Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track
 

Looking for some input from you experts out there. having the ati procharger kit installed on my 99 A4 coupe (already has cat back corsa exhaust, street x-pipe, 172 stat, throttle body coolant bypass), ati racing balance, breathless long tube headers will also be done (will also key the crank). I have heard that guys are spinning a lot with this setup and would like the forum's opinion and references on slicks, drag radials, et streets for the drag strip. Everything else is stock. Will the increased traction with slicks hurt my transmission? thanks a bunch for the help. what are the costs of each option?


[Modified by urslooow, 6:24 PM 5/26/2002]

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (urslooow)
 

Do you have an M6 or A4. A good set of slicks will give you the best traction. ET Streets second and Drag Radials third in giving the best traction all things being equal.


98 A4
Powerloaded
Donaldson Blackwing
172 t.stat
Pro torque 2400
3.42 Gears

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (Mitch C)
 

Mitch I have an A4. do you know anything about sizing slicks and what the effects are on the c5 auto trans while using a blown (ATI) C5?

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (urslooow)
 

DRs hook very well.

Slicks require grinding of control arm to clear 16 wheels

Try some used DRs, if you don't think they hook well, go for the slicks.

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (urslooow)
 

Depending on how much HP and TQ you have you might not want to go with a slick If you hook up to good is when you start breaking things :yesnod:

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (VERTVETTE)
 

I agree-- I'm just getting good with my Drag Radials (Nitto), and I'm getting mid 1.7's-- low 1.7's are in the future----
I know ET Streets will get you to the 1.6's, but you need custom wheels (I'm just using some C4 saw-tooth 17's for the Nittos)
I'm more than happy with the Nittos for now, as they are very cost-efficient...but when the need arises, I'll probably need the ET's to get where I want to be...
:cheers:

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (MDL-01C5)
 

Hopefully, weekend after next I can test my new set up! I just wish they made some ET Streets that would fit on my 17X11!

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (MDL-01C5)
 

MDL..............how in the heck are you getting 1.7's on Nitto's? Best I can get are 1.83's Do you spray? Auto or stick? Heads? I know how to heat em up...bu tell me how you're doing it. Please :D

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (Mag Red Monster)
 

No prob, buddy-- MN6, mildly polished heads, cam, NO SPRAY,
~17 lbs pressure, DRY burnout at about 5000RPM+ for 6-7 seconds or so, then I try to spin them right up to the line...
At stage, I hold clutch "just" so it's about to engage, wind to 4500-5000RPM as the tree yellows are dropping, and launch with almost (95%) full throttle 'AS I let off the clutch' (just a bit slower than an outright dump--let it catch, then floor it the instant you get traction) I've found that this has worked well--- understand, that the tires ARE spinning for the first 20 feet or so, but it's pulling HARD at the same time-- don't ask me to explain it, cause I can't, but all my best 60's have been like this-- (Best '60 yet is a 1.74, but I screwed up the 1-2 shift on that one, so the time was only 12.14 :rolleyes: )
I'm still refining this method, as I've just figured out to do it right and get these #'s...and now I'm putting the "good" heads on the car
:reddevil , so we'll see how it does with those in a few weeks:D

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (urslooow)
 

I'm learning about the Nitto's as well...Got 'em down to 15ilbs and a 6-7 sec. burnout..but I think I should bring down to maybe 12-14 lbs and get them really sticky...My best 60' with them is a 1.72..there better to come I'm sure of it...Practice...Practice...Practice...:D

Heres a burnout / video of one of my last runs with the Nitto's...Hope it helps!
http://www.badazcorvettes.com/~vstel...1214moroso.mpg


[Modified by vstella, 8:49 AM 5/27/2002]

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (vstella)
 

:cheers: I'll have to drop the pressure down to 15 then and stay out of the water. Funny thing was my best 60' at Beach Bend was my first run and I forgot to drop the pressure :bb . It was at 30 psi

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (vstella)
 

That's a cool video, bud-- we must have very different powerbands, though-- didn't sound like you had to wind up that high to get those excellent launch results--
I've got to spin to 6900 RPM to hit my max HP-- and good TQ doesn't come in until @4000RPM, peaking at ~5000... Perhaps that why you have such excellent 60's with lower launch RPM's-- you have more available torque to use at launch---wheras I've got excellent high-end HP to make up for it at the end...
God, I LOVE drag-racing--- this stuff is so awesome
You've got those 11's in the bag, man-- I look forward to seeing the results for you next time out :cheers: :smash:

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (urslooow)
 

Not an expert, but that setup is a lot of power for a stock A4. It's only a matter of time. Might want to check out a transmission upgrade at some point. I'm considering the 700R4 described at http://www.transmissioncenter.net or a Pro Yank at http://www.converter.cc

The price is certainly right. I have some time before my big mods begin, and I hope to talk to people running these trannies before final decision. Then of course, you may need a severe duty driveline, severe duty rear-end, etc. Racing is fun but $$!

Now that Linda's C5 is being built next week, I can start budgeting for my mods. Her coupe had to come first.

Thanks for post on rear tires for drags. I will also have to open my wallet for these! :cheers:


[Modified by DanC5, 8:50 PM 5/26/2002]

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (MDL-01C5)
 

I just now realized you're running an automatic :lol:
DOH-- now we have absolutely nothing in common at the track :smash:
Never mind the comparison....

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (MDL-01C5)
 

The best and safest way to hook up a C5with sig. power is et streets with skinnies. Et streets ar essentially a DOT approved cheater slick and you cannot fit regular slicks on c5s because they only come in 15 inch wheels and impossible to get them fit unless your nick at ARE. There is only one slick just released by Hoosier, which will also fit onto the 16 inch ccw drag wheel which also is the wheel you want use for et streets..Of course, you could get 16 inch wheel for f body and run et streets, 26x16x10.5 and run your stock radials in front but you will have to get use to the squirelly feeling the car gives you fromj having a wrinkle wall bias ply tire in back and drag radial in front. Most guys run this with no problems after getting use to same but several have kissed the wall on the top end of the quarter mile as sometimes the squirreleness of the car is just too much to overcome for some. Practice and get use to this set up with radials on front and you should be fine and save .2 tenths off drag time ets vs. using drag radials.

Nitrovette :smash:

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (MDL-01C5)
 

what do these #s mean (1.7, 1.6)?

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (vstella)
 

nice video :cheers:

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (urslooow)
 

Man, I wish there was an answer for me in this post. I have been trying to get my car to hook up and it hasn't. I just went to the track and ran a set of BFG Drag Radials. They are 315/35/17's and they fit on the car fine. However, I tried several different tire pressures starting at 14.5 and down to 12 and at a 3500 rpm dump I am blowing the tires off. At 2500 it bites and wheel hops and its hard to find second when you wheel hop thru first. My 60's were worse on the Drag Radials then on my Pilots. Must be purely driver error. I am thinking of selling these and getting the 305 Nittos. This is getting me down. All this power and not being able to hook up is a drag. I hope you have better luck than I am having.
Regards
Randy Goss :cheers: :confused:

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (rfgoss1)
 

urslow-- the 1.7/6 is the sixty-foot time-- which is the second number right after the response time on the timeslip(which is irellevant for ET, by the way, since the 1/4 time doesn't start clocking until you've travelled 1 foot from the starting line...RT only matters when you're racing the guy next to you--NOT the clock)-- it indicates the time it took you to travel 60 feet-- which is considered one of, if not THE most important part of the run-- since a tenth of a second improvement on your 60 is equal to 1.5 to 2 tenths at the end of the track--
For example--generally speaking, if you run a 13.00 with a 2.00 '60, and then pull a 1.80 '60, you should run a 12.7 or better with the exact same HP.
Your 60 is the best measurement of how you get out of the hole, which is the primary variable that can change from run to run-- your HP and TQ are the same, (and unless you miss a gear, or are slow at shifting[on M6's]) the entire rest of the run will be pretty much the same after you have gotten past that point--- which means that any major improvement in your times are going to come from your launch, within that first sixty feet---(unless you've got a manual, where you can power shift to shave off a tenth etc...)so that is the area you want to focus on the most---
This is the reason we all switch to Drag Radials and ET Streets when we get serious about accomplishing good times...
With runflat street tires, or any regular street tire for that matter, you are simply not going to get the kind of 60's that you can with stickier tires.
These guys claiming 1.8 60's with runflats are literally one in a thousand-- 999 out of 1000 can't do better than a 1.95 or so off them , and that's the BEST of most (1.997 here)-- which means they've got some variable working in their favor that isn't present in anyone elses situation...maybe softer tires from the factory, or a more well-balanced factory suspension than the vast majority, front/rear weight balance...whatever it is, it let's them get times that are physically impossible for everyone else. Don't expect to ever see them.
I'm not an expert on drag racing-- I've been doing it for less than a year...but there are universal constants that have taken 5/10th's off my times once I applied them to my technique---using appropriate tires was one of the best things I could have ever done...and vital to me making the 11's for the first time :smash:

Re: Slicks vs Drag Radials for the track (rfgoss1)
 

rf-- drag radials DO stick-- you just have to find out what yours need to do it...
I've NEVER heard of 12 lbs as being a good #-- I'm surprised you're not spinning the rims free of the tire at that minute level of pressure...those ARE radials-- not slicks-- Why don't you try 15-18 lbs, at varying launch RPM's so you can find the best one---
are you REALLY heating up the tires?
Wet or dry stage?
I've heard the BFG's are easier to heat up than the Nitto's, and don't require the John Force burnout to stick...what do you do?
Are you launching at your cars max torque RPM?
Mine comes from 4200+, which is the reason I launch where I do---
DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!
You have 1.7's in those buggers, you just gotta find how to unlock them :yesnod: :cheers:


[Modified by MDL-01C5, 10:00 PM 5/27/2002]