short version: I got my *** handed to me

Long version: this was my first time on slicks, and I am apparently doing something wrong. I started out with 12lbs of air and the truck drove like a boat. It was literally swerving back and forth floating across the track. I ran something like a 12.80@108!

So I get back to the pits and decide to up the air pressure to 20psi. I launch from idle like I always do on my F1s. This time the truck leaves the line nice and straight, feels good, hooking very well down the whole track. 12.55@109 or something like that. The problem is that my 60' is only a 1.81??? My truck has done 1.78 AT THIS VERY TRACK on my stock Goodyear F1s at 32psi. why am I getting worse 60ft times on a 28x10.5x15 slick?

Next run I decide to up the launch rpm a little. I raise the rpm to about 1100-1200. The truck feels great, leaves the line hard and seems to have plenty of traction all the way down the track. My timeslip shows a 12.30@111 now this is a new best for me, but it was still with a crappy 1.81 60ft!

Last run of the night I try raising the launch rpm to 1400-1500 and the truck slows down to a 12.45 with another damn 1.81?

What am I doing wrong?

Not only did I add some good sized slicks, but I ditched my trailer hitch and spare to save a little weight. Also, on F1s I normally run with a full tank of gas. I figure that the added weight over the rear will help my street tires get traction. This time since I was on slicks, I only ran 5 gallons of race gas. between the new lightweight bogart rims and slicks, the hitch and spare, and the missing 15+ gallons of fuel, I figure I dropped 200lbs or more of dead weight.

The trucks previous best was a 12.46.
With slicks and weight savings I only get a 12.30???

As for the Mach 1 brothers, the 5 speed car went 12.10@114

The Automatic car went 11.79@119!

Now again, that auto car went only 12.50 with a 75 shot of nitrous, so I can only imagine what he was spraying to run a 11.70?

He was waiting on a chip yesterday afternoon to arrive, and whoever he bought it from accidentally shipped it to UNIVERSITY FORD in Chapel Hill NC, instead of UNIVERSAL FORD in Richmond, VA. So he had his other brother drive to north carolina yesterday afternoon to get his chip for the race! I think he must have been spraying a 150shot, but I don't know.

anyway, tell me what you think I'm doing wrong?

later,
chris

 

Well for the Hoosier slicks I would start at 16psi and adjust up or down a psi or two till you find the right psi.

Other than that I have no idea, other to tell you it took me a few times to learn how to launch my truck on slicks.

Also what torque converter do you have??

 

I have my stock torque converter.

The auto mach 1 has changed his converter.

I didn't really want to blow $1000 on a converter, but now I'm starting to consider it.

BTW JohnFastruck was there running on slicks for the first time too. He did manage a 1.76, but does have an aftermarket converter. I saw one of his runs and the truck looked to be leaving the line extremely strong. but he was having traction issues on the 1-2 shift and ran some 12.55s.

I believe he was actually the one who fell victim to the 11.70 mach 1 run.

later,
chris

 

You don't need too. Drop me an email. SVT_F150@sbcglobal.net
-Mat-

 

I think its time you stopped comparing your stock 60ft time to your 60ft with slicks.You should know by now that the 1.7s you were running are extemely good and rare and just be thankful you were able to run that,If you thought you wee magically going to get in the 1.6s jjst cause you bought slicks you are wrong.There are people with 2.0s who switch to slicks and end up with 1.7s who are more than happy.Your expecting too much because of your great magical f1s

That being said,I will say that i have had both hoosiers and MT /et streets.

The ET streets yeided my best 60 ft times consistantly so they hook better i feel.The hoosiers didnt hook as well but did a geat job.The difference for me was the MT were REAL sloppy at the end of the track with a little mope bite at the 60ft.The hoosiers had AWESOME driving characteristics at higher speeds.All in all,I got better times with the hoosiers for what ever reason.Im telling you that you consentrate too much on 60ft times.When your truck is running strait at 100 mph instead of squirly,It makes more of a difference than you think on your time.If I had to do it again,i would go hoosiers.I think you should practice more and youll probally top out in the mid 1.7s

 

Considering last night was your "virgin" race night on slicks, I do not think a 12.3 is anything to complain about. I am certain you will make great improvements in those times with a few more practice runs. The track was packed last night, so the improvements you made were pretty good being that you only ran a few times in 4 hours.

 

let me know.

I've got a set of hoosier qtp' and haven't broke 1.90 yet!!!!!

I'm getting @ 420/525 to the rear wheels. I have traction bars.

Stock converter, with stock 355's in the back. I've tried every combination of burnout/psi,and launch rpm's and it isn't happening.

These are the same tires that Lightningquick ran on this season.

I figured with stock convertor i should be in the consistant 1.8's but i'm not. I'm gonna go to 373's in the winter. My father is running 1.8's all day on his nittos and has almost the same mods as my 2000. Street driving you can feel the difference off the starts. Any idea's or recommendations. 12.82 in the spring on a 2lber, no traction bars and street tires, best run to date since 4lber, tractionbars, slicks, and custom dyno tune on my truck (picked up 30hp/70ftlbs, running around 11 a/f). ***edit*** forgot to tell you the time.....haha. 12.84........ .02 seconds slower!!!

What to do???????

 

Please remember the first trip to the track always sucks on new slicks, but once they get that VHT in them froma few burnouts it will work out great.

16lbs is the best starting point, if the track is loose go to 15 if its REALLY tight go to 17 thats the good setup for a L.

Below 15 and unscrewed = rim spinning on tire....

 

Keep in mind that track and weather conditions play a HUGE roll in every aspect of our trucks' performance.
A 1.78 60' on F1's is unfricking believable and SUPER RARE! All the stars must have been in perfect alignment when you got that 60'. My best 60' on F1's was a 1.91 and I thought that was good. When I went to slicks, my 60' dropped to 1.78.(my next time to the track, she wouldn't do better than a 1.81!) When I installed a 2400rpm Art Carr converter they dropped to 1.68. Like I said before, these trucks run differently from one day to the next, due to differences in air temp, humidity, barometric pressure, etc...etc. The next time you go to the track, especially as the weather continues to cool, she'll probably pick up. Hang in there man, our trucks , as cool as they are, have their little idiosynchrocies. We just have to learn what they do and don't like from one day to the next (which is no easy task). Good Luck and Congrats on the new personal best...12.30 @ 111mph is HAULING A$$ , when you drop that 60', you'll be knocking on the 11 second door!

Later,
Rob

 

I think that a better convertor will help. Slicks are great but you need power to take full advantage of them. Ive never runned them myself (yet) but me and a friend did a comparison at the track. Me with the Nitto Drs and him with slicks, me with mods below and him on a stock L. Some guys say yes slicks kick *** but like I said you need power. My friends truck bogged down, he had a hard time launching it do to less power. The truck bogged down and picked up the rpm much slower. I hope you guys understand what I mean.

 

s. cal L 2,

I understand what you're saying, IMO, you are correct. The bias ply construction and taller sidewall of a slick enable the tire to more efficiently absorb the torque generated on launch. However, the bias ply construction and taller sidewall also cause much greater rolling resistance, which is going to hamper the ability of the truck to pull on the top end (especially stock).
That being said, Slicks are usually beneficial to guys in the 400/500 club (380/480 in GOOD air). Otherwise, warm drag radials are going to generally offer better gains for guys running near stock combos(chip, pulley,filter) without a stall. I've run my truck in several configurations in its evolution to its current state. Let me say that on a well prepped track in GOOD air, Drag Radials work WELL. My best on DR's on a good 65* day w/ a chip, 4#lower, CAI, E-fan, T-body....was a 12.49@109.4mph w/ a 1.80 60'.
Again, our trucks are so Damn INCONSISTENT from day to day, so this may not ALWAYS be the case. I am speaking in relative terms here.

Later,
Rob

P.S. I'm not saying that it's not possible to get good 60' times out of F1's(obviously Superfords has dispelled that theory), but 9 days out of 10, a softer compound tire will yield more CONSISTENT results.(Sorry 'bout the novel)

 

I agree with everyone Chris
12.30@111 is great for your Mods.

Basically your running a filter chip n pulley and kissing the 11's
NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT AT ALL

For that Stang to run those 11's, he obviously has something
up his sleeve he's not telling you about, don't sweat it...

CONGRATS ON YOUR BEST ET YET

As for the slicks, I can understand your fustration,
like you I had great F-1 60ft times, always 1.8/1.9,
when I sprang for the Loop, Slicks, Rims + Bars, I immediatly
changed those 60's to 1.6/1.7, I'm lucky I guess,
I hardly warm them up at all and then leave from
idle and simply floor it quick
and hard and have never had a bad 60 ?
(BTW, I run my 28x10 Hoosiers @ 18/19)

You got one fast a$$ truck soon to be in the 11's,
CONGRATS AGAIN

 

Chris,

Did you check to see if your slicks were spinning on the rim. That is common on newly mounted slicks and QTP's. After one or two times at the track they usually stop moving on the rim.

My QTP's moved at first but don't move an inch now. I had them rebalanced and they have been good to go with no shake.

Dealerjim had his QTP's on for the first time thursday night. On one run they spun two thirds of a revolution on the rim.

 

If you are running low 12s you got plenty of power.
Ill be honest,i heard nothing good about the hoosiers and i bought MT ET STREETS.The hoosiers i used were never mine but i broke them in for Don because he used to leave his racing tires in my garage..I dont remember what my 60s were exactly on the hoosiers but im the one who broke them in for Dons bolt and tallimeca ended up buying them.One thing I noticed on the street with the hoosiers is you really gotta heat them.After 3-4 good burnouts they hooked good for me.I still belive the MT is a stickier tire but the way those Hoosiers are so stable at 100mph is unbelievable.Even my Ets at 28psi on street they were wobbly as hell!! I drove the hoosiers at 18 and they were almost like a radial.They are totally different tires.The hoosiers were sticky enough for me to RIP the driveshaft right out of my truck with only 8 passes thoughHonestlt id buy the hoosiers over the MYs again cause drivebilty and safety is more important than another 2 tenths but serious racers might think Im crazy.

as for tallimecca,Im thinking you dont heat them enough or they are probally spinning on the rim??????Good luck anyhow.

 

Yepper, that was me that fell to the Nitrous Mach. I did a 1.75 60' and had him until i had to get out of the gas (twice) because my rear end was wagging out on me! He shot past me towards the end of the run. I'm not sure what the heck is happening. My first run i had a 1.76 60' and had 19 lbs air in the slicks (my slicks had been run four times before i bought them and they have a crowned look when you look at the tread) Is this normal? Anyway, after the launch on the first run i was smiling and just knowing i had my first 11 run, then after the second gear shift the rear end really got out from me (the guy running me said my rear just look like it shifted over) and then i got outta the gas and hit it again and still got a 12.53. My next run i described above against the Mach, and on that run the rear end didn't shift as bad but did it after the launch and then again at high speed (unnerving). Had to get outta the gas friggin twice and got a 12.54. I am running Weld prostar's 16x8's with Hoosier 28x10x16's and Truck Traks. Before the slicks i ran Nitto Drag Radials and never had this happen at all....Anybody got a clue? We aint done with the Mach brothers yet Superfords.