Ok guys i am looking into getting some cheap light 16 inch wheels and Drag Radials to fit them. I have a 2005 Cobalt SS/SC and would like to know who is running a drag tire setup already. If you are please give me all the details on what wheels and tires you are running and where you got them from, thank you very much.

 

bump

 

no one is running true drag radials on the stock rims because they don't make them in that size and our bolt pattern is so weird its hard to find rims 5x110

 

yeah i know no one is running them on the stockers thats why i asked what tire and wheel they were running

 

Rob @ hoosier has a set he runs on

 

Ive had more than a few FWD guys kinda sway me off drag radial , I was gonna go that route . Since were losing all our load of the front of the car , a softer sidewall tire would help much better at the dragstrip . When we lauch , a tire like that should offer a better actual contact patch on the ground . Tires like the M/T ET street and Hoosier QTP like Rob has I think would work best .

If u go with drag radials I would get the widest ones you could get on the car

1) 245/50-16 Nitto , which is narrower than all the other 255/50 drag radials . 9.8 " section and the tire height is 25.7 , about equal to our stock 25.6 .

~or

To get a BFG , which is a much better hooking tire IMO ( Ive used both Nitto and BFG on my F-bodies ) . Your gonna need to jump to a 17 G-force Drag radial 2 , the only 16" BFG has the same 10.5 tread as the ET street radial . A 225/45-17 has 9.2 " tread section , but you lose about 1/2 in on the diameter . Its 25.0 "

Cheap Rims @ tire rack

16x7 Fox sport edition 6 , 19 lbs @ $87 .This is the wheel FAST06SS runs .

Lightest 17 I could find was a :

17x7 sport edition D3 , 20.0 lbs @ $89 a pop

I used a Pontiac G6 sedan to search on tire rack .

 

i knoow there is more people on here running Drag radials.

Why have you been swayed away from drag radials?

 

^^^^

....in short form

When a FWD launches it totally unloads the front tires . You need , or its my personal preference anyways , that I want all I can possibly get to hook my car up . Drag radials are nice compromise "if" you need them . But for instance , on my F-bodies ....I had to do alot of suspension work to get them to actually dead hook , on stockish type suspension .....though less dramaic than a normal radial , it was still a smokeshow . In the case of our car , without motor mounts or trans mounts and control bushings , I think it would make the car wheel hop worse a little more violently . The hard sidewalls , plus a harder bite , but not good enuff to actually hook . Plus , if your just buying a tire for track , why compromise with a drag radial ? I dunno like I said , they would definately be better than reg. radial and easier to launch , but no optimal . Unlike my F-bodies that were on the car full time , I wouldnt want them full time on my SS , on the wheels that steer it and having to drive in rain , so why settle with them for track only use . Take DOT slicks like the ET streets or the Hoosier QTP or real slicks , the sidewalls are softer which should aid in cushioning the wheel hop and when u heat them up , the traction compound brought to the surface is much much stickier than a drag radial giving you a way better shot at a cleaner launch once all the weight transfers off the front tires .

 

wouldn't we have to worry about breaking things with a slick?

 

I have no clue how strong this car , I just havent seen anyone really pushing them hard . Im gonna find out for myself this comming race season though If I can get my car to hook up pretty good at a higher launch RPM , the weak stuff will definatly be realized in short time . Could be wrong , but I dont have faith in the axles , hehe . Just by virtue of they dont seem to be very strong in most FWD cars .

 

Good post!

Yes he is correct, the Nittos', BFG's etc; are a WASTE of money. WAY to hard of a sidewall.

Actually, a slick will not harm the car anymore than the nasty wheel hop we get stock now!


You need a very soft sidewall with a FWD car. Do a search, i posted all the info you need. What 16" wheel, where to get it and what tire to use

 

...and dont feel compelled by the traction of the class drag cars running sub 8 sec times on them for their worthyness . Most of those cars quite radically detuned for the launch only to hook up , then the full tune get fed back in .

 

i wouldnt mind putting some drag radials on my winter rims

 

Are we absolutely POSITIVE a 15" wheel has brake caliper clearence problems . From all Ive read , its been a theory . My wheels will be off today when I detail my car ....gonna take some measurents and do some digging . The track only tire possiblities open up 100 fold if a 15 rim could work .

 

yup^^^ let us know. bogart is supposed to make a rim with a built in spacer in 15 inch. when it happens i'll be on it.

 

not sure about 15's but my 16's there is like 4mm between the brake caliper and the rim - you would need one hell of a spacer

 

I'll let you in a little secret The 2 large humps on the front calipers can be ground down to where the entire top surface is flat! All i need is a 15" wheel with our bolt pattern to test fit.

 

what brand wheel is the fox wheel

 

Fox Sport edition is the specific line .

Rob - All about the caliper grinding My old LT1 rear brakes got all their fins ground off for some 15x10's . Junkyard maybe for a el'cheapo 15" aluminum Malibu or Saturn L-series wheel ? The G6 I dont think came with a 15" wheel . And now that I talk about the elipson cars ( Malibu , G6 , Saab 9-3 ) . I thought our front brakes were from that chassis ? I looked on Chevy.com , there is not brake upgrade between models on the Malibu , and the base Malibu uses a 15" steel wheel ........ edit- Just called the parts store Malibu rotor # 580184 , cobalt 2.0 SS rotor # 580184 . They didnt have a caliper listing for either carline , so couldnt give me part # .

I will be at the dealer today...I will check to see if all the Malibu's use the same brakes ....if so we may be in bidness

 

I have 245-45-17 nitto 555r drag radials on some lightweight wheels. They hook great and great for everyday driving. The BFG's hook even better but wear quick. Hoosier are good for the track. Everyone has there opinion on tires though.

 

26x9.5x16

 

Exactly what i was thinking!! The malibu does have a 15" rim. I'll try and snag one from a dealer and check it out.

 

thats hot... how much do they weigh? are they on your car?

 

yep
I have an 04 Saturn ION RedLine
the tires are sooo light compared to radials!! 17lbs
here's a link to all the specs

https://www.hoosiertire.com/Drtire.htm

 

What rims are they, just steelies?