Which drag radial?
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From: Gainesville, Florida # of drag strips runs: ?!?!?
Thank you for confirming what I try to tell people all the time! I get in so many arguments about the facts you know to be true. Unless you are shooting for a class or just want a difficult goal, there aren't many reason to get a radial. There are reasons why top fuel, super 16 and most of the fastes cars that hit the track run bias. It is just that simple!
Comparing a street-style car to a top fueler isn't a great argument on why to run a bias-ply tire. Top Fuelers change them after 4-8 runs as well, are we applying that logic as well?
Fact is drag radials work on all types of cars, be it a 13 second car to a 6 second car. Do they work, yes. Do they have a narrower window on some applications? Yes, they can.
Advantages? Better top end stability, more mph and quicker e.t. when comparing like sizes and conditions. I can't legally drive to the track on my ET Drag slicks, and I've driven on the road on both ET Street bias plys and ET Street radials, not even close on which handles better (including rain). There is something about running fast times on a completely DOT legal car, and the radial movement is hot right now.
I still run a set of ET Drag slicks for transbrake stuff due to the "more forgiving nature" as we've discussed many times, whihc I find comforting when running a southern track when we get 140+ degree track temps!
But I know plenty of people that have done well on a radial as well (including this N/A 1.515 60 foot @ 3600 lbs).....
Okay, off the
Derek
Last edited by Villain281H; Aug 23, 2010 at 09:26 PM.
I would say the fact that basically all the fastest cars run bias is a great testament that radials don't have a big advantage. They change them so often because big burnouts, top speed, all that stuff so I don't feel that effects the legitimacy of this comparison.
A radial will certainly perform better in a road course or general driving but 99% or people run these tires only at the track, and maybe to the track. Anyone who puts a drag anything(nittos and bfgs aside) to drive daily is foolish in my opinion.
Radials can work but they take work and are often VERY difficult. To take off a bias that is spinning slightly, to change to a radial is a GIANT step back wards.
A radial will certainly perform better in a road course or general driving but 99% or people run these tires only at the track, and maybe to the track. Anyone who puts a drag anything(nittos and bfgs aside) to drive daily is foolish in my opinion.
Radials can work but they take work and are often VERY difficult. To take off a bias that is spinning slightly, to change to a radial is a GIANT step back wards.
Nothing special really pinion angle set at 2 deg qal shocks up front set at 0 all the way loose and the rears are set at 6 which is on the firm side. I'm also running a UMI drag bar to keep both rear tires planted.
That is definately 1 bad hawk you got there 
Joe Id say next time out, try to set psi at 14-15 it might work better on that tire.
My buddy yesterday had his car hook the best at 14 psi on the exact same tire. He used to run 12psi!
Joe Id say next time out, try to set psi at 14-15 it might work better on that tire.
My buddy yesterday had his car hook the best at 14 psi on the exact same tire. He used to run 12psi!
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From: South Jersey
Here's a video of the last trip to the track with the Wolfe swaybar and Comp 3-ways 50/50. The video in my signature is with stock springs and shocks, BMR swaybar.
Don't mind the poor ET - new carpet bunched up under the pedal and I let out slightly toward the end. This was with 13psi, 1.64 60'. Doh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMwef7YOS-Q
Don't mind the poor ET - new carpet bunched up under the pedal and I let out slightly toward the end. This was with 13psi, 1.64 60'. Doh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMwef7YOS-Q
Some of you guys just don't want to open your eyes. Crawl out of your hole and realize that on any given weekend and at any given track there are countless serious HP drag radial cars running their asses off. Many of them *gasp* are stock suspended 4th gen cars. Really.
If you want to get an "internet glimpse" of this, because you haven't grown up at the drag strip and currently don't spend your weekends at the local drag strips to get the information first-hand (because the successful guys have), do a search on Yellow Bullet. There are countless threads about 1.1X and 1.2X radial cars running M/T radials. ****, even little old New England Dragway just started a 275 class for all of it's 7, 8, 9, 10 second radial cars.
It's just an ignorance to say what's been said about radials in this thread. A bias ply is easier to work with...it is more forgiving...recovery happens faster...no ****. Congrats on stating the obvious. But to say that you're working backwards by going to a radial is not only stupid but wrong.
Joe, go talk to Snyder. I'll also introduce you to Cressman when I'm back home. You already know my opinion.
There are so many variables here that haven't been discussed in detail that can sway opinions and experiences one way or another: Burnout length/heat, weather, track prep, car weight, suspension, DRIVER, trans/converter, car preparation time, street car that sees track time vs. track car that sees street time, what color the car is, your mother's maiden name, etc
And Joe, didn't I tell you your rear shocks were too soft a few days ago?
Last edited by 94Z28rag; Aug 24, 2010 at 11:02 AM.
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Verdad Gallardo There are so many variables here that haven't been discussed in detail that can sway opinions and experiences one way or another: Burnout length/heat, track prep, car weight, suspension, DRIVER, trans/converter, car preparation time, street car that sees track time vs. track car that sees street time, what color the car is, your mother's maiden name, etc
And Joe, didn't I tell you your rear shocks were too soft a few days ago?
Very true, I think its just not enough time at the track and figuring the tires out to get them to hook. All of what you said plays a huge factor and you need to adjust tire psi and/or burnouts need to better..Either more heat in the tires or less. You cant really adjust anything as for shocks, springs, but you really need try and adjust the rear shocks, sometimes they like 70/30 rather than 50/50. The wheels come up right off the line and the wheels look like they hop off the ground but then the car slams right back to land and stays low. Rather then come up and stay up. Also what rpm do you leave off the footbrake?
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From: South Jersey
Very true, I think its just not enough time at the track and figuring the tires out to get them to hook. All of what you said plays a huge factor and you need to adjust tire psi and/or burnouts need to better..Either more heat in the tires or less. You cant really adjust anything as for shocks, springs, but you really need try and adjust the rear shocks, sometimes they like 70/30 rather than 50/50. The wheels come up right off the line and the wheels look like they hop off the ground but then the car slams right back to land and stays low. Rather then come up and stay up. Also what rpm do you leave off the footbrake?
[Chris Farley] That is correct. [/Chris Farley]
us fools and drag radials
1.32 60ft in Z
1.42 Bu
pops cutting a 1.46
These cars have nothing special for suspension. We spend a little time with torque arm, tire pressure and look for good track prep.
I say slicks for a manual trans car for sure, but an auto at any power level will work very well on DR's with a little patience getting it setup.
I had ran M/T for 2 years and now trying out the Hoosiers. The Hoosier so far seems to be working well and nice being about 10#'s lighter per tire.
1.32 60ft in Z
1.42 Bu
pops cutting a 1.46
These cars have nothing special for suspension. We spend a little time with torque arm, tire pressure and look for good track prep.
I say slicks for a manual trans car for sure, but an auto at any power level will work very well on DR's with a little patience getting it setup.
I had ran M/T for 2 years and now trying out the Hoosiers. The Hoosier so far seems to be working well and nice being about 10#'s lighter per tire.
I am not trying to start a pissing contest or anything by any means. But what is so ridiculous about what has been said in this thread about drag radials? Both myself and custm2500 even said and admitted that during perfect conditions and a perfect launch a drag radial will net a little better et's and mph. I am not trying to argue that because I know better. Hell I have a set of 275 M/T drag radials and I pull both the wheels up as well as some of the people in this thread. What I am trying to say is that it takes a lot to be able to get a drag radial to hook up. Yes I know that people go high 7's and low 8's with just a 275 radial, but the majority of people dont have an 80k dollar race car. Also if the track prep isn't good then your going to catch hell trying to hook up with a radial, and most local tracks dont have really good track prep. All I am trying to point out to the op, is that it is easier to hook on a bias ply than a radial. If you have a lot of power and a car with mostly stock suspension then your not going to hook up for crap with a radial. Hell you can have all the suspension parts you can throw at your car, but if the track prep sucks, like most local tracks then your still not hooking up. Its just easier with a slick than a radial....BUT yes a radial is faster and way more stable and can be enjoyed on the street, all the reasons I went with them.
Last edited by second_2_none; Aug 24, 2010 at 10:23 PM.
I've raced my car at 4 different tracks the past 2 years on radials and out of approx.100 passes it spun ONCE!! that was only because of hitting it with a 200 shot out of the hole. These were not perfect prepped tracks .It is not rocket science to get a car to work on a radial just a little common sense and knowledge of how to adjust for conditions. all the information anyone needs to figure it out is on this BB you just need to read what works by the people that are doing it not the people that say it cant be done.