Sports Cars on TV Taking Off

[EquatorHeat00]

When you watch a program on tv about sports cars they show the car taking off with its tires spinning laying down a nice layer of black rubber, and smoke. The car tires are spinning, but the car seems to grip, and take right off like a rocket. When I slam the gas my tires spin like crazy with absolutely no traction. Its, so bad I'm barely moving any. Is this just worn tires which mine are down to 1/32 of tread depth left. Very worn I know. In the tv show are they using really grippy tires? I'm confused what makes there tires on tv spin so much like mine, BUT take off at good speed, and lay down rubber. Is that what grippy tires like Geforce KDWS do spin, yet grip. can you clear this up. I'm very confused. I have absolutely no traction bottom line. (Kumho tires with tire pressure 29 rear/31 front, and this is with 2.73 gears with shift firmness from programming.)

[joe ws6]

my buddy was the same way. He would spin the tires forever and go nowhere. Then bought some new tires not all seasen ones, and still spins but takes off much quicker even though he is spining. You can make all the power in the world but when it comes down to it, the tire is what makes it any good. you get what you pay for. I had the kdws tires also when i first bought the car. Their cheap but ok. And yes i didnt hook for nothing also.

[LoudLT1]

good tires = good traction.
suspension work and good tires = as key for good 60ft times.
ed

[EquatorHeat00]

So whats a good tire? I can't even find Geforce KDWS (255-50-16) at TireRack, or Discount Tire anymore. Anyone know about Mirada Sport GTX by Yokohama? (Any good.) V rated tire.

[Injuneer]

A g-Force KDWS is an all season mud/snow tire. It isn't likely that its going to be a star when it comes to dry traction. Sports cars on a race track don't run snow tires. They run a shallow tread, soft rubber tire that is specifically designed for the type of race they are running.

The BFG's are graded by what they do best.... the g-Force Drag Radial is strictly a straight line traction tire, the g-Force KD is solely for dry traction, the KDW gives up a little dry traction for added wet tration, and the KDWS is a snow tire.

Go to Tire Rack and do a "tires by size" search for your 255/50-16. You will get 11 tires to choose from, and that excludes brands like Nitto, that Tire Rack doesn't sell. Those 11 tires range from "ultra high performance summer" to "high performance all season" to "competition" tires from Hoosier and BFG.
Click on "test results" or "survey results" to see how the tires compare for dry traction, wet traction, noise, comfort, tread life, etc. Look for the best dry traction among "street" tires (you really don't want to run a "competition" tire on the street). You'll probably notice that the tires that rate best for "traction" often rate a bit lower for "tread wear".

After you find a "sticky" tire, you have to make sure your suspension plants it on the ground. The best thing you can do at the power levels you are at would be to upgrade to tubular lower control arms with either all polyurethane bushings (not great for cornering, but great for straight line), or a combo of poly on one end and rubber on the other (more compliance for cornering). Then throw in a pair of LCA relocation brackets, and I assure you the traction will increase dramatically.

The whole system has to work together.... the best tires in the world won't hook with a poor suspension.

[EquatorHeat00]

All I can find is Geforce Sport with the best traction # of a 9.0, but isn't that the older style tire to the Geforce KDW? Can't find Geforce KDW at Tire Rack. I heard it was better then the older style tire, so I would prefer it.

[Injuneer]

I don't think the g-Force Sport is an "old tire"..... its a brand new tread design, using the same "compound technology" as the g-Force KD. It an attempt to reduce the price of the KD technology for the smaller size tires used by the "sport compact" crowd.

You may be confusing it with the Radial T/A, which is "old tech".

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/bfgap...og/index_2.jsp

[Z Ya Later]

First off, why do you want to run a 255/50/16? You really don't gain that much of a footprint, but your speedo is thrown off as well as your odometer. Plus, finding a 255/50/16 tire is not as easy as it used to be (I know since the 255/50/16 would be the stock-height rear tire for the GN). Stick with the 245/50/16, you'll have a much wider selection and the loss of traction will be negligible.

Second off, it is g-Force, not Geforce. Geforce is a graphics card line by nVidia, g-Force is the tire line from BFG. This is what Fred was hinting to.

Third off, running your tires at 1/32" tread depth is very, very, very dangerous. That is not a safe practice by any means.

[Injuneer]

If your car came with the "base" (non Z-rated) tires - 235/55-16 (26.1") - then a 255/50-16 (26.0") isn't a bad match as far as the speedo/odometer.

If the car left the factory with RPO "QLC" Z-rated tires at 245/50-16 (25.7") the speedo/odo error would be about 1.5%, reading 1mph lower than actual speed at 60mph.

[Z Ya Later]

If your car came with the "base" (non Z-rated) tires - 235/55-16 (26.1") - then a 255/50-16 (26.0") isn't a bad match as far as the speedo/odometer.

That would explain why some F-bodies look to sit a little higher than others. Thanks Fred

[EquatorHeat00]

Thanks for setting him straight. My tire size was 235 from factory, got rid of those as soon as I got the car for 255's. Plus I have a programmer, so it doesn't matter anyways, but I don't need to use it with the 255's. Its also a better fit on the 8 in. rim.