Anyone have any experiences with running drag slicks or drag radials?

**Rice Eater** · 02-06-2006, 02:42 PM

Looking to get a set to keep on some extra rims. Anyone know what size will fit the rear? Anyone used them in the past on LX's or other cars? Are they worth a tenth or two?

**elcapitan87** · 02-06-2006, 03:00 PM

In and of themselves? No, they aren't worth any time, unless you're changing profile enough to change effective gearing. Now, if you're traction limited at the line, they will help with your launch, improving your 60' times and affecting the times accordingly downtrack.
I've run them on n2o cars in the past and have worked with some friends that have monster motor cars that required them and they have been helpful.
For my car (and I'll take the liberty of extrapolating to yours), I'm not seeing them as necessary yet. I'm consistantly seeing 2.0x 60' times bone stock and have yet to send the poor stock Continentals into smoke at launch.
With some DRs, I would see the ability to play with the launch and possibly come out at higher RPM, but otherwise I personally can't justify it.
The other issue with slicks or DRs is the movement of the weakest link in the driveline. As is, your tires will lose traction if you overpower them. Should you be in a situation with enough power and the tires are no longer the weak link, your machine will find the next weakest link somewhere up the driveline.
Are you having traction issues with your current setup, or just looking to see if there is an advantage?

**Rice Eater** · 02-06-2006, 03:12 PM

I dropped the kdw 2's to 24psi in the rear and the only way for me to get a decent launch with out spinning was to really warm them up w/ a decent burnout. If i did just a little burnout they'd spin even if i limited my throttle on launch. I'd like to brake tourque up to 2,000 or at least 1,500 w/ out spinning hard off the line. I am basically looking to reduce my 60 foot times and let that filter down to a faster end time. Best 60time for me is only a 2.146 which yielded a 13.95 @ 101.18mph.

**ZMagnum** · 02-06-2006, 03:43 PM

Look at Meister's post #89. He was running drag radials.

Arizona M&G at Speedworld Motorplex, Sunday January 29th

**Rice Eater** · 02-06-2006, 05:31 PM

Thanks for the link...I pm'd him.

**DriveATransam** · 02-06-2006, 08:45 PM

i dont think you need stickier tires for the times you are going. a longer burnout on street tires will make them more slippery too fyi. were you backing into the water box or no?

**Rice Eater** · 02-06-2006, 11:59 PM

DAT...it felt like the longer I burned out the stickier they got. The KDW2's were feeling really gummy after my runs. Why don't you think I need stickier tires for my times? I wasn't backing into the water box but just rolling through it and lighting them up once past it. It just feels like I can't apply full throttle until I'm really rolling or else I spin and 60' foot times go down the crapper. Plus it'd be fun to have a set of tires you don't care about melting down at the strip! I don't like melting my every day tires.

**DriveATransam** · 02-07-2006, 07:09 AM

first problem is driving through the water box. check this thread out for some techniques: dragstrip techniques

i dont think you need them because you have a 14 second car. a 14 second car shoudnt be going fast enough to warrant them. a little spin out of the hole isnt gonna slow you dont that much and may actually help you a tad. if you go with a drag radial they can grow on the top end because of the soft compound/softer sidewalls and actually hurt you ET. i would start by going around the water box and not dragging water onto the track. you will see a big difference in just doing that.

unless you are doing monster burnouts, a few shouldnt kill the life of the tires that quickly. the kdws are good sticky tires already. im thinking about a pair myself.

**Hemi31** · 02-07-2006, 10:25 AM

Rice Eater,You should be driving around the water and doing a short burnout with street tires.

**Rice Eater** · 02-07-2006, 10:59 AM

hmmm good advice...i did drive around it a couple runs but not on the rest. Thanks for the tips guys. I'm just so damn curious that I want ot see for my self you know. Meister said he is running a set of DR's.

**mikespy** · 02-07-2006, 06:34 PM

I have the KDW2's and i avoid the waterbox at all costs. Best i have gotton out of em is a 1.997 60' which is pretty good for the tires they are. It's weird, but these tires either hook or they don't. They definitly loose hooking power as the temps drop below 55 degrees. The highest i can stall them is 1300 anything more and i spin like a sob. I have to let off and the result is usually a 2.1xx 60ft. I do think i need drag radials though and I will be buying a set of DR's when i get a programmer for tire size and some cheap a** wheels.

**DriveATransam** · 02-07-2006, 11:18 PM

ive cut 1.7s on street tires and 1.50s on nittos (drag radials) on the TA. 1.9 shouldnt warrant DRs yet

its all about launch and track prep.

**mikespy** · 02-07-2006, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by DriveATransam

ive cut 1.7s on street tires and 1.50s on nittos (drag radials) on the TA. 1.9 shouldnt warrant DRs yet

its all about launch and track prep.

Thing is though we aint got a Trans Am, nor do we have a solid rear end like it has , and to top it off, we don't have the suspension of one. At some point we are going to need someone to try it or we could just wait till someone cuts a 1.7 on street tire's in the magnum, which will NEVER happen unless we get some DR to pick up the RPM's Bro.

oops and forgot about the 3.42's.

**DriveATransam** · 02-07-2006, 11:40 PM

im not saying that the magnum will go that fast...im saying that the limits of a street tire are higher than most think are possible.

**mikespy** · 02-07-2006, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by DriveATransam

im not saying that the magnum will go that fast...im saying that the limits of a street tire are higher than most think are possible.

True, but im saying with all of the better parts a TA has, it has a better chance to cut a 1.7 on those same street tires. Once a TA hooks up, it's going to move alot quicker than a STOCK 5.7 magnum.