Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Anyone use any of the tire softeners? #2745849
02/23/20 07:27 PM
02/23/20 07:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
D
DaveRS23 Offline OP
Special needs idiot
DaveRS23  Offline OP
Special needs idiot
D

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
There is a King of Street class coming up this year at our local drag strip that I would like to run. The class requires a street tire, no drag radials. My Cuda is absolutely helpless with anything other than drag radials. The kart guys swear by some of the tire softeners, and I have read that some drag strips allow it and some don't, depending on the class.

Has anyone ran any of the tire softeners at the strip? Did it work for you? Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks


Master, again and still
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DaveRS23] #2745875
02/23/20 09:02 PM
02/23/20 09:02 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,587
Great Neck,LI,new york
hemi-itis Offline
I Live Here
hemi-itis  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,587
Great Neck,LI,new york
Exactly what tire will you be using,,,,or want to use?? work What do you 60 with DR's?


HEMI-ITIS has no cure.
My condition is fully BLOWN!!
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: hemi-itis] #2745880
02/23/20 09:20 PM
02/23/20 09:20 PM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 300
St.Louis ,Mo.
7
72sat Offline
enthusiast
72sat  Offline
enthusiast
7

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 300
St.Louis ,Mo.
I have heard great things about track claw.

Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: hemi-itis] #2745885
02/23/20 09:31 PM
02/23/20 09:31 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
D
DaveRS23 Offline OP
Special needs idiot
DaveRS23  Offline OP
Special needs idiot
D

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
I haven't decided which tire to run just yet. Probably the 295/65 MTs. Not a lot of choices in a 15" wheel and that size tire. But all of them are hard, very hard.

My best 60' is 1.5 flat. But most of the time 1.6 is the norm for my street car.


Master, again and still
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DaveRS23] #2745892
02/23/20 10:13 PM
02/23/20 10:13 PM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,092
Rogue River, OR
Jeremiah Offline
master
Jeremiah  Offline
master

Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,092
Rogue River, OR
Check out the Vitour Galaxy tires on ebay. I had good luck with them at 20psi on my GTS.



Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DaveRS23] #2745958
02/24/20 01:37 AM
02/24/20 01:37 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
C
Cab_Burge Offline
I Win
Cab_Burge  Offline
I Win
C

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
Take a look at the M/T ET streets(bias plys) that are the same size as the 315x60x15 ET Street Radials, they worked great on my old pump gas Duster up scope
That car ran 10.42 at 126 MPH on the ET street bias ply tires and 10.31 at 127 MPH on the ET street radials corked up on Oregon 91 octane pump swill shruggy
The radials sucked horribly on a bad track, not so with the bias plys work

Last edited by Cab_Burge; 02/24/20 01:37 AM.

Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: Cab_Burge] #2746016
02/24/20 09:54 AM
02/24/20 09:54 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,319
Marion, South Carolina [><]
an8sec70cuda Offline
I Live Here
an8sec70cuda  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,319
Marion, South Carolina [><]
Cab...the classes like he's trying to run make you run a normal street tire. No type of drag tire is allowed.

I have used WD-40 in the past and it works. Buy it in a jug and roll it onto the tread surface w/ a paint roller. Let em sit overnight.
Makes them real sticky, but doesn't last but for a few passes.


CHIP
'70 hemicuda, 575" Hemi, 727, Dana 60
'69 road runner, 440-6, 18 spline 4 speed, Dana 60
'71 Demon, 340, low gear 904, 8.75
'73 Chrysler New Yorker, 440, 727, 8.75
'90 Chevy 454SS Silverado, 476" BBC, TH400, 14 bolt
'06 GMC 2500HD LBZ Duramax
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: Cab_Burge] #2746024
02/24/20 10:18 AM
02/24/20 10:18 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
D
DaveRS23 Offline OP
Special needs idiot
DaveRS23  Offline OP
Special needs idiot
D

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
Cab, those bias ply tires look good, but will not be allowed in the street tire classes (sometimes called hard tire classes). They define true street tires as tires with a 220 tread wear rating or higher. There is no size limit, only the tread wear rating limit. It really favors the late model cars who have a lot of choices in softer tires with their larger (18" -20") wheels. I'm not finding much out there for my 15" wheels between the hard street tires with a 500 tread wear rating and drag radials with the 000 rating. It's starting to look like I will have to get the hard street tires and TRY to soften them. If that is even possible.

And those Vitours were mentioned on Yellowbullet. But they only come in 295/50, so they will be a lot shorter than the 295/65s I have been running. And that will probably mean going into 3rd shortly before the line due to running out of RPM. But they sure are a cheap experiment, ebag has 2 shipped for about the same price as a single Mickey.

Heck, a gallon of some of the softeners is more expensive than one of those tires. Go figure.


Master, again and still
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DaveRS23] #2746027
02/24/20 10:38 AM
02/24/20 10:38 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,651
Wichita
G
GY3 Offline
master
GY3  Offline
master
G

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,651
Wichita
IMO, there are other areas to work on instead of using softener.

We do some of these street style races that require true street radials.

We run a Mickey Thompson S/T 275/60/15 street tire (look the same as the Coopers) with 400 treadwear marked on the side set at 20 psi

Cal-Tracs help as does leaving in 2nd gear (manual valvebody) and weight in the trunk just ahead of the rear bumper. We use 110 lbs. and have run a 1.72 60 ft. Not great, but not spinning, either!

Weight is key to making this work as I know some of the cars that win our local events use up to 300 lbs. in the trunk! Getting high up and as far back as possible works best. Think shopping cart handle.



'63 Dodge 330
11.19 @ 121 mph
Pump gas, n/a, through the mufflers on street tires with 3.54's. 3,600 lbs.
10.01 @ 133mph with a 250 shot of nitrous an a splash of race gas. 1.36 60 ft. 3,700 lbs.

Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DaveRS23] #2746029
02/24/20 10:40 AM
02/24/20 10:40 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,319
Marion, South Carolina [><]
an8sec70cuda Offline
I Live Here
an8sec70cuda  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,319
Marion, South Carolina [><]
I've heard the Primewell tires from Wal Mart work decent for this type of thing.

There's a small tire stock suspension Scamp that runs some hard tire races around here on typical Cooper Cobras and does real well. Car runs 5s in the 1/8...on sticky tires.


CHIP
'70 hemicuda, 575" Hemi, 727, Dana 60
'69 road runner, 440-6, 18 spline 4 speed, Dana 60
'71 Demon, 340, low gear 904, 8.75
'73 Chrysler New Yorker, 440, 727, 8.75
'90 Chevy 454SS Silverado, 476" BBC, TH400, 14 bolt
'06 GMC 2500HD LBZ Duramax
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: GY3] #2746058
02/24/20 12:10 PM
02/24/20 12:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
D
DaveRS23 Offline OP
Special needs idiot
DaveRS23  Offline OP
Special needs idiot
D

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
Originally Posted by GY3
IMO, there are other areas to work on instead of using softener.

We do some of these street style races that require true street radials.

We run a Mickey Thompson S/T 275/60/15 street tire (look the same as the Coopers) with 400 treadwear marked on the side set at 20 psi

Cal-Tracs help as does leaving in 2nd gear (manual valvebody) and weight in the trunk just ahead of the rear bumper. We use 110 lbs. and have run a 1.72 60 ft. Not great, but not spinning, either!

Weight is key to making this work as I know some of the cars that win our local events use up to 300 lbs. in the trunk! Getting high up and as far back as possible works best. Think shopping cart handle.


Going to do ALL of that, too. I have Cal-Tracs which I will have to re-tune, of course. And plan to leave in second. I have some weight that I can add. And I have 295/65 drag radials on there now, so I plan to use a 295 street tire. Although they are hard, I assume 295 street tires ought to have a bit more bite than 275s. Unless there were some much softer 275s that would fit the rules.

Either on here or on the tire section of the 'bullet are there any consistent tire recommendations. If there are no clearly better choices, I probably will go with one of the cheapest tires. Although that is not the way I would prefer to make this decision, so far I haven't come across any firm reason to spend more money.

I have never used a tire softener before. It is just one more thing to try. Some guys swear by it and there are a lot of products, some of which have been around a long time. And being as expensive as they are, someone must think they work to keep spending the money on them. Besides, so far, I haven't read any negatives to using them.

Heck, if the softeners are good enough for go-carts, they should be good enough for my Cuda. grin


Master, again and still
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DaveRS23] #2746063
02/24/20 12:19 PM
02/24/20 12:19 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,651
Wichita
G
GY3 Offline
master
GY3  Offline
master
G

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,651
Wichita
Originally Posted by DaveRS23
Originally Posted by GY3
IMO, there are other areas to work on instead of using softener.

We do some of these street style races that require true street radials.

We run a Mickey Thompson S/T 275/60/15 street tire (look the same as the Coopers) with 400 treadwear marked on the side set at 20 psi

Cal-Tracs help as does leaving in 2nd gear (manual valvebody) and weight in the trunk just ahead of the rear bumper. We use 110 lbs. and have run a 1.72 60 ft. Not great, but not spinning, either!

Weight is key to making this work as I know some of the cars that win our local events use up to 300 lbs. in the trunk! Getting high up and as far back as possible works best. Think shopping cart handle.


Going to do ALL of that, too. I have Cal-Tracs which I will have to re-tune, of course. And plan to leave in second. I have some weight that I can add. And I have 295/65 drag radials on there now, so I plan to use a 295 street tire. Although they are hard, I assume 295 street tires ought to have a bit more bite than 275s. Unless there were some much softer 275s that would fit the rules.

Either on here or on the tire section of the 'bullet are there any consistent tire recommendations. If there are no clearly better choices, I probably will go with one of the cheapest tires. Although that is not the way I would prefer to make this decision, so far I haven't come across any firm reason to spend more money.

I have never used a tire softener before. It is just one more thing to try. Some guys swear by it and there are a lot of products, some of which have been around a long time. And being as expensive as they are, someone must think they work to keep spending the money on them. Besides, so far, I haven't read any negatives to using them.

Heck, if the softeners are good enough for go-carts, they should be good enough for my Cuda. grin



The only reason I use 275's is due to having the stock wheel tub and opening. Go as big as you can!


'63 Dodge 330
11.19 @ 121 mph
Pump gas, n/a, through the mufflers on street tires with 3.54's. 3,600 lbs.
10.01 @ 133mph with a 250 shot of nitrous an a splash of race gas. 1.36 60 ft. 3,700 lbs.

Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: GY3] #2746093
02/24/20 02:17 PM
02/24/20 02:17 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,799
Connecticut
FurryStump Offline
master
FurryStump  Offline
master

Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,799
Connecticut
Burn the tire down so it has as little tread as will pass tech. No big burn out. First hint of smoke and you’re done. A steeper gear is easier to control. If you get a 3:23 gear spinning it is very hard to stop. Much easier with say 4:10 or higher. I wasn’t around for the tire treating times, but I really don’t think anyone treats the tires in stock appearing anymore.


best of 11.39 at 117 mph 1.60 60’. 68 340 S Barracuda Fastback F.A.S.T [IMG]http://i67.tinypic.com/2mnnnnt.jpg[/IMG]
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: an8sec70cuda] #2746133
02/24/20 03:41 PM
02/24/20 03:41 PM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,632
Lubbock,TX
D
DavidDean Offline
top fuel
DavidDean  Offline
top fuel
D

Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,632
Lubbock,TX
Originally Posted by an8sec70cuda
Cab...the classes like he's trying to run make you run a normal street tire. No type of drag tire is allowed.

I have used WD-40 in the past and it works. Buy it in a jug and roll it onto the tread surface w/ a paint roller. Let em sit overnight.
Makes them real sticky, but doesn't last but for a few passes.

Same here wD-40 WORKS ! Ive also used Formula V it also works. If your tires are old and the side walls are worn out its time for new tires.

Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DavidDean] #2746150
02/24/20 04:33 PM
02/24/20 04:33 PM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,092
Rogue River, OR
Jeremiah Offline
master
Jeremiah  Offline
master

Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,092
Rogue River, OR
My next tire softening test will be using a gallon of fedron. It is used to clean/restore rollers in large printers, etc.

I would be hard pressed not to try the 295/50/16 Galaxy's. That is unless you must have a 30" tire.

On the Cooper Cobras be aware that there are two different grades (speed ratings) that are sold. The 118mph version is carried by most however they can order the (130?) version for a little more. Tire rack has both fwiw.



Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: Jeremiah] #2746208
02/24/20 08:20 PM
02/24/20 08:20 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
D
DaveRS23 Offline OP
Special needs idiot
DaveRS23  Offline OP
Special needs idiot
D

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
All of the 295/50s that I have been able to find info on have either a 400 or a 440 tread wear rating. Both of the Coopers have the same tread wear rating. I know that the rating is only applicable in comparison to other tires within that brand and that they have no bearing across brands. But in most cases, a 400 is likely to be softer than a 500 regardless of brand. Now one 400 from one brand may be harder or maybe softer than a 400 from another brand, but without some personal testing or info from someone who has tested, it is a crap shoot. And I would be surprised if one brand's 400 was much better or worse than another brand.

So, without better info from a reliable source, price will probably rule. $250 +/- will buy a pair of import 295/50s including shipping. Unless some more info comes up, I will probably try a pair of some of these cheap offerings and see what I can do with them. At the very least, they'll be fun to burn down.

I am a bit surprised that there is not more of a consensus on one softener vs another or one tire vs another. If there had been, my job would have been easier. But it seems that many guys have been happy with a variety of products. Maybe that means that they are all good. Maybe.


Master, again and still
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DaveRS23] #2746212
02/24/20 08:32 PM
02/24/20 08:32 PM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,092
Rogue River, OR
Jeremiah Offline
master
Jeremiah  Offline
master

Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,092
Rogue River, OR
I own a set of Vitour Galaxy's (1968 Dodge Dart GTS 383 4-speed) and a set of Cooper Cobra's (1966 Coronet 383-4 / auto) and IMO the Vitours are stickier. Especially for the money! As said, you have to do a half mile of burn outs to really get into the good stuff lol. Hard work if you can get it. As far as the softener I think anything you can do to make the tread sticky without making it gummy/greasy will work. As said design a bolt in ballast for the spare tire well or something. Many of the no prep cars run a ton of rear ballast from my observations.



Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: Jeremiah] #2746266
02/24/20 10:45 PM
02/24/20 10:45 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
D
DaveRS23 Offline OP
Special needs idiot
DaveRS23  Offline OP
Special needs idiot
D

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,894
Benton, IL.
Tentatively, I think I will try the Vitours and Hot Lap 101 softener. I won't move on this for at least a week or two just in case any other info comes along.


Master, again and still
Re: Anyone use any of the tire softeners? [Re: DaveRS23] #2746925
02/27/20 12:23 AM
02/27/20 12:23 AM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,176
East Coast
A
A/MP Offline
super stock
A/MP  Offline
super stock
A

Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,176
East Coast
CONTINENTAL CONTIWINTERCONTACT TS830 P These tires are sticky in cold temps. Very sticky in warm weather. Buy some second hand. New are pricey.







Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1