Drag Radials on the Street: Not Impressed
06-09-2014, 10:51 AM
#1
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
Drag Radials on the Street: Not Impressed **First of all let me say that my car is in no way intended to be a drag racing machine. The purpose of the drag radials (for me) was to improve straight line grip on the street.**
The tires I had installed before were Toyo RA-1's, 225/50/15. The RA-1's are 100 treadwear R-comp tires. They are usually used as track/roadrace tires. They handle heat and rain well and tend to last about 10K miles on the street. With the RA-1's on a warm (70+) day, I could roll on the throttle in 2nd gear and they would dead hook.
I recently purchased a set of MT ET Street Radials (same 225/50/15 size) thinking they would help me out on the street and maybe let me use some power in 1st gear. I had the drag radials mounted and a couple days later I headed to the drag strip to see what they would do. Once I settled on 17lbs of air I was able to knock a tenth off my 60' (1.7) but I felt that with a little more practice, I cold have knocked another tenth off. I was pretty happy with there performance at the track.
On the street it a totally different story. I don't run the same 17lb of air as I do at the strip since the tires generate too much heat at that pressure during normal driving. I've been running them at 22lbs and while the temperate is under control, the traction is terrible. Forget about 2nd gear traction, I can now lay down a big smokey burnout on the highway in 3rd gear at 80-90mph.....despite how cool this looks, it's definitely not a good feeling.
I've been watching the tread on these tires and have noticed that they are always "marbled".....that's probably not the right term for it but it's like small rubber beads build up on the tread. From what I can tell, this is the cause of the poor traction. A water box and a small burnout would make quick work of the excess rubber...But I think it's pointless to have drag "radials" that only work at the drag strip.
For now I've ordered 2 more RA-1's so I can use 2nd gear.
Do other people have this problem? If so, how do you get any grip with these things? Any other drag radials better suited to street driving?
.
The tires I had installed before were Toyo RA-1's, 225/50/15. The RA-1's are 100 treadwear R-comp tires. They are usually used as track/roadrace tires. They handle heat and rain well and tend to last about 10K miles on the street. With the RA-1's on a warm (70+) day, I could roll on the throttle in 2nd gear and they would dead hook.
I recently purchased a set of MT ET Street Radials (same 225/50/15 size) thinking they would help me out on the street and maybe let me use some power in 1st gear. I had the drag radials mounted and a couple days later I headed to the drag strip to see what they would do. Once I settled on 17lbs of air I was able to knock a tenth off my 60' (1.7) but I felt that with a little more practice, I cold have knocked another tenth off. I was pretty happy with there performance at the track.
On the street it a totally different story. I don't run the same 17lb of air as I do at the strip since the tires generate too much heat at that pressure during normal driving. I've been running them at 22lbs and while the temperate is under control, the traction is terrible. Forget about 2nd gear traction, I can now lay down a big smokey burnout on the highway in 3rd gear at 80-90mph.....despite how cool this looks, it's definitely not a good feeling.
I've been watching the tread on these tires and have noticed that they are always "marbled".....that's probably not the right term for it but it's like small rubber beads build up on the tread. From what I can tell, this is the cause of the poor traction. A water box and a small burnout would make quick work of the excess rubber...But I think it's pointless to have drag "radials" that only work at the drag strip.
For now I've ordered 2 more RA-1's so I can use 2nd gear.
Do other people have this problem? If so, how do you get any grip with these things? Any other drag radials better suited to street driving?
.
06-09-2014, 11:30 AM
#2
my first instinct is to suspect your alignment or something suspension related...they should not look like that under normal driving
the only times mine do that is after I have scrubbed them hard at an autox and they still only do it on the outside edges
in the picture above it looks like yours are doing it from just past the center all the way to the inside shoulder
other than that I don't have any ideas but something doesn't seem right
the only times mine do that is after I have scrubbed them hard at an autox and they still only do it on the outside edges
in the picture above it looks like yours are doing it from just past the center all the way to the inside shoulder
other than that I don't have any ideas but something doesn't seem right
06-09-2014, 11:52 AM
#3
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
I don't run much camber in the rear...about 1.5* from what I remember and a very slight toe-in. less than 1/16", not much. Suspension is AST single adjustable coilovers, all poly bushings. definitely stiffer than stock but nothing crazy. It was build as a street car.
I should have taken the picture from a little further away, but its nearly all the way across the tread. Where you see it stopping on the left side of the tire is right where the sidewall starts.
What pressure are you running? I know its apples to oranges since my car is 2400 lbs but it might give me a ballpark. Higher pressure seems to make it worse, lower pressure builds heat (maybe not a bad thing).
I should have taken the picture from a little further away, but its nearly all the way across the tread. Where you see it stopping on the left side of the tire is right where the sidewall starts.
What pressure are you running? I know its apples to oranges since my car is 2400 lbs but it might give me a ballpark. Higher pressure seems to make it worse, lower pressure builds heat (maybe not a bad thing).
06-09-2014, 12:14 PM
#4
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
Now that I think about it, I haven't tried a higher pressure without the "marbles" on the tread. Maybe the pressure is too low. I might have to find a secluded area and make my own makeshift water box to try to clear the marbles off.
06-09-2014, 12:46 PM
#6
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
Hmm, haven't even considered the date of the tires. I ordered them from Summit some time in February and they sat in my living room until I mounted them up in April. I'll check the dates when I get home.
06-09-2014, 01:35 PM
#7
I run mine around 22lbs on the street. I have ran them as high as 25lbs. At the track I drop them to 17-18lbs.
Strange issue for sure. I have had a pair before which were really old and while they weren't quite as sticky as fresh ones, they were close.
I find it more strange the other tires you used worked better.
Strange issue for sure. I have had a pair before which were really old and while they weren't quite as sticky as fresh ones, they were close.
I find it more strange the other tires you used worked better.
Trending Topics
06-09-2014, 02:34 PM
#8
Staging Lane
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Western Chicagoland Burbs
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well damn, 465 HP, 448 FT LB at the wheels and 2400 LBS! You've done the equivalent of sticking a 1200 cc crouch rocket engine in a kids go-cart! No wonder your blowing the tires off. If you told me the car did 10's in the quarter I wouldn't be doubting it.
06-09-2014, 03:07 PM
#9
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
Just checked the build date on the tires. 4613. So looks like they were made toward the end of October last year.
I'll reserve final judgement until I can "clean" off the marbles and try a different pressure.
I'll reserve final judgement until I can "clean" off the marbles and try a different pressure.
06-10-2014, 01:20 AM
#11
You're asking alot of a 8.2" wide tire plus it looks like you fried the hell out of it. A tire with the tread all balled up like that won't work well. Read this article,
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/081...ag-tires-tips/
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/081...ag-tires-tips/
06-10-2014, 09:21 AM
#12
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
Sure it seems like it would be a lot to ask. But when a drag radial is performing far worse than a Toyo RA-1, something isn't right.
After some reading (thanks for the link) it seems like this "graining" of the tire can be removed by reversing the rotation of the tire for a couple passes. I'll give it a shot later today.
After some reading (thanks for the link) it seems like this "graining" of the tire can be removed by reversing the rotation of the tire for a couple passes. I'll give it a shot later today.
06-10-2014, 04:41 PM
#13
Sure it seems like it would be a lot to ask. But when a drag radial is performing far worse than a Toyo RA-1, something isn't right.
After some reading (thanks for the link) it seems like this "graining" of the tire can be removed by reversing the rotation of the tire for a couple passes. I'll give it a shot later today.
After some reading (thanks for the link) it seems like this "graining" of the tire can be removed by reversing the rotation of the tire for a couple passes. I'll give it a shot later today.
Lots of the street guys here have went back to the Nitto DR over the Mickeys. Big horsepower cars. I'd clean them off and try more air.
06-11-2014, 11:00 AM
#14
It does seem like a tall order to get that tire to plant that type of power in such a lightweight car, however it's encouraging you had success with the RA-1.
The RA-1 is a great road race tire and offers surprisingly good straight line traction (when warm), however my experience with the MT is that they're even better for straight line traction. At worst, I would've expected the MT to at least be on par with the RA-1's. I agree that something seems odd here.
06-13-2014, 11:35 AM
#16
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
