Front Race Tires / Skinnies - How much did you chop off your ET?

[marcspaz]

Hey guys, I am looking at getting some race wheels and tires for the front. Time off my ET vs. price is going to be the deciding factor.

For those of you running skinnies, do you know how much you shaved off your ET?

Thanks,
Spaz

 

[joedls]

I'll tell you the next time I go to the track. I just got some skinnies for Christmas but haven't tried them out yet.

 

[marcspaz]

Cool, Thanks!

 

[rojizostang]

i'm assuming you've seen the 15 inch wheel thread...those jegs wheels sell pretty cheap...with tires and all you can probably get away with a set of front skinnies for $500....not too bad, i don't think....

 

[marcspaz]

Man, I am not feeling this. I have been reading in other V8+ hot rod forums (including / other than Mustangs), and guys in the low 11's high 10's are saying when adding skinnies alone either they saw no improvement at worst and at best 1/10th. Does this sound right? If so, with a 12 sec car, I'm not gonna bother...

 

[Red03SVT]

A tenth or so I would say is about right.

 

[Hatchman]

How much will the rear stickies get you?

 

[Boss281]

Marc, you know that 15"s give you less rolling resistance on the front tires, lighter weight, and if you also opt for the rear wheels, more tire options. Add that up, I'd think a tenth or two is about right. Sitting at 12.4 looking for 12.2, I find that worth it. Every little bit counts. It's no different than spending $2000 for heads and 20hp, or $1000 on cams and 20hp. It's another 1/10 or two as you make you way to 11s. Trick is to find some used and get a decent price...

You're welcome to give mine a shot at the track some day...

John

 

[Freaknazty]

yea i dont see it being a big diffrence figure a stock 17" front weighs 48lbs roughly these probably weigh in the 20's or so so really your only loosing 50lbs off the front but they way i look at it is thats still 50lbs off the front and it'll help with weight transfer , you'll pay 499 for a k member that drops what 20? 30 maybe so so really this is a better deal than the k member is on a weight to cost ratio hell it's even better than if youd do racing seats unless you pull both and run a kirkey every thing counts but you just have to find what works best for hp to $ or weigh reduction to $ ratio ....also ease of install/upkeep plays a role too

 

[marcspaz]

Marc, you know that 15"s give you less rolling resistance on the front tires, lighter weight, and if you also opt for the rear wheels, more tire options. Add that up, I'd think a tenth or two is about right. Sitting at 12.4 looking for 12.2, I find that worth it. Every little bit counts. It's no different than spending $2000 for heads and 20hp, or $1000 on cams and 20hp. It's another 1/10 or two as you make you way to 11s. Trick is to find some used and get a decent price...

You're welcome to give mine a shot at the track some day...

John

Thanks John...I might just take you up on that.

What did you get for wheels? I know you mentioned it the other day, but we had a lot on the table and I don't remember. Bogarts?

 

[marcspaz]

I think at this point in my mod career, I might want to wait. I still have a stock driveshaft, for example... so there is other stuff I'd rather do first.

 

[forensicsteve]

there is other stuff I'd rather do first

+1.

 

[Boss281]

Thanks John...I might just take you up on that.

What did you get for wheels? I know you mentioned it the other day, but we had a lot on the table and I don't remember. Bogarts?

Yeah, a used set of bogarts: 15x4 up front and 15x9.75 out back.

 

[xtweakerx]

Yeah, a used set of bogarts: 15x4 up front and 15x9.75 out back.

did u have to do any modifying to get the fronts or rears to work w/ the car?

 

[Boss281]

Front and rears SHOULD use elongated studs and open end lug nuts, I ordered mine (and haven't yet received) from Summit. I quickly test fit the fronts to ensure they clear the GT brakes (they do) but haven't yet had time to see if the rears fit, even though I've removed the rear swaybar and replaced it with an Xtreme antiroll bar from BMR Fabrication.

 

[don_w]

I think at this point in my mod career, I might want to wait. I still have a stock driveshaft, for example... so there is other stuff I'd rather do first.

IMO, you can't look at the use of skinnies in terms of ET drops alone. As far as I'm concerned, the use of skinnies is really part of an overall weight reduction/shift plan. Making the front end lighter is a good thing... and skinnies are but one element of a bigger picture. The difference between my street fronts and track fronts is about 33 lbs per side... or 66 lbs total. So, if you subscribe to the 100 lbs = 1/10 sec rule of thumb, then the fronts would be worth about 0.07 by themselves.

 

[US-1]

I watched DynoHo' swap wheels and tires at Baytown a couple of years ago and drop over 4 tenths of a second and pick up 3 mph with no other changes.

Well worth the money in my book.

 

[Fastmover]

Plus the look cool as hell!

 

[kbchevlvr]

plus these are rotating peices....that wieght savings multiplies the faster you go. its not just 30-50 lbs lighter....it is actually more.

 

[Hitman]

yea i dont see it being a big diffrence figure a stock 17" front weighs 48lbs roughly these probably weigh in the 20's or so so really your only loosing 50lbs off the front but they way i look at it is thats still 50lbs off the front and it'll help with weight transfer , you'll pay 499 for a k member that drops what 20? 30 maybe so so really this is a better deal than the k member is on a weight to cost ratio hell it's even better than if youd do racing seats unless you pull both and run a kirkey every thing counts but you just have to find what works best for hp to $ or weigh reduction to $ ratio ....also ease of install/upkeep plays a role too

Back in 06 I believe they did an article about adding front Bogarts and they dropped off 66 lbs. of unsprung weight. They said the rears would be good for another30-35 lbs. So that's 100 lbs. of unsprung weight. That makes it worth the price to me. The only reason I don't have them is that funds are hard to come by these days.