I was asking what the number was.

 

Just buy a pair of drag radials already. No street tires are gonna hold 600hp. Doesn't matter what size.

 

Which is what you should have if you're drag racing. 285 is fine for the street.

 

The article said they addressed traction with gear changes - which also provided a 200+mph top end. Right?

 

Nah man. I have to run DR's regardless. I'll smoke 1st-4th on 285 street tires. Just don't use the car in the rain.

 

I'm not talking about throwing it down, normal street driving.

 

I hope they did, I just want the gt500 to be competitive and putting the same size tires that boss has with 200 more hp seems like a bad short cut.

 

How do we know for sure that Ford will not have an optional tire available by production time ? Maybe the tire size released now is just a baseline tire for daily driving.

 

There's no such thing.

 

LOL'

 

There's so much more to traction than tire size. Tire compound, weight transfer, suspension design all makes a difference.

The mustang still boasts a solid axle. while it's not the most sophisticated piece on the face of the earth, it has one big advantage when it comes to getting something moving. It can be designed as a lever arm.

In the case of the 05+ Mustang, this is exactly the case. The lower control arms are designed to work as a lever when weight transfers on to the rear. As torque loading builds from increase in power to the differential, this increases the torque on the lever arms. The suspension literally pushes the tires in to the ground.

With gearing changes and some computer aided traction control, I have no doubt that the 2013 will put power down as efficiently as the 2011-12 does.

Besides, it's tires. If you want 305's or more, buy a set. If you're spending 60+ on a car, you should be able to wrap it in new rubber.

 

There's more involved than just throwing on a wider set of rear tires and calling it done. Remember, the car doesn't just have to get maximum traction in a straight line. When you increase the rear tire size, you would have to also increase the front tires to keep the handling close to neutral as possible. Since the 265 front is close to the maximum possible in regards to clearance (from a mfr standpoint), it kind of limits the rears to 285.

 

DING! DING! DING! I was going to explode if somebody didn't point out the obvious here. And...

DING! DING! DING! We have another winner.

Took me several years to learn how to launch my Kenne Bell blown Cougar at the dragstrip. Tires helped, but the car twisted, so I needed to stiffen the chassis and put in decent control arms (prolly not an issue here.) Adjustable front struts to get the front to lift and keep the rear loaded were next (softer springs too for hardcore drag racers.) Then a line lock to make sure the drag radials were nice & sticky. Then I added a 2-step so the power would come on just as the clutch released without too much energy storage (fixed RPM launch). Finally I used a special torque limiting feature in the EEC IV that allowed me to control timing in only 1st gear based on load & RPM. Dialed in the timing so it pulls 10+ degrees just as the tires are being hit, then timing is added back exponentially as the car starts to move. Controlled 5" wheelstand every time.

THIS is why I want launch control. It can even compensate for crappy tires if done properly. You give up a little (torque at launch) to gain a lot (60' time.)

 

Ford is not going to do anything that could compromise safety (legalities) in order to shave a couple of 10ths off the 1/4 mile times. They are not going to cut the bump stops out in order to fit 305's on the back, nor are they going to have the tires sticking out past the fenders (rubbing and stone chips).

I'm fairly confident that Ford has done enough adjustments to the car (suspension and launch control) that the 285's will be fine. If they aren't they are going to look like complete fools to have cranked out 650hp and still not be able to get the car off the line.

 

Do remember that the GT500 is more than just a simple-minded drag queen and that excellent handling is as paramount and, in a 200mph car, necessary element of its overall performance envelope. Thus I don't foresee any great changes in the GT500's tires, which are already quite large and of excellent quality already. Sure, the drag racers can always slap on some single-purpose drag tires for those little 1/4 mile spurts, but the GT500's current street setup is a far better overall compromise.

 

I hope you are right. But I have my doubts. Tracks are one thing but street tangles go very far when it comes to sales.

 

My response:

Dear Al Oppenheiser:

Shut up. Get your facts straight before you spout off at the mouth, especially in a public forum. Focus on being more professional in your role and making a better vehicle, then talk.

Sincerely,

A Mustang fan who cross-shopped all pony cars.

 

How'd you find out my last name.

 

Lucky guess.

 

Honestly its very childish and unprofessionnal of Al to bash the mustang like he did. And really he owes his success to the mustang, the car tht didnt dissapear for how many years? Either way they benefit each other in the long run.
I cant wait to see him cry as the gt500 beats his precious zl1 in the tests and races sure to come