Best traction at the strip

xdclevo · 08-08-2007, 07:04 PM

I want to hit the strip in a few weeks and have 275/50/15 MT streets or 26/8.5/15 MT full slicks. The 275 look way wider, but would the 8.5 inch slick be better in full weight XD? Arround 550-600 hp.
Its 8 hours to the strip, so i only wanted to take the one set.
The 8.5 slicks got me 1.70 60 foot last time, but am after 1.55? this time with new motor?

nugget378 · 08-08-2007, 07:25 PM

My mate has the 275 et's on his torana,I know its lighter and its a manual.
He was running in the mid-low 11's,60's late 1.7-1.8.
First time he slicked it with a 26x8 he went 10.9,he only got one run and got turfed.
I think he 60 footed in the low 1.6.
Go the full slicks,the sidewall is worth more than the width...

xdclevo · 08-08-2007, 08:20 PM

Would 26/10/15 make much of a difference from 8.5"? And also go onto 8 inch rims?
I think i would need to trim the lip on my std guards to fit them, but would if it will make a good difference?
I have to stay with 26 inch slicks, as my gearing is staying 4.11 gears cause its my streeter

northey · 08-08-2007, 09:06 PM

How old are the slicks? Are they in good condition?
If they are good, not just alright, I would use them.

xdclevo · 08-08-2007, 09:20 PM

I have had the slicks for 2 full years and they have done 14 passes all up. They have been in a room off the car the rest of the time.

jd dad · 08-08-2007, 09:39 PM

Maybe get some of the slick treatment gear and give them a hit with that. Mate wraps his in shrink wrap when they are off the car, seems to keep them pretty good.

v gate · 08-08-2007, 09:39 PM

if u take into account the grooves in the the tread there isnt proberly much diff in the contact patch. But the compound used in the slick should be better than the street at least id like to think so but you never know your luck in the big city.
I may be wrong but id think the slick would work better just because it isnt grooved.
Good luck anyway.

northey · 08-08-2007, 09:45 PM

If they feel hard (if you can't dig a thumbnail in) or the rubber looks hard (sounds funny but I'm sure you know what I'm saying) they may not recover (after heating in the burnout). They can look good again after a few runs but won't work as well.
WE used to use AzNu (or similar) tyre softeners on karts and it worked well but I didn't have any joy using it on drag tyres.

It's a hard call but pick the ones that look the best.
The number of passes itself only matters a little; the number of heat cycles the tyre can handle before it starts to degenerate.

cheers

Quadcams · 08-08-2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northey

If they feel hard (if you can't dig a thumbnail in) or the rubber looks hard (sounds funny but I'm sure you know what I'm saying) they may not recover (after heating in the burnout). They can look good again after a few runs but won't work as well.
WE used to use AzNu (or similar) tyre softeners on karts and it worked well but I didn't have any joy using it on drag tyres.

It's a hard call but pick the ones that look the best.
The number of passes itself only matters a little; the number of heat cycles the tyre can handle before it starts to degenerate.

cheers

Yeh Ive had slicks go off on me, as you mentioned couldnt stick my finger nail in them as much as when they were new, they were over 12 month old and done a decent amount of passs with them. also had tyres go off for copping to much sun light, maybe why MT says to store them in a cool dry place when not in use.

protd · 09-08-2007, 07:06 AM

go with the slicks dion the soft sidewall will be a huge advantage over the hard sidewall if the m/t's

weird that you cant get a 10" slick under your car mate my xd fits them easy, i have 15 x 12 simmons on it also, i do have a xy 9" in it but that is only to gain a better offset, i think if you have the right offset the 10's will go in no problem, but probably cheaper to get your gaurds rolled than buy new rims..

as for them being better who knows you will have to try mate, geoffs car slowed down with bigger tyres, but he did not car as the 8's looked poxy under the car, and you know geoff it's all about the looks, so he was happy to loose over 2 tenths for a better looking car..

on your car i would think 10's will be better though, but if i was you i would be taking down the slicks bud.. good luck with it

crochunter · 09-08-2007, 08:28 AM

I had 28x10" slicks on my 8" rims under my XD when i had it. Fitted no worries with no guard mods.

TruBlu351 · 09-08-2007, 05:55 PM

28x10.5's on 8.5" rims......flared guards though.

10 will be fine on an 8" rim

xdclevo · 09-08-2007, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protd

weird that you cant get a 10" slick under your car mate my xd fits them easy,

Lee, i have the old 8" globe rims from the XD i think you, Geoff and Luke used to race and i just measured the offset, and they sit out 3/4 inch more than my Weld draglite rims, so i may get somes 10" slicks and wack them on the draglites for the strip. I roughly measured the offset of the two a while ago and thought they were the same, but they arnt.

xw383 · 09-08-2007, 07:02 PM

Im using MT slicks same size as you. 60 ft in the mid to high 1.5 full bodied sedan pipes up.

protd · 09-08-2007, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xdclevo

Lee, i have the old 8" globe rims from the XD i think you, Geoff and Luke used to race and i just measured the offset, and they sit out 3/4 inch more than my Weld draglite rims, so i may get somes 10" slicks and wack them on the draglites for the strip. I roughly measured the offset of the two a while ago and thought they were the same, but they arnt.

no not those rims they only ever had 8.5" slicks, i'm talking about my own xd with 15 x 12 simmons and 26 x 10 slicks went under without a issue, if you want give geoff a ring or i can and borrow the old slicks i had on my cortina and try one on your rim, easy way to find out..

xdclevo · 10-08-2007, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protd

no not those rims they only ever had 8.5" slicks, i'm talking about my own xd with 15 x 12 simmons and 26 x 10 slicks went under without a issue, if you want give geoff a ring or i can and borrow the old slicks i had on my cortina and try one on your rim, easy way to find out..

Thanks Lee, but i might just get a new set and make them fit if i have to. Sounds like with the welds, it will be fine.

xdclevo · 11-08-2007, 09:10 AM

Well i will have the 26/10 slicks here Monday so i wont have to wonder any more.
Only head down to race once a year, so may as well have 1/2 decent grip.

nugget378 · 11-08-2007, 01:20 PM

In my old shitter the 8x26 went as good as the 26x10's,in fact the best 60' I ever did (1.58) was done with the 8x26,the best I ever got with the 10's was 1.60.
Too late now seeing as you bought them,but my preference would have been a 28x9 or even a 29x9..
You should gain something by the slicks being newer in any case,Ive been told that after 12 months old they are no good by a super stock racer.

Racer · 16-08-2007, 09:32 PM

Diameter is more important than width with slicks. You prefereably need a 28inch plus slick.

JP300+ · 01-09-2007, 11:03 PM

I ran a 1.53 60' on MT ET Streets Car + my fat *** = 1920 kgs! ...

Brothers · 02-09-2007, 05:58 PM

All rubber will be effected by Ozone, the rubber will become hard or brittle, If your tyres have been kept in a dark area they in theory should last to about the 5 year mark. As far as heat degeneration goes MT have a technical help section within the MT web site and will be able to answer the question about this. I would be suprised if the slicks go off after a small amount of runs, they are designed to work within a heat range. try a range of tyre pressures with the 10s slightly higher than the pressure used with a 8 or 8.5. have fun

glen