I need new tires...Whats your opinion..?

[gwiedner]

So I have 18x9 cobras all around on a 92 fox with 2 in. lowering springs and tociko shocks and I'm desprately needing new tires. As is the car gets no traction through 3rd gear. Its a daily driver but I like to take it to the strip on weekends, and the occasional stop light race if a piece of **** ricer pulls up. I'm not really concerned with how many miles I'll get out of the tires or if I can rotate them but I want something that will hook and still be streetable (meaning I can drive on the freeway to the strip). Whats the widest you think I could fit on it in the back..? I have 245/40/18 all around right now. Any suggestions....? oh yeah I'm trying to convince the wife to do drag star big & littles but how are they on the freeway..? she asked me and I really had no answer because I do drive it to work and back (about 4 miles).

 

[NIKwoaC]

Do you still have 28 spline axles? If so, running anything other than street tires on the back wheels will be the beginning of the end for your axles.

If you want to risk it, or if you have 31 spline or better axles, a good drag radial is an option. A lot of people around here prefer Nittos for street driving with occasional trips to the track, because they have decent grip and longer tread wear. Nitto makes these tires in all sorts of sizes, and I know for sure you can find them in 18". BFG drag radials are supposed to be very sticky tires, but have shorter tread life, and I don't think they make them in 18".

For street tires, I've been using BFG's G-Force Sports, and I love them. Relatively cheap, and they come in a million different sizes. They are pretty sticky for a street tire, and have relatively high speed ratings (I believe the taller sizes are rated to 168 mph).

Edit: 245s are a little on the skinny side for 9" wheels. Look to run 255s or 275s in the rear, but stay with 245s in the front to avoid rubbing.

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

Nitto drag radials hook up my Cobra. I can get on it hard out of the hole and grab 2nd hard and they bite. I might get a little chirp, but that's it. When it gets cold out, it's a different story. They will not hook when it's cold. They are great in the summer and last a long time. If you want something even better, buy BFG drag radials or M/T ET streets. They hook like mad, but are more expensive and do not last as long.

 

[Stopsign32v]

Do you still have 28 spline axles? If so, running anything other than street tires on the back wheels will be the beginning of the end for your axles.

:Zip2:

Get some DRs. I run the MT DRs and Nitto DRs on the street and both hook up my power decently. You might have traction issues in 1st and some of 2nd with the Nittos in winter with no heat on the tires but other than that they should hook great for you.

And what are drag stars?

 

[NIKwoaC]

:Zip2:

Get some DRs. I run the MT DRs and Nitto DRs on the street and both hook up my power decently. You might have traction issues in 1st and some of 2nd with the Nittos in winter with no heat on the tires but other than that they should hook great for you.

And what are drag stars?

Haha, dude, I'm not making that up. I have several friends who have destroyed 28 spline axles on stock motor cars. Some people are lucky and get away with it for a while, but 28 spline axles (especially stock 4 lug or stock Ranger 5 lug) are living on borrowed time with drag radials. One guy I know even killed his on a set of Nittos, which are supposed to be more forgiving.

 

[Venom351R]

I started to run MT ET Streets at the drag strip but had 31 spline axles put in first b/c I know they would destroy the 28 spline axles.

If your just using Nitto's then you can get away with it more then likley. Lots of people use them as a street/strip tires and Ive made countless passes on Nitto's w/ 28 spline axles. If you step up to a BFG or MT DR and you launch hard at the track your asking for issues sooner or later on 28 spline axles

 

[gwiedner]

Thank you guys for all the suggestions...The car had a 5 lug swap already done on it when I got it...does that mean I have 31 spline axles or can they still be the 28 spline..? Also are what are you guys running in the front when you have the Nittos in the rear?

 

[NIKwoaC]

Thank you guys for all the suggestions...The car had a 5 lug swap already done on it when I got it...does that mean I have 31 spline axles or can they still be the 28 spline..? Also are what are you guys running in the front when you have the Nittos in the rear?

The best way you can tell how many splines you have is to open the rear end and count. Some axle manufacturers might indicate the spline count on the hub face, but I can't say for sure there. The number of lugs have nothing to do with the spline count.