Ralphy g-Machine

iTrader: (3)

Are you talking about the (Kumho) Ecsta MX? I paid ~$480 for (2) 295/35/18s. The most attractive feature of the Kumhos is the performance for the price; $657 is way too expensive. They are excellent tires, though.

Ranger

A famous, now retired, road racer once said, "It's the driver's job to get the traction, not the car's." True then. True now.

The secret sauce for traction in 1st and 2d gear is to know what the rear tires are doing and not over-power available traction. That means squeezing the throttle rather than mashing it.

If the road surface temp is above 60 degrees and the tires are at normal road temp, then traction of the stock F1SCs (Z06) is excellent. You just need to squeeze the throttle.

Ranger

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Yeah the problem is that if I mess around with Evo's and stuff like that, it would be nice to get off the line faster. I do roll out like you are saying but it's not that fun.

02ZOh6

Key words, road racer. No direspect as you are clearly one of the elite behind the wheel of a vette but the guy who has his foot planted right from the line is usually going to beat the one squeezing on the throttle. All other variables being equal.

Ranger

Your experience is different from mine. I drive stock Corvettes and have never had one on any tire, heated by burnout or not, on the street or on the drag strip that didn't require squeezing the throttle.

That includes running MT ET Street Radials, properly heated, and launched at 5200 rpm. Still had to squeeze the throttle or else I'd induce new wheel spin.

Road race cars, such as the C6R, will spin the tires easily if the throttle isn't squeezed.

It's possible to mod a car to take throttle quicker. But I thought Pro Stock John was talking about a near-stock street car.

Ranger

scramblerman

iTrader: (16)

Can you take us for a ride in our cars Ranger and show us your knowledge???? This is not a joke either!

chuck01

I like my stock F1 much better the the Nitto 555 I used to have.

Ranger

That's a very good approach, taking a ride with fast drivers of your particular platform. Often, eye-opening in what they do that once internalized can help overcome a performance plateau.

But in recent years, management has started enforcing the rules against passengers in fast cars at the drags strip.

So I've put video in my car and key footage will be included on the DVD later this year.

Ranger

02ZOh6

If I had to squeeze it on I would go to a better tire. My car, when stock, could not break Nitto drags loose once the car is in motion and the clutch is fully released. If they start to spin initially and I don't get them to hook then they will continue to spin through 1st. Perhaps your car was stronger than mine. My best time of 3 passes on dr's was 12.04@115. The other two were 12.1's @ 114mph. Best 60' was 1.82. I slip the clutch at 4k. The car does not leave hard as I don't want to get stuck 2 hrs away from home.

02ZOh6

Were they dr's? I know Nitto makes a normal street 555 also. My car has HCI now, maybe 450rwhp and it will ignite stock F1's from a 2nd gear roll. Night and day difference with the dr's.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I'm sure my stock F1's will hook better on the track, that's obvious. But on the street they suck bad, I can't get on it in first gear and I cannot shift 1-2 hard at all, I have to granny shift it.

Ranger

Completely different experience than I have had on those tires on stock C5Zs. I never had trouble launching on the street or making good shifts. But I focus a lot of attention on what the rear tires are doing and don't exceed available traction. Mine never required granny shifts.

What rear psi (cold) are you running on the street?

Ranger

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Right, I am also not exceeding available traction, that's why I am pedaling it. With all the cars I have owned, I can rarely really beat on anything in low gears in and around Chicago. There are few spots that are paved with concrete and that's a different store. I'm guessing my tires at somewhere in the low 30's for psi Ranger.

scramblerman

iTrader: (16)

can't wait to see this DVD you are coming out with.

On my best pass I had the rpms at 4000rpms, Et streets at 18psi, and pretty much let the clutch out, not dumping it but really fast letting it out. Although the track prep was crap and I spin a little bit out of the whole and got a 1.79 60'. I would shift into every gear. Not in the mode to screw up the trans. I'm guessing if the tires will hook next time I will have to go higher in the rpm range so it doesn't dog the motor.

Ranger

try setting them at 30 psi cold, e.g. driven less than a mile. May help a bit. 26 is better for traction by harms tire/fuel mileage and handling the curves.

Ranger

02ZOh6

I'm with you 100% there John. This is the reason for me going with the Nitto's. My track is prepped very well and have witnessed it eat trans and rear ends back to back on solid rear stangs. The difference between the F1's and Nitto's was only a tenth or two at most using the same driving style, launch method. But, on the street where there is no vht or fresh rubber they are a necessity for impromptu Viper, Cobra encounters. They also do well in the rain and last a decent amount of time for a tire with a 100 treadwear rating. They look good too. F1's have that ribbing on the sidewall which makes them harder to clean, amorall. The tread pattern is also fugly IMO.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Right now all my commuting fun happens between 25 and 50mph, and I am not able to got WOT at all. That's why I have not done the CAI and the ported TB.

Thanks Ranger (John?) for the advice.

Ranger

The fun part about these cars is there's away some annoying problem to work on. Solve that one and another will present itself. It's never boring.

chuck01

You are correct, they were not DR's

~JOSHUA

iTrader: (92)

I've got the Michelin PS2's on the '01 Zo6 I just bought. They have about 80% tread, and they are great.. the entire car is the best driving machine ever made.

I almost want to leave it stock, except with the filter box and '06 shifter that's on it.