Have any of you guys run a Raidial drag slick? The car I'm working on makes 550hp to the tires with a Richmond 5 speed and real aggressive clutch. The car is heavy.
I needed a little more gear so I was going to go up 1" in tire diameter 28"-29" and the section width gets a little to big on a regular slick but the radial tire does not. The section width on the radial would fit perfect.

Help PLEASE!

From what I understand, radial slicks and clutches aren't the hot ticket.

The hemi super stock cars seem to make it work OK

With a stick?

I don't know of any Stockers who run radials with a stick, and in Stock the radial is the much preferred tire.

I'd say contact the manufacturer of the tire you're looking at running and get their feedback on how you want to use the tire......... On a Heavy car with an aggressive clutch.

I vote for tubs and a 4 link

The SS/ AH cars run radials these days.

Something has changed then......
From an interview with John Holt(SS/AH chassis builder) from a few years ago:

"Holt: Sticks run faster. But just to clarify, NHRA didn’t give them the advantage. Remember they use to run the stick and automatics as separate classes. It was the automatic cars that triggered the index shift, so when they put the classes together, that’s just where it ended up. I don’t think that it’s a factor though. Sure the stick is quicker and gives you 2 to 3 more horsepower, but it’s hard to drive. There is a lot going on for the driver, not only at the line but three times down the track. As for the automatics they have an advantage of 5 to 6 hundredths, because they can use the radial tires. Sticks can’t use the radials. It’s has to do with the way the tire is designed and the way the stick cars launch. So each has their advantages and in reality most people can’t get their cars that light anyway. So the decision is in what’s best for the driver."

I'm pretty confident in saying that a heavy car with an aggressive clutch and a set of radial slicks will not result in "smiles all around".

You can't compare a $250K purpose built racecar to most small tire stick cars.

Radials don't work well with small tire stick cars. Stick to a Bias ply.

Nobody mentioned anything about money. Dwayne didn't seem to know those guys run radials now.
A radial is without a doubt faster. That isn't debatable. That said, it's less forgiving, no doubt about it.
But most guys aren't making 900+ horse like a SS/AH car is either.

B3422W5...Are you sure the STICK cars in SS/AH are running radials??? We know the automatics do.

I thought Charlie told me at 131 summer before last they were running radials.
Somebody more familiar can jump in, but I thought that's what he said

Indy 2014

Looks like a bias tire, not a radial. Guess I am getting old

Already have one of those! LOL

I'll talk to a couple tire manufacturers and see what they say.

Tire manufacturers are not going to have the answer, as there is a lot more to it than just the tires.

The clutch is the key to getting radials work with a clutch shifted stick. You need the clutch clamp pressure to come in soft enough to eliminate rpm drop on the launch. Also soft application of clutch clamp pressure just after the shifts, which drags rpm drop out over a longer time period, which in turn minimizes shock to the tires. Easiest way i have found is to temporarily hold back some clutch clamp pressure at the throwout bearing. Do this, it's easier to make radials work behind a stick than it is to make them work behind an automatic.

With a clutchless trans it's much harder to make a radial work, unless you think outside the box. The launch isn't too hard to get down with an adjustable clutch, but the typical adjustable clutch uses centrifugal assist, which means clutch clamp pressure is going to be at it's maximum when you pull the lever. This puts a huge instantaneous shock into the tires, until rpm drops far enough to allow the clutch to begin slipping. Unless you have a way to kill some clutch clamp pressure just after the shifts, radials and a clutchless shift with a typical adjustable clutch are not a good combination. You might be able to get a Lenco to shift soft enough, but it's going to be really hard on the Lenco's relatively small internal friction material.

Everyone I talked to with a stick car said they dont work good in stick cars. Myself I run the 30 x 9 Hoosier radial and love them but my 63 is an auto and a street car. Ron

I get 1.30 60's from 275 M/T radials using an iron disc w/ a 2700lb diaphragm PP, about 700whp. A small hyd cylinder temporarily holds back some of the clutch's clamp pressure, clutch hits so soft it's almost impossible to do a burnout unless the tires are wet.

I think with regards to the OP's particular combo, it's going to be a matter of balancing the launch rpm and tire pressure to come up with the right amount of spin that provides decent 60' times without breaking parts.
If you try for "dead hooking", it's just going to break(or, if you leave too low ..... bog).

This is exactly what I did - Broke parts, fixed that then bog now, I'm looking to calm that down and gain some gear. Hoosier has a nice 30x10.5 29.5" actually radial 12.5" section width.

I get what most are saying about the radial tire so I'll keep looking at my options.