new slicks
 

Thinkin its time to get a new set of rubber for my bird...since im wanting to build the stocker combo for it, i might as well try a set of radials(9x30)...
Wondering will they work ok on 8'' wheels that i have? They are welds.
Tubeless or no? Also, will they work ok even if i dont have trick springs in the front end to help with transfer? I will eventually have some springs in it, but it may be awhile. Are the Hoosiers the recommended tires? Part No.? Thanks for your replies, Brent

the car does 1.50 60fts now...has done a string of 1.48-1.49s

Re: new slicks
 

If you have 8's, they will but they'd be better on 10's. Cool ride ! Hoosier in my opinion.

Re: new slicks
 

agree on the 10" wheels as well Hoosier. No tubes.

As to will they work? Well that depends how well the chassis/suspension works now. If your car doesn't hook consistently now on marginal starting lines, work on it until it does, otherwise you're wasting your time and money.

Re: new slicks
 

the car is very consistent right now... with little Pheonix 28.5x9 slicks , it will do 1.50-1.51 all day... this is with a mild 455, footbrake, 8'' converter(4200), leaving at 2000... it has cal tracs... front suspension is stock, except for Comp Engineering shocks( i intend on trick springs in the future). I was more curious if they needed the trick springs to help make the tires work... i may just go with 9x30 Pheonix bias again, for now....not sure yet...

Re: new slicks
 

You didn't mention weight in the trunk. Most stickers have considerable weight back there; high and way back. That helps considerably with consistancy and even ET. I'd suggest you get it to work on a set of bias slicks first. Once your there, it will only get better with radials.
Don't forget 9" wide wheels are also an option.

Re: new slicks
 

Most stockers carry weight for the purpose of running a class other than the car's natural class.

That said, this car ain't a stocker yet;), rather a bracket car and you'd have a hard time convincing most bracket racers that they need to add weight to hook.

While it will work, it's not need IF the chassis/suspension is setup correctly evident by my Chevelle which carried no additional weight/ballast, who's front to rear bias is 59%/41% of it's 3880lbs., runs on Hoosier radial slicks and will hook in a car wash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbKYio6OvKM

Re: new slicks
 

Front shocks and bushings are where you should be paying your attention to.........

Re: new slicks
 

The radials wear out much faster than bias. Some stocker drivers only run the radials when needed.

Re: new slicks
 

Ran Hoosier's 30 x 10.5 radial slicks on my nearly 2 ton Chevelle that 60 footed low 1.30's and a best of 1.28, for 8 seasons, going through at least 3 sets a season.

Logged a minimum of 75 passes on each set before swapping them out for a new set without any indication the tire was going away with the 60 foots varying thousanths from pass to pass on any given day. Then these same tires went on a lighter weight car and saw another 75 passes minimum before they were retired.

Re: new slicks
 

THAT SAID...He asked for advice.
THAT SAID...He said he would like to move towards the car being in Stock Eliminator
THAT SAID...I offered friendly advice along the lines of his question.
THAT SAID...I have more experience than you do in the Class.
THAT SAID...Your Chevelle has an entirely different suspension than the Firebird in question and was not a even a Class car as the OP was asking about.
THAT SAID...He didn't ask about your OLD Chevelle. I'll bet he already knows about it!
THAT SAID...We get it. You don't!
THAT SAID...Go back to the mirror and repeat..."I'm wonderful, I'm special, and by-goly. I want the world to know"

Re: new slicks
 

THAT SAID, I think I would run the car at class legal weight now and start dialing in as such. It seems that is what the gent with the Firebird is working toward. I know that's what I'd do.

Re: new slicks
 

THAT SAID: Not stirring the pot here Jeff, just curious about why to start with bias tires. Cost? Consistency? Easier to get a car to 'work' with bias tires than radials ?

Re: new slicks
 

Change the front springs, they are cheap and easy. Then put the CO6 Hoosier 30/9 92.5 on it and run it,then start working on the chasis for your stock eliminator endeavor.
Start out with 20-22 lbs of PSI.

Re: new slicks
 

THanks Monte... i will definitely do that when i go to radials...

thanks everyone for replies...

Re: new slicks
 

Once you get it working good, go test and go up 2 psi at a time till it spins. You will pick up et From 22 psi on, I would not be surprised to see you end up running around 26 psi.

Re: new slicks
 

A radial slick is definitely faster. BUT, if there's a problem with traction for some reason, it will kill more ET than a bias slick; i.e., radials won't recover like a bias can. My thoughts are that since this is a new endeavor, get the car completely dialed in so it will hook consistently with the bias slicks. Then once it's dialed in, throw some radials on and just go faster. At that point, you will just be playing with different pressures. Another consideration is cost. Bias is cheaper and you should get more runs on bias slicks.
I know guys that save the radials only for the heads up or faster qualifying runs.
Now...since I run a stick, radials are presently not a viable option. My opinion here is based on all those slush box racers around me.

Re: new slicks
 

i've been told that radials and clutches don't go together too.
why? anybody ever try it?

Re: new slicks
 

The car is real consistent in 60ft... with my best engine, a bracket 455, it has gone 11.12/119 ... on that particular day , it went 7 runs with the 60 fts varying from 1.482 to 1.491... this was with Pheonix 9x30 bias slicks, leaving at 2000rpm ...4.10 gear. I was just curious if it was worth buying radials at this point... im a ways from getting stocker combo together and getting front end redone... I should probably go with bias tires 'til i get springs and new bushings in the front. Right now, i am just bracket racing when i can...

Re: new slicks
 

for what you have now...a bracket car and what you are doing now...bracket racing, stay with bias slicks.

Re: new slicks
 

30x9 Hoosier on a 10 inch rim, thats how I would do it.

Re: new slicks
 

...

Re: new slicks
 

Where is the "Like" button? :)

Re: new slicks
 

correction, he asked for opinions and all that replied gave theirs.
he also said that a year ago when he signed on. The fact is his car is a bracket car and he a bracket racer!
so did everyone that replied
don't matter, his is NOT a class car!
and your super stock amx isn't this firebird that is a bracket car!
he asked about running radial slicks on a bracket car!
it's obvious that's it YOU that don't get it
this coming from the guy that self proclaims to be..."Arizona's BEST Realtor" :rolleyes:

Re: new slicks
 

Where do you see that? Again, that's from your dossier file because I haven't used that in years and it is not on my signature or even profile. Hasn't been for years. But I have already made sales approaching $3,000,000 on my own this year and it's only April. So I'll bet I'm a top 1% in Arizona. Thanks for asking!

Back to your mirror. I have to get back to work.

Re: new slicks
 

Radials usually don't recover from tire spin and most stick cars are capable of spinning bias slicks.

Re: new slicks
 

So we will see you at all the races now with that much disposable income? There must be a new stacker and a new toter in your future as well?

Re: new slicks
 

didn't know that.
thanks

Re: new slicks
 

I have a really nice "Low Boy" open trailer! And an Expedition to tow it with!
I have not and most probably will never travel enough to warrant those money pits. Not that I wouldn't take one...got one for me?

Re: new slicks
 

If you can borrow or buy a run of different tires and different wheels. The best bias tire I think is the Goodyear 1909 D-5 for recovery and inital hook. Any of the D-4 compound radial Goodyears are very good.

Re: new slicks
 

Guys, This was all good, I mean the info on tires,especially the radials
and everyones humor,even though I'm sure some of the contributors
werent smiling when they were composing.But I thought it was all good.
Be nice, remember we all love the same sport.:) ed

Re: new slicks
 

Hey Guys... i decided to go with Pheonix 9x30 bias, like i had on it before...
They are super consistent and dont take hardly a burnout to hook. My car, with a little 4.10 gear and trw/solid lifter/home port iron heads, always did 1.50 60ft times, constistantly. One day, in good air, with my brother driving, (he was about 50-60lbs lighter than me at the time... went a string of 60fts from 1.482 to 1.491 (seven passes). I ordered them today!! THanks for all the banter and advice! I was mainly wondering if radials would work without trick springs in the front... when i get springs in it, im sure the rear is working good enough to try the radials....also, a 400 with more rear gear and higher stall, will help the situation :)

Re: new slicks
 

smart decision staying with bias slicks for your bracket car. Smarter yet had you chosen Hoosier.

Re: new slicks
 

I had a set of Hoosier's...didnt care for them, but this was back in 2002... the Pheonix's are really good tires...as im sure the Goodyear's and Hoosier's are... I thought the sidewalls were too soft on the Hoosier's... i know their radials are the shiznit.... Yea, its a bracket car, but , its a stocker at heart :)
I may never see the #'s that some of the E/SA cars are runnin' nowadays, but , i still gonna give it a try in the near future. Gotta do it, life is short!! :)

Re: new slicks
 

Tried them all on my Chevelle, hated the Phoenix slicks mainly cause they were flat in 48 hours. You must be running tubes and screws.;)

Hoosier has not only been the quickest tire but they don't leak air!

Don't run tubes and screws and never will.

Re: new slicks
 

yea...im old school...tubes and screws... when i make the leap to radials, i wont run tubes... and will most likely go with the Hoosiers , when i do.

Re: new slicks
 

That's it!!! Have fun! Don't worry about running the times some of those fast E/SA's are running. Just get it to run the index and start having fun..!!! If you come up against one of those fast E/SA's... make sure your light is green and make them earn a win.

Great car!

We run radials with 8" rims, and it has worked out well for us.

Re: new slicks
 

thanks man... that is my plan... index shouldnt be any problem... then work it down from there... just takes money and patience... its more about fun for me...and doin what ive always wanted to do :)

Re: new slicks
 

Now that you have the new slicks, focus your attention to the front suspension. There's Et waiting for you. ;)

New control arm bushings (Energy or better) eliminate the bushing being part of the spring like bonded factory bushings. The arms must fall under their own weight. Get rid of the stock or jobber ball joints, replace with Afco low friction ball joints. I couldn't believe the difference there. (again, removing bind and friction) Get the trick front springs, or better yet, weigh the car on 4 corner scales and talk to Afco (these guys might have a better company to deal with for drag coil springs) to get a proper rated spring for your car. (I run the Moroso trick springs, had to cut a coil, then cut a further 1.5 coils to get my car to ride height over the years) Travel is very important for small tire cars, and from what I understand, even moreso with radials. I have over 5 inches of front end travel, I can top out the suspension by pulling up on the fender lip, and when I let go it settles back down to ride height, leaving about an inch between the lower control arm and the compression bump stop.

Last time out, the 60' timers weren't functioning, but the final 3 rounds: 6.655, 6.653, 6.649, so the 60's might have been fairly close. :D

Re: new slicks
 

thanks for the info.... the front end is my next project.... i cant wait to get that done... i can do the grunt work and luckily, i have a good front end alignment guy... he had a SS/CM '68 Camaro that ran 147mph a couple years ago...used to be Jeremy Mudd's(?) car... he redid the front end and alignment... also they had a dragster that went 7.02/190something in Comp. THere arent many guys like him around anymore...

Re: new slicks
 

Hopefully you find some ET in the work you put into the front end, good luck and glad to help.