• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

Drag racing setups

sdturbo

sdturbo

300+ Member
300+ Club
Eco Bricks Club
Joined
Sep 5, 2006
Location
San Diego CA
So my 242 is finally starting to make some respectable power but now I cannot get it to hook at all. What do you drag kiddies do for tires/suspension. I know I should just go blow some cash on some biggie slicks but id like to keep it more budget minded.
 
It currently has a moded G80 locker, 205/60/15 falken ziex tires, 190lb rear springs. The car is as light as it can be, 2 fiberglass seats, steering wheel, gauges, plastic dash cover only, bumpers are covers only etc... its light. I have yet to launch it but I don't need to know im having traction issues. Rolling into the throttle in second results in nothing but two black stripes in the street. Im sure ill have to pedal 3rd, (my trans currently does not shift into 3rd so i cannot tell you). The car needs more tire, just not sure of the most cost effective way to get there.
 
How much air have you got in them ??
You should be able to get 205`s down to about 20psi .. that will make a substantial difference for a starter.
I don`t believe slicks are the be all and end all .. unless you are overpowering the tyres no matter what you try.
Mine goes fastest on street tyres, probably due in some part to the lower overall wheel height ..
 
No slicks:
125at116.jpg


Slicks:
2007_1118dragracing00452.jpg


Check those 60' times!

I think you should get some slicks :) The ones I got were only $135ea. from summitracing I think.

But aside from the slicks, I think the only real way to get it to hook up better would be to redesign the suspension mounting points. I don't know much about that kind of stuff, but I'm sure it would help, since that's what all the serious drag racers do with their adjustable 4-links :)
 
Volvorules said:
I think the only real way to get it to hook up better would be to redesign the suspension mounting points. I don't know much about that kind of stuff, but I'm sure it would help, since that's what all the serious drag racers do with their adjustable 4-links :)
Click to expand...

lolwat :-P
 
sdturbo said:
The car needs more tire, just not sure of the most cost effective way to get there.
Click to expand...
Do you want more rear traction all the time, or just at the drag strip?

I really like my 16x8 and 245/45/16 Hankook RS2 tires for the street. Lots of grip all the time, but not the most grip for autocross or drag racing. I'm using Firebird wheels on wheel adapters. 16x8 circle track style steel wheels would cost about the same as my setup and bolt on directly if you had them custom made.

A cheap (free) pair of 15x7 bolt-on wheels shouldn't be that hard to find, and then you can put slicks on the car and it will hook every time. The 24.5x8x15 slicks fit well on the 7"s. But it will still be a handful on the street on 205/60/15 junk.
 
What do use for shocks? Weight transfer on take off makes a big difference. I've heard removing front sway bars helps,but then you loose handling.Hard to get the best of both worlds.
 
towerymt said:
Do you want more rear traction all the time, or just at the drag strip?

I really like my 16x8 and 245/45/16 Hankook RS2 tires for the street. Lots of grip all the time, but not the most grip for autocross or drag racing. I'm using Firebird wheels on wheel adapters. 16x8 circle track style steel wheels would cost about the same as my setup and bolt on directly if you had them custom made.

A cheap (free) pair of 15x7 bolt-on wheels shouldn't be that hard to find, and then you can put slicks on the car and it will hook every time. The 24.5x8x15 slicks fit well on the 7"s. But it will still be a handful on the street on 205/60/15 junk.
Click to expand...

Honestly the car is being built as a track slut, I dont drive it much on the street. Having it be the wheel spin master on the street is actully a lot of fun when I do give customers hell rides etc. On road race course it will be on R compounds and I will end up with some drag slicks at some point... just not sure if there is any other way around it aside from redoing the rear suspension.

Rear shocks are billy HDs, 28mm front sway and no rear sway.

Rob, what size/brand tires are you slicks?
 
Last edited:
i got some respectible 60 footers with 225/50/16's on the back from hankook don't remember the model but i remember cutting a few 1.9's and 90 pecent were 2.0's. that was good for a 13.4
 
Tried Drag Radials? Street tires DOT Approved "almost slicks"? Had a friend with Buick G/N 500 HP what he used for street/strip.
 
sdturbo said:
Honestly the car is being built as a track slut, I dont drive it much on the street. Having it be the wheel spin master on the street is actully a lot of fun when I do give customers hell rides etc. On road race course it will be on R compounds and I will end up with some drag slicks at some point... just not sure if there is any other way around it aside from redoing the rear suspension.

Rear shocks are billy HDs, 28mm front sway and no rear sway.

Rob, what size/brand tires are you slicks?
Click to expand...

For drag racing , big rear sway and no front bar. Use a rear shock with as close to 50/50 valving as possible with a light rear spring(propably S10 shocks). In front use as close as you can get to a 90/10 valving and again a light spring for good body separation.
Not a street strip set up though...
George
 
Tires are everything. Period.

Terrible suspension with intended purpose tires (Drag slicks, R comps, etc. ) will win over excellent suspension and crappy tires every time.

You use R comps on a road course, why not use drag slicks on a drag strip? Same principle.

You will get so much grip from drag slicks that all of the above suspension suggestions are moot until you are sub 11 seconds imo (in a 240). For the 300 worth of drag slicks, you will save yourself twice that in labor and specialized suspension parts.

I got drag slicks for $200 off of craigslist, though it took me a while to come across a size that would work under a 240. Or do like Rob and grab a new set for $270.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top