running welds on the street..

[cobra10494]

Just purchased a new set of greg welds 15x3.5 fr 15x8 rear with m/t drag radials.Anyone running similiar set up on the street.Pros/cons? Figured that with a skinny front tire braking will be effected somewhat.Love the look and the added traction for my 90 gt.What do you think?

 

[gearheadboy]

I run Draglites in that same configuration. Braking feels ok normally, however a panic stop is a different story. Sure a lot of guys have run them for years, just use caution. And the biggest scare I have is driving too fast into a turn only to remember that I have 3.5" wheels up front that say for drag racing use only, and V.W. Bug tires. I have heard many stories of people rolling the fronts right off of the rim. Post some pics

 

[madspeed]

used to. increased risk of sliding due to front end lockup

 

[mikestang63]

I wouldn't run skinnies on a DD for the reasons listed. IMO there is simply not enough contact patch in rainy, slick, or poor road conditions. I had them on 3 of my mustangs that were all either drag or show cars and you have to be very cautious driving on the street. I don't think the weight savings is worth the risk on the street.

 

[cobra10494]

I run Draglites in that same configuration. Braking feels ok normally, however a panic stop is a different story. Sure a lot of guys have run them for years, just use caution. And the biggest scare I have is driving too fast into a turn only to remember that I have 3.5" wheels up front that say for drag racing use only, and V.W. Bug tires. I have heard many stories of people rolling the fronts right off of the rim. Post some pics

Was considering going with a 195-65-15 for the front to give me a little more up front.From oct to april I drive the car a few times just to exercise it.Mostly go for a cruise in the nice months n car shows/drag it once in a while.Dont drive car in inclement weather so I should be ok u think?

 

[gearheadboy]

I run a 165R15. Most people run those or a P165/80R15 which is the same size essentially. Use a tire size calculator to compare. I have heard of sizes up to P205 on them.

 

[2000xp8]

There are no pros, only cons.
If you want to run them because you like them, that's fine, just don't be mistaken they provide no extra traction on the street, unless you are driving around with them at 10psi in drag radials.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I'm not a fan. I was driving a buddy's fox one time with skinnies on front and a lady pulled out in front of us...the brakes locked up way too easy. Luckily we were in a 25 zone so i was able to get it stopped, otherwise she'd have been T boned.

 

[5.0Droptop]

I ran fats and skinnies for a few years. Great for straight line sucks for corners turning etc.


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[90lxcoupe]

If you guys are locking the fronts up i'd say its time to get an adjustable proportioning valve and set it so the rears lock up before the fronts under hard braking.

Im not going to say that skinnines on the front are great, but i will say, that with the right brake combination, they are better than stock brakes. with 225's up front.

If you are a person that tailgates, and drives like a dumbass, then skinnies arent for you. I have been running them about 7 years now, and the only dangerous situations i have gotten myself into were thru my own stupidity. I ripped 2nd and 3rd in a car with 10 second HP and had a car slam on his brakes quite a ways in front of me, i then made a full panic stop, and flat spotted my right front. I made that mistake one time, and luckily didnt get into an accident.

There were three problems with this situation. One, Me showing off at the wrong place, wrong time. Two, My front tires. I was running MT sportsman fronts, the tread pattern was terrible, and they locked up really easy, when i switched to a 165/80 radial, the car was much safer stopping, Three, I didnt have the proportioning valve properly adjusted and there was too much front bias.

As far as taking turns, i regularly take sweeping on/off ramps at 40-50 mph and the car handles just fine. Thats due to most of my suspension having solid bushings though, skinnies combined with the sloppy stock stuff is going to be worse obviously.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

If you guys are locking the fronts up i'd say its time to get an adjustable proportioning valve and set it so the rears lock up before the fronts under hard braking.

Im not going to say that skinnines on the front are great, but i will say, that with the right brake combination, they are better than stock brakes. with 225's up front.

If you are a person that tailgates, and drives like a dumbass, then skinnies arent for you. I have been running them about 7 years now, and the only dangerous situations i have gotten myself into were thru my own stupidity. I ripped 2nd and 3rd in a car with 10 second HP and had a car slam on his brakes quite a ways in front of me, i then made a full panic stop, and flat spotted my right front. I made that mistake one time, and luckily didnt get into an accident.

There were three problems with this situation. One, Me showing off at the wrong place, wrong time. Two, My front tires. I was running MT sportsman fronts, the tread pattern was terrible, and they locked up really easy, when i switched to a 165/80 radial, the car was much safer stopping, Three, I didnt have the proportioning valve properly adjusted and there was too much front bias.

As far as taking turns, i regularly take sweeping on/off ramps at 40-50 mph and the car handles just fine. Thats due to most of my suspension having solid bushings though, skinnies combined with the sloppy stock stuff is going to be worse obviously.

This is totally ridiculous.

First off, you can have the biggest brake package in the world, but at the end of the day it is the grip of the tire that slows your car down. Skinnies have less grip than a standard size, good condition Mustang tire. This is a fact that cannot be debated. If you are running skinnies on the street, then your grip for turning and braking will be reduced, period.

Secondly, and I have mention this before in other threads like this, but you simply cannot make the claim that "If you are a person that tailgates, and drives like a dumbass, then skinnies arent for you." If you drive your car on the street, then you are dealing with the real world. You can be the safest, most cautious, defensive driver in the world, but that doesn't mean that someone isn't going to pull out in front of you, a deer isn't going to run across the street, a little kid isn't going to chase his ball out into the road, etc. A person cannot control these situations, and they happen, a lot, to everyone.

Personally, I think if you are out driving on skinnies, you are at the very least irresponsible. I'd hate to wreck my car (or worse, hurt or kill someone else) because I didn't have the extra few feet of stopping distance that I might have had if I hadn't run skinnies. And really, what is it that you are getting out of it, anyway? Their sole purpose in life is to knock a couple tenths off at the drag strip, other than that they have zero value.

I hate posting this crap because it makes me sound like I'm trying to be Dad scolding his kid. Do what you want, but don't claim that it is somehow safe or that your MaD dRiVing sKillz are so great that you can beat physics.

 

[2000xp8]

If you guys are locking the fronts up i'd say its time to get an adjustable proportioning valve and set it so the rears lock up before the fronts under hard braking.

That will get you killed.
It's about the same as stopping with the E brake, the rear is sure to come around.
Besides, most if not all proportioning valves will not let you go past like 60 front 40 rear to prevent it.

 

[mikestang63]

If you guys are locking the fronts up i'd say its time to get an adjustable proportioning valve and set it so the rears lock up before the fronts under hard braking.

Im not going to say that skinnines on the front are great, but i will say, that with the right brake combination, they are better than stock brakes. with 225's up front.

If you are a person that tailgates, and drives like a dumbass, then skinnies arent for you. I have been running them about 7 years now, and the only dangerous situations i have gotten myself into were thru my own stupidity. I ripped 2nd and 3rd in a car with 10 second HP and had a car slam on his brakes quite a ways in front of me, i then made a full panic stop, and flat spotted my right front. I made that mistake one time, and luckily didnt get into an accident.

There were three problems with this situation. One, Me showing off at the wrong place, wrong time. Two, My front tires. I was running MT sportsman fronts, the tread pattern was terrible, and they locked up really easy, when i switched to a 165/80 radial, the car was much safer stopping, Three, I didnt have the proportioning valve properly adjusted and there was too much front bias.

As far as taking turns, i regularly take sweeping on/off ramps at 40-50 mph and the car handles just fine. Thats due to most of my suspension having solid bushings though, skinnies combined with the sloppy stock stuff is going to be worse obviously.

Not to bash you my friend, but that is plain scary advice. The front brakes do about most of the braking and adjusting your brakes so the rear lock up only puts more pressure on a 3.5" wide rim and tire with 1/2 the contact patch of a normal tire. You are increasing the chances of your rear end coming around on you.

 

[90lxcoupe]

This is totally ridiculous.

First off, you can have the biggest brake package in the world, but at the end of the day it is the grip of the tire that slows your car down. Skinnies have less grip than a standard size, good condition Mustang tire. This is a fact that cannot be debated. If you are running skinnies on the street, then your grip for turning and braking will be reduced, period.

Secondly, and I have mention this before in other threads like this, but you simply cannot make the claim that "If you are a person that tailgates, and drives like a dumbass, then skinnies arent for you." If you drive your car on the street, then you are dealing with the real world. You can be the safest, most cautious, defensive driver in the world, but that doesn't mean that someone isn't going to pull out in front of you, a deer isn't going to run across the street, a little kid isn't going to chase his ball out into the road, etc. A person cannot control these situations, and they happen, a lot, to everyone.

Personally, I think if you are out driving on skinnies, you are at the very least irresponsible. I'd hate to wreck my car (or worse, hurt or kill someone else) because I didn't have the extra few feet of stopping distance that I might have had if I hadn't run skinnies. And really, what is it that you are getting out of it, anyway? Their sole purpose in life is to knock a couple tenths off at the drag strip, other than that they have zero value.

I hate posting this crap because it makes me sound like I'm trying to be Dad scolding his kid. Do what you want, but don't claim that it is somehow safe or that your MaD dRiVing sKillz are so great that you can beat physics.

You can think what im saying is ridiculous, doesnt really bother me. But the simple fact is, ive driven two stock mustangs, with stock size brakes, and 225's up front, and then hopped back into my car and stock brakes suck, i dont care what tire size you run. I'd put my car against stock brakes anyday in any braking situation. I have stopped from 126mph at the track, and could make the first turnoff in a panic situation(i had to once, because a rookie decided to turn around between the first and second turnoff and was coming straight at me).

As far as my proportioning valve adjustment, i had them so the fronts locked right before the rears, and that was more dangerous to me. I came out about half a turn from where it was originally, and the car stops better than it did before the adjustment.

Simple fact is, we can all argue till we are blue in the face, but thousands of drag racers have put years and years of mileage on skinnies and never had a problem. If a deer or a little kid runs in front of you, there is a pretty good chance you will hit them no matter what you are driving. I hit bambi in my GF's car, i reacted as fast as i could, and she even has big ole tires on the front of here little mazda, and imagine that, i still hit the deer.

Again, to just drive my point home, my car stops with better brakes and skinnies better than a car with stock brakes and stock sized tires. If someone wants to organize a test, ill gladly participate. Next year the car will stop even better with my baer street/strip setup on the front too.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

It is clear that you don't understand how brakes work. You can put best brakes from a Formula one car on your Mustang, and it won't reduce your stopping distance in a single panic stop.

Debate it all day long, but as long as your stock Mustang brakes are in proper mechanical condition and can lock up the tires, then they are providing enough force to stop the car. At that point, it becomes a matter of grip between the tire and the asphalt. PERIOD. Unless your skinnies can generate the same or more grip than a standard size Mustang tire (they can't) then your stopping distance will be longer.

 

[90lxcoupe]

So you are saying that a car with undersized calipers and drum brakes will stop better than a car with bigger calipers and rotors up front and 11'' brakes with 4 piston calipers in the rear? Ill stick with the setup im running, cause if i had stock brakes and stock front tires when that camaro was coming down the dragstrip the wrong way at me, i dont think id be typing this statement right now.

 

[2000xp8]

90, i'm going to have to agree with twilight, if you go back 10 or so years one of the magazines tested the baers vs stock brakes, the baers for the first 3 stops were only a few feet better than proper stock brakes.
After the stockers got hot, the baers really proved their worth.

You are also looking at it from a racing standpoint where generally the track is warmer, stickier and the speeds are much greater.
Stopping for a deer at 50mph is slow enough that the brakes may lock and distance will be dictated by the tires, not the brakes.
Hauling a car down from 125mph it's unlikely the brakes are enough to lock the wheels, therefore the brakes dictate the stopping distance.

Street and track are very different places.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I can't say i've ever made a pass at the track and stood on the brakes in a panic after crossing the line because a minivan pulled out in front of me. At some point the contact patch and weight transfer matter more than the brakes.

 

[madspeed]

U remember first time ever down the track. I was 16, man I crossed the line and jumped on the brakes like a moron!!

:dolt