Radials on the front??

SSGN · 04-14-2014, 12:37 PM

Guys that are running radial slicks are you running a radial on the front also?? Is there any difference??

Thanks in advance
Kevin

1320racer · 04-14-2014, 09:00 PM

Kevin, been running radial slicks with bias front runners since 2000 on my former Chevelle and since 2009 on my Firebird.

SSGN · 04-15-2014, 01:13 PM

Thanks, I had radials on the front and slicks on the rear (street/race ) and that was not a good feeling.

Kevin

Mike Schwartz · 04-18-2014, 12:10 AM

M&H sells both radial and bias DOT-certified Racemaster Front Runners. You can go all-radial or all-bias if mixing them causes handling problems.

http://www.mandhtires.com/M-H-Front-Runner

Rick Schilling · 04-18-2014, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSGN

Thanks, I had radials on the front and slicks on the rear (street/race ) and that was not a good feeling.

Kevin

That would make perfect sense. I worked for Sears in the early days of radial tires (Michelin) and the rule then was to only put them on in sets of four. However, if you did only put two on, because of their superior traction, you put them on the rear only. That greatly reduced the chances of the car unexpectedly swapping ends in poor conditions.

John Boland · 04-18-2014, 06:59 PM

Not so much for traction but tires are part of the spring package too. Radials have a different spring rate than bias plies. This is the secret that was given up by the successful teams at the Indy 500 the 1st year they ran on radials.

I had one of those moments too and witnessed it on 2 other cars. It is definitely the car oscillating on the tires/suspension in a weird way.

04-14-2014, 12:37 PM	#1
SSGN Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 644 Likes: 131 Liked 140 Times in 51 Posts	Radials on the front?? Guys that are running radial slicks are you running a radial on the front also?? Is there any difference?? Thanks in advance Kevin

04-14-2014, 09:00 PM	#2
1320racer VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,628 Likes: 160 Liked 759 Times in 379 Posts	Re: Radials on the front?? Kevin, been running radial slicks with bias front runners since 2000 on my former Chevelle and since 2009 on my Firebird.

04-15-2014, 01:13 PM	#3
SSGN Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 644 Likes: 131 Liked 140 Times in 51 Posts	Re: Radials on the front?? Thanks, I had radials on the front and slicks on the rear (street/race ) and that was not a good feeling. Kevin

04-18-2014, 12:10 AM	#4
Mike Schwartz Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland USA Posts: 533 Likes: 129 Liked 248 Times in 89 Posts	Re: Radials on the front?? M&H sells both radial and bias DOT-certified Racemaster Front Runners. You can go all-radial or all-bias if mixing them causes handling problems. http://www.mandhtires.com/M-H-Front-Runner

04-18-2014, 06:59 PM	#6
John Boland Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 46 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Radials on the front?? Not so much for traction but tires are part of the spring package too. Radials have a different spring rate than bias plies. This is the secret that was given up by the successful teams at the Indy 500 the 1st year they ran on radials. I had one of those moments too and witnessed it on 2 other cars. It is definitely the car oscillating on the tires/suspension in a weird way.