Drag racing car setup!

[RO_SUNNY]

Hi everyone.

I know that it has been discussed in the past but I want to do a small refresh on it.

I want to do it like this:
-lightweight doors (cut everything from inside the door and put polycarbonate windows)
-the lightest posible tailgate (fiberglass with poly window)
-the lightest posible bonnet (2 layer fiberglass)
-everything stripped from the interior
-some sort of cover that can replace the headlights (because we all know that a headlight has....what...about 2 kgs)
-no exhaust just a front exit ( a pipe ) )
-....but now comes the real question......
What is the best tyre / rim combo?!?!??!

Is it the standard 14'' with a 65 tall tyre??
Is it a 17'' with a 45 tall tyre and 3 bars of air inside??

 

[stumo]

tyre and wheel size will depend on lots of things....

availability of the tyre in the size/make/compound you need/want
power available
grip available

etc

i doubt that any drag tyre would have 3 bar in it (apart from a non-driven wheel)

 

[campbellju]

Minimising your rotational mass is more important than a couple of kilos off the headlight.

14" will be a better place to start.

......everything that Stu's said

 

[PobodY]

Isn't it generally lower pressure to give you more contact area? Those drag tyres look like balloons and get really deformed when they put the power down.

A smaller radius should (in theory) give better acceleration, but you may sacrafice the top-end speed... this might be a little academic.

 

[lakeview]

would depend what sort of times you are aiming for?the original owner of my car originally built it for occasional drag use and daily driving think he used 16" wheels cant remember what tyres he used but with 425bhp would regulary do a 11.2 1/4 mile

rob

 

[Molz]

What gearbox setup do you run for drag racing, I assume straight cut gears but what are you doing wrt the casing?

 

[RO_SUNNY]

Minimising your rotational mass is more important than a couple of kilos off the headlight.

14" will be a better place to start.

......everything that Stu's said

Guys I am thinking that also a taller tyre will save alot of stress on the standard gearbox which I have)

No???

 

[skiddusmarkus]

Wheelspin will save you strain on the gearbox.

 

[RO_SUNNY]

So that means yes.....14'' with 65 tall tyre?

 

[skiddusmarkus]

The tall tyres with low pressure in give more flex and grip setting off, low profile ones should spin more easily.Personally I'd rather have a slower time and not wreck the box off the startline.It will get enough hammer from you changing gear down the strip.

 

[campbellju]

Go with 14", they're lighter. You can then either increase tyre pressure or reduce the overall diameter and fit a smaller tyre.

As Stu said, your tyre choice might be made for you depending on what brand/type you buy.