Drag radials on the front?

[Dingleweed]

Hey,

I am starting to look into what rims and tires I want to get soon. I am looking at getting some all black 03 Cobra style rims, 17x9" in the front, and 17x10.5" in the back. I'm looking at getting 315 Nitto drag radials in the back.

So here's the question... I know with the big sticky meats in the back (and smaller, not-so-sticky tires in the front) I will be inducing understeer in the turns. If I put drag radials on the front, will I reduce the amount of understeer in the twisties? Also, it would make sense to me to have the same tire compound on all corners to even things out and bring the car back to as neutral as possible in the turns...

(The car is pretty much a garage queen most of the time, so the increased tire wear of drag radials all the way around really isn't an issue.)

 

[99cobranix]

Drag's aren't going to produce anymore traction until they're heated up. If you are into Auto-X, or SCCA racing it would be beneficial but otherwise I think you should spend the money else where. BTW, I would like to see pics of those wheels, I'll bet they look awesome!

 

[Dingleweed]

Drag's aren't going to produce anymore traction until they're heated up. If you are into Auto-X, or SCCA racing it would be beneficial but otherwise I think you should spend the money else where. BTW, I would like to see pics of those wheels, I'll bet they look awesome!

I want to setup my car for mainly the strip, but the occasional Auto-X. This coming season, I'll probably be at the drag strip 2 to 3 times a month, and I also plan on running a few Auto-X afternoons throughout the year.

What I am hoping to avoid is the situation where I am having a spirited afternoon on an Auto-X course, or twisty back-country roads and my rear tires start to stick much better than my front tires...

Here are the rims that I am leaning towards:
http://www.mustangtuning.com/17x105-03cobra-wheel-black.html

By the way, what rims are those on your car? Are those black, or some kind of gun-metal, etc.?

 

[Orlandostang]

True drag radials will not have the sidewall you would want for AutoX, they will flex to much and I have even seen pictures of a car that flipped b/c he thought using DRs on an AutoX was a good idea. With that said, hybrid street/strip tires like the Nittos DRs might be ok, but for the front you will get more grip and cornering ability out of a good front AutoX type tire like the BFG KD or equivalent Nitto, then you would from using a DR up front.

 

[Dingleweed]

So, would these be more ideal:

These for the front:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireProductCategoryDetailBrnd.do?tpc=NITHZ5&tp=Competition

and these for the back:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireProductCategoryDetailBrnd.do?tpc=NITHV4&tp=Competition

 

[99cobranix]

By the way, what rims are those on your car? Are those black, or some kind of gun-metal, etc.?

They are gun-metal. They are the Saleen (replica) five spoke and powder coated gun-metal grey. The black 03 wheels look sweet.

BTW I assumed that you would be getting the Nitto or BFG drag radials.

 

[Orlandostang]

So, would these be more ideal:

These for the front:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireProductCategoryDetailBrnd.do?tpc=NITHZ5&tp=Competition

and these for the back:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireProductCategoryDetailBrnd.do?tpc=NITHV4&tp=Competition

Yes, that combo looks like it should work very well for your applications.

 

[needforspeed502]

Yes i second that

 

[STAMPEDE3]

3rd.

Although I've seen people run Nitto DRs all around on the road course before the R2 came out, that set up would be the way to go.
I'm still waiting on word from Nitto about the sidewall difference between the two.

 

[RoyWoods]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but Dingleweed's situation/uses are very similar to mine. I noticed on the link to his front tires that it says "the tire's construction will offer a rougher ride when used for daily driving." Anyone have thoughts or opinions? I don't put a lot of miles on the car, but I want it to remain somewhat comfortable when I do drive it.

 

[Orlandostang]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but Dingleweed's situation/uses are very similar to mine. I noticed on the link to his front tires that it says "the tire's construction will offer a rougher ride when used for daily driving." Anyone have thoughts or opinions? I don't put a lot of miles on the car, but I want it to remain somewhat comfortable when I do drive it.

I run BFG KDs on my DD. The KD is a weekend AutoX type tire with a very stiff side wall. I have actually drove 40 highway miles home with zero air pressure b/c of a nail puncture and I didn't notice it until it got home, run flat that. You will notice more feed back from the road with a stiff sidewall tire, but I prefer that, compared to a soft sidewall tire, b/c I can "feel" the road more. I can tell if the road is smooth or course, and when it is safe to push the car. It's not really a rougher ride, that depends more on your shocks/springs, but it is a more controlled ride. Before I got the KDs I had some awful Fuzo economy tires that the car came with. When I put the coilovers on, my car was so tight that the Fuzo's sidewall became the weak point. After I got the KDs everything fit into place and the car handles wonderfully.