Rear end "floating" w/ slicks on 1/4 mile?

jaymac

New Member
Feb 18, 2004
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Northern Mass
My buddy told me that when I went to the track and used his slicks (M/T ET Streets, 26x10.5x15) I would feel like the rear end is "floating" or "wandering" all over the place at the top end.
Is this accurate?
Is there anything I should know about keeping my car off the wall at the end of the track?
He said he heard that pumping up the front tires to max psi. will help keep it stable - any truth to this?
I'll be running regular street tires on the front, and I only expect to run mid-13'a @ a little over 100, tops.
What do you guys think?

Thanks,
J
 
You will be fine, just keep driving straight, they will sway because they will be low on pressure and the sidewalls are soft. It's kind of like driving on flats. It's even worse going 130 MPH on the Interstate on them with no front sway bar! ;)
 
Yeah, it will feel like it is floating. The important thing is to just be smooth and steady with the steering wheel. Don’t make sudden corrections trying to chase the rear end. Just drive straight and let it float.

You pump up the front tires mostly to reduce rolling resistance for quicker times, but it also increases the effective spring rate of the front suspension system, making the car a little more stable.
 
The floating isnt even an issue. I have run as low as 9 psi in my tires, and the car floats but you dont even have to steer to compensate, it just kind of floats (thats the best way to describe it). Its similar to driving a larger boat at slow speeds, keep the wheel straight, it will walk around a tiny bit, but wont go off course!

Noone ever told me about it, and it is so easy to not pay attention to it, I dont think you will hav any worries!