Drag DOT tires/wheels size?

[itsrlong]

What size tires/wheels packages will fit on a '01 Cobra? I'm looking to take to drag strip and need some experienced input. Any preference on tire brand?

Thanks

[Ken 01-Cobra]

Originally posted by itsrlong
What size tires/wheels packages will fit on a '01 Cobra? I'm looking to take to drag strip and need some experienced input. Any preference on tire brand?

Thanks

Heh...seeing as how I tried a LOT of combinations, I'll see if I can answer this one for you.

Steeda UltraLites will work, but they are heavy, dispite the name.

15" Welds will not work in ANY flavor, no matter what you do short of a solid axle swap. 15" Centerlines will work if you grind the corners off the IRS arm, but you have to grind away a lot of material. I know because this is what I run and I still grind a little on the turn out.

16" Welds will work, but you'll probably need to grind the corners with these also.

17" will all work I think as long as you have the correct lug pattern and backspace. Backspace is 5+ inches I believe.

Tires: I could never get Nitto DR's to hook, no matter what pressure was run in them. My understanding is that the BFG DR's hook better.

I would suggest Mickey Thompson ET Streets mounted on Welds or Centerlines and used only at the strip. They now make ET Streets in 17" if you wanted to use the stock wheels, but you're giving up a lot of sidwall then.

I hope this helps...

[itsrlong]

Ken 01-Cobra,

What size tire? What is the tallest that will fit (26-30), like 26x11.5x15? Would wheel spacers work instead of grinding the IRS? Pardon my ignorance, just getting into a little drag racing, so I don't know much of the terminology yet. Have you heard anything about how good or bad the Hoosier Sportsman's hook up? I've got 2 different Cobra's for now (selling my '99), one is setup with Vortech S-Trim and the other ('01) is setup with Procharger D1SC. I've taken both to the track, once each. My '01 has 275x40x17 Nitto Extreme and my '99 has Comp T/A 245x45x17. The Nitto's didn't seem to hook up at all, spun all the way through 4th gear. Even launched at 4k in 2nd and still blew the Nitto's away. The '01 is supposedly making 490 rwhp with 10lb. pulley and with 18lb. pulley it is supposed to make 635 rwhp, but I need bigger injectors. Sorry for all that extra info, but my point is that I want some street legal slicks, whatever brand that hooks up best. So I guess I want to put the most 'meat' on the pavement/track that I can fit under my car. Both of my cars have Eiback lower springs. Don't really know if that hurts or helps. My '01 has 4.30 FMS gears, with '03 half shafts.

Thanks

[Big Daddy]

Originally posted by itsrlong
Ken 01-Cobra,

What size tire? What is the tallest that will fit (26-30), like 26x11.5x15? Would wheel spacers work instead of grinding the IRS? Pardon my ignorance, just getting into a little drag racing, so I don't know much of the terminology yet. Have you heard anything about how good or bad the Hoosier Sportsman's hook up? I've got 2 different Cobra's for now (selling my '99), one is setup with Vortech S-Trim and the other ('01) is setup with Procharger D1SC. I've taken both to the track, once each. My '01 has 275x40x17 Nitto Extreme and my '99 has Comp T/A 245x45x17. The Nitto's didn't seem to hook up at all, spun all the way through 4th gear. Even launched at 4k in 2nd and still blew the Nitto's away. The '01 is supposedly making 490 rwhp with 10lb. pulley and with 18lb. pulley it is supposed to make 635 rwhp, but I need bigger injectors. Sorry for all that extra info, but my point is that I want some street legal slicks, whatever brand that hooks up best. So I guess I want to put the most 'meat' on the pavement/track that I can fit under my car. Both of my cars have Eiback lower springs. Don't really know if that hurts or helps. My '01 has 4.30 FMS gears, with '03 half shafts.

Thanks

The BF's another member has on his 600 rwhp car seem to hook fairly well, but no DR will really hold that much power. Ken is right some ET streets is the way to go. As far as sizes I'm not sure but I think the BF's come in 305's and fit on 17" rims withouth any spacers or grinding.

A bunch of us from the mountains (Asheville) are going to FFW in Bristol this weekend we would love for you to go with us or just stop by the SCMC tent in the car show area so we can meet.

[Ken 01-Cobra]

Originally posted by itsrlong
Ken 01-Cobra,

What size tire? What is the tallest that will fit (26-30), like 26x11.5x15? Would wheel spacers work instead of grinding the IRS? Pardon my ignorance, just getting into a little drag racing, so I don't know much of the terminology yet. Have you heard anything about how good or bad the Hoosier Sportsman's hook up? I've got 2 different Cobra's for now (selling my '99), one is setup with Vortech S-Trim and the other ('01) is setup with Procharger D1SC. I've taken both to the track, once each. My '01 has 275x40x17 Nitto Extreme and my '99 has Comp T/A 245x45x17. The Nitto's didn't seem to hook up at all, spun all the way through 4th gear. Even launched at 4k in 2nd and still blew the Nitto's away. The '01 is supposedly making 490 rwhp with 10lb. pulley and with 18lb. pulley it is supposed to make 635 rwhp, but I need bigger injectors. Sorry for all that extra info, but my point is that I want some street legal slicks, whatever brand that hooks up best. So I guess I want to put the most 'meat' on the pavement/track that I can fit under my car. Both of my cars have Eiback lower springs. Don't really know if that hurts or helps. My '01 has 4.30 FMS gears, with '03 half shafts.

Thanks

Yo're putting down a lot more power than I am! I just WISH I had the problem of trying to hook up that much power!

I use the 26x10.5x15 ET Streets on the Centerlines, but they are NOT street tires! Also, the BFG DR's don't hold up to street driving. (ask smashedheadcat!) The Nitto DR's will hold up to street a little better, but they still are a far cry from good street rubber for wet performance. That is why I suggested that whatever you get for the strip, put them on at the strip and put good street rubber on when not at the strip.

I run 1" H&R spacers on the back of mine, and the 15" Welds still wouldn't clear, no matter what.

I have no experience with the Hoosiers.

Hope it helps...

[smashedheadcat]

I can give some insight on the BF Drag radials. I have AFS 17x10.5's on the rear of my car with a set of BF 315/35's mounted to them. These probably won't fit on an IRS car, but with a little love, they went on my 97 cobra. The BF's are really sticky. They aren't an act of god though, as I could fairly easily get them spinning with any launch over 3500 rpms. But, they allow'd me to come out of the hole much harder than regular street tires. But that's not where they shine. They really shine in second gear. I could shift into second, and put the throttle straight to the wood with nothing more than a really deep sounding "BARK". Now, here's the drawback... I put roughly 3000 miles on these tires. And they are done for. I didn't spin them at all really. Maybe a little spin here and there, but never got any smoke out of them. I would say after 800 miles of normal driving, they are just dangerous in the rain. Even when you turn, the rubber will just roll up on the tire. They should be scrapped @ 2000 easy miles. I've got roughly 3000 on them, and they have absolutly no tread on them except for the edges. If you want to go with a Drag radial, get another set of wheels and use these only at the track, or bolt them on, then drive to the track, come home, and swap them back out.