Help w/ Fikse FM5 Setup

[7TH_SIGN]

99 ACR GTS

I've never been a wheel/tire expert. I have decided to go with the FM5 wheels in 18" front and rear.

Objective is for it to hook up 800+whp. So I would like to run drag radials in the rear. The widest/thickest without rubbing issues. Suspension is stock ACR.

What do you recommended for tire size and rim size? Thank you in advance.

We all know this car, I'd like a similar setup.

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[Nine Ball]

I'm a Fikse dealer, and I've built my own Viper to hook 1,100 rwhp. Fikse is currently having a free shipping sale until the end of April, so another week and a half.

18x13.0 rears with Mickey Thompson 345/35-18 tires. Here is my car:

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[Blown408]

^^ How much?

 

[Dom426h]

7TH, Another thing that can help/hurt launch/hookup is the suspension. I do not know much about suspension setup for launching/drag cars but can provide you with some info to consider.
Stock rear spring rate is 450lbs
Your ACR's rear spring rate is 750lbs
Consult with others on what spring rate works best whether it be stock or custom. Not just the guy that says I have this and i like it.... The real deal guys that have actually tried multiple setups to dial their car in. The guys that are are running 7's & 8's on drag radials.

Also, your ACR's 15year old Koni shocks might be due for a rebuild. If they are not dampening enough to control the spring then it will likely adversely effect your launching abilities.

Goodluck and keep us updated on your results

 

[7TH_SIGN]

Dom426h, thanks for the great advice brother.

Nine Ball, I have been in communications with Jeff over at Fikse and he had informed me of the free shipping sale. I will PM you. Thanks.

 

[ViperDC]

Can't offer any help on the wheels, but your car looks badass. Where are you in VA? I'm out of Arlington...just bought my '94 a couple weeks ago.

 

[7TH_SIGN]

Can't offer any help on the wheels, but your car looks badass. Where are you in VA? I'm out of Arlington...just bought my '94 a couple weeks ago.

Congrats on yours. I just have a stock 99 GTS. I'm in the Fairfax area.

 

[FastMatt]

I'm running FM5's now on my 2001 GTS running 18x11's front and 18X13's rear with 345 MT drags out back and 305 Toyo R888's front.

 

[Nine Ball]

Free shipping sale ends next Tuesday (Apr 30). This is about $150-160 savings.

 

[7TH_SIGN]

I'm running FM5's now on my 2001 GTS running 18x11's front and 18X13's rear with 345 MT drags out back and 305 Toyo R888's front.

Nice, how do you like them? Any pics?

Free shipping sale ends next Tuesday (Apr 30). This is about $150-160 savings.

Thanks. I am trying to make that decision!

 

[V10TT]

A few pics of cars on the MTs 345s:

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[V10TT]

I'm using now the Hoosiers A6s(345s-18), and like much better the looks and the car rides 10 times better.
Less traction, but can still put down 1100 rw on third.

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[V10TT]

The rears MTs look too thick IMO with the big side wall, some like that look better though. They actually make the rear rim look smaller than the front.

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[Roysviper]

I ONLY run Mickey Thompson ET STREET RADIAL P345/35R18 on the rear of my Vipers.......AWESOME TRACTION.....my son and his friends run Headsup OUTLAW REAL STREET races, running in the 4s in 1/8th mi with this exact tire and they are limited to it in a 10.5 size 2000 h.p. cars, getting 1.19 60 ft times....made a believer out of me and work great on wet roads at hwy speeds with 29-30 lbs of air......and is the biggest tire that you can get in the rear fenders of a Gen 2 without rubbing and fill up the fender well great.....I see several on here with this tire and they know what I am talking about......I buy mine from Jegs.......shipping is $19 each and they only take about three days to get.....ALSO.......you definitely need like UNITREX half shafts or compareable.....never have had to mess with the factory shocks ever....no wheel hop, no wheel spin, just up and gone, straight as an arrow....and drive shaft loop and roll bar, 5 pt harness....

 

[Nine Ball]

I ONLY run Mickey Thompson ET STREET RADIAL P345/35R18 on the rear of my Vipers.......AWESOME TRACTION.....my son and his friends run Headsup OUTLAW REAL STREET races, running in the 4s in 1/8th mi with this exact tire and they are limited to it in a 10.5 size 2000 h.p. cars, getting 1.19 60 ft times....made a believer out of me and work great on wet roads at hwy speeds with 29-30 lbs of air......and is the biggest tire that you can get in the rear fenders of a Gen 2 without rubbing and fill up the fender well great.....I see several on here with this tire and they know what I am talking about......I buy mine from Jegs.......shipping is $19 each and they only take about three days to get.....ALSO.......you definitely need like UNITREX half shafts or compareable.....never have had to mess with the factory shocks ever....no wheel hop, no wheel spin, just up and gone, straight as an arrow....and drive shaft loop and roll bar, 5 pt harness....

Not my experience, on the same tires. Nothing like having to do 20-30 mph on the highway shoulder in a light rain shower, because drag radials on the rear. The compound of drag radials becomes greasy and slick when wet. Not the same reaction as normal street tires. I drive my Viper around about 90% of the time on the M/T ET Streets, they are horrible on any damp road surface.

 

[V10TT]

My biggest complaint on the MTs was for some reason they needed more weights to get balanced than my A6s now.

Also the perfect balance (road forced and all) would not last. Would not take long for me to start feeling some vibration (usually on the steering wheel) after a while at a specific speed, 80-90 mph.

That and changing lanes at 100+ mph does not feel the same as on the A6s. I was willing to give up "some" traction(mostly in 2nd gear) for my weekend driving.
No doubt on racing events, the MTs is the tire you want to be on.

 

[Nine Ball]

Shaking steering wheel means the front tire(s) is out of balance, not the rear. If a rear wheel is out of balance, you'll feel it in chassis and your seat.

 

[Roysviper]

That really confuses me about the wet road driving??????? I ran these tires last year on my A.R.T. TWIN TURBO VIPER with our club on the Tail of The Dragon in the rain all day on a Friday and was going any speed I wanted to in the wet curves and Thank God I never lost control and didn't go off the mountain or crash into a fellow Viper owners car........I was really shocked how well they work and we drove home in the rain all the way from Tenn to Florida at 70-80 mph and NO traction problem at all........don't make any sense to me and we will do the same this yr in this HEFFNER Turbo Viper with the same new tires.....strange............

Not my experience, on the same tires. Nothing like having to do 20-30 mph on the highway shoulder in a light rain shower, because drag radials on the rear. The compound of drag radials becomes greasy and slick when wet. Not the same reaction as normal street tires. I drive my Viper around about 90% of the time on the M/T ET Streets, they are horrible on any damp road surface.

 

[7TH_SIGN]

Thanks for the pics V10TT!

Why does the red car have a larger wheel gap? Are they both 345? Or is the blue one lowered?

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[Nine Ball]

That really confuses me about the wet road driving??????? I ran these tires last year on my A.R.T. TWIN TURBO VIPER with our club on the Tail of The Dragon in the rain all day on a Friday and was going any speed I wanted to in the wet curves and Thank God I never lost control and didn't go off the mountain or crash into a fellow Viper owners car........I was really shocked how well they work and we drove home in the rain all the way from Tenn to Florida at 70-80 mph and NO traction problem at all........don't make any sense to me and we will do the same this yr in this HEFFNER Turbo Viper with the same new tires.....strange............

Wow, I can't believe you drove the Dragon with wet drag radials. That is insane, you are a daredevil. Haha. It even says not to drive these tires on wet pavement on their website. See the second paragraph here: http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/strip.php?item=ETStreetRadialII

All Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial tires are designed for drag racing use. While Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial tires meet Department of Transportation requirements for marking and performance, they are recommended for DRY PAVEMENT USE ONLY.

 

[V10TT]

Red car has stock Height, Blue car is on Eibacks.

 

[ZR1_170]

The red one is mine. It had the stock shocks and springs on it at the time of that picture. IT does have 345's on the rear and 18 inch wheels front and back

Thanks for the pics V10TT!

Why does the red car have a larger wheel gap? Are they both 345? Or is the blue one lowered?

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[7TH_SIGN]

ZR1 170, thanks. How do you like them? The wheels and setup?

 

[ZR1_170]

ZR1 170, thanks. How do you like them? The wheels and setup?

I loved the look. I just had the Micky Thompson tires on the rear and Nitto Nt555's on the front. No issues at all. I just recently did some trading around since I do not keep street tires on it much anymore and get rid of them. I traded them for a like new set of SRT10 wheels with brand new tires and a RPS triple carbon clutch.

 

[ZR1_170]

here are a few more pictures of mine

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[7TH_SIGN]

Man your Viper looks killer. Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[ZR1_170]

Man your Viper looks killer. Thanks again for the feedback.

No problem