I finally made it to a drag strip and got hooked. I thought about getting a set of drag radials, but at the moment, I can only swing a set of steelies to mount them on. I know those are a crapload heavier than the 15"c8s I've got now, but is the extra grip worth it? I drive too many miles to put them on my daily driver wheels. Also what brands of radials have you had experience with? (i.e. would recomend)

Sorry for the noob questions, but I'm just a street racer new to all this "real" racer stuff


[Modified by ATXhybrid, 6:48 PM 1/25/2003]

 

drag radials really aren't tha bad on the street, but if you want to stick to keeping them @ the track, the steelies aren't a bad way to go. Definatly better than wearing through your nice street rubber. I was happy with the 555R's but am hearing different stories and rumors of that tire no longer being made for the import guys/girls. I'll be wearing BFG T/A's on my 17's in the near future.
-Erik

 

my only problem with drag radials on the street is the amount of miles that I'd end up putting on them. My regular T1-S's only last about 10-11 months.

 

find soem cheap 15'' rims
put some bfg's on them- g-force's
i loved mine

 

love the BFG's

 

nittos suck if u have a lot of power

 

Try to find some used stock alloy wheels instead of the steelies, too much added weight.

 

Learn to drive with the radials before you expect results. They are alittle tricky. I had a hard time at first.

 

yeah they are tricky

 

I couldn't figure it out in our Si, so I gave up and went back to street tires. Sold them with our GSR rims.

 

I would try to find some used slicks 20-8-14 on steelies go for about $100-150. or get the bfg's

 

BFG's all the way.

Slicks will end up boggind a low powered car and run the risk of damaging axles, final drives etc...

Not to say hooking with drag radials cant do the same but the amount of give on the drag radials will allow some more room to an ideal 99% traction condition....100% and you will bog...some slight slip is best.

I cut off about 5 tenths with the addition of my drag radials and learning to use them. I used sticky BGF KD streets....2.3-2.4 60's with the DR's 2.0's pretty consistently and I feel a 1.9 will be coming after I put in a clutch that wont slip as much as the stock ITR I have on now.

My launch technique is a little different from street tire launching.....I rev to 6-7K and dump the clutch and let the tires do the work...I have to say they helped me become much more consistent and that led to a local track championship my rookie season...cant ask for more than that.

 

Slicks will end up boggind a low powered car and run the risk of damaging axles, final drives etc...

I have done dozens of 7k launches with 24.5-8-13 slicks, with 240 lbs of tq. and a ats lsd and have never damaged a honda axle.

 

I actually bought a set of 20x8x14 slicks on steelies from Trever a while back. I've done 12-13 passes on em, no crazy power (161/120tq), 1.9s all day, 7K+ launches...no problems

Trever, I ran a 14.1 the other day at palmdale. But my ****** coil or ignitor is actin up...tach fluctuates around 3500rpm

 

I will leave it at if the tires dont slip and the clutch grabs hard... will something break?

I never said it will always happen just run the risk more so than drag radials.

 

might be OT but what drag radials most of you guys are useing? any opinions on the BFG g force 205/50/15????

 

i think if you're n/a stick with that size, since when you air it down it will get shorter, in turn giving you a shorter final drive, in a way. that's how i see it. a 225/50/15 might be too big unless you're boosting. i myself picked up a set of 225/50's. we'll see how these do on my near stock GSR.