Top 25 1/4 Mile Times For ( TT, ST, SuperCharger, Nitrous, Bolt-ons, Stock )
Took my Z to the local 1/8th track today. My first time ever drag racing with a manual transmission car. Best time was 8.9. What can I do to improve my launch? This base model's open differential is killing me it feels like! If I launch at anything over 1.2k it just roasts the tires. I had to baby it off the line every single time with constant 2.2 60' which was a big factor on my times. Any advice from the drag ******? I'd like to keep going back and practice. My shifts are pretty good but my launch is definitely the part that needs most improvement.
Before I put my diff in I could launch around 2500rpms without spinning the tires on a mildly (ok probably badly) prepped track.
Well I didn't really want to make another thread and didn't see where else to post this. and to be honest I wouldn't know if the track prep was great or terrible. I just know that if I even tried to launch a little bit it was either wheel hop or roast the tires off the line. I was on the stock 18" wheels with 38psi. Again, I'm a drag noob, but am definitely looking to improve.
Either way, when drag racing it should be lower. I think most guys start at around 30psi and go down 1psi until they get a good launch. If the times start getting worse then there should be an air hose at the track to put more air in the tires.
38? I thought stock tire pressure was 35psi?
Either way, when drag racing it should be lower. I think most guys start at around 30psi and go down 1psi until they get a good launch. If the times start getting worse then there should be an air hose at the track to put more air in the tires.
Either way, when drag racing it should be lower. I think most guys start at around 30psi and go down 1psi until they get a good launch. If the times start getting worse then there should be an air hose at the track to put more air in the tires.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,112
Likes: 0
From: monticello new york 12701
I don't mean to sound like a know it all wiseguy BUT
What is so hard to understand that radial street tire are designed for the street. They will hop when giving too much gas = poor accelaration & possible axle breakage. Take one pound out at a time?
Why not spin the tires & just take a look at the patch of rubber on the road. l'm not going to say what to look for because if you can't figure it out yourself....................
Why not spin the tires & just take a look at the patch of rubber on the road. l'm not going to say what to look for because if you can't figure it out yourself....................
What is so hard to understand that radial street tire are designed for the street. They will hop when giving too much gas = poor accelaration & possible axle breakage. Take one pound out at a time?
Why not spin the tires & just take a look at the patch of rubber on the road. l'm not going to say what to look for because if you can't figure it out yourself....................
Why not spin the tires & just take a look at the patch of rubber on the road. l'm not going to say what to look for because if you can't figure it out yourself....................
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,112
Likes: 0
From: monticello new york 12701
How exaclty " can you look at the patch in the road" where are talking about legal drag strips. By the time you get your time slips the track has already been swept, sprayed and the next guy has ran. Also I donno if you have looked at drag strip staging lanes, but the cars run in a groove pretty much (indention in the track). There will not be any type of tire patch to tell what you or anyone else did. He is right about the tire pressure you can only judge by feel of the car and the timeslips, one PSI at a time is what most do.
How do you end up thinking of looking at a patch on the drag strip's starting line???? You're voting for Obama, aren't you?
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,112
Likes: 0
From: monticello new york 12701
Of course I'm talking about the WIDTH of the tire making road contact. There is also the LENGHT of rubber making road contact & ways to increase it. I don't dare to go there. Minds might explode 
I guess I am a wise guy. Is that a crime?
I guess I am a wise guy. Is that a crime?
We are talking drag strip conditons. I donno if you know this but a drag strip and a road/parking lot is a whole world of difference. Cars will act alot different from a prepped strip to a road.
I didnt get his second post ( right before I posted). I think it was a lack of communication issue. After reading his last post I see where he was going with this. Yes I been around drag racing all my life, everything from bikes to door slammer cars, street and strip cars.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,112
Likes: 0
From: monticello new york 12701
Thanks anyway.....After seeing your road patch, you can save the car from many runs by not going one pound at a time.
Last edited by andre12031948; Oct 1, 2012 at 06:27 AM.
and yeah i run street tires!
good lord. this tire pressure must change things quite a bit. trying at 2k with regular tire pressure didn't work out so well.. lol. but thanks guys for the info. had no idea about lowering the tire pressure. completely new to this.
Lowering your street tire to 20psi isn't really good for your tire and doesn't yield any better results, imho. I don't ever recall going below 27 psi on street tires when I used to drag race.
Work on your technique and find what works best that day with those conditions on that track with that prep.. see where this is going? Technique should be priority -- my 2 cents.
Work on your technique and find what works best that day with those conditions on that track with that prep.. see where this is going? Technique should be priority -- my 2 cents.
well I will just test the waters and see what happens. from my research, it really isn't necessary to heat up the tires at the "water box" unless you are running slicks? correct me if i'm wrong.
Go around the water box and do a light burn out to shake the debris loose.
