First drag tire purchase?

[fairlaniac]

I’m looking to purchase my first set of drag tires. I was thinking of going with a drag radial but the selection seems confusing. I was thinking of Mickey Thompsons or Hoosiers. Some I see say “works best or preferred with automatics” (I have a 4 speed) and the advertised sizes don’t match actual size from one brand to another. Since my Fairlane is not tubbed I have a semi-limited amount of room. Ideally I think a 28/9/15 would fit easily. I was looking at an M/T 275/60/15. To use that I may need to roll the fender well lip up and get an 8” wide wheel with a 5” back space and use a 1/4” spacer. That would give me about 3/8” between the leaf spring and the tire and 1/4” between the outside tire wall and the fender. Of course that is if the tires hold the advertised section dimension. Any recommendations? The car ran low 13’s on street tires. Also, why a difference for tires recommended using with an automatic?

Thanks,

[Gameracing]

Just an opinion, but I wouldn't use a radial with a stick shift, the sidewall is stiffer, and if they do spin, they don't recover well, MT et streets work well, so do Hoosiers. If you were going to run them street and strip, the BFG drag radials work well, but their not optimum for the track. If you want optimum, resign yourself to changing tires and put slicks on it (unless you want to run street class, then see above)

[fairlaniac]

Having a separate set of wheels and tires is my goal. No desire to run them on the street.

Thanks,

[jays64II]

Doug. If you want to get away from the radials and you are willing to swap wheels and tires at the track then you can't go wrong with either the M/T e.t. streets or the Hoosier Quick Time Pros. Both are basically a street legal slick (cheater slick) that has a d.o.t. stamp on it. I think the 27x10.5x15 size would be right up your alley.

The Hoosiers are a lil' more narrow.

Hoosier specs...27x10.5x15

suggested rim width - 8"
tread - 9"
section width - 10.1"

[fairlaniac]

Jay,
I'd seen where the M/T's require a tube. I cannot find anything on the Hoosier Quick Time Pro's. Do they require a tube?

Thanks,

[nheyman]

Not on do the ET Streets (non-radial) perform, but they'll look better on your car than a radial......just my opinion.

Some might say they perform to well...

[jays64II]

Doug , I have never run tubes in any of my slicks , e.t. streets , or hoosier quick time pros.

[HonkIfPartsFallOff]

Are you going to keep a radial on the front of your car? if so what size is the front radial? I recently switched from a Bias ply Hoosier quick time pro 28x11.5x15 to a 275/60-15 MT radial. The car was scary to drive with a 205/70-15 radial up front and the bias ply out back. Those who know me know i'll drive anything, and I stopped driving this car with the bias plys. I put the Drag radials on, and the car went straight as an arrow. and in 50 or so passes since the car has not made a single move down track.

I also use a trans brake, as do 1,000's of other guys running these drag radials, so your stick shift is no different then a trans brake.

My vote is the radial.

[jays64II]

Doug , Honkifpartsfalloff makes a good point. A wide radial up front mixed with a bias ply out back can give ya problems. I still like the idea of a drag radial out back. You may have to play with it a lil to get them to work or you may not. ya won't know til ya try.

[Gameracing]

There are some guy's running stick shift mustang's running plenty fast on the radials, I run them on my street strip car, I just think that the best, most consistant et's , come from bias slicks, whether or not they have a DOT number on them. Car does handle nice with the radials though. Just an opinion.

[adamsvega]

the bias ply radial cross up effects alot of gm 4 link cars and the the lower the psi and closer the tire sizes the worse it gets .

you can coat the insdes of the tires with alot of products to keep the tube type slicks full of air . wheel eeze ,vht,dawn soap ,napa tire lube .....ect.
i would get the slicks with the stiffest sidewall and hardest compound that easly fit your ride for a stick car. the small hoosiers in bias can have a very soft compound and if you are heavy enough and hit em hard enough they will peel the rubber off like a cheese gratter was taken to them ,not what ya want ! you may just end up with a hoosier street tire!!!