I've heard of several things you can put on your tires to make them softer or to give you more traction...which work the best?

Tire softener? I saw people putting this on their tires at dirt track races for more traction....dont know how it would apply to drag racing.

Duck tape?

Shoepolish?

How long do you heat them up?

I normally heat them until they start smoking real good (maybe like 2-3 seconds after they start smoking) and then let off the brake (slowly), burning them up toward the line for about 5-8 ft. then just pull on up to the line

Do you just back into the water box and burn them down or do you back in and then pull out to burn them down?

I have tried both ways cant really tell a difference....

thanks,

pride

 

What tires? Not all tires use the same compound. Street tires are designed not to heat up so the rubber is harder. Slicks are designed to get soft from the oils in the rubber compound and the slicks manufactures all say not to use softeners. They also give instructions on how to do a burnout.

I heat up my MT slicks in the water box only. I get into high gear and hold it at about 5000 rpm until I start to see smoke coming off the back of the car. That's all I need. Normally takes less than 10 seconds to do a burnout. Usually about 5 seconds.

 

Sorry about that....Im reffering to Drag Radials like the Nitto 555 extreme drags and also all out slicks.

Please if anyone knows give responses for both.

Also, regarding the duct tape and the shoepolish what does that do? I saw it on a post about 60'. Said that they were suppose to improve times but did not say how to use them.

Thanks,

Pride

 

Unfortunately shoe polish and duct tape can be used on the sidewall so that you can SEE with your eyes how much the tires are spinning when you press the gas pedal down. Based on how little or how much it is spinning, you can make changes to the suspension or tire pressure, etc to get a better 60' time.

Don't put either of these items ON the traction surface, just on the sidewall.

VHT makes a product called trackbite that is basically tire glue. It's the sticky junk all over the starting line that makes your shoes stick to the ground. You can actually buy it and apply it to the street if you're racing there. A small burnout in it does wonders.

I just make sure the surface is wet for a burnout, so not exactly IN the puddle, just after. How long? who knows. I rarely do one long enough, that's all I know. My nittos like 5+ seconds of smoke, hotter the better it seemed. The same goes for my ET Streets. I zing first gear to about 6000 rpm and shift to high gear(Powerglide) and hold 5000'ish until I see smoke in my mirrors.

If you want to get technical, get a lazer temp reader and get a tire temp reading after the burnout. If you discover that the tire likes to be colder, you'd keep with a short burnout, etc...

 

thanks guys...please keep the thoughts coming....BTW I heard that you can "over heat" tires and it will have a negative effect in regards to traction.


thanks,

pride

 

A lot of what we do to cars is trial and error. Finding a sweet spot that works best. Too much or too little of anything will affect performance.

Not enough heat can cause a lack of stickyness
Too much can cause a greasy/oily condition and that could also lack stickyness.