Guys,
I just got a new set of Drag Radials so I thought I would ask you experienced racers for a little advice. Any tips you could provide on tire break-in, air pressure, warm-up, or launch technique would be appreciated. Thanks,

The Boss Hog

 

Break in, nothing much to it. Just drive em around for about 50 miles or so before taking to the track.

Air pressure is going to depend. Since you are running such a small sidewalled tire (18") you probably wont notice much difference in any pressure you try. I would try running them at your normal driveing pressure first and go down from there.. no more than 5lbs at a time. The lowest i would try on that site tire would be 18psi.

As far as launching, you are still going to have to slip the clutch out and feather it like you would on street tires. Sure drag radials are better than street tires when it comes to traction, but they arent slicks. clutch dumping will still light em up. Probably try revving to about 3,000-3500 and slip the clutch from there.

Practice practice practice is what is going to get you the most for your money out of them.

Also I did look at those tires. Normally i've only see that particular BFG used on imports or FWD vehicles, but I would assume they would work fine for a RWD car as well. Read this description on them as to why I wonder about them on a RWD. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...2FA+Drag+Radial

 

Scott,
Thanks for the feedback I did read the write-ups on the tire, but I also saw them (in size 345/30R18 ) on a new Corvette. He was at Moroso a few weeks ago and was claiming over 600 rwhp. Also, checkout the "review" by a 400 rwhp Z-28 in that link you provided. I think they should work great . . . . . . but I've been wrong before

The Boss Hog

 

Sounds good. Second gear launch and speedshift and do a dry burnout and powerbrake it if needed, then Scott is right about the launch but 2nd gear will help with traction. IMO

 

I just bought some used Nitto Drag radials ( 275-40-17) would these tips apply to them as well???

 

2nd gear? I'm sorry but that will probably cause you to bogg off the line more than anything. 1st gear at a lower rpm, because you are going to allow yourself to accelerate more from a stand still than going through the power band from a dead stop in a shorter gear that is not going to rev as fast. Now if you had 600+rwhp and 4.10 gears i could see a 2nd gear start.

 

Yup same thing applies. Except in your case with a 17" tire, you can probably drop your air a little bit more due to somewhat more of a sidewall and you can have it flex a tad more (mind you this is still not a slick). I never ran my 17" DR's below 15psi, but i never saw a difference between 15psi and 20psi.

Also, make sure you guys drive around the water. Do NOT go through it at all. With a drag radial, you have no need for it. A good dry burnout for about 7-10 seconds, just enough to see a lil smoke and you are good.

 

except for the guy with nittos, heat them up really good, they need more heat than the BFG

 

Is it bad to just use drag radials for back tires? My buddy with a cobra does, is there any negatives other than limited tread life?

 

not really. Something like the BFG Dr's (the first version) arent that great for cornering and have very poor wet weather capabilities. The only DR i would run on the back full time is the Nitto 555R.

 

Any idea of what size to put on my car? esp for a nice "fat tire" look in the back...

 

stock 17x8 wheels, you can get away with 275/40s i believe.

 

Yeah Doug, sorry man but launching in second gear although you might have good traction, you would loose a lot more time than if you didn't have traction all the way down the strip. Yeah Ua2ki, w/ the stock GT rims you can run up to about 275's. Any bigger and the tires will bubble.

 

Family used to idle off in second with built 5.0s with World Class T-5 and run better due to less spin. thats why I recommended it.....

 

well a highly build 5.0 is going to make ALOT more trq especially low end than a modular motor. Thats gonna make a world of difference and they would easily blow the tires off from a dead stop.