How to... Proper Tire Heating??

After reading the 727 explosion and the comment.



As a newbie Can you please tell me more about this?

Me too. My daughter is making the move from jr dragsters to big cars next year and I don't want to start her off on the wrong foot. Tire heating isn't as critical in Jrs as they are in the bigger cars....

roll out of the water to the edge of the water,some like to spin the tires in the water box,then go to the edge ,all that does is put water in the wheel well,which can fall on tire going down track,start your burnout in 2nd gear,never in 1st,then go to 3rd,count to 5 then roll out,,big smokey burn outs isnt needed,stop clean out the carb then go to the line

You need a driver and a crewman to work together until the driver can do it him/her self properly.
1. Make sure there is enough water, not just dampness, tell the guy to spray some more water if you have to.
2. Roll thru water and stop with back tires 2-3 feet past water. Some guys "blip" the throttle going thru the water, I never do this. It spits water inside your wheel wells.
3. Put trans in 2nd gear, hold line lock.
4. Wait for starter to give signal to burnout.
5. Mash the gas pedal 1/2 way, get RPM's up to max (7000 for me). It's OK to hit rev limiter.
6. Shift to 3rd, release line lock, ROLL out of the gas pedal as you move forward. This is where people get in trouble, you can't let off quickly, nor can you tromp down again.
7. Make sure car is lined up in the best groove.
8. MOST IMPORTANT: Stop 3-4 feet from staging beams, put shifter into 1st gear, roll forward to stage, this resets your sprag.
9. If in eliminations, do not stage until you see your dial-in on the score board.
10. If you should suffer driveline breakage of any kind, (axle, gear, wheel studs) the trans has to come out and the sprag inspected.

The guy that blew the trans at Milan probably failed to do one of the above, or maybe the guy that drove the car before him failed.

Awesome, thank you. Always better to ask a dumb question then make a dumb move...thanks guys!
We are looking forward to making the move to bigger cars. I am building a 65 Satellite for her (was supposed to be for me but you know how that works), She is 16 now, been racing jrs since 10. made track champ at Numidia this year. She's a great racer and I'm looking forward to seeing how she does in the big leagues.

Unless you have a manual valvebody, the trans will still start in first gear.

In regards to transmission explosion ask your transmission builder. There are to many variables. There's multiple questions you need answers to before someone can answer that question about your transmission. Add in the typical "I've done it for years" "always do this" "never do this" is a recipe for disaster. For example "never do a burn out in first" ok I put my auto shift trans in 2nd and I'll be fine. Nope. Car will start in first. Or I'll tell you what I do. I ALWAYS do my burnout in manual low and ONLY in manual low. My trans has low band apply and is auto shift. Confused yet? This question needs a flow chart! Just a hint of smoke is all you need, unless your car is setup to need some tire slip. The vast majority over heat the tire. Experiment do less and less of a burnout until it spins the tire. In the end its your daughters feet, so I personaly think the blankets survive better. If it was mine I would buy two blankets one for the trans and I would bolt another on the inside on the floor over the tunnel.

Just an aside, do any of you treat your tires? We do in jr dragsters (wd40), just wondering if that is also done in the bigger cars.

When it comes time to do a trans for the build, I will spend the cash on the best equipment I can for the car. I will not be cheep when it comes to the safety equipment needed. The plan is to go with a 505 wedge with Victor heads and a roller. Cal tracs w/mono leafs and a dana with 456 gears and a spool...

Wd40? Really! So the tire slips to gain rpm?

As far as starting in first gear with automatic tranny do not revved it up over 4000 RPM in first unless you have the shifter held in first gear You can manually shift with a automatic as long as your throttle is not wide open, you want the tire speed up to get heat in the tires as soon as possible
Your best bet is to change the front drum to a billet steel or aluminum to protect her or any one else who drives that car

Softens the rubber...it works GREAT! We never have wheel spin no matter the track prep...We prep the tires after the run and let them sit. Wrap them and remove the wraps in the lanes...water burnout and she's good to go. She runs 7.90 @ 82 mph in the 1/8 mile. 1.64 60 fts.

No wonder it gets so slick after those chainsaws on a stick go down the track! you guys are greasing the track! - For big cars you can use VHT in your burn-out but usually not needed

WD-40 will make tires REALLY sticky, but doesn't last very long. After 2 or 3 burnouts, it's back to normal...from my experience anyway.
You don't just spray it on and go run the car. You roll it on and let it soak into the tire overnight.

Exactly, but we use it between runs. It doesn't stay on the tire after the burnout, but it will make them stick. It actually changes the compound of the rubber. It will cause you to wear out the tires fast.

I can't get out of first fast enough, usually hit the rev limiter off the line but do a burn out in second then third.

Roll through the water and get to the edge, set your line lock and pull second gear start to heat the tires and pull third and take it to 4000 rpm and hold for 5 to 10 seconds just enough to get them hot and roll forward, if you did it correctly you are set to go.

I guess 2nd gear start is better, but I always used to start in 1st, right or wrong, no issues, FMVB 727, front of the water, ease down half way and shift 2nd/3rd immediately, tach used to settle on 4800>5000 and with a small amount of smoke from the 14x32 Hoosiers I'd just let off the lock and ease out the throttle gentle or stay in it for some showtime now and again...484hp 440, 4.88's..You shouldn't need to get anywhere near a rev limiter.

I do like most as I roll through the water and just pass it about a foot or two. Then hit it in second and run her up to about 6k and shift into third and hold about 6K for about 5 seconds or less if I feel them pushing the car. Then I lift before I release the brake/line lock so the tires wont chirp when I hit dry pavement. Then roll up and stage. Ron

Thank you so much for the advice. I understand things vary but the basics help a newbie

So my first time at the track I did really crappy, almost non existant burn outs.
Popped it off the rev limiter one time at 7400 rpm

Got a bit better. Here is a video of a better burnout, probably the 4th try (first part of the video)

Please critique...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMdxvWYyq0&t=1s&ab_channel=RobKamstra

Put it in 2nd before you even roll into the water. 2nd gear, rev it. Shift to 3rd, maintain RPM. Get your thumb off the switch as soon as it's up on the tire and drive it out onto the dry concrete while rolling into the throttle some to keep it spinning. That's what builds heat. Lift before it catches. Put it in the beams.

I admit I do the no-no and start in 1st. But I do run an LBA valvebody and only just get the tires turning before moving to 2nd while holding it at about 4500 still on the line lock, then into 3rd and let it start to move along, easing out of the brakes I typically git it a little more R’s to keep it moving. I can usually feel the tires start to grab at that point and I let out of it and bring it to a stop. I run my line lock backwards to lock out the rears, so I have full control of the front brakes as it starts moving forward. With an automatic, that just makes so much more sense to me.

As it rolls out I let out of it and put the car on my line as I come to a stop. I always check my gauges at that point, turn off the line lock and turn on the 2-step and the aux. fuel pump. Then move into the pre-stage beams.

I read someone say they “clear the carb” in neutral after the burnout. I believe this unloads the sprag, which I’ve been told is a bad idea and could put it at risk at launch. And really.... whatever is accomplished by ”cleaning out the carb” is something I don’t understand. I would submit that it accomplishes nothing.

Jeez you guys boil the tires...

Looked good to me! You could come out of the water a smidge more but otherwise fine. That car hauls the mail! Nice job!

Look at Mickey Thompsons website tech--they give exact instructions on how to mount, burn out, etc do like they say and away you go--same with other tire brands--they do publish the correct how to

The Track workers always seem to want to park you in the water...I always inch up when they turn their back so I am not in the water.

I start it in second, sometimes shifting to third, let off the line lock, then roll out of the gas. Stop, shift to first, roll up to the beams and have at it.

The car still has a stock drum, and a non LBA VB...According to most I should have lost a foot by now, but the car has been together for almost 20 years with the same combo, tons of street miles and stack of time slips. But I will be upgrading the innards this winter...haha

and cleaning out the carb....lol

You ever revved up an engine with a gas analyzer in the tailpipe?
You are not cleaning out anything folks.

Pretty brave with a 9 second car all the way off the groove like that. Looking good though next run.

If you have to clean out your carb, it is time to get it fixed or get a new one.

Whacking the throttle and pumping more fuel into it is not "cleaning it out". A better strategy would be to just bring the RPM up to 2.5 or 3k for a few seconds IF it does load up some after the burnout.

I had no idea what it would run It was faster than I expected

I am fuel injected I assume I would not have to do that anyways. Would that be right?

I would expect that to be right. No fuel sloshing around in the bowls. No oversize squirters pumping fuel into it.

Gang, that drum in there is perfectly fine, right up onto the micro second that its not.

Driving hard without blast protection is like running across the freeway. You may get away with it forever, or, maybe not.