Many of you have read that I took my KB equipped Lightning to the 1/8 mile last Friday night and had a ball. I have raced off and on over the last ten years but I was usually on street tires and making way to much power for them. I never really got a good appreciation for what a good hooking vehicle feels like until that night. I have never ran this kind of power with sticky tires before, it was really intresting to say the least. The best 60ft I have run previously was a 1.89 with this same Lightning on drag radials.

Useing my buddy Casey02L's bogarts and slicks really made the difference that night and being my first time out the KB on it pulled a 1.78 / 1.71 / 1.74 (spinning) 60fts. I am going to order some bogarts for myself (16") and some slicks for them here shortly. I need some suggestions on what tires to buy as well as any tips that you guys can offer to get the truck to 60ft better. It ran a best of 7.62 that night and I would love to get it down into the 7.30-7.40 range with some fine tuning and better 60fts.

I already have a DS loop and JLP traction bars FYI.

Thanks,
Bob

 

Bob, what stall are you running. Big 60's need a better than stock stall converter. 2400-2800 stall, on slicks, should net you some 1.67s or possibly better.

Joe

 

Bob you have basically two choices

You can go with either 28 inch tall slicks, both Hoosier and M/T makes that size. Either one of these will work fine with a stock converter.

Or if you go with say a 2400 stall converter, you can step up to a 30 inch tall slick. M&H makes a 30/14.0-16LT that will fit a 16x10 rim, or if you go with a 16x11 rim you can go with a 30/14.5-16LT

The advantage of the 30 inch tall slick is you will get more sidewall wrinkle when you launch. This will help your truck bite off the line, and reduce your 60' times. Another benifit of the taller slick, escpecially on a 1/4 mile track, is you won't run out of rpms and over rev your engine at the top end of the track.

 

So any time you go to a higher stall you should step up to a 30" tire? Just wondering cause I'm running the Bogarts and 28" M/T drag radials. I'm sure the 30" would hook a little better but I was afraid of not keeping the truck in the sweet spot of the rpm's with them. It already dies a little on the 2-3 shift.

 

I'm running a 2500 stall with little 26" ET streets. And at the 12.4-111mph range I'm right on the edge of not enough tire for launching and top end speed.

I have to smoke them really really good. And even then I get a little spin off the line. And on cold days I'm blowing through the traps at 5300 rpms.

It's about perfect for my current setup! But If/when I go faster I'm gonna have to step up to something bigger.

Rich

 

Anyone use Drag Shocks on the rear?

I have some, but don't know whether to set them Soft or Hard.
The difference is that on typical shocks you can adjust the stiffness of the the compression. On drag shocks you adjust the extension of the shock. SO once they are compressed on the launch they stay compressed.

Thoughts?

 

If you go to a 30, make sure you got enough HP and TQ to move them out of the hole.

 

Get some Nitto 555Rs. Run them at 17 psi and kick *** looking stock.

 

I should be at the 500/600 range with the current setup. Is that enough to get the 30" slicks out of the hole?

Bob

 

Hey Mike,

What would you consider the threshold for the HP/Trq required for 30's? I've currently got 28" ET Streets and 16x8s. When they get all nice and toasty, I plan on moving the rims up from with some 235/75 16s and getting 16x10s out back with a better sticky tire. I am currently thiking 28" QTP or similar, but I'm hoping to be in the same neighbor hood as Bob on the HP level(for a little while anyway). I like to buy things just once, if I can

Thanks,
Herb

 

Bob, go with the 11inch bogarts and the big 30inch M&H slicks... sounds like you have PLENTY of power on tap for what you want.

Ive run 1.58s with 3.55s and 30inch M&H slicks... I doubt I even have 500rwhp... so no worries