I\'m kicking the radial street/drag tire habit

Just ordered a pair of Mickey T's ET Drag 26/10-15's. After 280+ runs, the BFGs have just had it. I threw something like 27% more torque at 'em with the 4.56 gears and 60's have just gone all over. It bangs so bad off the line I'm afraid I'll bust a u-joint or a ring gear. Should have them on by Friday Test & Tune. Any specifc advice? Pressures, break in, etc.

Can't believe how much $$$ that was. They better last all season and I better win some rounds before the credit card bill comes in. Made $50 Saturday in spite of the tires. Actually, it was me and the tree not the tires specifically. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img] But I blame them anyway.
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I'm thinking 280 runs on a set of dr's is pretty damn good.
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Wow up here in Ontario at my local speed shop the Et streets are cheaper than the BFG drag radials by about $100 bucks.I haven't used them personally but everyone I know who has says there is no comparison.Ets work much better.
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Ckelly, I've had MT 31x10.5x15W on since I bought the car 2 years ago. The tires still have 1/4" of safety hole in them. As of last weekend I have 374 runs on them and they still hook up to 1.53 60' times.
Your car looks a bit heavier than mine, but I run 8# and only do a strong burnout on the first pass. The rest of the day a light heat-up works fine.

Hope this helps.

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I ususually get 2 years, (give or take), out of a set of M/Ts.
Last set I was going to start the season with, but a couple of wear holes were 'pretty close'. Don't wanna lose a tire @ 140, (if it goes that fast).

I run around 9 psi in my 13.5 x 31" x 15s.......

As far as burnouts.......... Depends on the track. Usually get 'em just smoking, then roll out.

1.40 60 foots the norm, with an occasional ass kickin' 1.37-8-9 in there for good licks. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_bow.gif[/img][img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_bow.gif[/img][img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_bow.gif[/img][img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_bow.gif[/img]

Thank you for that info. I just got hammered to the tune of $570 for the pair, including freight and misc BS. OUCH. So expectations of a long life are more than welcome.

At that PSI do you guys have to run rim screws? I'm a bit slower than you folks. Should be in the 1.75 60' range, 7.80's in the 1/8 mile. I thought I'd start at 12 PSI and let out 2 PSI until I got an even pattern across the tire. The car has a bit more weight near the tires with those two rear doors. I have about 1360 lbs on the rear (total weight is 3250 on the track).

Safety hole - is that what those little holes are? I wondered. Not like you get a manual with these things. Just some stickers you can't get off the tire that say NO WARRANTY and by the way did we mention there's NO WARRANTY. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] I'm goign to have to do a small BO in the driveway just to get the !@#$# stickers off the tires.

I intend to test them out on Friday, weather permitting. I'll do a hard one and then ease up on 'em and see. With the DRs, I used to turn them until I saw a bit of smoke and the engine started to pull down, then rolled out. It's a riot sometimes in the burnout box - I see a lot of people from the J. Force school of burnouts - smoke 'em until you can't see the car.

There's no reason (except a suspension problem masked by the DRs) these shouldn't hook good at my power level.

The smaller the tire, the more air pressure it needs. Your 26x10 MT's will probably need 12-18 psi for best performance. The MORE air you can get away with and still have a good launch, the faster the car will be. The reason is less rolling resistance.

You ever try and pedal a bicycle with tires that were low on air? It sucks. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

While you're at it, make sure the tires on all your vehicles are pumped up all the way for best power and mileage.

Good Luck!
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As far as the rim screws, I'd install them, just to cya.
No sense in trashing a pair of spendy tubes, and possibly rims by not installing them.
(not that driling holes in a nice pair of rims doesn't pretty much suck too tho)...........[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_frown.gif[/img]

(gotta admit, THAT is one of the low points in racing. Unboxing a nice shiney set of rims, and proceeding to drill holes in them..............ugh).........[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_frown.gif[/img]
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The BFGs liked 17 psi, so maybe I should start around 16. I marked the rims with the BFGs and the tires never moved. The installer said he used mucho baby powder on the tubes to make sure they didn't hang up inside the tires. Because the rims of the ETs are so think, I'm not sure what length screw I might use. I'll mark the sidewalls and rims and if I detect any movement, I'll act on it immediately. If I end up in the 14~16 psi range, I'll bet they don't move at all. In fact, I may go back to my 650DP which takes just a hair out of the launch but seemed to be very consistant. But one change at a time - tires first.

If they were Welds, I'd have drilled them before I did the tires. But these are those "gettin' rare" real deal 5 window slots from the 70's, so I sure hate to take a drill to them.

BTW - my fronts are used tire specials. A Goodyear something 195-75x14 with straight grooves for tread and a max inflation of 44 psi. I run 42psi in them and they look like kinda fat front runners. Paid like $30 for the pair, mounted out the door.

I don't run tubes OR screws in mine anymore. (this is on a 4-speed launching at 6k with the nitrous on) It works just fine. Sometimes a tire will want to leak down slowly (especially if screws are used) but, it generally takes a couple weeks. I've heard rubbing a thin layer of thick dishwashing liquid on the inside of the tire helps keep the air from leaking through it. I did it on mine, and have had no problems. I used Palmolive. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Tubes in short wide tires, like your 26x10's, tend to push out on the center portion of the tread more than the outside. This leads to the center of the tread getting too much action. Your tires should 'lay' better without tubes.

You are not running fast enough to really need rim screws. I wouldn't fool with them or the tubes. Those items are just leaks waiting to happen on a car like yours.

Good Luck!
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