[BlueSuperGoat]

I just ordered Nitto Drag Radials for my rear wheels. I should have them on by Wednesday and I plan on running my goat at the quarter mile track on Friday. So I have a dumb question...Do I heat these up in the water line before I run? And if so, how do I go about doing that?...just rev it up hard and pop the clutch with my rears sitting in the water? Please give me some advice to keep me from looking like a fool. Thanks.

 

[HRJ]

I just ordered Nitto Drag Radials for my rear wheels. I should have them on by Wednesday and I plan on running my goat at the quarter mile track on Friday. So I have a dumb question...Do I heat these up in the water line before I run? And if so, how do I go about doing that?...just rev it up hard and pop the clutch with my rears sitting in the water? Please give me some advice to keep me from looking like a fool. Thanks.

I think you should put them on my car first so we can find out, LOL! :gr_jest:
Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but I think you should roll through and past the waterbox, with the brakes held, rev up, dump the clutch and spin enough to clean off the tread surface, then stage.

 

[PadreGTO]

My understanding is this (my Nittos go on tonight):

- Drive around the waterbox (you don't want the fronts to get wet).
- Back up into the waterbox so only rears get wet.
- Spin the tires briefly - just enough to get them wet all around.
- Drive forward out of the waterbox.
- Light 'em up. Nice and hot. Put on a smoke show, thrill the ladies.
- Stage and launch.

That should do it.

Padre

 

[RotaryMagic]

yeah you gotta roast nittos to get them to work though. with a stick car rev it up high enough to blow the tires off and get on the footbrake with your left foot and keep the car off the rev limiter.

 

[BlueSuperGoat]

Thanks, for the info...

Ok I kind of get it. The part I am struggling with is the braking part of the burnout. I only have 2 feet but apparently I need to be working all three peddles at the same time??? or am I misunderstanding? :eek2: Do I use the hand brake? I mean out on the street with my stock tires and no water I have been able to get them to roast nearly right in place without doing anything other than dumping the clutch at a high rev and making sure I don't hit the rev limiter. Please clarify on what it is I am supposed to be doing brake wise for the burnout. Thanks.

 

[RotaryMagic]

ok after getting the tires wet do this: pull forward out of the water... rev up to 5000, dump clutch. put left foot on footbrake and depress all the way to keep the car from rolling forward and manipulate the brake and gas to keep the rpms at 5000 to smoke them and not move and not hit the limiter.

 

[BlueSuperGoat]

ok after getting the tires wet do this: pull forward out of the water... rev up to 5000, dump clutch. put left foot on footbrake and depress all the way to keep the car from rolling forward and manipulate the brake and gas to keep the rpms at 5000 to smoke them and not move and not hit the limiter.

Thanks voodoomach, ok one last question...if I am pressing the foot brake while burning out won't that cause my rear brakes to fight the burnout? I am not questioning your technique I am just wondering if wearing on your brakes is just part of doing a burnout...I mean I don't want to goof up and trash my brakes or anything else.

 

[RotaryMagic]

yeah it was slightly cause them to fight the burnout and yeah it is wearing the brakes some. If you don't want to wear the back brakes get a linelock and burnouts will be easy. push down the brake, flip the switch, let off the brake, rev up and dump and manipulate the gas... when you're ready to roll out flip the switch and let off to let it catch and push in the clutch.

 

[Rob]

As stated above, you need to get them heated up. I usually do it until I see smoke in the mirrors, roughly 4-5 seconds. I also did it in 2nd gear as that will spin the tires faster. If you keep it in the 45-5000 range, you should be fine.
You should ease off the brake and gas to let the tires bite in and stop spinning. Then roll straight to the line and stage. No dry hops along the way.
I also ran mine at 17-18psi to start and just went up or down depending on the pad.
This is the technique I used for my WS6. And basically for the TTA except tire pressure was higher.

 

[Angus]

Thanks, for the info...

Ok I kind of get it. The part I am struggling with is the braking part of the burnout. I only have 2 feet but apparently I need to be working all three peddles at the same time??? or am I misunderstanding? :eek2: Do I use the hand brake? I mean out on the street with my stock tires and no water I have been able to get them to roast nearly right in place without doing anything other than dumping the clutch at a high rev and making sure I don't hit the rev limiter. Please clarify on what it is I am supposed to be doing brake wise for the burnout. Thanks.

Basically do the same as your doing on the street for tire-roasting,
but put your left foot on the brake quickly after letting-off the clutch to avoid forward motion.

It might be worth the $130 + install to get a line-lock put in your GTO,
which would save the rear brakes from added wear as well...

 

[No ConeSS]

DO NOT USE HANDBRAKE!!! You don't need to worry much about the brakes, because typically only 30% of you braking force is done through the rear wheels, so most of the braking will be done on the fronts... the ones you're not spinning. As they said above, but just remember... NO HANDBRAKE!!!

 

[GTOdriver7]

i would HIGHLY recommend a line lock like the one from SLP. this will save your brakes and tranny some abuse.

 

[Adam4356]

warm em up and launch with some rpm or you'll bog with traction

 

[BlueSuperGoat]

Thanks everyone. So here's what I plan to do:

1. Drive around the water box (I don't want the fronts wet)
2. Back into the water box
3. Do a short wheel spin to get the tires good and wet
4. Pull forward out of the water box
5. Run it up to about 4500-5000rpm and dump the clutch
6. Immediatly move left foot to brake to control forward motion
7. Roast em for 4-5 seconds or until I see smoke by controlling the gas to stay off the rev limiter
8. Let off the brake, let the tires grab them come off the gas and apply the brake to stop
9. Stage and launch

Based on all your advise that seems like the general consensus of what I should do.

Any pieces of advise on what rpm I should try to launch at with the warmed up nitto drags? I know there is no exact answer to that question...but where do ya'll think would be a good starting point?

I appreciate everyones help, but as you can easily tell I have zero experience with drag radials. So thanks again.

 

[RotaryMagic]

on step 8 you will have to start rolling out of the gas to let them bite. You'll know when the bite because your car will bog almost to a stall.

 

[Boostnitup]

I'll take the other route on this discussion...

I prefer a short momentary dry burnout with the Nitto 555's...

If you roll your car into the water burn out area, or back it in you risk getting all of that water up into your wheelwells and yes... it will drip back onto your tires at the starting line.

For those of you beating on those tires for 5 seconds or more... my question is why? You are only taking your longevity out of those tires.

I have found the tires cool off really quick as you wait for the next guy to stage his car (i.e. you wasted your time on a burn out that will give you zilch).

A few dry hops is all the tires need IMO. This cleans off any debris that rolled into them in the waiting lane... To clean them off, and if the track surface is really warm on a summer night they will hook up regardless. I have used these on a supercharged '92 LX 5.0 and a Buick GN with good success.

You are beating up on your drive train guys... and it isn't necessary. It sure looks good in the stands though.

 

[PadreGTO]

I'll take the other route on this discussion...

Very good advice. When I was at the track tonight, the folks I talked to advised going around the water box and just a brief burnout, as you said. Since I had a chance to do a lot of runs tonight, I can honestly say there did not seem to be much difference between a super-drivetrain-killing burnout and the brief spin.

Padre

 

[Angus]

Excessive heating of drag radials can also make them greasy/slick.

Get 'em too hot & they can hook WORSE than a regular hard street tire...

 

[TEK GTO]

I found that with the Nittos, my best hook was from going through the water, pulling forward and spin them for about 3 seconds after I saw smoke. It must have worked, as I have a best 60' of 1.59 on drag radials. BFGs don't require as much of a burnout, the Nittos need to be a little hotter to hook consistently.

 

[BlueSuperGoat]

They are on now. I went and did some launches out on the street. Dumping the clutch at about 3k rpm seems to work best...no feathering needed. These tires are incredible. I am sure the same will not apply to the track, but I will find out tommorow. Thanks for everyone's advice!