drag technique

[Aldo]

Im keen to put my ute down the strip soon and was wondering is it necessary to do a burnout on standard tyres?I was also wondering if i should chase down a set of standerd 17's for my run or get some 16's off and AU,or is that a dumb newby question : .

cheers in advance
aldo

oh and what time can i expect out of my pursuit auto ,im running around 270rwkw .

[Penelope Pitstop]

Personally I never do a burnout - in fact I tend to drive around the water altogether. I think the burnout factor is a bit show pony stuff but I am sure some others will rave on about warming up the tyres or what not but thats only really an issue if you are running slicks.

I would say a stock pursuit would run low 14's but if you are getting 270rwkw then you should run high 12's.

Running an Auto is heaps easier than a manual so I would expect some pretty impressive times especially with the work required to pull 270rwkw.

Cheers, Tori

[protd]

no point doing a burnout on your street tyres it does nothing for them, if you run slicks or grooved slick or those m/t street radials then yes do your burnout

[bangm001]

Im sorry but I disagree, I would do just a small burnout to scuff up the tyres, then you would be able to stall the car up at higher revs (auto im assuming) bringing car into better power/torque range for the launch. There is alot in the first 60 foot which will result in a much better time overall.
The F6 has much more grip just after a quick blip of the rears, and thats on the street, track would be stickier so would help even more. I would also deflate rear tyres to around 25-28 pounds.. If the car was a stocker, wheel spin probably not much of an issue, but with over 330 KW, im guessing wheel spin isnt too much trouble.. ;-)
Enjoy and let us know times!!

[XR8-260]

Why do a burnout? Doesn't it overheat the trans, wreck the diff and wear out the tyres? I wouldn't stall it up either cause it's bad for the trans but others will disagree.

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by 3

Why do a burnout? Doesn't it overheat the trans, wreck the diff and wear out the tyres? I wouldn't stall it up either cause it's bad for the trans but others will disagree.

True, these things can happen, but it's fun, if you can't afford to replace parts don't race.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by bangm001

Im sorry but I disagree, I would do just a small burnout to scuff up the tyres, then you would be able to stall the car up at higher revs (auto im assuming) bringing car into better power/torque range for the launch. There is alot in the first 60 foot which will result in a much better time overall.
The F6 has much more grip just after a quick blip of the rears, and thats on the street, track would be stickier so would help even more. I would also deflate rear tyres to around 25-28 pounds.. If the car was a stocker, wheel spin probably not much of an issue, but with over 330 KW, im guessing wheel spin isnt too much trouble.. ;-)
Enjoy and let us know times!!

Good advice here.

As for swapping tyres, are you doing this to alter gearing or because you want to abuse some old rubber?

Since it is your first time, here are some tips:

1) don't worry if you red light (everyone has)
2) if you do red light, do not back off, go the whole 1/4 mile
3) make sure you have crossed the finish line before you back off
4) it is all about learning, analyse your runs
5) dont introduce too many mechanical changes at one time - because you will not know which item improved your time and which item didn't
6) the aim is to become consistent
7) practice on your reaction time, 0.1 second off on your R/T usuall means 0.2 seconds off on you E/T
8) make sure you know where and what the other car is doing when you've crossed the finish line
9) your insurance policy is rendered null and void
10) remember it is only (your) money

[FPV8U]

I used to belive there was no point in doing the warm up burnout on road tires, ran 14.5 with no burnout (Just a little skid to get rid of the water) with a nice 2nd gear burnout like Craig@ACE taught me im now on 14.0.

I say it works and will only get better when i play with my tire pressures next time.

[rodderz]

When a group of us used to always head out to Calder with our BA's nearly every week a few years back I found the best method with mine was to do a short burnout in 2nd gear- give it a bootful and drop the clutch, this will get rid of the water and the little stones etc on your tyres. We found with street tyres that if you smoke them too much they get very slippery and doughy off the startline, plus you're only getting heat into your engine bay and CAI too, even more so if doing the burnout in 1st.

We also found that due to low profile tyres, lowering pressures did stuff all, rod made the comment that lowering the pressures did not react the same way as a dedicated track tyre as rubber & sidewalls is harder and there is no flex there. There has been a couple of people get a 1.90 60' in a totally stock car with 38psi in the 17's, xa coupe was one of them.

Having said that though, not many times did I do what I just said. Once the rubber's turning and the V8's purring you keep the foot down and keep it going past the start line lol

[sutty]

Originally Posted by cheap

7) practice on your reaction time, 0.1 second off on your R/T usuall means 0.2 seconds off on you E/T

????

Reaction time has NO bearing on your ET.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by Aldo

Im keen to put my ute down the strip soon and was wondering is it necessary to do a burnout on standard tyres?I was also wondering if i should chase down a set of standerd 17's for my run or get some 16's off and AU,or is that a dumb newby question : .

cheers in advance
aldo

oh and what time can i expect out of my pursuit auto ,im running around 270rwkw .

Hi Aldo,

Yes absolutely a burnout is a must on any tyre on the dragstrip. They need heat to get an even amount of grip on both tyres. If your going out there for some fun then knock yourself out and take it to half track under power if you want to, but if your trying to achieve some consistency then you need to learn a routine and do the same thing again and again.

I would suggest a night of spectating first and watch and learn.

It's always a bit scary the first time doing anything so just be patient and don't rush things.

Carry a pen in your console and write on it after every run things like what RPM you shifted at did you stall it up to a certain level then go, tyre pressures etc etc. As the night moves along then you can compare info from every slip to get a program that works for you.

Running some AU rims will be cheaper tyre wise compared to replacing 18's or 19's. Traction wise there's no difference.

Have alook in the drag racing section here on the forums there is some good info about Burnouts and LSD's etc.

If your in Melbourne come on out to Calder and say hi, i will be there over the next few weeks trying to set the track alight with a silver/orange stripe BA GT-P.

Cheers Craig

[Craig]

Originally Posted by sutty

????

Reaction time has NO bearing on your ET.

Correct...

The timers only start recording once you leave so the reaction time has nothing to do with your ET's.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by Craig@ACE

Correct...

The timers only start recording once you leave so the reaction time has nothing to do with your ET's.

Hmmm, I very concerned, maybe this will help, drag racing 101

http://www.irwindalespeedway.com/dra...ite/howto.html

[chipa]

Why concerned?? That link supports Craig's post.

[Grum]

RT matters when you are racing in competitive drag racing, but for us enthusiasts’ just wanting to know what our vehicle runs the important time is the ET

[neoppg]

Originally Posted by Aldo

Im keen to put my ute down the strip soon and was wondering is it necessary to do a burnout on standard tyres?I was also wondering if i should chase down a set of standerd 17's for my run or get some 16's off and AU,or is that a dumb newby question : .

cheers in advance
aldo

oh and what time can i expect out of my pursuit auto ,im running around 270rwkw .

took my typhoon to willowbank last week for the first time. standard 19" wheels and tyres .. dropped the pressure down a little .... don't really know why, or if it even helped. 12.2 sec with zf auto. i used manual mode, but maybe next time perf auto might be quicker????? either way i had a blast for the first time....!

[DOC]

Originally Posted by neoppg

took my typhoon to willowbank last week for the first time. standard 19" wheels and tyres .. dropped the pressure down a little .... don't really know why, or if it even helped. 12.2 sec with zf auto. i used manual mode, but maybe next time perf auto might be quicker????? either way i had a blast for the first time....!

? hey first run, not sure what I'm doing, not sure if i should have let the tyre pressure down, but you go out and blow a 12.2 sec pass. Well done i say thats a very good time.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by rodderz

We also found that due to low profile tyres, lowering pressures did stuff all, rod made the comment that lowering the pressures did not react the same way as a dedicated track tyre as rubber & sidewalls is harder and there is no flex there. There has been a couple of people get a 1.90 60' in a totally stock car with 38psi in the 17's, xa coupe was one of them.

I got 14.88 and 14.90 on 32psi and then 14.87 on 35psi... I agree, not much difference.

Its very important to take heed of what Craig said about writing stuff down... if you're keen on improving you're times. Anyway, have fun Aldo. And we'd like to know how you you go.

[DBL15]

1st of all have fun as its a blast

you have some great tips here and i am sure everyone has there own tips but from reading the posts above i would say you can't go wrong

here is 1 of my runs last time out and boy was the guy in the WRX ****ed off as he thought i was a standard XR8 ute : : little did he know there was a angry cat SC under there : : :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qClNqAMZjyQ

as i said have fun its a blast but once you do it you will want more

[cheap]

Originally Posted by chipa

Why concerned?? That link supports Craig's post.

So R/T of 2 seconds will have no bearing on the E/T?

[protd]

i totally disagree with burnouts on any steel belted tyre, it's all a waste of time and money.. i'll stick to my comments about not skidding if running street tyres, and as for deflating a steel belted tyre thats even more of a joke..

[Chris]

depends on so many factors, on of my clients ran a 12.91 with a 290 auto, stock diff and converter with around 280 odd rwkw.

He ran a 1.9 60 if he pulled a small burn, no burn and the car blew the tyres apart - nexen radials street tyres stock pressure.

[Casper]

I agree Chris (this is getting scary.. stop it : ). I only race on street tyres and I can say without a doubt that if I don't give them a bit of a burnout I'm just going to be smoking off the line with tyre spin. With a burnout (not excessive though) they grip and go without much more than a chirp.

Once again, 1.9's with a burnout and nothing even close without. Possibly the benefits of a burnout on street tyres only manifests when 60' times are lower than 2.1 or so? All I know it that its a must in my car.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by cheap

So R/T of 2 seconds will have no bearing on the E/T?

Exactly........watch a VL turbo commodore they sit there for sometimes 10 seconds spooling and then go.

[XRQTOR]

Originally Posted by Craig@ACE

Exactly........watch a VL turbo commodore they sit there for sometimes 10 seconds spooling and then go.

He might be thinking of .1sec of your 6oft time is worth .2 off your et.

[gurujosh]

I always got my best 60foots by doing a small burnout in 1st gear..Reaction time has nothing to do with your et..

[rodderz]

Originally Posted by XRQTOR

He might be thinking of .1sec of your 6oft time is worth .2 off your et.

Yes he could be.... the general consensus is that dropping a 10th off your first 60 feet after launch will drop roughly 3 10th's off your ET, which is why the start is so important. Of course the rest of the run has to be consistant with the others too.

[Quadcams]

Originally Posted by rodderz

When a group of us used to always head out to Calder with our BA's nearly every week a few years back I found the best method with mine was to do a short burnout in 2nd gear- give it a bootful and drop the clutch, this will get rid of the water and the little stones etc on your tyres. We found with street tyres that if you smoke them too much they get very slippery and doughy off the startline, plus you're only getting heat into your engine bay and CAI too, even more so if doing the burnout in 1st.

We also found that due to low profile tyres, lowering pressures did stuff all, rod made the comment that lowering the pressures did not react the same way as a dedicated track tyre as rubber & sidewalls is harder and there is no flex there. There has been a couple of people get a 1.90 60' in a totally stock car with 38psi in the 17's, xa coupe was one of them.

Having said that though, not many times did I do what I just said. Once the rubber's turning and the V8's purring you keep the foot down and keep it going past the start line lol

Good point about too big a burnout on street tyres Rod, they have a silicon compound and get them to hot they become slimy but a small burnout is definately better then none at all.

[Aldo]

hahaha opened a can of worms eh

So did i get this right the general concsensus is;

1 Spectate before i do anything.
2 do small burnout
3 make note of routeen(sp)
4 Dont f#@k about with presures and consentrate on my driving.

Yeah i only thought the au 16's because of availability , but if it also helps me with tyre options and price then im all over it : .

[rodderz]

Originally Posted by Aldo

hahaha opened a can of worms eh

So did i get this right the general concsensus is;

1 Spectate before i do anything.
2 do small burnout
3 make note of routeen(sp)
4 Dont f#@k about with presures and consentrate on my driving.

Yeah i only thought the au 16's because of availability , but if it also helps me with tyre options and price then im all over it : .

Yes good advice you listed there, one more thing is to not expect too much from your 1st go at it. Too many think drag racing is like pulling away from a green light down the street when some ricer is lining up next to you, but it's a lot different.

You either give it too much and it spins like buggery or you bog down and you take off like a turtle with the staggers, it takes a few runs to sort your launch, the track, and the gear changes. Be patient and you'll get some good ones in