Skinny Front Spares for Drag Racing ???

[Glenn]

I have always wanted to know if using two skinny 300B spare tires up front with the orginal spare type tires would help in the 1/4 mile times. Obviously many cars and Mustang uses skinny front tires to reduce ETs. Perhaps the original skinny spare tires should be replaced, but wouldn't the skinny spare wheel concept with good tires help??

Advise from our strip experts??

Thanks,

Glenn :burnout:

[CRUZTAKER]

I have always wanted to know if using two skinny 300B spare tires up front ....Glenn :burnout:


All of those whom trap at 50mph...:baaa:

[PSG]

I know that we used to run the aluminium donut spares on the mustangs, but a few years ago the tech guys stopped alowing it , i believe the tires say something right on them about not excedeing 35 mph or something like that

[Motorhead350]

I don't think they would save you 100 or even 50lbs, so probably no difference really.

[Taemian]

I know that we used to run the aluminium donut spares on the mustangs, but a few years ago the tech guys stopped alowing it , i believe the tires say something right on them about not excedeing 35 mph or something like that

I still have a few of those Stang aluminum donut rims, but we NEVER ran the actual spare tires on them!?!? The rims are fine for high speed, but certainly not the mini-spare tires themselves!!!:shake:

It wasn't so much about weight loss as about weight transfer, if I remember the track-talk correctly.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Weight transfer on a 4200 lb car with a cargo leveling suspension....... I would not even bother w/ runners. I mean if you are runnings 10s or 11s then by all means, but otherwise I wouldn't worry about it.

[2ndMDRebel]

I had a pair (still have actually) of Weld skinnies and ran them on the Crown Vic a few times, didn't notice any difference at all on the track. The local race shop swore by them, guess that's Mustang tech and not Panther tech stuff. With the spacers needed to clear the brakes it stuck the wheels out past the fender lip so not only were they a bit odd in appearance they were unuseable after the front end was lowered with the QA-1s. Jerry has a set of stock rims that were narrowed on the front of the Trilogy-1 car but that seems to be an expensive option.

I'm definitely interested if someone comes up with a package that works.

Here's an old picture of the Vic with the skinnies...

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/4/0/8/0/cvback1.JPG

[SILVERSURFER03]

chris had a pair of custom mm skinys on his tunderbird s/c at all ford nats. they looked sweet and fit proper. you should check with him.. pm me for email addr.

[merc]

Jerry and Sherman have skinnies and they do work for the Marauder but not cheap. They both use the Marauder Wheel reduced instead of widen.
I have a picture of them at the end of this webpage.

http://web.mac.com/mwhite26/Site/Cobra_Build_up.html

[FordNut]

I believe Steve (Glassman99) also has narrowed front OEM rims with skinnies.

Weight transfer isn't the only principle involved with running front skinnies, since they have a smaller contact patch they have a lower friction coefficient. That contributes to less rolling resistance. Probably not enough to actually quantify, especially on a 4400 lb car.

[Bluerauder]

Jerry and Sherman have skinnies and they do work for the Marauder but not cheap. They both use the Marauder Wheel reduced instead of widen.
I have a picture of them at the end of this webpage.

http://web.mac.com/mwhite26/Site/Cobra_Build_up.html
I spoke to Sherm at the Safford L-M car show. Chris swapped out his fronts for the skinnies (5" I think) right there in the parking lot. Sherm says that he saves 30 pounds per tire. So, that is a 60 pound savings for both. Using the "accepted" 0.1 sec per 100 pounds rule, he picks up about .06 seconds in the 1/4 mile. That's the difference between a 12.02 and an 11.96. :D

As Cruztaker mentions, I wouldn't be using those donut spares on the track. They are rated only up to 50 MPH.

[Glenn]

Thanks fellows some good information that I was looking for.

Glenn :burnout:

[Taemian]

Weight transfer on a 4200 lb car with a cargo leveling suspension....... I would not even bother w/ runners. I mean if you are runnings 10s or 11s then by all means, but otherwise I wouldn't worry about it.

You know you can turn both traction control and rear suspension off when you get to the track, right? Besides, an s/c 'd MM doesn't trip the air bag level sensor every time it goes WOT, so I'm missing your point. Anything that allows you to go faster is always a good thing. Just because most of us don't have deep enough pockets to spend $$ on every possible mod, doesn't mean it is useless. Swapping to an dry cell battery and front skinnies should give you close to .1 sec, and that's never a bad thing!:banana:

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

My point was just that, putting runners on a car that has a rear suspension designed for carrying suit cases and golf bags, and weighs a ton, to shave 0.00x, is probably not the best way to spend money. It all depends on how fast you are running. Shaving a tenth if you run 13s is not cost effective to me, because at that power level you are a fast street car, but not anywhere near needing an extra tenth for any reason. If you are shaving a tenth off at the 10 second power level and you're on a mission to be the fastest Marauder, that is a lot. I can shave 0.0005 at my high 14 second level by not eating lunch, but that's not worth it to me because I'm hungry, and the little old ladies I am passing won't notice or appreciate the et drop.

[TooManyFords]

I had a pair (still have actually) of Weld skinnies and ran them on the Crown Vic a few times...


Not to thread-jack, but what were the dimensions of those skinnies in the picture, width, backspacing, etc? Also, how much spacer did you have to put on them to clear the calipers?

I'm working on a new brake system for the Marauders that will not require spacers but every little bit of info helps. Besides, riding mexican on the fronts is not cool... (just my opinion, LOL!)

[Bradley G]

Since it's part of the drive line, isn't the unsprung weight worth a little more?

[Taemian]

Since it's part of the drive line, isn't the unsprung weight worth a little more?

Great point! Didn't even think of that.

[KillJoy]

Skinnie = Good

Donuts = Bad

:beer:

KillJoy

[BlownMerc]

I have a pare of aluminum Town Car spares I "acquired" that I run a 205/70r16 on at the track, tires were cheap, rims were free. They have six holes, like a Weld Draglite, but they are rough cast finish. Not sure if they provide any additional speed, haven't had the time or best of conditions to check.