Lets say you have a hell of a time getting the car to hook up...

I can let the clutch out pretty damn fast at low throttle (little under half) and then once the clutch is out put the gas to the floor without any wheel spin..... just chirping the tires.

The car takes off pretty damn quick that way..... It's feels a little slower at first... but I'm not spinning through first gear.

Im just wondering if anyone has tried this at the strip..... Im curious how bad it would hurt your time. Since im at full traction before Im in the upper powerband.

I basically talking about taking off as fast as you can without spinning the tires at all or just chirping them a little.

you want a little bit of tire spin with a FWD.. that is how you launch them

^^^^^^ I know..... thats how I do it..... I was just curious how it would effect your times doing it "the other way"

My car is inconsistent as hell atm .

The best time I've ever ran.... the car spun 3/4 of the way through 1st gear (they grabbed right before I shifted and the rpm only dropped about 200 rpm when it happened)

If I give it any less throttle I get wheel hop pretty bad.... since I havnt upgraded my mounts or suspension yet.

I'm just wondering if trying to spin them just below the wheel hop point would work better than just above or not.

I guess I would just be better off to fix the wheel hop issue instead.

what size are your wheels up front?

smaller sidewalls aren't really that great for maximizing forward traction. I cut 2.1s and a few 2.0s on 195 70r14 tires on steelies.. the softer sidewall helps control drivetrain shock

Hold on... let me grab a flashlight LOL

Their Bridgestone Potenza RE950 tires..... size 205/55R16.... on Cavalier LS Sport rims.

I run 51 PSI in them (thats what it says to run on the tire... lower sidewall and stronger bands I quess)

They are sticky as hell.... but are very firm in the sidewall department.... maybe I should lower the PSI when racing... but I dont know how far I should go... I dont want to mess the tires up.

51psi? wow.. i never put my fronts over 32...



12.33 @ 111.67 mph [Oct 2009]
Dyno'd on 08/02/09 - Mustang Dyno:
327.6 WHP 333.6 WTQ [10.1 AFR]

If your going by the psi rating on the side wall, that is for max loading. 30-32 psi is all that is needed for street driving. Try lauching at 28 psi and see if it doesn't hook a little bit better. Whebn you get used to launching at that, you can try a little lower to see if the tires grip any better, this is dependant an the stiffness of the sidewalls and tread patch. Run the rears a little higher, about 40 psi to reduce rolling resistance.

Run the rears at max and adjust the fronts down until you are getting good launches out of it

wow



FU Tuning

Sam with your mods I'd prolly launch arounf 2,500-3,500 rpm leave rears and maybe 26-32 psi fronts never 51 psi


"As I lay rubber down the street, I pray for traction I can keep, but if I spin and begin to slide, please dear God protect my ride." -Amen

OK thanks....

Sticky firm tires with stock suspension and mounts suck.... The thing handles damn good with those tires aired up that way though.... That was my intent in there setup not straight line acceleration.

Now that Im wanting to hook up for crap at a strip..... Maybee Ill just get a couple if steelies and different tires for the front since the Potenzas are expensive..

I want the thing to handle good on the street but hook good if I take it to the strip on weekends.

If I get some cheap rims for the front..... what tire size would be the best on a 14" rim (PJ said 14 and I trust him on this stuff)... and is there a cheaper all season that would hook good at the strip? or are drag radials very expensive?

Basically most bang for the buck..... although it might be awhile till it sees the strip.... I dont want it to break atm with how things are in the country.

I ran 16s on mine, but I wasnt smart enough to get the slips lol, and yes I'd go with PJs advice on the tires, depends if those 14s you are going to use on the streets or not, if just for track you have a few options, ice tires I used lol, and ran a damn good time, there are also assurance tires by goodyear that aren't bad, there is a mustang running those for traction, and running like .4-.6 seconds faster then me, you could also ask PJ what he would recommend as everyone has different preference, but you aren't running anything major at the momment so stick with All-seasons or ice tires, I know some may frown as ice wont last as long, but have the grip


"As I lay rubber down the street, I pray for traction I can keep, but if I spin and begin to slide, please dear God protect my ride." -Amen

Yes I'm talking about a set of just front wheels and tires that would get put on once im in the parking lot of the drag strip...

And Actually... I have a set of Bridgestone blizzack Snow and Ice tires on the stock rims for the car atm... but the car doesnt hook as good with those (I tried once a couple of springs ago on the street) although you would think the opposite since there soft as hell.

To be honest.... I've been planning mods with the mindset that the car will see an Auto X track or something.... and I'm going to keep it that way.... but occasionally I want to just swap the front tires / wheels out or some drag ones.... soften the front suspension a little and hit the strip as well.

14s or 15s are fine up front. Drag radials are ok for mild street use and perfect for weekend warriors.

its more imperative with a 14" wheel, but regardless of what you use up front, MAKE SURE you try to keep overall tire diameter as CLOSE as possible or else you're overall gearing will be fubar

its as easy as taking a tape measure to the wheels on the car, and measuring the diameter of the tire. most tires that are listed for sale (on jegs at least) will give you overall diameter so you can match it as close as possible.

the DRs I had on the skwirl were right around 24" I believe. I also used to run them around 19-22psi for track days. I'd air them up for cruising on the street.

Thanks..... so all I'll have to do it find some 14" rims that bolt on the Sunfire and find some tires with a cushy sidewall and low tread wear rating thats close to the same diameter as stock.

And im not worried about street use.... they would be going back in the trunk before I left.

Im assuming I should look for some 14X7 steelies with a 5X100mm bolt pattern right?

Thanks again all.

The 14" steelies I've found lately have all been 14" X 5.5". Also, the tires I've been looking at were shorter, by 1"-3", but I've mostly been looking at DRs (like these). I currently have a set of 15" steelies with 205/50R-15s, which have an OD of 23" (stock 195/65R-15s are 25", 205/55R-16s are 24.9"). This will multiply you effective gear ratio by 1.083 (3.54 X 1.083 = 3.83). This is fine with the OHVs, but isn't needed on the DOHCs, unless they're a highly modified N/A, needing the extra gear to keep you in the power band.

yes sam our wheels are 5x100 lol, you must of been tired asking that lol, cheater slicks are an example, and if you look through there are many types to think about


"As I lay rubber down the street, I pray for traction I can keep, but if I spin and begin to slide, please dear God protect my ride." -Amen