I was looking at tires on TireRack when I had a crazy thought. I wonder how well snow tires would work for a track tire. They are designed to provide traction in a low traction situation. Lots of siping and soft tire compounds. They're pretty cheap compared to actual drag radials. Anyone ever tried them, or am I the only one stupid enough to think they may work pretty well?
Crazy tire idea
- Thread starter JoshH
- Start date
They would wear out way too fast. They are too soft, the compounds are different. It would work but would be a waste of money in the long end.
from watching a car in a FWD setup, you gain nothing and actually work worse at the strip. now on our trucks i dont know but i dont think it would work all that well.
I dont see why it wouldn't work. Prob not as well as a true drag radial. But maybe better than a street tire?
As far as wear goes... If you use em for the track only, who cares? Drag radials wear quick also. They can't be soft and not wear. Softer they are the quicker they disappear.
As far as wear goes... If you use em for the track only, who cares? Drag radials wear quick also. They can't be soft and not wear. Softer they are the quicker they disappear.
I wonder how bad they would chunk out from all the tq? Reece what do you think???? Josh the 420's are working awesome at the strip & are priced right. I would like to run 420's for the summer and the throw my toyo's back on for winter.
I have zero experience with snow tires, but they are usually quite narrow aren't they? As mentioned the tread would likely deteriorate rapidly, in large chunks. Maybe a used set would work pretty well?
Snow tires I thought the design was a open thread pattern to clean it self ,shed snow and water. Nothing really works efficient on ice so to say besides studs.
Most slicks,non DOT,are smooth as you know no tread groves. So what good would deep lug or treads make a difference? I would tend to believe it would be the complete opposite and you would have LESS rubber contact with the surface do to the open tread pattern.
Just look at how much of the tire actually makes contact with the surface and then figure all the open tread pattern. IMO they'd work out to shed water through the box and that would be about that.
Most slicks,non DOT,are smooth as you know no tread groves. So what good would deep lug or treads make a difference? I would tend to believe it would be the complete opposite and you would have LESS rubber contact with the surface do to the open tread pattern.
Just look at how much of the tire actually makes contact with the surface and then figure all the open tread pattern. IMO they'd work out to shed water through the box and that would be about that.
I would worry about the tread flexing. It's what makes a snow tire work well in snow/ice, but would be it's worst asset when trying to accelerate and control at high speeds. Flexing tread at 100+MPH would not be a fun time.
X2
Also, the treads are not designed to shed snow or ice, it is designed to hold snow and ice in the siping so there is better traction on slick surfaces, especially good design in shallow snow <1'.
#1 concern: having to drive around water box. Some tracks enforce the driver to enter the water box and the siping would most likely hold any water that gets into them. I truly believe you couldn't spin the water out by simply hazing your tires like a guy would possibly do to get the gravel off in the stage lanes.
#2 concern: flexing as mentioned above.
#3 concern: the wouldn't last at higher speeds. Also, the winter tire is made with a compound that is conducive to cold weather, not a hot track even if the race is at night. The compound would literally fall apart.
I understand where you are coming from Josh, but if siping was an ideal situation for drag racing, it would be used with high horsepower cars. However, with a winter tire there is much more rubber because of all of the siping in it, it appears to be like that anyway.
Just my opinion.
I like tacos.
So your saying that a snow tire which I'm referring as the OP is and which a true snow tire has deep aggressive tread pattern is to fill up and hold on to the snow for better traction? Here I always thought that it was designed that way in order to shed (clean) itself in order to get traction. Same thing in the wet they are designed to channel water away in order to eliminate hydro plaining.
If what you say holds true then I should be running slicks in the winter! :roflmao:
Interesting points, guys. I have no experience with running snow tires, so I really don't know much about them. I just figured if they can get traction on snow, surely they can get traction on dry pavement. I really don't know how the rubber compounds react to hot weather, but that was one thing I could see as being a problem. I don't see the siping to be a problem. Some of the best track tires I ever had was a set of old A/T tires that had been siped by the tire store.
Mack, the tires I'm talking about don't really have big open lugs. Here's a sentence from the description of one of the tires on TireRack.
Like I said, it was just a crazy thought I had. I didn't and still don't really plan on trying it, but if I run across a really good deal on a set, I may give it a shot.
Mack, the tires I'm talking about don't really have big open lugs. Here's a sentence from the description of one of the tires on TireRack.
Like I said, it was just a crazy thought I had. I didn't and still don't really plan on trying it, but if I run across a really good deal on a set, I may give it a shot.
I ran MasterCraft Courser MSRs at the track once. It was early spring and I didnt feel like swapping wheels. It was a bit scary on the big end. I had to do a lot more driving than usual. The launch was also a bit hairy. I don't think the super soft rubber and the big sipes work well at all. IIRC it couldnt get out of the 1.9s on the 60'.
I believe with snow tires you want the snow to pack into the treads. Kind of like packing snow together in a snow ball. Snow likes to stick to more snow. But like said above that's for the 1-2" snow on the ground. Ever followed behind a car with and without snow tires? At low to moderate speeds the snow will stay in the treads more on the snow tire.
As to the original poster, I think all the problems have been posted. Probably wouldn't see any positive results with snow tires.
As to the original poster, I think all the problems have been posted. Probably wouldn't see any positive results with snow tires.
You can get speed rated snow tires , the snow tires police vehicles run are still speed rated up to 149 mph , but I am sure there would be some limmits on sizing . I have no clue other than that , I know snow tires are usually a sotfer rubber compound , and have siping , I think they would work better but not enough to justify the cost compared to drag radials .
Blizzacs are one good snow tire. All I know which is off topic as I understand where Josh is going here but I don't think he'll get what he wants out of this type off tire is the whole idea behind a snow tire is to get you down to the surface not sit on top of the snow. Im also not talking about a dusting of snow either.
So unless a snow tire digs and cleans itself it ain't worth shit. That's why allseason tires suck in the snow. Yes I've seen tires covered in snow and I've seen snow tires shoot roaster tails. Which ones would you rather have?
In this thread topic I don't believe the softer compound in this tire category will help given the open tread design with less contact patch along with the sipping will make the tire squirrely .
So unless a snow tire digs and cleans itself it ain't worth shit. That's why allseason tires suck in the snow. Yes I've seen tires covered in snow and I've seen snow tires shoot roaster tails. Which ones would you rather have?
In this thread topic I don't believe the softer compound in this tire category will help given the open tread design with less contact patch along with the sipping will make the tire squirrely .
I have run Blizzaks on my WRX in the past. They hooked very well!
They don't wear the greatest, but that's typical with a compound that hooks very good.
My car weighs 3400 pounds though, so it's a little bit different ballgame...
They don't wear the greatest, but that's typical with a compound that hooks very good.
My car weighs 3400 pounds though, so it's a little bit different ballgame...
They'd probably be great at the
Hangover Nationals
Where they run if the track is dry, wet or snowy on New Year's day. It's only 45 minutes away, one of these years I have got to go....
Hangover Nationals
Where they run if the track is dry, wet or snowy on New Year's day. It's only 45 minutes away, one of these years I have got to go....