Alternative wheel/tire specs for drag racing

[imagine-02]

Disclaimer: I'm not necessarily going to run this purposed wheel/tire setup, I'm just wondering what if. Also ignore fender rubbing. "Poking" as the stance crowd says, is fine with me. I'm more worried about rubbing the inner side of the wheel wells, brakes, and suspension.

The norm seems to be 15x7 wheels with 235/60-15 or 24.5x8.5-15 or 26x8.5-15 tires. Or 16x7 wheels with whatever tires... But what if someone wanted to go wider.

I'm looking into 15x9 wheels, but not sure what size tire. Maybe a 275/50-15?
I'm thinking the ET should be around +15 (5.6" backspace) for a 15x9, since +40 (5.6"backspace) is used with 15x7 wheels.

I'm also interested in a setup using 15x8 wheels. Could probably use 235/60-15 on these too, but could you maybe go with a wider tire?

I'm using this tire/wheel calculator:
Custom rims, wheel tire packages for your ride - RIMSnTIRES.com

This wheel/tire calculator works:

Tire Size Comparison Calculator | Tire Reference

Compare two tire sizes side by side with overall diameter, width, sidewall, circumference, revs per mile and speedometer error to see how they differ.

tirereference.com

 

[UofACATS]

Have you found suitable 15x8 or 15x9 wheels?

 

[e85_4g63]

I'm also interested in this. With the exception being that I have a 1g (like a lot of folks on here) and my 1g uses the standard KYB full size front shocks (again, like many of us here), my question would be the following (1g AWD with stock diameter front and rear shocks)

What wheels, offset, etc (and tires) would bolt right onto a 1g with stock(ish) suspension?

EX: Rota slipstreams 16x7 (+45) with Hoosier 26x9.5x16 (something along these lines)

 

[imagine-02]

Have you found suitable 15x8 or 15x9 wheels?

Weld Racing has some that could work. Otherwise they could be custom ordered.

 

[imagine-02]

Here are a bunch of 15x9 wheels with 5.5" of backspacing:

Weld Racing Draglite Weld Racing Draglite Polished Wheels 90-59350 - SummitRacing.com
Weld Racing Prostar Weld Racing Prostar Polished Wheels 96-59210 - SummitRacing.com
Weld Racing Vitesse RT Weld Racing Vitesse RT Black Anodized Wheels 794B-59210 - SummitRacing.com
Weld Racing Magnum III RT Weld Racing Magnum III RT Black Anodized Wheels 792B-59210 - SummitRacing.com
Weld Racing Vektor RT Weld Racing Vektor RT Polished Wheels 796P-59210 - SummitRacing.com
Weld Racing Weldstar RT Weld Racing Weldstar RT Polished Wheels 791P-59210 - SummitRacing.com
Weld Racing Classic RT Weld Racing Classic RT Polished Wheels 795P-59210 - SummitRacing.com

 

[UofACATS]

15x9 welds would definitely work.

What's the goal of wider rims? wider tires > increased grip?

I run 235/60-15 on 15x7 and I have yet to lower the tire pressure at the track, but the normal-pressure grip is pretty crazy on the street. 15psi launches (2.3/3052/auto) ramping pretty much immediately to 27psi on stock cams (!) makes for a painful, tunnel vision experience. Pretty cool.

I wouldn't mind slightly taller if I could swing it, but the tires seem wide enough to do the job. I'll have to wait until next year to see if the car can launch effectively at the track, I know it's a different ballgame.

 

[imagine-02]

yeah more grip is mainly the point.
And looking for some pro & cons.
I could see weight being a major con with the wider wheels & tires. Weld wheels are pretty damn light though.

 

[UofACATS]

If you drag race I would go straight to slicks as a dedicated set. 235/60-15's will be pretty wide on 9" wheels, and weld gets you strength and light weight which is awesome. I would really try to verify fitment before dropping the $$, it'll be a pretty penny for the setup and you might as well get it perfect if it's going to be custom. I recall a few high power FWD's with custom weld fronts, you might get lucky with fitment/sizing verification.

My car is a street/strip car in that order, so I compromised with the M&H racemasters. I regret nothing

 

[imagine-02]

The point of going to a 9" wide wheel would be to run 275/50-15 tires. It would be silly to stretch 235/60-15 onto them for drag racing.

The type of tires I've had in mind for this are M&H Street & Strip.

 

[rhamlinii]

16x8 forgeline rims w/ 245/50R16 Nitto 555r Drag Radials 10 psi all the way around. Best 60 ft was a 1.51 thus far. The bad is ive only gone it once with the car.My best 330 was not my brst 1/8 mile time or 1/4 mile time either. With more seat time. It should do high 5s and or low 6s in the 1/8 @120 or so in 2013 on e85. Last year the all times were done with c16 and 42 or less PSI.

 

[richard33]

I remember reading somewhere that Kiggly said he swapped his 8" wheels for 10" wheels and it lowered his 60' so you should go with the widest wheel you can for the tire you are wanting to run. Good luck!

 

[imagine-02]

What tire size was Kiggly using with the 8" wheels and 10" wheels though?

 

[Zay Gomez]

The norm seems to be 15x7 wheels with 235/60-15 or 24.5x8.5-15 or 26x8.5-15 tires. Or 16x7 wheels with whatever tires... But what if someone wanted to go wider.

I'm looking into 15x9 wheels, but not sure what size tire. Maybe a 275/50-15?
I'm thinking the ET should be around +15 (5.6" backspace) for a 15x9, since +40 (5.6"backspace) is used with 15x7 wheels.

I'm also interested in a setup using 15x8 wheels. Could probably use 235/60-15 on these too, but could you maybe go with a wider tire?

I'm using this tire/wheel calculator:
Custom rims, wheel tire packages for your ride - RIMSnTIRES.com

I know this thread is about 10 years old, so might be hard to recall but what did you end up running for wheel size and did you like the performance you got out of it ?