my suspension. I hook really well - but only on full slicks.

Dunno - maybe moving the LCAs would help me on street tires (or drag radials) but I don't seem to need that on slicks. . .

 

maybe too much pinion angle so it's hitting the tires too hard?

and i'm a firm believer in lca relocation brackets. if nothing else, they help with consistant launches. i got my car to hook well enough ONE time w/o the brackets and open differential...went 1.650, but i only did that ONCE. most every time else it was 1.73 or slower. with the lca relocation brackets i went 1.64-1.68 everytime down the track.

 

Not happenen. A transbrake takes 1/2 the fluid from 1st gear and dumps it into reverse. This makes the car sit/plant. No matter what rpm/load you set it at, the driveline is not loaded until you let go of the button. - That said, even with "X" stall speed and a transbrake, a torque converter still takes some of the hit out of the driveline. Clutch cars are a direct, 100% smack. Why do you think you have to allow for converter slippage when formulating rpm vs speed, unless you're running with the converter "locked", meaning it has a lock-up clutch and is engaged?
- I've spent several nights, at the track, under my car, setting and re-setting my suspension. I've achieved consistent 1.6X 60fts, with a manual trans and 17" dr's(this thing will hook in the pouring rain on fresh asphault... ask Dans87GTA). All my suspension is homemade, which was built with tune ability in mind. I have 3 different tq arm mount points to choose from, 3 different lca heights, and an adjustable pinion. - my new chassis will have even more options, as I'm hunting for 1.4X 60fts on 17's.