All you tire burners--some reassurance please...

[RedGTS]

I keep reading all these posts about people breaking their tires loose from a roll, and I'm starting to worry. I've had my '01 (7,700 miles) a couple of months, and it feels very strong to me. But I have yet to break the tires loose at all (stock Pilots even with the wear bars). I've floored it from a roll in both first and second, at varying rpms in the 2k to 4k range. I've also shifted from 1st to 2nd very quickly (floored to near redline in first, let off throttle quickly, jam 2nd, floored again), and not even a chirp. The car just plants and goes (and I mean plants--the front end looks and feels very high and light). Following the advice of many, I have always done this in a straight line only. Does this sound "normal"? I'm planning a trip to the dyno soon, so I guess I'll know for sure then.

Ronnie

 

[MichaelP]

Red have you ever raced any other Vipers to see if yours is faster or slower.

My experience is it is easy to break the tires lose in the situations you described.

Let us know how the dyno goes.

 

[USAF BAD ASP]

depends on the roads.. are they newly paved, smooth, rough and hard?? If it hasn't rained in awhile they can have grease/grime build up on them. Today my tires were spinning like crazy even though it was very hot out.. but other days they plant and won't spin for anything.. Either way, traction is a good thing. I would get a dyno, or try going down a track and seeing what kinda times you pull

 

[toddt]

Some possibilities:

1) Your roads are softer.
2) They pave the roads with VHT where you live.
3) You accidentally got the Michelin Pilot Squishys
4) You purchased the V-8 Viper.
5) You've been to so many Metallica concerts, you can't hear that frequency anymore
6) You were racing a Z06, and the mysterious ZOG MOJO held you back.

 

[Steve Miehe]

Ronnie:

Would have to agree with Michael P; seems almost a "given" to break the rear tires loose engaging the manuevers you describe. I'm still handling my '01 RT with kid gloves with about 950 miles on the odometer - actually, still breaking it in. I got my tires to break loose about three weeks ago by chance. Shifted to second gear (going about 25 to 30 mph) and then gave it about three fourths of the accelerator pedal, and the rear tires broke loose. The tires probably would have screamed had I not gotten off the accelerator pedal. I was playing around trying to get used to a little straight-line acceleration and the car caught me by surprise.....upshifted and that was that. Engine speed was probably in the 3500 rpm range, but I surely wasn't looking at the tach. Maybe your dyno numbers should be investigated......

 

[1TONY1]

Ronnie, I would say you are ok. With the stock pilots, first gear from many different speeds/rpms the worst I have seen is some hazing as I will call it, but not wheel spin. This is in gear and punching it, work/drop the clutch to much and it could be a different story. I havn't had much dead stop street experience in this car. Where are you at in Tn. The local track at Chatt. has a great test/tune/street night on Friday nights. I plan on testing the new half shafts out with some et streets this Friday. Where you at

opticz06 ????

 

[USAF BAD ASP]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 1TONY1:
Where are you at in Tn. The local track at Chatt. has a great test/tune/street night on Friday nights. I plan on testing the new half shafts out with some et streets this Friday.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

not to hijack this thread, but I think I'd like to come down some friday and meet up with you sometime.. I might bring a few friends too! it's only a hour away. I can't make this friday though

 

[Ron]

<FONT face="Comic Sans MS">I've found that without playing with the clutch, wheelspin is quite slight in first while floored and non-existant anywhere else. Good clean roads, warm days, 29 psi tires.

Cold weather, powershifting, etc., of course is a different story. I've dyno'd 412 stock @ 2000 miles.</FONT f>

 

[RedGTS]

Thanks for the feedback. This has been on mostly smooth roads in good condition, and warm to hot weather. And no, I haven't raced anything so I don't have any basis for comparison--other than my seat of the pants, which tells me the car is waaay faster than my Cobra. But it should be. I'll let you know how my dyno numbers turn out. I'm hoping I've just got a case of major traction.

Ronnie

P.S.--I'm in Kingsport, a pretty good distance from Chattanooga (~200 miles).

 

[MES]

I would say don't worry about it. Stock car, new tires, with good pavement, your experience sounds about right. If you really want to try a tire burning -&gt; go from a dead stop rev to 4K drop clutch & go WOT you should spin and spin and spin, so forth and so on...

just be careful not to fishtail and spin out

 

[1TONY1]

redgts....200 miles=1.2 hour drive

, just kidding., but going to the track is alot more fun than the dyno. Huge mall right down the road for the women folk too.
usaf, come on down anytime, I'll let you know ahead of time when something good is happening.

 

[USAF BAD ASP]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 1TONY1:

usaf, come on down anytime, I'll let you know ahead of time when something good is happening.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

COOL!

 

[treynor]

Out of curiosity, what tire pressure are you "tire spinners" running? I didn't any 1st-gear wheelspin in my '01 when it was making 438 RWHP / 485 RWTQ, and California roads in my area aren't particularly sticky. I run the recommended 29 PSI at all four corners...

 

[Gavin]

Ronnie,
I suspect all the tire spinning is occurring on cold tires. Get those Michilen Pilot sports hot and they grip incredibly. With tire hot, revengine to about 1900 rpm and drop the clutch, climb the revs up to about 3,000 - 3,500.

You will experience a strong launch, wheelspin for several feet before the tires hookup and you are gone...the car will track nice and straight - 29 pounds all round.
Drop the tire pressure to 18 pounds and you will eliminate a lot of the wheelspin and launch even quicker.

Do this in a large vacant parking lot in case you do something wrong. You will learn "heeeeeps" and its a lot of fun. don't worry about breaking the car - it can handle it.

 

[onerareviper]

I would say perfectly normal. I test drove two stock GTS's with 3.07's, and could not induce wheel spin unless I dumped the clutch. I suspect the people that are having problems have hard tires or cold roads or bad roads or mods done.

That being said, I drive a 98 GTS with 440 RWHP and 3.73's. I can hook, but wheel spin can easily be accomplished if you wish. Best of both worlds...

 

[Jeff Torrey]

I am not suggesting that you do not know how to drive. But it took me a good 6 months to learn how to bring it on. I was worried about the same thing until one day I tried it from a dead stop. From then on things got better and better. Then better, then 3.55's, then better.....
I am sure there is a beast in there- just waiting to emerge.

 

[varanus]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gavin:
Ronnie,
I suspect all the tire spinning is occurring on cold tires. Get those Michilen Pilot sports hot and they grip incredibly. With tire hot, revengine to about 1900 rpm and drop the clutch, climb the revs up to about 3,000 - 3,500.

You will experience a strong launch, wheelspin for several feet before the tires hookup and you are gone...the car will track nice and straight - 29 pounds all round.
Drop the tire pressure to 18 pounds and you will eliminate a lot of the wheelspin and launch even quicker.

Do this in a large vacant parking lot in case you do something wrong. You will learn "heeeeeps" and its a lot of fun. don't worry about breaking the car - it can handle it.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Gavin, I knew you were not really a road racer . . .you closet drag racer!

 

[MtHam ACR]

Nobody mentioned temp cylcling -- after the tires have been heated up and cooled down hundreds (or thousands) of times, they'll tend to get harder which will cause decreased traction as compared to new tires. Drive your car on the track, where the changes are more severe, and this will occur faster, . . if your tread lasts

varanus wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Gavin, I knew you were not really a road racer . . .you closet drag racer!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think Gavin likes to turn corners too much to go back. His launch technique came from his earlier days when what he was driving wasn't about turning -- it was just about how much motor you could stuff in the engine bay. The cops would close the road and all the locals would come out to watch. Gavin's launch technique was perfected by having to beat the other guy to the sheep at the finish line.

 

[Gavin]

MT HAM ACR - now I know why you invited me into your run group and followed me so closely at Laguna Seca Memorial Weekend - you wanted to learn my "sheep catching" techniques!!!!!!!!!!

 

[toddt]

I did a test a few days ago.

Started the car, let the engine warm up in my smoothly paved lot at work.

Got car to a roll to the end of the parking space (clutch full out), then 3/4 throttled it. 20 feet of solid black stripes on the ground starting almost exactly the same point at the end of the parking space.

Brand new sport pilots with 200 miles on them (cold, of course)

 

[onerareviper]

toddt,

Not saying you won't duplicate that feat, but try it on a regular road surface (ie. highway or back road). I've found parking lots to be very slick. Many put down a black tar like substance that makes it even more stick and smooth. Just my observation. I am always very careful in parking lots, as the surface always seems slicker. Any pavement/asphalt experts out there?

If you try the above, and still lay down 20 feet of rubber, it may be due to stiff rear shock settings. You do have the ACR, which I believe is much stiffer than stock. Great for handeling, but bad for rear wheel traction. Or maybe you just have one wicked Viper.

During my experiments, I was in 2 stock 1997 Vipers with 3.07 gears on highway roads - no traffic. I cruised in first gear at 15 MPH, and SLAMMED the gas 100%. No tire. No squeal. It was 80 degrees, so the road were warm.

Later

 

[Gavin]

Eric - I know you are going to be at Laguna Seca tomorrow - keep a look out for thoe lambs up there in turn six
Signed
Two Wheels Off

 

[toddt]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by onerareviper:
toddt,
Many put down a black tar like substance that makes it even more stick and smooth. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep, precisely why I mentioned it.

I'll leave it to the poster to duplicate THOSE results in the smooth blacktop lot of his choice.

C-ya!

 

[MtHam ACR]

bahahah!

. . ., but make mine lamb

 

[varanus]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gavin:
Eric - I know you are going to be at Laguna Seca tomorrow - keep a look out for thoe lambs up there in turn six
Signed
Two Wheels Off

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
so is the new signature
SSSHEEEEPS ARE FUN - GAVIN 1996 GTS VENOM 500