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maraudernkc
05-05-2006, 05:15 AM
I know that some of the guys are having problems with traction at the track.

I was wondering what type and size tires some of the members here are running at the track and how you rate the performace of that tire at the track.

Any Information would be fantastic!

Thanks, Greg

Rick-n-Miami
05-05-2006, 05:26 AM
The Nitto 555 295/45/18 street radials are not good at all for a car with lots of rwtq. The sidewalls are reinforced and the compound is not sticky at all. Albeit, they are slightly better than the stock street radials simply because of their size, but not by much.

MarauderTJA
05-05-2006, 06:51 AM
My Nitto Drag Radials are toast....When checking out the tires after last nights drag racing, I hardly had any rubber on the rear quarter panels. A sure sign that the good sticky compound is gone. With hell bent on fire burnouts, I could only best a 1.8 sixty foot. With five run a couple of 1.9's and a couple of 2.0's. Terrible:mad2: . Time for some new tires. Car ran great with a high 112.71 MPH but still at only a 12.4 et. New Truetrac and Metco CA's are working out awesome...just need to get the power to the ground...Maybe some QA1's will help...:rolleyes: or some maybe even some racing slicks...hummm

Smokie
05-05-2006, 07:00 AM
I have KDW2 255/55/18 on stock rims, I like them very much for street use, at the track they are ok. Last time out I had 60' in the 1.8--1.9 range.

For me; I consider that good, I believe the results were due to practicing prior to racing more than the actual tires, the prior 3 outings with the same exact setup yielded 60' times from 2.00 to 2.3....not so great.

The guys I go to the track with that use the Nitto's D/R with the widened rims have a fairly large range of results, I have seem as low as 1.7's and as high as 2.0's.

The best chance to get a low 60' is offered by a wider rim and drag radials, however the driver will make the biggest difference in the results you get, Zack has the lowest known 60' of any Marauder I know of and his set-up is far from being the most powerful. He would be a good source of info, BillyG also has outstanding 60' with 400 rwhp.

The driver makes a huge impact in the results.

Zack
05-05-2006, 07:09 AM
BFG G-Force drag radials.
295/35/18
You cant drive around on the street with them because they are only 26" tall and look silly on the car, but man do they hook.
I leave at 3500 rpm's with no loss of traction.

MarauderTJA
05-05-2006, 07:12 AM
Their new ET Drag Radial from everyone I have talked to say they are the best drag radials they have ever had on their cars. A friend of my at our race shop recently switched over and bested his sixty foot from a 1.6 to a 1.4. Impressive to say the least. And yes Javier, driver input is important as well as practicing different launches.

The good news:D , just got off the phone with Jason at Mickey Thompson and our size 305 X 45 X 18 MT ET Drag Radials will becoming available. The sad part, not until July-August:mad: . Will have to get another set of Nitto's until then. Have to beat my best of a 1.7 sixty foot...:cool:

SergntMac
05-05-2006, 07:17 AM
BFG G-Force drag radials.
295/35/18
You cant drive around on the street with them because they are only 26" tall and look silly on the car, but man do they hook.
I leave at 3500 rpm's with no loss of traction.Indeed. Your 60 foot times tell it all. Shouldn't be driving drag radials on the street anyway...

Marauderman
05-05-2006, 07:18 AM
Their new ET Drag Radial from everyone I have talked to say they are the best drag radials they have ever had on their cars. A friend of my at our race shop recently switched over and bested his sixty foot from a 1.6 to a 1.4. Impressive to say the least. And yes Javier, driver input is important as well as practicing different launches.

The good news:D , just got off the phone with Jason at Mickey Thompson and our size 305 X 45 X 18 MT ET Drag Radials will becoming available. The sad part, not until July-August:mad: . Will have to get another set of Nitto's until then. Have to beat my best of a 1.7 sixty foot...:cool:

Hey Tom--any clue given by Jason as to what the cost range of those MT's will be--just wondering........you can PM me if you wish-Tom

MarauderTJA
05-05-2006, 07:19 AM
Hey Tom--any clue given by Jason as to what the cost range of those MT's will be--just wondering........you can PM me if you wish-Tom

He said they would be priced to compete with the Nitto's and BFG drag radials.

martyo
05-05-2006, 07:29 AM
Their new ET Drag Radial from everyone I have talked to say they are the best drag radials they have ever had on their cars. A friend of my at our race shop recently switched over and bested his sixty foot from a 1.6 to a 1.4. Impressive to say the least. And yes Javier, driver input is important as well as practicing different launches.

The good news:D , just got off the phone with Jason at Mickey Thompson and our size 305 X 45 X 18 MT ET Drag Radials will becoming available. The sad part, not until July-August:mad: . Will have to get another set of Nitto's until then. Have to beat my best of a 1.7 sixty foot...:cool:


Tom's right.

The MT's are the best hooking tires. Period.

Ran slicks, they were okay, but when the mph gets up there at the top end of the track, the hair on the back of your neck will stand up! :eek:

Nittos were okay, but they didn't hold a candle to the MTs.

Rick-n-Miami
05-05-2006, 07:54 AM
MT Drag Radial in a 305/45/18 size?? This may be just what I'm looking for!



Their new ET Drag Radial from everyone I have talked to say they are the best drag radials they have ever had on their cars. A friend of my at our race shop recently switched over and bested his sixty foot from a 1.6 to a 1.4. Impressive to say the least. And yes Javier, driver input is important as well as practicing different launches.

The good news:D , just got off the phone with Jason at Mickey Thompson and our size 305 X 45 X 18 MT ET Drag Radials will becoming available. The sad part, not until July-August:mad: . Will have to get another set of Nitto's until then. Have to beat my best of a 1.7 sixty foot...:cool:

bigslim
05-05-2006, 07:55 AM
Indeed. Your 60 foot times tell it all. Shouldn't be driving drag radials on the street anyway...
I drive with mine and have "NO PROBLEM".

Brutus
05-05-2006, 07:56 AM
Their new ET Drag Radial from everyone I have talked to say they are the best drag radials they have ever had on their cars. A friend of my at our race shop recently switched over and bested his sixty foot from a 1.6 to a 1.4. Impressive to say the least. And yes Javier, driver input is important as well as practicing different launches.

The good news:D , just got off the phone with Jason at Mickey Thompson and our size 305 X 45 X 18 MT ET Drag Radials will becoming available. The sad part, not until July-August:mad: . Will have to get another set of Nitto's until then. Have to beat my best of a 1.7 sixty foot...:cool:

You mean this:
http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/images/et_street.gif

I am thinking that their 28X11.50-16LT would fit my 16 inch steelies.

SergntMac
05-05-2006, 08:03 AM
MT Drag Radial in a 305/45/18 size?? This may be just what I'm looking for!Yes, this does sound hopeful. Thank goodness for the '05-'06 Mustang coming with 18" wheels, or MT never would have made this size available. Whew!

merc
05-05-2006, 08:32 AM
BFG G-Force drag radials.
295/35/18
You cant drive around on the street with them because they are only 26" tall and look silly on the car, but man do they hook.
I leave at 3500 rpm's with no loss of traction.

I drive on BFG G-Force drag radials 245/40/18 and they are 25'.6 tall, what does that make me Mr. Jack in the Box ? I was thinking low rider.

Rider90
05-05-2006, 08:32 AM
Guess I won't be getting the Nitto's, this is a hit. Maybe just get new KDW2s....

MarauderTJA
05-05-2006, 08:58 AM
Yes, this does sound hopeful. Thank goodness for the '05-'06 Mustang coming with 18" wheels, or MT never would have made this size available. Whew!

They told me that they are getting swamped for these size tires. Didn't think much about the new Mustang wheels. Your probably right Mac. He said a lot of interest from the Lightening p/u and Viper crowd. BTW I made him very aware of our group as well. More us need to put the pressure on MT. Maybe we will get them sooner.

MarauderTJA
05-05-2006, 09:01 AM
Guess I won't be getting the Nitto's, this is a hit. Maybe just get new KDW2s....

I ordered another set of Nitto DR's today. Will be awhile before the MT's are available. The Nitto's do work great when they are new at the track. And driving around town they do wear and ride well. It is the burnouts and track runs that wear them out.

SergntMac
05-05-2006, 09:31 AM
I drive on BFG G-Force drag radials 245/40/18 and they are 25'.6 tall, what does that make me Mr. Jack in the Box ? I was thinking low rider.With the stock size on the front, it indeed looks funny, and throws an ABS alarm.

merc
05-05-2006, 09:41 AM
With the stock size on the front, it indeed looks funny, and throws an ABS alarm.

You are correct Sir. It does look funny and it throws the ABS and Brake lights on the console, but I like the way it hooks.:beer: On the street I roll with the Big nitto's

I admit the BFG Drag Radials look out of place on a big car. What's amazing is how these tires perform on the track. For about 300 bucks I was able to increase my trap speed by 1.25 miles mph and lower my 60ft to 1.896. The E.T was also lowered by .2 tenths. I really look forward to a set of Mickey T's if they release a 18' wheel size.

Marauder.45
05-05-2006, 10:17 AM
+1 for MTs.

"Borrowed" a set of ET Streets, good hook. Gave me my best time to date

Bought a set of ET Drags cheap and mounted them on some bobo 17"s.

They are only 26" tires, but gives a true 4:10 ratio. Throws the ABS light, but who cares. Take them off after the passes and drive home on my regular tires.

jdando
05-05-2006, 11:19 AM
You are correct Sir. It does look funny and it throws the ABS and Brake lights on the console, ...
Here is a picture of a 245/35/18 Dunlop Super Sport tire on my MM. These are road course tires, but they will go to the 1/4 mile once this year.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/gap2.jpg

more pictures in gallery

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/browseimages.php?c=5&userid=

jeremy

mpearce
05-05-2006, 07:19 PM
A set of drag radials isn't the "end all" for hooking up, and for low 60' times. Track prep is just as important. With a crap track, comes crap 60'fts, drag radials or not.

-Mat

Joe Walsh
05-05-2006, 09:30 PM
BFG P255/50R16 Drag Radials on 16x7 CV Police rims....

I still haven't found the limits of these tires...I'll keep elevating my launch RPM until I smoke 'em bad.

Check out my 60 foot time...1.809 secs.

MikesMerc
05-05-2006, 09:50 PM
A set of drag radials isn't the "end all" for hooking up, and for low 60' times. Track prep is just as important. With a crap track, comes crap 60'fts, drag radials or not.

-Mat

Yep! well said.