what size tires

GI Joe

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I'm about to hook up my sons car with either 410's or 373's, and CAI and a tune. He has 20" razors and I think we are going to put 17" X9" razors that match on the rar only for track nights...will look pretty good with thos heavy azzz fronts...lol...but any way I'm wondering on reccomendations of tire sizes. The 275/40/17 looks a little short, especially if I gear down...so I was looking into the 295/45/17. But I dont want to kill the power on an N/A car and his current tires are 275/35/20. They are both pretty close to same size so it should clear with the 1" drop with the 295/45/17 M/T DR...but I wonder if there is a better option on the 17X9
Thanks.
 

Freaknazty

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N/A I would go with the 26's Dave , hell it would work great with the nitrous too . I ran them with 3.90's and loved them but I did the dumbass and went 28" because I thought I would need that big of tire but I should have stuck with the 26" . FWIW I sold my 28" and will be going back down to a 27-26" .
 

GI Joe

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N/A I would go with the 26's Dave , hell it would work great with the nitrous too . I ran them with 3.90's and loved them but I did the dumbass and went 28" because I thought I would need that big of tire but I should have stuck with the 26" . FWIW I sold my 28" and will be going back down to a 27-26" .

See the only thing I have to base it on is my auto. When I bought the 05 I put 390 in it. I took them out and put the 410 because it whined 1) and 2) the car wanted more gear. I ran the 315/50 15 MT(28") and the big M&H 28" tires from day one. Granted the car was an auto with about 2800-3000 stall. long tubes and a CAI and that was it...the car ran 12.80's easy and the car seemed to love the 28" tire.
He may get a 75-100 shot eventually so I was thinking that the 373 might be needed...but it seems to me that a 75 shot and 28" with 41`0 would be fuggin perfect.....but as I said I had that tight ration 55R5 that shifted 4 gears real fast...lol
 

Hysteria

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N/A I would go with the 26's Dave , hell it would work great with the nitrous too . I ran them with 3.90's and loved them but I did the dumbass and went 28" because I thought I would need that big of tire but I should have stuck with the 26" . FWIW I sold my 28" and will be going back down to a 27-26" .

What was the difference in your et's that you felt that you made the wrong decision going to 28's?
 

GI Joe

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Has anyone run the M/T ET Street bias in 26X11.5 X 17.?
I really want him to have a stable ride at the track so I was leaning to DR's but this tire is so short it should be pretty stable?????
 

TexasBlownV8

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I run 26" tall M/T street radials, drive to/from the track, and yes they are 1" shorter than "stock" tires, but they handle just fine, even on moderatly windy roads, and of course quite well at the track.
The shorter tire will give you more gear, so for example (not acccuate mathematically perhaps), but it will make 3.90's more like 4.10's. Going with larger 28" tire will do the opposite, like maknig 3.90's more like 3.73s. (again just approximation in effective gear ratios; actual retulting ratios are different, but you get the idea).

With 373's and an automtatic, I like having the differnt net gearing from 26" tires. Going to a 27" tire would be as big as I want to go, though.
 

GI Joe

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I run 26" tall M/T street radials, drive to/from the track, and yes they are 1" shorter than "stock" tires, but they handle just fine, even on moderatly windy roads, and of course quite well at the track.
The shorter tire will give you more gear, so for example (not acccuate mathematically perhaps), but it will make 3.90's more like 4.10's. Going with larger 28" tire will do the opposite, like maknig 3.90's more like 3.73s. (again just approximation in effective gear ratios; actual retulting ratios are different, but you get the idea).

With 373's and an automtatic, I like having the differnt net gearing from 26" tires. Going to a 27" tire would be as big as I want to go, though.

Yea I run the M/T DR too...I was wondering about the bias ply tire though...I ran them for years and they sway alot...just like a slick...but I thoought the shorter one might not..
 

Blazing Saddles

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I've always disliked the look of a 26" tire on my car. Look at the pic in my sig. That 4X4 look. The car looks like a Bronco's half brother. At that time I was running a 4.10 gear. My times were 12.7 N/A and 11.7 on a 100 shot. If I were still running N2O I would be running a 28" tire with 4.30 gears. Now that I'm strictly N/A I'll be running a 28" tire with 4.56 gears.
 

Hawgman

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The shorter tire will give you more gear, so for example (not acccuate mathematically perhaps), but it will make 3.90's more like 4.10's. Going with larger 28" tire will do the opposite, like maknig 3.90's more like 3.73s. (again just approximation in effective gear ratios; actual retulting ratios are different, but you get the idea).

In case you want the correct mathematical equation ...

Original tire height divided by new tire height times gear ratio = adjusted gear ratio for the new tire.

Example would be: My stock tire (235/55-17) was 27.18" tall. My current street tire (305/45-18) is 28.8" tall, and my track tire (275/60-15) is 27.99" tall. I run a 4.10 gear.

27.18 / 28.8 = 0.944 X 4.10 = 3.872 (I just call em' 3.90s)
27.18 / 27.99 = 0.971 X 4.10 = 3.98

So my street configuration is (basically) a 3.90, and my track config is (for all practical purposes) 4.0
 

GI Joe

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In case you want the correct mathematical equation ...

Original tire height divided by new tire height times gear ratio = adjusted gear ratio for the new tire.

Example would be: My stock tire (235/55-17) was 27.18" tall. My current street tire (305/45-18) is 28.8" tall, and my track tire (275/60-15) is 27.99" tall. I run a 4.10 gear.

27.18 / 28.8 = 0.944 X 4.10 = 3.872 (I just call em' 3.90s)
27.18 / 27.99 = 0.971 X 4.10 = 3.98

So my street configuration is (basically) a 3.90, and my track config is (for all practical purposes) 4.0

yup that is correct...
 

psfracer

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Since you are willing to change gearing at the same time I agree with Blazing Saddles:

Go with the tallest tire you can to increase the size of the contact patch, then gear the car accordingly.

Plus a 26 tall just doesn't look right on these cars unless its slammed.

I think a 28 tall with 4.30s n/a would be great, or 4.10s if you plan on running the 100 shot. I ran a 28 tall tire with a 100 shot right out of the hole with 4.10s and the car left perfect.
 

GI Joe

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Since you are willing to change gearing at the same time I agree with Blazing Saddles:

Go with the tallest tire you can to increase the size of the contact patch, then gear the car accordingly.

Plus a 26 tall just doesn't look right on these cars unless its slammed.

I think a 28 tall with 4.30s n/a would be great, or 4.10s if you plan on running the 100 shot. I ran a 28 tall tire with a 100 shot right out of the hole with 4.10s and the car left perfect.

thanks man......
You planning on trying those springs this week...lol bI'll probably be at the track to try mine fri...finally got my A arms on the car...lol I took a break and went to the Bahama's for a week.... :)b
 

Freaknazty

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What was the difference in your et's that you felt that you made the wrong decision going to 28's?

yes I meant to ask that too...

you really really do not want to know lol , now granted a few things were changed along with the wheels but same hp , better suspension setup , and dropped from 1.5-1.6 to a 2.1-2.2 60ft ...... same mph with both sets of wheels 118.6 but ran a 11.7 with the 26" and a 12.7 with the 28" , also the track and weather does have something to do with this but i have never had that kind of 60ft's ever

Then to top it off the 275's were on 8" wides , while the 325's were on 9.5's still no help .....
 

corey5988

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Didn't want to create a new thread. I'm going to be picking up some better wheels and a set of bias play slicks for the track this week. My question is should I go with a 26" or 28" tire? I'm running the stock TR3650 tranny and 3.55 rear. Mods are in my sig. I'm thinking even with the blower a 26" would yield better results?
 

RED09GT

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I've went back to 3.55's from 4.10's with my turbo and 28" drag radials.
Despite popular opinion saying that turbos like lower numerical gears, I lost 4 mph in trap speed. My PB is now with the 3.55's but that is entirely due to having more practice and a WOT box.
Go with a 26" slick if you are keeping the 3.55's.
 
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corey5988

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Hopefully I'll be okay. I actually ordered some 28x9-15 MT ET drags today. I was pretty much running a 28" already with my 275/40-19.
 

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