Front runners or not?

[5.7heaven]

Hi all,

Just wondering if its essential to use front runners when using drag tyres? Looking at getting some Mickey Thompson slicks to throw on the rear of the Munro when I go to the drags next and I've heard mixed opinions on running front runners too. Any help appreciated

[munz]

not essential but having less drag always helps get better times

[ittwgn]

depends how quick your going and by meaning front runners im guessing your talking about what tyre construction rather than rim size !!! andra rules state cars quicker than 12.50 1/4 or 8.0 1/8th mile using cross ply rear slicks are not permitted to use radial front tyres !!!! radial front tyres are not allowed for use on any rear wheel drive car quicker than 10.00 sec/140mph regardless of rear tyre construction!!! so basically slower than 12.5 sec run what you want !!!! quicker = rear slick cross ply front only , radial rear radial front down to 10.00 sec, radial rear cross ply front unlimited, full slick rear cross ply front unlimited !!!! by the way i am just stating what andra regards as legal therefore safe !!!!!! some more info on your setup will help people here give advise whether a full slick is even needed !!!! cheers

[5.7heaven]

Thanks lads. It ran 12.95 with mods and 3.07LSD, but now its got 3.9s I'm expecting at least half a second if I can get the launch right. Hopefully running slicks on the rear will drop it more, so hoping for low 12s.
I wasn't sure what people meant by front runners, some say I'll be fine running the standard 235/45/18 wheels, others say I won't get steering and need to run the skinnys on the front

[ittwgn]

the main reason you run a front runner wheel/tyre combo is being not as wide have less rolling resistance and are heaps lighter giving you gains !!!! the wide street tyre will be more dangerous than a skinny front radial !!!! the radial will have too much steering input !!! while the slick on the rear wanders or floats around due to not having any direction !!! the fronts are still gripping and pointing straight sort of fighting against slicks moving around !!!! this is more evident when you go to slow down !!!! put it this way at your time /speed level it wont be too much of an issue thats why andra have set 12.5 as the limit !!! cheers

[5.7heaven]

Would running a skinnier 205/60/15 front be better combined with the 15" slicks?

[blair_355]

When you say slicks, are you talking a full slick or et street radial?

[5.7heaven]

MT ET street radial. I was thinking just running some berlina wheels I have lying around. They're 205/60/15 with full tread

[ittwgn]

fark me disregard everything i,ve said if your using mt et street drag radials on rear run your street radials on front or as you said if you have them laying around use the berlina wheels with 205/60/15s !!!! run 235/60/15 et street drag radials is it manual or auto??? in the past i,ve run et street radials on rear with my street 225/35/20s on front and run very low 10s !!!!

[5.7heaven]

It's auto. 2800 stall. I'm thinkin about 18-20psi for rears and about 35-40psi on the fronts

[blair_355]

Try 24 psi in the rears.
I try run as much pressure as I can while still getting good traction.

[munz]

yep I've been leaving pressure at 24psi for my ET's,

Also I'm using a cut down chaser rim thats 4.5in with 165/80/15 Nankangs (VW beetle tyres), so I can drive to and from the strip without changing tyres over at the track

[5.7heaven]

So some 205s on the front will be safe to run with semi slicks on the rear?

[ittwgn]

i dont know what other info i have to give !!!!of course the 205 radials will be safe on front with drag radial on rear !!! as said its only when you run a FULL BIAS PLY SLICK ON REAR and a radial of any type on front quicker than 12.5 it gets unsafe !!!! as said i,ve run my 20s on front with drag radials on rear i,ve run cross ply front runners 125mm wide on front with drag radial on rear to low 10s!!!! cheers

[A PSYCHO]

So some 205s on the front will be safe to run with semi slicks on the rear?

If you were to call them the more popular name of DRAG RADIALS not actually cross ply slicks, it would clear alot of confusion in this thread.

No the shouldn't be any issues using a 205 radial front tyre with a 15" STREET RADIAL rear.

[VYSHSV8]

Callum will be running 235/60/15 et streets as i am lending him a spare set I have lying around so he can just run standard fronts


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk in the middle of Farkin no-where

[5.7heaven]

thanks for the help gents, especially ittwgn.
As for ittwgn, you certainly seem to be a fountain of knowledge, and i took everything you said on board, the only difficulty i was having was determining the difference between radial, cross ply, bias ply etc therefor i couldnt comprehend which fronts i could use with which backs. but thankyou for clearing that up for me.

Drew, you are a legend and i hope these tyres can get me into the 11's!