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 Post subject: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:38 am 
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SL6 Racer & Moderator
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Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 4:42 am
Posts: 8700
Location: Cox’s Creek, KY
Car Model: More cars than sense...
Does an 11 second drag car like the Challenger really NEED drag specific front tires like the M/T Front Runners? Top speed will probably be 120 MPH at the most.

Drag tires are twice as expensive as street tires in the same general size. Looking to save a few pennies, but don’t want to do something stupid.

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 11:22 am 
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Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2002 11:08 am
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Location: Blacksburg, VA
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I would say no. My understanding is that the speed ratings are really for sustained speeds and temperature rise/delamination. Any regular street tire now will be S or T rated at around 110 MPH and H rated are not uncommon at 130 MPH (sustained).

The drag tires weigh less, but it is probably not a huge difference.

Lou

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:33 pm 
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Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 1:04 pm
Posts: 7401
Location: Oregon
Car Model: 2023 Eichman Digger?
Required no. The weight can be substantial though.
If your going for every ounce, your looking at pounds.

I have a set of front runners for the Hooptie. I bought a large diameter to effect roll out. (Timing thing at the tree.) Not deep staging, so don't bother with them anymore.

If your not looking for the ultimate in light weight, then stick with street rubber. All it takes is a bolt on the track, and your pretty front runner is toast. Steel belt all season radial, not so much.

CJ

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:56 pm 
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Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 7:27 pm
Posts: 14119
Location: Park Forest, Illinoisy
Car Model: 68 Valiant
I just put a new pair of 27X4.50X15 Hoosiers on the front of the Valiant. Why you say? Because it's a RACE car and I wanted RACE car tires on it. :lol:

Honestly I just did it because I seem to enjoy throwing money down a big hole. :oops:

Pretty sure the car would be just as slow with the Radial T/A's off the front of my Duster, but it wouldn't look like a race car. :shock:

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 11:39 pm 
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Supercharged

Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 11:50 pm
Posts: 6291
Location: So California
Car Model: 64 Plymouth Valiant
Use air-cooled VW tires...……….

155 80 15s or 165 80 15s

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:17 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 4:42 am
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Location: Cox’s Creek, KY
Car Model: More cars than sense...
Thanks for the feedback. You’ve confirmed the way I was headed. I’m cutting several pounds off the front by modifying several other things, so I’m okay with gaining a couple pounds to save the money for now.

The M/Ts are about 1/2” taller than the tires I just put on the Duster.

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 11:28 am 
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TBI Slant 6

Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 12:26 pm
Posts: 170
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Rob I just changed over to vw tires instead of front runners and can’t see any difference. Also I can’t find any pictures of the Ron’s toilet systems. Give me a call and we can discuss . Norm 706-913-3113


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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:00 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 4:42 am
Posts: 8700
Location: Cox’s Creek, KY
Car Model: More cars than sense...
Thanks Norm. I figured out the fuel pump mount. I just welded in another bracket.

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 8:05 pm 
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EFI Slant 6
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Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:01 pm
Posts: 475
Location: waynesboro PA
Car Model: 72' Dart Swinger / 62' Valiant
I was considering putting 26" tall Mickey Thompson front runners on the race car (instead of the 22"s) and I found going from 22" to 26" would add 10 lbs (5 lbs per side) So i'm not sure what the weight difference would be for a street tire but I was surprised there was that much weight difference just by going to the larger M/T front runner. I decided to leave the short & light tires on there.

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:45 pm 
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Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 7:27 pm
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Location: Park Forest, Illinoisy
Car Model: 68 Valiant
Taller tires will increase rollout and make for a lower ET. Short tires give a better reaction time because they get out of the beams faster.

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:30 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 4:42 am
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Location: Cox’s Creek, KY
Car Model: More cars than sense...
If/when I replace the front tires I will weigh the actual difference and post here. If I can't find a good replacement option for the rear wheels I guess I don't need to worry about spending money on any front ones for now... More to follow.

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 8:36 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 4:42 am
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Location: Cox’s Creek, KY
Car Model: More cars than sense...
I went ahead and got new front tires. The street tires weighed right at 8 lbs more than the Front Runners I took off. They were 20 lbs before, 28 lbs after per side. So, I added a whopping 16 lbs of rotating weight to the front of the Challenger. :(

Once I get the Challenger up and running and start looking for that little extra to set records I will consider stepping back up to the lighter and way more costly front runners again. Maybe next year...

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Rob

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:39 pm 
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EFI Slant 6

Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:17 am
Posts: 329
Location: Seymour, TN
Car Model: 1965 Dart 270 w/ 66 Valiant front clip
Rob

Can you tell me which tires and sizes you went with??
Which front runners and size was on the car for comparison? (or were they M/T's?)

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 10:03 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2003 4:42 am
Posts: 8700
Location: Cox’s Creek, KY
Car Model: More cars than sense...
I took off M/T Front Runners and replaced them with Americus Touring Plus 165/80R15s.

They are about 1/2” shorter and 8 lbs heavier... and $90 cheaper per tire.

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Rob

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 Post subject: Re: Front drag tires
PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 9:21 am 
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1 BBL (New)

Joined: Fri May 08, 2015 9:58 am
Posts: 3
Location: Ohio
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It is not just the static weight that needs to be considered. Consider the front tires/wheels/brake rotors or drums as flywheels that need to be accelerated from a dead stop.

One of the defunct Mopar mags ran an A-B test about 20 years ago on a big block B-body using street tires/wheels vs. "race". IIRC, there was a definite improvement of about two tenths.

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