This summer I plan to run 275x40x17's BFG drag radials and am considering getting skinnies for the front. Need to know if there is a really significant advantage w/ skinnies and what size should I use? If I don't go w/ skinnies, I will use 275x40x17's (BFG TA's) mounted on ZRI's (17x9.5) on the front to go w/ the BFG's on the back. Thanks for the advice!!

 

If the vehicle is basically stock I don't think you will realize a cost effective advantage by going to skinnies on the front. 17" rims are generally not good for hooking up either although the BFG's are pretty good and on a stock vehicle you will most likely be pleased with the result. A buddy of mine was cutting 1.7 sixty foot times on his Z06 last season with the 17" BFG's.

 

I'd go ahead and either get a set of 16" take-offs or a 15" wheel from Weld. Draglites are good and lite, but the Convo Pros from Centerline require NO grinding on an LT1 and are just as light.

 

We tested this on my wifes car(99 bolt on ws6 formula) last weekend. Went out there..had the 15" et streets on the back and left the 17" fikse on the front. Made 2 runs..both were within .01 of each other. Went to the pits..put the convo pro skinnies on front and remove the K&N air filter. Next pass she picked up .19 and stayed there all night. She picked up .05 in the 60' alone. I think its worth it. Remember..this is a bolt on ls1 full weight ws6 formula.

Tim

 

'95 Bird,
1. What size wheels did you use on the front for the skinnies?
2. What tire brand/ size (skinnies)?
3. Are you saying that running say 16's on the front would be
ok w/ 17's BFG drag radials on the back?
4. Car is z28, A4 w/ Vig 2800, LT 4 Hot Cam kit, 3.73 gears,
and numerous suspension and other bolt-ons. Plan to add
NX wet kit (100 shot) this summer. Thus, I want to have a
good tire set-up.
Thanks!!

 

I use the 165 metric VW tires from pep boys on her car. 25 bucks each. Convo pro 15x4 with the bigger backspacing(i forget the exact backspacing). The 16s would be better than the 17s on front and 17s on back will prolly do ok for you right now. YOu will have to upgrade to 15s eventually if you want really good 60's. A friend of mine is going 1.55 60's on a bolt on only lt1 with a vig 3600 converter and 275/50-15" BFG drag radials.

Tim

 

fastcam, IMO the 275x40-17 drag radials are NOT gona cut it for ya. I think you should step up to ET Streets. IMO the 275-40X17 hook the worst of the drag radials. The 245 and 255 16's hook better. I ran 315BFG's last year but I'm swithcing to ET Steets for the 2003 points run. I will switch back to the 315 BFG's for the radial tire class races. I picked a little with the skinnies, maybe .03. More important the skinnies make my car's rollout a quicker. This really helps my RT. Launching from the same spot I went from .580-.612 to .50x-.550 just by using the skinny tires.

My wheel and tires this year
For any dot tire class:
Centerline telestar 4X15 Mickey Thompson 26x4.5-15 tires
Centerline telestar 8X15 ET Streets 26x10.5-15

For radial tire class:
Centerline telestar 4X15 Pep Boys 205-70-15 (26.25x5.5-15)
ZR1 GS offset 11X17 BFG 315-35-17

A cheaper option for you is a pair of SPL take off wheels 8X16 with ET Streets 26X10.5-16.

 

Kazman,
Thanks so much for that info, especially the wheel/tire sizes. I had heard about skinnies helping w/ reaction times. Looks like a set of silver ZR 1's (17x9.5) are going on the sale block!!
Thanks!

 

one more note. I don't think that running the metirc 165 VW tires are safe. The f-body's are just too heavy for that tire. kaz.

 

Another comment... When I went from 26" fronts to 28" fronts the tree became much easier.

 

Could you explalin a little more please? How did it get easier? Also, what size tire are you using? Thanks!

 

tnt excellent point. I'm gona explore that option next year. This year I'm coverting to a auto and want the get the car dialed in before playing around with anything else. I tried to get the front tires the same diameter (close) so staging with the ET streets and radial tires should be the same. I hope to make up for the difference between radial races and non-radial races with launch rpm and tire pressure. Sounds like I'm getting off topic.

 

Well...many many people have been runing them for years and no problems. I've personally run them to 124. I'm now replacing them with et fronts. I've never heard of one failure using them for what we do. I know 2 people that use them as their everday drivers. I wouldn't do that but to blast down the 1/4 they are fine untill you get really fast.

Tim

 

I ran 165 metrics on the street quite a bit w/o a problem. The car would trap 115-118 and I had no problem keeping it straight.

I think the Centerline b/s you're looking for is 2-1/4".

 

The B/S on my Convo Pro 15x4 is 1.75 ... I also see about 2 tenths difference in my 60s between the skinnies and my 17s up front. With 16s up front the difference was just under a tenth.