any guys running drag radials all the time?

whts-nxt?

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just wondering now if there are a lot of guys running drag radials all the time? I had a trans am with 550 rwhp and i just run m/t drag radials all the time. I drove the car probably 4 times a week and seemed fine to me. Never read where guys are running them all the time. I would think i would like to run my 03 vert with dr's and not have to swap wheels every weekend.
 

Blackhawk

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I also drive with MT DRs on my 1200hp TT Firehawk and its perfectly fine, but I can assure you that they do not go around a corner very well as you would expect. Not that they are "unsafe," but I would not want it on a car like a Viper which I personally would use in more than just a straight line manner. You can certainly do it without a problem, but you obviously give up a tremendous amount of the handling characteristics of the Viper.
 

jmillsUT28

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Would never do it. In a straight line then ok it will be fine if the road is very dry. But these vipers have so much torque that it would be very easy for the rear end to swing out on any road that is not straight. Even with stock HP.
 

Green Viper

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I drove on drag radials on the rear for about 2000 miles with sport cups on the front, they get very loose quickly on corners but are great for acceleration in a straight line and are nice and sticky. They were very prone to wandering in ruts on the freeway but were even better than the pilot sport cups at cold weather traction when it was 50 degrees out and good on stop light dashes.

I used up about 40% of the set during the autocross at VOI-10 in Detroit, gave rides to several people, probably the most fun I have had with the car, it was pretty fast as I could get the power down out of the corners but once the side wall flexed it quickly became a drifting exhibition, especially after they got hot.

If you overheat them, they will wear out quickly and they don't last very long to start with....

James
 

Viper X

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I've run through two sets of Nitto NT555R drag radials on the streets, about 20K miles. Straight line grip is pretty good (with a bit less air pressure) and they are pretty good around corners with 30 psi in them. These would be very good at 650 rwhp and less.

Never had anything like described above with the "rear end coming around" while turning using drag radials, this is with over 900 rwhp and PS2's up front.

Then tried the Nitto NT05R drag radial. Straight line traction is excellent, so good in fact that I broke all of the teeth off of the second gear set while accelerating in second one day from a stop light. These would make a very good "drive to the drag strip, run the car, drive home. These aren't too good in the corners however but were acceptable on the street if you were careful.

Next rear tire tried was the Hoosier A6 auto X tire. Straight line traction is very good when warm (ten minutes of driving), in fact better than the Nitto NT555R and handling is excellent. They provide just a bit of slip at the top of first and second (saving the trans). Ride is a bit firm when aired up all the way for cornering and wet traction (not an issue in So Cal) would likely be poor.

The Hoosiers don't stick like the NTO5R drag radial but are about the best compromise for the street I've found at 900 + rwhp / 860 + rwtq.

Dan
 

vpower01

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Then tried the Nitto NT05R drag radial. Straight line traction is excellent, so good in fact that I broke all of the teeth off of the second gear set while accelerating in second one day from a stop light. These would make a very good "drive to the drag strip, run the car, drive home.
Dan

Im going to get these next thanks Dan. :2tu:
 
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whts-nxt?

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well if its good for 900 horse then my lil 650ish will be right at home. Im not big on any speed around curves but every great once in a while might like to let her strectch her legs a little on the top side. Dan have you run any of the mt drag radials? How do they compare? I was impressed with them overall esp on hooking.
 
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whts-nxt?

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blackhawk appreciate reconfirming the mt's for me 1200 hp. wow.


green viper what kind of dr's where you running?
 
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