Drag radials

MarkVIIIS

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Ok I'm finally gonna buy drag raidials for my car I have next week off so I want to go to NE dragway and finally see what my car runs. I wanted to get opinions I'm thinking of getting either Toyo's, Nitto's, or Mickey Thompson's, and I also wasn't sure what size to get I was thinking aither 255/50/16's or 255/55/16's according to the tire calculator online one is 26" and one is 27" and the stock tires are 26.6" so I wasn't if smaller or bigger tires would be better for drag racing. I also wanted to know if anyone could tell me the part number for the rear bilstein shocks.
 
Ok I'm finally gonna buy drag raidials for my car I have next week off so I want to go to NE dragway and finally see what my car runs. I wanted to get opinions I'm thinking of getting either Toyo's, Nitto's, or Mickey Thompson's, and I also wasn't sure what size to get I was thinking aither 255/50/16's or 255/55/16's according to the tire calculator online one is 26" and one is 27" and the stock tires are 26.6" so I wasn't if smaller or bigger tires would be better for drag racing. I also wanted to know if anyone could tell me the part number for the rear bilstein shocks.

Go with the taller tire..has more give in the sidewall which would be better for traction off the line.
 
I have the Toyo Drag radials and they are better than the Nittos. But I will be trying the MT's next time. If you really want to go all out get the Hoosier dot drag radials (cheater slicks).
 
How about going into the for sale section and buying the drag radials off Super MArk that Geno has for sale?
 
These are 18's for $400 for the pair. 305/45/18 and says he paid $320 each and has only made two passes with them.

http://huntsville.craigslist.org/pts/2939422548.html

5Kd5F85M53K53Lc3l5c44b783d76d76611d95.jpg
 
These are 18's for $400 for the pair. 305/45/18 and says he paid $320 each and has only made two passes with them.

5Kd5F85M53K53Lc3l5c44b783d76d76611d95.jpg

320 each is steep. I know someone on here or LOD posted pictures of 305s or something wider out back i think?
 
Bilstein shocks: 24-185974

I would suggest maybe trying KONI shocks if you can find them. I'm glad I went with the Konis. They are FULLY adjustable unlike the Bilsteins. Very good feature to have if you are a drag racer.

Koni shocks: 8041-1202 Sport


Don't forget, you will also need rear upper shock mounts. I got mine from "98lincmk7lsc". You could see if he has any available. His mounts are beefy as hell. Others, not even close.
 
I've had good luck with these but in the 27 X 11 X 17 size. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mickey-Thom...pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr They are bias ply and are lighter than street radials and claim to be the worlds fastest DOT tire. Hoosier make a version also that Driller swears by. In 16" M/T makes them in 26" and 28". 26's should be faster as they would gear it down some more. I think Driller was running the 26" Hoosier version.
 
So you think I should go with the 26" tires. How bad would it be to drive back and forth to the dragway with these I live about 50 miles from it but I probably will only go a few times a year
 
Et streets are THE tire to have. Period. They can get slightly loose at the top end but not many marks are running those traps or even need a tire that sticky. I was trapping near 120 in my cobra with no suspension mods or subframe stiffening (and a convertible) with minimal problems. Just a bit floaty after the trap.

Et street radials no problems.


I drove about 100 miles on the street with the bias tires. Just a matter of being aware they are back there.
 
I have the ET streets. No problems driving 2 hours east to the track at all. You could run them all day on the street if you want. I will warn you that they (or any drag radial for that matter) are horrifying in rain, especially heavy rain with standing water. I run the 255-50-16s. 2750 rpms at 70 with 4.30s. 4.10 gears should have you running about 200rpms lower.
 
So you think I should go with the 26" tires. How bad would it be to drive back and forth to the dragway with these I live about 50 miles from it but I probably will only go a few times a year

Not bad, You would have to keep the traction control turned off all the time. On the street I like the back tires to be a little bigger for looks and it lets the back tires spin a little before the traction control kicks in. I run mine all the time. They keep me out of trouble since they rarely and barely spin. And if they do spin they do not squeal. I have some slightly smaller nitto's on the front. A little hairy in the rain. I have another set of 17" Cobra R's with street tires. 255-50-17 BFG Comps in the rear and 245-50-17 Michelin's on the front. But it would just spin through 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. If I plan to travel some were I'll put them back on.
 
I was thinking of getting a set of 26-10.5-16 and putting them on the old snowflakes rims just for drag racing. They would gear mine down a little more and be a little lighter. The only problem is I need to change my valve spring to the beehive style first. I'm running 120mph on the top end at 6,300 rpm's and thats high enough for the old stock springs in it.
 
I was thinking of getting a set of 26-10.5-16 and putting them on the old snowflakes rims just for drag racing. They would gear mine down a little more and be a little lighter. The only problem is I need to change my valve spring to the beehive style first. I'm running 120mph on the top end at 6,300 rpm's and thats high enough for the old stock springs in it.

Whats wrong with these?

You would NEVER ever need that wide of a tire. I have 10 inchers on my 660hp Road Runner.
 
Whats wrong with these?

You would NEVER ever need that wide of a tire. I have 10 inchers on my 660hp Road Runner.

Don's car isn't exactly slow. He runs mid 11s. He's probably got 500hp at the crank at least in an IRS car. A little more boost and better valve springs, I don't think an 8.5" tire would cut it for him. I'd bet he would have traction issues.
 
Don's car isn't exactly slow. He runs mid 11s. He's probably got 500hp at the crank at least in an IRS car. A little more boost and better valve springs, I don't think an 8.5" tire would cut it for him. I'd bet he would have traction issues.

LOL we ran these on the SuperMark and couldnt spin them at all with 450 plus. They would be fine, you think this is my first rodeo? lolol

Again my 660 hp Plymouth only has 10 inchers and I cant spin them.

I had a blown 347 89 Notch I used to run back in the mid 90's and it went 10.40's on 8.5 inch Goodyear Eagle's.

I don't know man thats a tall call when you have 1500 plus hp cars like this running 5 teens on an 8.5 inch tire?

Outlaw 8.5 at SGMP - YouTube

Heres my Sticky Mickeys "doin' their thing"

plylaunch1.jpg
 
ET street and ET street radial arent exactly the same tire.


based on the size im guessing you have the radials.

Correct ET Streets are just their race slick (ET Drag) with some lines they call tread to get DOT.

Heres a tread shot:

ply-69.jpg
 
Mine look just like yours Geno (Sharp Car). Very light. Just a slick with enough tread to be DOT legal. And the size I got is one of the few that are tubeless. They work great at the track and on the street were it is much harder, except in the rain. 45 mph max. Sometimes I could use more on the street. PS I looked it up to be sure. I'm running 26 x 11.50 x 17 but they are actually 26.5" in dia which I wanted 27". And the 11.50 is section width not tread width. They seamed to me to be the best compromise for looks and street and strip performance on available Mark VIII wheels. I didn't what to be changing them all the time. For cheap and just drag use though I would go with 16" snowflakes (lightest) or what ever he has with the 26 x 10.5 x 16 Street ET's. which I believe is what he was asking ??? I think driller is running a 15" Thunderbird wheel that gives him many more tire size options and is probably even lighter.
 
Ok I think I'm going to get the adjustable koni shocks this might be a stupid question but for drag racing is it better to have the rear suspention stiffer or softer I would think stiffer so there less movement causing the tires to hook up faster
 
dont get radials unless you plan on using them on the street on a regular basis.
 

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