AFASTR1

"Pinks All Out" accepted my car for November 20th at Firebird Raceway here in Phoenix, Arizona. I have never raced before now. I took my yellow RX7 R-1 (with a single T4 turbo, dyno-tuned to 350 whp and 310 ft lbs of torque) to Firebird a couple of weekends ago and was able to get 13.3 at 110 mph, with wheel spin through 1st and 2nd gear. Once I get hooked up the car performs fantastic. I have stock transmission, rear end, and axles. I have a new Stage 1 Exedy racing clutch. My problem (besides inexperience at the track) is wheel spin, as everybody else. I am running 17 inch street tires. I have not tried any "feathering" at all. I launch at about 4,000 rpm, full throttle, with considerable wheel-spin, then shift into 2nd at 6000 rpm. I get wheel spin almost through 2nd gear. I shift at 6000 rpm into third and then just hang on through 4th as traction catches up with the car. I ran 11 runs and was able to be consisitent in the 13.3 to 13.5 range. I noticed that I only lay rubber with the right rear tire. Shouldn't I be seeing two lines of black ? Can someone please give me some help before I break something. Will I see better ET's with "feathering" at the launch, or am I just going to have to live with wheel spin and 13's until I get slicks? I am looking at Nitto NT 555R's or Nitto NT-05's. Anyone out there have any experience with these tires?

NoPis10

iTrader: (29)

drag radials or slicks are your answer..

AND

ALOT of practice....

cptpain

iTrader: (1)

going with a set of drag coilovers in the rear should also help with traction as they will allow a significant amount of weight transfer to the rear reducing wheelspin, but not eliminating it.

you also want to learn how to pre-load the clutch and ease out of it quickly off the line

1wide7

iTrader: (1)

So Pinks all out is doing a 13 sec class? or did you not tell them what your car runs?

and for your question
drag radials will fix your traction issue but the tires you listed have stiff side walls so they probably will wheel hop and break your stock rear on the first hard launch

84stock

iTrader: (5)

With a 13 sec car you will likely see less than 3 seconds of tv time. You need to get your et down if you want anyone to know you've been there.

Slicks are a must have, drag radials a minimum. With this opportunity you need to find the funds to get into the 11 second class or you're gonna be a 2 run spectator in the crowd.

rnz520

iTrader: (10)

Go get some slicks, more seat time, and possibly a re-tune and up your power a bit. You need to at least get into the 11s and be semi consistent to have a chance.

AFASTR1

"Pinks All Out" only accepts 12 second cars and faster. I was told I had a 12 second car, so I registered as a 12 second car. I was able to run 13.3 with only 11 passes under my belt, a complete novice, and hard compound Z-rated street tires spinning all the way through second gear. I think I can be in the twelves with just more practice. I know I can be in the twelves with slicks, no question. Who knows what I can expect to run with slicks AND practice.

I do not want replace my rear end right now, so I need to be conservative and avoid wheel hop.

AFASTR1

I can't do the coilovers right now, but, about pre-loading the clutch....what do I need to do in order to avoid burning up my new Exedy Stage One clutch?

AFASTR1

You are right. "Pinks All Out" has everyone use a "tree start" to establish your "class", then they take the class with the 32 closest cars. Those 32 go on to the televised eliminations that we all see on TV. Even though I am confident I will be a 12 second car, usually the 10 and 11 second cars are the ones that are chosen (lots of cars in those classes). Who knows? I am doing it for the fun factor. I will have the wife, kids, grand kids, friends, and rotary guys rooting for me. I am going back to Firebird this friday, probably with drag radials. I'll let everyone know how it went.

AFASTR1

I am hoping to get into the low 12's with slicks and more experience, BUT, 11's will take some serious tuning for drag racing. With my Apexi Power FC, UMS can do a "drag" tune with racing fuel that should help get me more usable horsepower. Race fuel will allow a leaner tune, without detonation. Right now, I am tuned for 91 octane pump gas. I am also going to be running "Pinks All Out" in November, which is substantially cooler for Phoenix, Arizona. I got my 13 second times with 106 degrees of humid air on a "slick" 120-130 degree track. I lost five pounds that night in my helmet and fire jacket. I did not shut the car down between runs, so the car was hot as well. So, cooler track, cooler engine, cooler air temps, race fuel, slicks, drag-tune, and more track time, all should get me much faster.

amunoz3

iTrader: (2)

every mod you do is like learning how to drive the car all over again. i agree with practice, practice, practice, practice and more practice.

BLACK MAMBA

iTrader: (58)

drag radials,

chino_rx3

iTrader: (3)

have fun and Listen to the guys practice is the key,, slicks and practice, no matter what you having the family their your a winner in my book ,, My kids get so excited when we go to track, imagine if i race, have fun and good luck,,

84stock

iTrader: (5)

DITTO on the family!!!

AFASTR1

I made an error in my assessment of my differential and tire marks on the pavement. It seems the rear end is working just fine. I was actually looking at someone else's tire marks. I leave plenty of "double" rubber (both tires) on a burn out. So, traction is my problem. I'm going to get Nitto NT 555R's for the rear today. If anyone out there needs some, you can get a pretty good deal from Discount Tire. Mine ran $159 plus $15 for mounting and balancing (each). I think they are advertized at $169. I found an internet price of about $147 from Discounted Wheel Warehouse, but after freight, they would have been higher than Discount Tire. Discount Tires was able to special order the tires yesterday for overnight delivery today.

BlueMx5

iTrader: (4)

shift at 8000

Holton713BRE

iTrader: (4)

I have a FC making around 350-360, drag radials is all you need. I gained 4 10th's of a second on my 60' and 1/4 mile time. I was running the stock 15" wheels w/ a 225/60 soft compound tire. A 235/60 on a 15x7 inch wheel and some more practice, there's no reason you couldn't run 12's...and up your shift to 7500 or 8000.

AFASTR1

I now have Nitto NT 555R 245/45 R17's on the rear. Should I go ahead and do a "wet" burn-out. I have been driving around the water trough and doing a "dry" burn-out with my street tires. Will 8000 RPM be good for shifts and still try the 4000 RPM launch?

Holton713BRE

iTrader: (4)

For the first burn out, do a decent one, you don't want to boil them. Then after the first one just a puff of smoke works good for me, just enough to get them cleaned off. And if they prep the track right, you'll hook. Just play with the launches, I've tried everything, the best for me is 6500 and slipping the **** out of the clutch. But I also have a ACT 6 puck un-sprung clutch in my car. Get some vids next time you go...I'm going out next Wednesday night, so I'll try to post one of my car next week.

MakoRacing

iTrader: (12)

My boss(and several friends here) will be running in Pinks here at Infineon raceway(17th/18th) in his Vega, we've stopped work on customers cars trying to get it ready in time From what Ive heard from reliable sources, they pick cars that look like street cars(stockish) and run in the low 10's (10.1-10.3). I hope to see a Rx7 or two out there...the event sold out within an hour.

gunhail1

iTrader: (2)

careful with the stock rear and drag radials. I am assuming you have all stock toe links ect. The drag radials may make it wheel hop and then something is going to break.

AFASTR1

You were right. Last night at Firebird, something broke. I made a slow (14 sec) pass. Under 18 lbs of boost the couplings had come off of the turbo-to-intercooler pipe. I have had a hard time keeping them in place. After getting the couplings back in place, I did a nice burn out, and ran a respectable 12.84 at 111.8 mph with the Nitto drag radials hooking up pretty well. However, on the next run I did a nice burn out, but on the launch something in the drive train broke instantly. I had to push the car back to the pits. I couldn't see anything obvious (nothing hanging down), but when we pushed the car I could hear and feel something clunking under the rear of the car. There is power to the tranny, but nothing at the wheels but a clunking sound. I am trying to get up the energy to go out to the car (still on the trailer) and check it out further. I'll let you know the damages.

mrremote

@ the OP, dude that sucks! I hope you get it taken care of ASAP, I wanna see some RX7's on PAO asap lol.

AFASTR1

On visual inspection, everything looks great underneath.
When jacked up and turning the wheels by hand, there is no noise, but a definite binding after turning free for a partial turn. I can turn the wheel past the "bind", and it will turn freely until it binds again. It does it the same for both rear wheels. All right you guys out there, before I remove and open up the LSD, what do you think it is? Should I rebuild or replace the LSD? If I replace it, what would you suggest... OEM Torsen LSD? KAAZ LSD 1.5 or 2 way? Carbonetics 1.5 or 2 way, carbon or metal?

Any ideas on saving money on the parts?

blitzboy

KAzz 1.5 way thats what I use