Tire size, weight and 60ft times

*Apollos2* · 05-17-2009, 02:15 PM

Third season for me at the track but I'm still pretty new to some of the aspects of 1/4mi racing. I've been have lots of problems getting my 60ft time down.

My best was last year 2.452
This year I hit 2.471 when I got my personal best.

I've pretty much ran the car as I drive it on the street, chrome 18in wheels full leather interior etc. The only thing I take out is the floor mats, spare tire and jack.

I really think if I can get my 60ft down I might be able to crack into the high 13s after correction for altitude. Of course thats just my guess, am I just wishfull thinking here?

I think the next easiest step would be to go to the track without the chrome.
So the big question what to go with. My chrome 18" are probably 30lbs??

Nismo 19" about 18lbs
Some 18in and 17in wheels are about that same weight. 18lbs

What is the pros and cons of 19in vs 18in vs 17in same weight. 18lbs?

I've been mostly checking out 17in wheels:Light Weight Wheel Recommendations

*johnnyd2k2* · 05-17-2009, 03:15 PM

Go with the lightest smallest wheels you can get on there. The larger the wheel the greater force it takes to turn. Anything lighter and smaller than your stockers should yeild better 60' times.

*t6378tp* · 05-17-2009, 04:30 PM

a smaller diameter tire will give you more gear but you have to make sure you do not go to small cause you'll either run out of rpms or have to shift into another gear

CMax03 · 05-17-2009, 05:04 PM

Pulll the tire/wheel off the car and weigh the tire/wheel assembly, for example my stock 17" with 225/50/17(50 lbs) and my 18" Ace Alloy with 245/40/18 (43)! I've been able to run a 2.171(60ft) in my 03 auto....

*sparks03max* · 05-17-2009, 09:29 PM

Your best bet for traction is normally going to be the smallest/lightest wheel possible with a tire that has plenty of sidewall. If you want to get technical with it, you can figure out what overall diameter will put you at the end of whatever gear you normally trap in, without making you shift into the next gear. Like someone mentioned above, this will give you more gear, but you won't have an extra shift.

For example when I run with my 26.5" diameter 245/45/18 street tires compared to my stock 25.7" diameter 225/50/17 street tires, I got better times with the smaller diameter because I can use more of 4th gear without having to shift to 5th. My slicks are 24.5" and still put me at the top of 4th with nitrous in the 1/4 mile and yield the best times.

*Apollos2* · 05-17-2009, 10:16 PM

This is good stuff.

My stock 18" wheel and tire weight about 56lbs. The chrome set up is probably about 60lbs.

I end my quarter in 3rd gear easily, I've never shifted to 4th. The 05 SL comes with 17in wheels. I have a set for my winter set up. They aren't light weight and have regular all seasons on them.

Sounds like I need to get a light weight 17in wheel.

I'm leaning towards the Kosei K1 TS Silver 17x8. About 16.5lbs If it will fit.

jkpgt96 · 05-17-2009, 10:23 PM

Those are very nice wheels, I know a few people with them and they really like them.

You should be able to cut better 60' times..i did 2.14 on street tires my first pass, and 2.21 on stock all seasons..

**Nealoc187** · 05-18-2009, 09:55 AM

Here's the reality of it since no one has really said it, no matter what wheels and tires you put on there you're not going to be happy with your times unless your technique changes. You can go put the nicest, lightest, most optimal diameter wheels and tires on your car and you're still not going to improve much if at all without a change in your launch method. Something is very wrong with your technique if your best 60' ever is a 2.45. My advice is spend a bunch more time at the track working on your launch before you spend any money on wheels and tires, because if you don't change something in your launching style you are going to be even more pissed once you spend a few hundred bucks on wheels and tires and you're still running very disappointing times. Practice practice practice bro.

*Apollos2* · 05-18-2009, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nealoc187

Here's the reality of it since no one has really said it, no matter what wheels and tires you put on there you're not going to be happy with your times unless your technique changes. You can go put the nicest, lightest, most optimal diameter wheels and tires on your car and you're still not going to improve much if at all without a change in your launch method. Something is very wrong with your technique if your best 60' ever is a 2.45. My advice is spend a bunch more time at the track working on your launch before you spend any money on wheels and tires, because if you don't change something in your launching style you are going to be even more pissed once you spend a few hundred bucks on wheels and tires and you're still running very disappointing times. Practice practice practice bro.

Typically my technique has been foot on brake, yellow light, jump my foot on the gas and floor it. I lost my right leg years ago to cancer and I do all my driving with my left foot only. (hence the automatic

)

My best runs have come when I attempted a heel/toe technique but that is not easy. I creep up to staging, stage shallow, then I've got to quickly make sure my brake pedal is fully engaged, set my heel on the gas and try and monitor my rpms and the light. Your right, it will take practice, because inevitably I end up looking at the light tree so I really don't know wher my rpms are. Check out my vids, I never hit the water box and there is almost never any wheel spin when I launch, so I think I need to get the rpms up more. (How much) I believe I've been keeping them around 2k. I also don't want to start reving and holdling really long and strain these weak trannys too much. Honestly it kinda feels like a crap shoot once I'm staged with so much going on in so little time.

I think Grand Hustle recommended just going on the other guy instead of the light, he may have a point, especially on test & tune night where it's nice to win but it really doesn't matter. I'd like to enter the Tuner Mayhem on Sunday June 7th, bracket racing that day, so the tree and my reaction time will be more critcal, I may go back to foot on brake/foot on gas technique then. It much more accurate and I am more consisten with my times because my car just runs what it runs.

My better 60' time have translated into better ET times and mph, any ideas what I get if I got it into the 2.3 range?

I was also looking for some understanding of the technical aspects. IE... assuming foot on brake foot on gas technique. Launch at idle, what kind of improvement should I or anyone expect by dropping from 18" 60lb setup to 17" 48lb setup?

Again thanks to everyone for your help. I am learning a lot.

jkpgt96 · 05-18-2009, 01:31 PM

a 2.30 60' time for you would end up knocking about 3 tenths off your time in the 1/4 mile..approximately.