Set Tire Pressures for Drag Racing
Correct tire pressure is essential for getting the best times out of your drag-racing vehicle. Here are guidelines for setting cold tire pressures before a drag race.
Instructions
1. Check your cold tire pressure (especially the rear tires or slicks) before doing any burnouts. Burnouts will raise the tire temperature, and pressures will vary as the tires heat up and cool down.
2. Use a good-quality tire gauge and set the rear tire pressure to 22 to 25 pounds per square inch (psi) if you have stock radial tires. Inflate the rear tires to 17 to 20 psi cold pressure if you have drag radials. An in-line tire gauge lets you check and adjust the tires' pressure while you are inflating them.
3. Inflate the front tires to between 35 and 45 psi to make them harder and reduce rolling resistance. Remember to lower the pressure before you leave the track if you plan on driving the car home.
4. Inflate the racing slicks to 12 to 15 psi. Keep a log of tire pressures and record track and air temperatures, weather conditions, elapsed times and top speeds. A well-kept log will give you an idea of the optimum cold tire pressures under different ambient temperatures and track conditions.
5. Experiment with lower and higher cold tire pressures until you find settings that produce the fastest and most consistent times. High track temperatures may require you to reduce the tires' pressure slightly as they heat up. Check and adjust tire pressures toward the end of breaks between runs.
Tags: tire pressures, cold tire, cold tire pressures, rear tires, tire gauge, tire pressure