Tire Question for Drag Racing

[Pure Vennom]

I am looking to go to the track and do a little better this time. I was thinking that I needed some Mickey Thompson® ET Street ® Nylon, black, tubetype tires and some wheels to put them on

STATE OF THE ART CONSTRUCTION
D.O.T. APPROVED
WRINKLE WALL

What wheels do I need? I was thinking of Weld.

Also I need to know what sizes tires and wheels needed to make them go on a ford Mustang 2003

Thanks

 

[KWladyka]

If you want light the Weld is good. Also if you want anything bigger than a 10.5 tire such as a 11.50 x 16 you will need a Weld or similar rim that has a 9" or 10" width. The most inexpensive way to go is to use the 16 x 10.5 tire (Part# 3792) on a Mustang GT 16x8 rim or Cobra replica. You will not need to use a tube with these tires and rims.

 

[Pure Vennom]

I would like to get a set of rear tires that I could put on and drive my car to the track... race and then drive home and take them off.

I have been looking around the net and found a few options.

Hoosier: Quick Time Drag D.O.T.

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=2546&prmenbr=361


Hoosier's Drag D.O.T. tire
These tires have passed D.O.T. requirements for being highway legal, but they have a reduced tread depth to provide additional traction. Wrinklewall design and specially engineered tread pattern produce an extremely large footprint while the ultra-sticky compound keeps grabbing for more.

I would like to do a little racing but not to the extent of doing the trailer thing. Can this be done or am I way off base here.

I am also confused on what size tire for my 03 cobra and what size wheels that would go with the recommended tire. I know that these tires are taller so I need a smaller height wheel to compensate for it. I just don't know exactly what to get.

Are these tires what I am looking for to reduce my spinning and get more traction while still being able to drive to the track legal. Would they be better for racing then say a drag radial, like the Nittos

 

[jhwalker]

I made a low-bucks investment in this. Picked up Mickey Thompson ET Streets. 16x10.5 (new), and the right size 'barely used' Diamond Racing Wheels. The rusty center of the wheel assumbly sticks out thru hole in the wheel. Nice... Weld wheels are prettier, but I'm told not much difference in performance, and I wanted to put a cap on spending for a while ha ha. I have driven the ET Streets to work and back and cruised around a little 'seeing what they attract', but I will not corner hard in them, and all bets are off if it rains. They drew the tread on with a marking pen. All told, I put about $500 into the tires and wheels and mounting.
You have to be prepared to do an 8-10 second boosted burnout to melt them down. It feels like a long time. I'm thinking about a linelock because I'm heating up the engine doing the burnout, and I'm not comfortable with a 'braked' 2nd gear burnout to stay off the boost.
I used them for the first time last week in high altitude in extreme heat and have no times to talk about yet, but another Cobra with the same wheels and tires plus an intercooler icebox in the trunk was in the mid-11's at the same altitude and heat (correcting to about 10.4) with around 490 rwph. He drives on them to the track.
With the correct burnout, they get very sticky. You have to get used to a little sway at the finish line. Our drive to the track is 60+ miles, so I take them in the backup truck and mount at the track.

JW

 

[KWladyka]

The tires you listed all look like they are for a 15 inch rim. On the 03 Cobra you will need at least a 16 inch tire. In choosing the correct tire for your needs there are several factors to take into consideration, height, tread width, profile, compound, and tread design.

The greater the height, the greater the rotational mass and thus more torque is required to turn the tire. Additionally, height numerically decreases the overall gear ratio of the car. The suspension dynamics and ride height of a car are also designed for a certain height range of tire. In choosing a tire for drag racing one that is the same in height as a stock tire is a safe match. In our case that means a tire that has a height of around 25-26 inches.

Tread width is important not only to help determine how much of the tires tread surface will contact the ground but to also in determining rim size. The basic rule concerning rim width is to use a rim that is plus or minus 1 inch from the tread width. Thus a tread width of 8.5 could use an 8 or 9 inch rim with no problem.
Any good drag racing tire will be made of a soft compound. Tires made for drag racing will meet that aspect. However, the component in a slick has the best of that special formula of rubber. Heating a slick no only makes them sticky but it also releases some of the chemicals in the rubber that allow them to stick to the track better than any other type of tire.

The best drag racing tires will also be designed to have some give under stress, that is, to wrinklewall. When power is applied to the rear tires and the tire start to rotate, they met resistance by the friction of the ground. The tire ends up spinning faster at the center of the wheel than at the outer edge near the ground. This results in the tire wrinkling around a portion of the bottom of the tire. The physics behind the wrinkle is this: when the slick wrinkles, the tire creates a larger contact patch with the ground, or area where the surface of the tire and the ground are in contact. Looking at it from the ground's perspective, you would see the original contact patch, and then when power is applied, you hold onto what you had, and the tire forces more of itself down onto the ground on the front. In simple terms, the tire flattens out, creating a larger contact patch, and thus better traction. This is also why the low profile drag radials will never do as good of a job as a slick.

Finally, consider the tread design. Simply put the closer the tire is to a slick the more rubber will meet the road, the more fiction will be present when power is applied to the wheels. More cuts in the tread equals less traction.

The MT or Hoosier Drag Slicks will best meet these principles but are more tire than a mildly modified Cobra really needs. Moreover, if you want to drive on the street you will need a DOT approved tire. Both MT or Hoosier have DOT approved street slicks that will work.

If you just want a set of rear tires to drive to the track, race and then drive home to take them off, I recommend the 26 x 10.50 x 16 MT ET Streets on a set of 16 x 8 5-114.3 rims (stock size on a 1999 Mustang GT). There are many different styles for this rim size, just pick the one you like. If you want to spend more money and or get a bit more traction capacity, get a 16 x 9 or 10 inch Weld rim and the 26 x 11.50-16 ET Street. Start with your tire pressure around 20 PSI and go down until you feel you have enough grip for your needs.

 

[jhwalker]

Nicely stated, KWladyka.
The difference in the look of wheels, particularly if you plan to ride them on the street once in a while, can be , pretty large.
Mine are industrial looking, ok for track, but a little cobby for the street.
JW

 

[Pure Vennom]

I think I am starting to get it. All I need to do is search for a nice set of 16x 8 wheels. It may be hard to find a nice par of wheels in 16"

Also is it worth considering Nitto Drag Radials or the G-Foce Drag radials. Would there be a lot of difference in my F1's that I have on now.

 

[bbeers]

If you don't mind spending a few extra bucks go with CCW. They will custom make anything you need for your Cobra. They made me 16 x 10's for my ET Streets. They are very friendly and extremely service oriented.

 

[Rwick7]

I would first try a set of BFG Drag Radials on your stock wheels 275/40/17 and see how you like those. When properly heated they hook very well. I'm not sure you wanna be runnin ET Streets or Quick Times unless you have some extra half shafts on hand

 

[Pure Vennom]

CCW.... do they have a web site?

Getting closer to the track with every post.

 

[Rwick7]

www.ccwheel.com

If your set on a 16" wheel also take a look at the Weld XP series wheels 16x8's are around 200 a piece and look and perform well

 

[jhwalker]

Originally posted by StlBlack03
www.ccwheel.com

If your set on a 16" wheel also take a look at the Weld XP series wheels 16x8's are around 200 a piece and look and perform well

In the flesh, the Weld XPs look very nice. I shoulda bought them (my cheapness betrays me from time to time)
JW

 

[Wilson & Co]

Weld XP's

I run the weld ProStar XP's on my 90 LX all the way around and they are HEAVY. Look awesome though..

Not to mention you WILL need to install 3" studs and purchase their special lugs for around 50.00.

If you don't you won't be able to race.

Just trying to save you some time.. The Regular ProStar's are much lighter, just not as strong.. (XP's are forged)

Roger

 

[Jerryk]

Originally posted by BPU
If you don't mind spending a few extra bucks go with CCW. They will custom make anything you need for your Cobra. They made me 16 x 10's for my ET Streets. They are very friendly and extremely service oriented.

BPU, how much were those wheels and what backspace did you ask for, 6"?

Jerry