I just got some M/T Street ETs in 275/40/17 to go with some new Mustang Cobra replicas (17x9). Can any of you veterans explain how you burnout and launch with drag radials (especially w/ stock half-shafts). Also I live about 30 miles from the track so I'll probably want to change my rims at the track. Guess I'll need a floor jack a torque wrench and who knows what else. Any advice on what I might need please share. I'm going to get my rims/tires test fitted on my car to make sure everything works first. I heard there might be issues with the size of the holes on the Cobra rims plus I bought some new lugs from Summit so I want to make sure they are correct as well. Also for those who've busted a half shaft and had it towed to the dealer. Did you leave your drag radials on? Probably pretty hard to hide what happened.
I am not a veteran, but I would suggest upgrading the shafts before going with a DR. Just my two cents though. I think I have heard of a few guys on here snapping the shafts with stock tires on.
Thanks. I'm waiting for the RDP ones although I know someone who has a spare set in their garage right now so I have a hook-up.
My stock shafts didn't last long at all. The one you need to talk to is Mao. As you know he has had the greatest success out on anyone launching on the stock axles, but remember everyones car is different. You might go out there and lauch just like him and SNAP! Also make sure the spare set has a set on tone rings on it, because if you snap a shaft you will destroy the tone ring on your axle. Best of luck to you! Glad you got the wheels finally by the way.
I have a couple of set of Cobra aftermarket wheels (different makes) and neither had problems with fitment. There may be some out there that do though but I think in general the aftermarket Cobra wheels have a bigger hub bore. If you have OEM Cobra wheels, the issue will be the hub bore as it is about 1 mm smaller than our cars (70.5mm vs. 71.5mm). I have HD half shafts so I cannot give you advice on whether you have to do the burnout any differently but I doubt it. I would think that you would break the shaft on a launch and not doing a burnout but I could be wrong. Once I got the DRs I started going into the water box and pulling up just out of the water. Then I would do a burnout. At first, I was doing too much of a burnout and I think that I was getting the DRs slick. Then Ron suggested that I only do a good enough burnout to get the tires smoking a bit and then I roll out of the burnout. That is how I do it now and I am having better 60' times than with the longer burnout. I have seen several guys have trouble getting both tires to spin with our cars. If you have that problem, you might want to take a couple of guys to the lanes with you and have them watch and signal you to stop your burnout if only one wheel is spinning. Just start the burnout over again until both wheels are spinning. I have a Quaife so I have not had that problem yet. You could probably drive 30 miles on the ET Streets but I don't do that. The car looks kinda silly with the little wheels on the back. Also, the Mustang bolt pattern is not exactly the same as ours so I don't like to ride any distance with those wheels (although I gotta believe that it would not be a problem). As far as what you need, you pretty much have it listed. A good low profile racing jack (as light as possible) makes it easier and avoids the need to drive up on a piece of wood to get clearance height. As far a launching the car, you are on your own. I think that there is a good chance that you will eventually break a half shaft but some guys have made many passes on DRs and launched harder than I can figure out how to without breaking them so who knows. I think that launching the car is a matter of trying a lot of different approaches and seeing what works the best. If you find a good method please share it with me as I find it the hardest thing to perfect. So far, I think that I do best by stalling to 2300-2500 and then trying to roll out for a fraction of a second before I stomp it.
Jeff I drive from San mateo to the track on my et streets. Hell I drive to the track at sac some times on them. As for launching I wouldnt use them tillyou get halfshafts. Your going to break them. I am not tryin to jinxs you but you make alot of power just because mao doesnt break shafts doesnt mean you wouldnt. When are you going up? I would love to tag along PM me
Experiment and see what works best for you. I started around 18 then worked my way all the way down to 12. Since then, InferAl showed me that at 12, my tires were actually slipping a little bit on the wheel. He told me to try 20 so I did. At 18-20, I have had my best 60's so far (although they are not as good as a lot of guys are getting). Last time out I was running them at 20.
You want to see some halfshafts break don't you LOL I'm going to Sacramento for test and tune on 12/6. Do you think you'll be there. This is the MOFO6 track day. Thanks. I did some reading on various forums and 18-20 seems to be the consensus.
This is what my typical launch looks like from in the car at the track, I caught one on video http://s87.photobucket.com/albums/k155/inferal/?action=view¤t=AlAF.flv
