DRAGRCR ONESEAT DEMON WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

[DGatzby]

Went to MATS last weekend. Had a nice drive out and ALMOST did not make it................. Getting off the exit, right at the race track this happened.

Ron, I watch a lot of YouTube flicks of stupid drivers doing just that. I have said and I repeat, maybe the best place to drive my car is on closed courses and not the street any longer.
I had to brake that hard last week in a roundabout. I guy did about the same thing and crossed me and another person to my right who was also in the roundabout. Without the reflexes that are sharpened by the driving we both do, I believe both of us may have had a T-Bone to munch on!

 

[Mike Jesse]

Mac's tiedowns is the place to shop for your securing needs.
Been using them for 20 plus years and have never had a strap come loose or cut one.

My one "oh Sh*t" moment was similar to yours Ron, except it was a loaded dump truck that crossed in front of me.
Back then I was driving a Dodge 1 ton dually pulling a 26 ft. enclosed trailer.

 

[hell on wheels]

If a strap does get loose

those wheel chalks

will help keep the car in place.

 

[DRAGRCR]

Finally got the front NHRA legal setup together...... 32.4 pounds ready to mount.

 

[Speedy!]

That's pretty light. Mine's 38lbs on a 28x4.5 RM and Dark Star wheel.

 

[TNREDEYE]

Good looking tire. Being Load range C as well as LT I would guess they're plenty good to drive back and forth to the track with?

 

[DRAGRCR]

Good looking tire. Being Load range C as well as LT I would guess they're plenty good to drive back and forth to the track with?

They look to be slightly over loaded, but I will keep them at the full 50 PSI or a little more, and drive on them. They have the same limitations as the ET STREET R's that are going on the back. I have driven a couple hundred miles, raced and then driven home on them. I just would not do it if they were really worn, and paper thin, because they might not survive pot holes or road debris that well.


This is actually my street setup. All my OEM stuff is gone and I only wanted two really good setups for the car. Not a bunch of stuff sitting around that I never use........

 

[vortecd]

That's pretty light. Mine's 38lbs on a 28x4.5 RM and Dark Star wheel.

View attachment 67543

My forgestar with the same tire is just under 35lbs

 

[Marc W]

I like that wheel tire combination. That tire is a nice compromise for a occasionally street driven car and the DOT requirements for the street classes. My Billet Specialties Comp 7’s and M/T ET Fronts are 25 lbs. No more street driving for me 😕

 

[DRAGRCR]

I like that wheel tire combination. That tire is a nice compromise for a occasionally street driven car and the DOT requirements for the street classes. My Billet Specialties Comp 7’s and M/T ET Fronts are 25 lbs. No more street driving for me 😕 View attachment 67631

You had me running to their web site. I looked that wheel up. Then I remembered you changed to the 4.5" Bolt Pattern. Damn nice looking wheel Marc.........The 17" setups we run on the Demon are 25 Pounds and the 18X5" setup I run is 27 pounds. It's Re-Sale, I tell you......Plus I like the shorter sidewall on the 18X5 setup. Theoretically it should handle better.

 

[Marc W]

You had me running to their web site. I looked that wheel up. Then I remembered you changed to the 4.5" Bolt Pattern. Damn nice looking wheel Marc.........The 17" setups we run on the Demon are 25 Pounds and the 18X5" setup I run is 27 pounds. It's Re-Sale, I tell you......Plus I like the shorter sidewall on the 18X5 setup. Theoretically it should handle better.

The Comp 7's are sweet. They're so light its rediculous. That's what I went to for the rear when I went to the 4-link so it's a match. I think they will custom make those in the 115mm pattern but not in the 18. It's strictly a 17' wheel. That size with the ET-Fronts are what the new Dragpaks are running now. They ditched the 15". I think their timeframe now if you have to order is about three months. I just finally came to the conclusion that the damn thing is a race car now so stop thinking about wether it will work on the street.

 

[DRAGRCR]

The rears are done. 49.4 pounds ready to bolt on. Mickey Thompson 305/45R17 ET STREET R on a Dodge Wide Body 17X10 Billet Specialties Win Lite. All balanced up using my balance method (see paint marks). Note : Win Lites are knurled now.

 

[2fast4u]

Will that tiny bit of knurl really do anything?

 

[DRAGRCR]

Will that tiny bit of knurl really do anything?

It likely depends on the tires. When they pop into position they actually are tight on the ID. If they are tight they should hold. But they are not all the same in this respect. Plus it still makes a difference what pressure you run etc. I doubt they would do this if it did not make some difference. But I have heard of tires slipping with knurled bead seats. I have heard that sand blasting this area can make the tires hold. So anything to rough up this area might help.

 

[oilburner]

my 15 inch forgestar wheels are slipping on the beads worse than my 18 inch. took them apart thinking they needed knurled only to find they already are.
forgestar recommended trying high tack spray. if this doesn`t work, time for beadlocks.

 

[Marc W]

Knurls from Hell 👹

 

[hell on wheels]

my 15 inch forgestar wheels are slipping on the beads worse than my 18 inch. took them apart thinking they needed knurled only to find they already are.
forgestar recommended trying high tack spray. if this doesn`t work, time for beadlocks.

I use the Hi tack
Slips a couple times then one side holds
Other tire slips about 1 “ per weekend at the Drag strip

 

[oilburner]

I use the Hi tack
Slips a couple times then one side holds
Other tire slips about 1 “ per weekend at the Drag strip

I see a lot of company`s offer a high tack adhesive, which one did you use??

 

[hell on wheels]

Permatex brush on.

 

[DRAGRCR]

When all is not right in Ronnie's world.

Regrettable possible abuse of my Demon.
Etc.

OK, so I went to Red List in Bakersfield / Famoso on April 9th. Overall, the car did not work right. I was bummed. To add insult to injury, this likely allowed one of my Friends to squeak past me on points and pocket the $1000 cash to win. In the fall at Famoso / Red List and recently at MATS the car worked beautifully. At the Match race Madness in Feb at Irwindale it even did a 6.10 in the 1/8th and did some amazing PB 60 foots 1.32 and 1.33. Now the car would launch OK on the hit and then by the 3rd pass out of 13, the car spun when it shifted to second gear. Pass after Pass it got progressively worse where it started spinning all the way through 2nd gear and then it even short shifting to 3rd and even spinning a little on the 3-4 shift. All the while hooking on the hit. VERY confusing. If it hooks on the hit, the only thing I can think of is the prep down track is insufficient. I complained. They sprayed more and dragged the track. It did not help at all. Are they spraying straight alcohol? Are they cheaping out?
The tires are the 28X10.5R17 Hoosier DBR and they always worked. Amazingly well really. They are approximately 2 years old. The last 6 months ONE of them started losing a little air. Maybe 10 pounds in 3 weeks when the car was being stored.
So, now my world is all jacked up. I decided to go to Irwindale less than a week later for the Thursday night Drags. 610 Miles RT and $300 in fuel (well spent BTW). I HAD to see what was going on. It drives me crazy. So, before I went out there, I swapped the slicks side to side and that gave me an opportunity to soap up the offending tire. Air was coming out the SIDEWALL. It did NOT do this at all earlier in its life.
So, I get to Irwindale and the car hooks good on the first run and does not spin on the 1-2 and runs a 6.232. Second pass it chatters the tires all the way through first but still manages a 6.229. Third pass it spins on the hit and I pedal it to a 6.60. Fourth pass it spins and I abort that pass altogether. Son of a bitch.
I went back to the pits and swapped out wheels and tires. I HATE doing this at the track but I came prepared. Hoosier 29.5X11.5R18 DBR on OEM Demon rims. A much taller and heavier setup. Car DEAD HOOKS like I have not felt in a while. Runs 6.229, 6.191 and 6.200. Another note. With the old tires the car was trying to spin donuts in the burnout. New tires burnout is dead straight. Removing old tires, one is normal dry slick rubber with minimal rocks, the other is MOLTEN. It was completely greasy / sticky with all kinds of crap stuck to it. This CAN'T be good for the Diff.
So apparently one of the smaller older tires delaminated and killed the sidewall. Next time do not blame the race track. Heavy Challengers with power KILL smaller race tires. Make a mental note.

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