How much power is enough?
Originally Posted by black_knight
I could easily see over 600 to the wheels.
More $$$ = More HP
Priorities also play a role too
Its hard to say but just about every car I built I was in over my head
Addiction is a terrible thing
My GTO is going to be a work in progress
I'll be happy with a 400RW daily driver
Priorities also play a role too
Its hard to say but just about every car I built I was in over my head
Addiction is a terrible thing
My GTO is going to be a work in progress
I'll be happy with a 400RW daily driver
Originally Posted by Sharpe
This thread has answered your questions several times over.
I'm not asking about cost, or what you think I'll be happy with, or what will break parts, or how to achieve the power, or what someone will run on a 2400HP funny car, or anything like that.
I'm asking how much power before Drag Radial tires just can't handle it anymore? I appreciate your answer of 550-650.
And thanks also about the 10 bolt... I know all about that.
That's a good question that I never see people asking. Spinning the tires through 4th doesn't make the car any faster than a reasonable setup that puts down power.
For DRs on an F-Body, I have to believe 550-600rwhp is the point at which it starts to spin with a finely tuned suspension, and even less if you run a 4.30 or 4.56. That's assuming 475-520rwtq. Anything more than that and I don't see how it can physically grip the tarmac anymore unless you put more weight and run 345s in the rear, or slicks.
Of course, you could run more power, but ET will not decrease much if at all because you'd be spinning down the track. MPH would go up. If you race from a roll, the car can handle more, but the F-Body isn't an import.
It's not a scientific question, however. Most people drag on slicks if they want ET and match their gearing appropriately. Extending the RPM range, then shortening the gearing appropriately with proper traction will make you faster. I wouldn't worry so much with power if you concentrate on those things first.
For DRs on an F-Body, I have to believe 550-600rwhp is the point at which it starts to spin with a finely tuned suspension, and even less if you run a 4.30 or 4.56. That's assuming 475-520rwtq. Anything more than that and I don't see how it can physically grip the tarmac anymore unless you put more weight and run 345s in the rear, or slicks.
Of course, you could run more power, but ET will not decrease much if at all because you'd be spinning down the track. MPH would go up. If you race from a roll, the car can handle more, but the F-Body isn't an import.
It's not a scientific question, however. Most people drag on slicks if they want ET and match their gearing appropriately. Extending the RPM range, then shortening the gearing appropriately with proper traction will make you faster. I wouldn't worry so much with power if you concentrate on those things first.
Jake, I agree that the answer's going to have to be an "approximate" one.
I figure there have to be at least a few old grognards around here who have discovered the limits of Drag Radial tires. A lot of course depends on how the power gets there and how much TQ (and therefore the shape of the HP curve)
I suspect the answer is going to differ based on how the power is made, too. It may be 550-600 for N/A and 800 for turbo... (MightyMouse, you listening?)
Gearing is another side of the equation... hmmm... taller gears will control the power better? That makes sense.
I figure there have to be at least a few old grognards around here who have discovered the limits of Drag Radial tires. A lot of course depends on how the power gets there and how much TQ (and therefore the shape of the HP curve)
I suspect the answer is going to differ based on how the power is made, too. It may be 550-600 for N/A and 800 for turbo... (MightyMouse, you listening?)
Gearing is another side of the equation... hmmm... taller gears will control the power better? That makes sense.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
If you can get a big (wide and tall) tire under the car, a 15in. DR such as Mickey Thompsons ET radial could handle a LOT of HP. The DR record I believe is in the high 7second range run on full bodied cars such as Big Daddy Gutheridge's Mustang. These cars put down well in excess of 1000rwhp and TQ. Where there's a will.....
For a dedicated street car that occasionally sees the drag strip and you're running a 15in. DR, I would think the high 500s at the wheels is probably the upper limit for reasonable traction. Of course, all of the caveats mentioned previously would apply, not the least of these being the weather.
The power delivery of a big cube motor can be pretty brutal on the tires, but the gearing and type of the tranny/rearend combo can make a huge difference.
If you want to drag race it a lot at the track, slicks will get it done.
For a dedicated street car that occasionally sees the drag strip and you're running a 15in. DR, I would think the high 500s at the wheels is probably the upper limit for reasonable traction. Of course, all of the caveats mentioned previously would apply, not the least of these being the weather.
The power delivery of a big cube motor can be pretty brutal on the tires, but the gearing and type of the tranny/rearend combo can make a huge difference.
If you want to drag race it a lot at the track, slicks will get it done.
I don't think that a 15 in DR will be an option, as it compromises the handling characteristics of the car too much.
I know I could hook a LOT better if I did include that as an option, but I won't. I'm just a crazy bastard that way. I want the car to run at the track in the exact same trim that it gets me to work in the morning.
A 16 or 17 in DR is what I will be running, and it will be Nittos for now until I can afford to buy new tires every 5000 miles...
I know I could hook a LOT better if I did include that as an option, but I won't. I'm just a crazy bastard that way. I want the car to run at the track in the exact same trim that it gets me to work in the morning.
A 16 or 17 in DR is what I will be running, and it will be Nittos for now until I can afford to buy new tires every 5000 miles...
