poor man's racing tires

[scuba_sean]

hey, i was thinking the other day about tires for draging. if i found some old bald *** tires and put em on, would i get better traction? i mean, im just putting more rubber on the road. i know they wouldnt be that safe on the road, so i'd swap em back when i left the track.

[EZcheese15]

I've actually used some bald Kumho Ecsta's for drag racing. It *might* have helped out but I doubt it.

The biggest problem is that even a bald road tire that has the surface area of a slick, is still hard as a rock. Drag tires are softer, that's why they grab better.

[scuba_sean]

what if i just did a massive burnout, would that be enough?

[EZcheese15]

A burnout actually hurts street tires more.

A burnout heats up the tires. On a drag tire, you heat them up to make them sticky. On a street tire, you heat them up and they harden, which makes it less sticky.

[scuba_sean]

doesnt all rubber soften when heated? they got sticky on my old beater truck when i roasted em

[EZcheese15]

doesnt all rubber soften when heated? they got sticky on my old beater truck when i roasted em

Heat up a rubber band Get it nice and toasty.

[EZcheese15]

Here, I found some do's and don'ts about burnouts and street tires:

http://www.ls1info.com/article.php?sid=34

[scuba_sean]

thanks man

[specialkonrd]

try using winter tires in the summer maybe, those are pretty soft

[EZcheese15]

try using winter tires in the summer maybe, those are pretty soft

Baaaaad idea. Winter tires have a horrible tread pattern for dry pavement. They have very little surface area, that is why they are so good in snow. The large number of tread gaps is what creates the traction in snow.

Also, winter tires will chunk in a straight line when driven on dry pavement.

[sultan]

how about lowering the air pressure in the tires for more traction, just make sure you bring a pump.

[EZcheese15]

how about lowering the air pressure in the tires for more traction, just make sure you bring a pump.

Yeah, that can actually work very well. I do that every time I go. Lower the tire pressure in your drive tires (rear on a 240), and raise the pressure on your non-drive tires. It will create less rolling resistance on the non-drive tires so it takes less HP to overcome their inertia.

[Exar-Kun]

"A burnout heats up the tires. On a drag tire, you heat them up to make them sticky. On a street tire, you heat them up and they harden, which makes it less sticky."

unless you have certain high performance tires, which actually require some heat to work. honeslt,y dont worry about burnouts, I would adjust your air pressure, and get a LSD and learn to drive(launch RPms, clutch release, etc) and go from there with the burnout/tire stuff.

if you want a cheap drag slick, buy a used set of someone whos done a few runs at the dragway, sometimes they have a set of 1/2 way worns sitting around.-chet

[EZcheese15]

"A burnout heats up the tires. On a drag tire, you heat them up to make them sticky. On a street tire, you heat them up and they harden, which makes it less sticky."

unless you have certain high performance tires, which actually require some heat to work. honeslt,y dont worry about burnouts, I would adjust your air pressure, and get a LSD and learn to drive(launch RPms, clutch release, etc) and go from there with the burnout/tire stuff.

if you want a cheap drag slick, buy a used set of someone whos done a few runs at the dragway, sometimes they have a set of 1/2 way worns sitting around.-chet

Usually high performance tires require more heat than a regular tire, but still not *too* hot. Doing a burnout will still ruin 99% of street tires.

[johnpoppy]

how about putting that web site in the faq?

[EZcheese15]

how about putting that web site in the faq?

Good idea, we'll have to link it somehow though, and give the LS1 guys credit. I'll make a note of it.

[scuba_sean]

i have a l.s.d., and i was gonna lower the pressure for more surface area. im launching at about 3500rpm, does anyone else do that, or know better?

[Dano]

thats one very informative page!!! glad some1 linked us to it. thanks!

-Dan

[EZcheese15]

You're welcome :jump

[Nismo_Freak]

EZ Cheese owns! ... I like it on Ritz Crakers...