Drag radials for cornering...???
#1188967
03/01/12 07:43 AM
03/01/12 07:43 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
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OP
Swears too much
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Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
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Pretty sure this has been covered before (though elsewhere), but i am too shellshocked to remember the consensus. So, before someone else asks this again...
How about drag radials (BFG, namely) for street-driven corner carvers? I have heard they are anywhere from H to Z-rated, or not rated at all but built the same as good tires. They are certainly sticky enough (too sticky?) and i'm sure tread life would be pretty bad on a daily driven car, but still. Has anyone tried these?
Reason i ask, is that they are the ONLY tires, that I know ov, that come in proper sizing for old cars, for that period look. 325/50/15... 275/50/15, many others i'm sure. Not everyone wants to put 17"+ wheels on their old cars. There IS a need for serious performance 15" tires. Perhaps not as much as 17-19" tires, but it is there. I'm surprised no one has capitalized on this yet...
Anyways... what will 275/50/15 and 325/50/15 drag radials do for my (otherwise well set up) Mopar...???
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Re: Drag radials for cornering...???
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#1188968
03/01/12 09:51 AM
03/01/12 09:51 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,302
Nebraska
72Swinger
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master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,302
Nebraska
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I wouldn't use plain ole Drag Radials for hard cornering with their wrinkle side walls. I know Nitto 555 IIs are a drag compound with a cornering sidewall. BFG and MT have different spec drag compound tires with a 2 at the end for designation I believe. I would be absolutely sure before I bought them.
Mopar to the bone!!!
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Re: Drag radials for cornering...???
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#1188969
03/01/12 09:52 AM
03/01/12 09:52 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
patrick
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
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sidewalls on a drag radial are very thin and flexible. not good for cornering. look for circle track tires if you're really serious, and don't mind driving a race tire on the street....
1976 Spinnaker White Plymouth Duster, /6 A833OD
1986 Silver/Twilight Blue Chrysler 5th Ave HotRod **SOLD!***
2011 Toxic Orange Dodge Charger R/T
2017 Grand Cherokee Overland
2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (holy crap, my daughter is driving)
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Re: Drag radials for cornering...???
[Re: patrick]
#1188970
03/01/12 10:07 AM
03/01/12 10:07 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,302
Nebraska
72Swinger
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master
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Nebraska
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Circle track tires would be a nightmare.....
Mopar to the bone!!!
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Re: Drag radials for cornering...???
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#1188971
03/01/12 04:17 PM
03/01/12 04:17 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,393
Pikes Peak Country
TC@HP2
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master
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Pikes Peak Country
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In the world of drag radials, the BFGs do tend to be more street than drag, compared to others, so they do behave better on the street than a comparable M/T or Hoosier. However, they are still desinged with a softer sidewall section and even BFG only rates them average for handling and braking performance. One of the more extensive and long running topics on 15" tires can be found here: http://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.ph...;highlight=avonPickings are slim, but if you flat out refuse to step up the rim size, there are some 15" tires out there. Be prepared to pay though, as a V or Z rated 15" tire is going to cost you upwards of $300 per tire. Plus, while some of these may be d.o.t. rated, they are still designed as a race tire so you have similar wet weather performance issues as a drag radial and life expectantcy is low. If you are so inclined, Summit still sells the old M/T road race style "I" compound tires in wide (like N50 or 315mm) 15" sizes with 4 ply sidewalls. Only drawback is they are old school bias belted designs and not heavily advertised so you have to dig deep through their search engine to find them.
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Re: Drag radials for cornering...???
[Re: TC@HP2]
#1188974
03/02/12 06:32 AM
03/02/12 06:32 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
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Swears too much
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
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Quote:
In the world of drag radials, the BFGs do tend to be more street than drag, compared to others, so they do behave better on the street than a comparable M/T or Hoosier. However, they are still desinged with a softer sidewall section and even BFG only rates them average for handling and braking performance.
One of the more extensive and long running topics on 15" tires can be found here: http://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.ph...;highlight=avon
Pickings are slim, but if you flat out refuse to step up the rim size, there are some 15" tires out there. Be prepared to pay though, as a V or Z rated 15" tire is going to cost you upwards of $300 per tire. Plus, while some of these may be d.o.t. rated, they are still designed as a race tire so you have similar wet weather performance issues as a drag radial and life expectantcy is low.
If you are so inclined, Summit still sells the old M/T road race style "I" compound tires in wide (like N50 or 315mm) 15" sizes with 4 ply sidewalls. Only drawback is they are old school bias belted designs and not heavily advertised so you have to dig deep through their search engine to find them.
I was talking about the BFG's mainly. The other brands pretty much look like modern-looking drag tires, and even the ones mentioned in the post just above, that look all good and modern, are just too big a tire to have a serious sidewall i would imagine.
I'll have to check out that link, when i have some time.
As for price... i would pay upwards ov that ($300) for a good 17-18" tire, so why not a specialty 15" tire? as long as it was in the same league as the 17-18" stuff. And i would actually consider running and even daily driving on slicks, if i didn't live in the rainforest. I'll skirt the law, no biggie, i'll slow down for the occasional rainy day, but with slicks i'd have to stay off the throttle 200 days a year here...
Heh heh... and anything made by MT is out in my books. They make drag tires. I've had those 'I' tread tires on my older cars, and they handle like they're made ov wood.
ALL i want is a set ov BFG G-Force KD's in 295/50/15 and 325-345/15 sizes... Not so much to ask...???
Actually, i'm beyond wanting to race on 15" tires and my Mopar steelies. I'm fully committed to using 17 or 18" rollers on my car. I was only asking about the drag radials again because they occasionally come up VERY cheap, or used, and are readily available. That would let me run my stock-ish rims for nostalgic events or moods...
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Re: Drag radials for cornering...???
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#1188975
03/02/12 01:04 PM
03/02/12 01:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,393
Pikes Peak Country
TC@HP2
master
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master
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Pikes Peak Country
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275/40x17 BFG G Force sport, $145 ea on Tire Rack. Even the BFG KDW2 in that size is only $183. Sure Michelin and high end Goodyears clip the $300 range, but in general, V and Z rated 17" tires can be found a whole lot cheaper than V and Z rated 15" tires. When you get a chance, read through the link. There are even more links within it pointing to those providers of decent 15" tires, like a 295/40VR15 Michelin http://www.summitracing.com/parts/COK-71231/
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Re: Drag radials for cornering...???
[Re: TC@HP2]
#1188976
03/02/12 02:52 PM
03/02/12 02:52 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
patrick
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
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and at looking at 17 & 18" tires for classic muscle cars, for them to look proportional you need about 27" tall for larger cars like B & E bodies.
BF Goodrich KDWS's in 255/50R17 are a good size, as is a 255/45R18...they are a WIDE 255, actually closer to a 265 width, $189 from tire rack...they are Z rated (back when I bought them in '03 they were W rated), $189 ea
lots of options in the 255/45R18 size for under $175 ea on tire rack, and in the 275/40R18 & 285/40R18 sizes for under $200 ea...
1976 Spinnaker White Plymouth Duster, /6 A833OD
1986 Silver/Twilight Blue Chrysler 5th Ave HotRod **SOLD!***
2011 Toxic Orange Dodge Charger R/T
2017 Grand Cherokee Overland
2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (holy crap, my daughter is driving)
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