Allright, I got a set of m/t slicks (26x10x15) on my draglites (15x10). no tubes or anything.

I've seen people, at the local track here, warm their slicks a variety of ways. Some people just roll into the waterbox, then drive out and warm them up, others do a burn out IN the waterbox, and some people spin them a little bit in the waterbox, and then roll out and warm them up. What are the differences between these methods?

small additional note: anyone with any experience with the m/t slicks have any words of advice? i know with my old radials, they needed to be warmed up pretty good before each run... I've read that the slicks just need one good burnout in the begining of the night and I'll be good for the rest of the time I'm at the track.

 

im interested in this topic also....

 

try m/t website to see any specific instructions for their tires. in general, theres no right or wrong way, just whatever works best for you. many frown on spinning them in the water and driving out because this extends the water box in a way for those who dont want to wet their tires.
i roll thru the box slowly to get the tires wet and light them up on a dry surface. this helps prevent a sticky tire from blowing your rear apart with limited traction but once they are spinning, they are hot and sticky for a good launch. might be better for a m6 car to go that route vs dry launching the tires/rear twice in a short span.

 

At a well run track, you have no choice. The guy who is manning the WB should roll you through it, have you stop, motion you to do a quick spin of the tires (one revolution) to spread the water on your tires, stop you and hold you until it is time to do your burnout. So, you will be a couple of feet past the WB when you do your burnout. That is the correct method.

Rich

 

Yea i usually roll through and blip the throttle to spin it to wet the tires, just like 1 rev, car only moves about a foot or two. Then i move up a couple feet, set the line lock and spin them for about 6 seconds. I let the line lock off and hold the throttle steady until the tires bite, then let off and roll to the line.

 

lol there isn't a guy manning the waterbox at my track... it sucks....

 

If you do this at my home track they'll warn you once then kick you out for the night.
The rules there state that you must do your burnout where the burnbox man says to. They usualyl roll you thru the water and stop you just after. You're not allowed to pull forward from there until your burn out is done.

 

Ugh, that's what i said, i do a burnout just after the box, by like a foot or two, it's where they tell you to go.

 

No you said you roll thru the box a couple of feet and then move forward to the dry a couple of feet.

At my track you can not do a burnout after the box. Not the same thing at all.

 

i guess thats another rule enforced differantly from track to track. all the ones i have been to around me do not enforce any such rules, however 2 of the 3, you can drive around the water box, and the other is barricaded to where you have to go thru it, but sometimes its dry with noone there.

 

Yeah I've been to 10 different tracks and each one is different in the layout and how they want you to act.

 

The goal of the water box is to simply dampen the tires. This is done to reduce driveline stress at the hit of the throttle when doing a burnout. Burnouts are not done in the waterbox. Tracks that do not tend the waterbox are not taking care of their track or the racers who use it.

Once there is a light film of water on the tires a racer rolls a couple of feet ahead of the waterbox and decures his/her line lock or brake in preparation for the burnout. The burnout is then performed to the degree necessary to clean/heat the tires for that particular vehicle based on a great many variables. A racer that wants a clean surface will generally release the line lock/brake as they finish their burnout to roll ahead to the line to keep the tires clean and to reduce the snubbing of the tires as the burnout is completed.

Cars with wide front tires (street tires) should back into the water box if at all possible to avoid dragging water up to the starting line. This is not always possible at all tracks but is a simple courtesy to the car behind you so they don't have to follow in your water. A good water box guy keeps an eye out for this type of problem.

Also, do not spin your tires in the water box as the spay will kick up on your fenderwells and create drips that will go all the way to the starting line. The water box should be of sufficient size to allow one complete role of the tires without spinning them.

I try to avoid following front wheel drive vehicles through the water box as their rear tires drag water up to the line no matter how they do their burnout.

Since I have skinny front tires I drive right through the water box. I have a manual valve body automatic to I can pull a gear during the burnout which is done around 4500rpm and as soon as I pull it I generally begin the roll ahead process to approach the starting line.

When I had a stick I would do a second gear burnout.

That is about all I can think of this morning.

 

My old slicks were Mickey Thompson's...

My burnout process was to stop in the water, spin one revolution then pull up a few feet (the aim was for where the water ended). From there, I set the line lock and started in first gear with a quick blip of the pedal. I brought my RPM's up to 6,000 and shifted to 2nd. Again, brought the RPM's up to 6,000 and shifted to third (TH400 trans). Once I hit 6,000 in third, I would release the line lock and nail the throttle out of the burnout.

Now I have Hoosiers. I start my burnout process the same but with these tires I start in 2nd gear. The tires don't need as much heating as the old ones.

This is simply my process though - it's going to be different for everyone.

I find it weird that some tracks throw you if you don't listen to the guy in the waterbox. What if you have someone with you that wants you in a different place than the waterbox guy? Our waterbox guys guide you if you're alone but if someone comes down to the line with you they let your own person direct you. This is at Atco.

 

This is my home track too, and as he said, a couple of feet out of the burnout box is where you start your burnout at this track.

I have to spin 'em in the waterbox as the track just sprays a little bit of water down, nowhere near enough for a full revolution.

Moroso Motorsports Park... 'eh.

Hopefully it'll get better w/ the new management.

 

thx ted i did not know that and in a few months i will be goin up to NED with large front street tires.... 245's to be exact.... i will practice that method.... i was planning on just rolling thru the WB one quick spin then moving up and doing my burnout..... thx for the vital info!