My buddy is building a diesel Dodge for drag racing. He was just talking about a supposed diesel drag radial coming from Nitto very soon. Anyone with first hand knowledge? Isn't there somone on here that works at Nitto?
Later, Bruce
-
April 23, 2009 12:34 p.m. VWguyBruce HalfDork
-
April 23, 2009 12:54 p.m. maroon92 SuperDork
why do you need a bespoke radial tire for a diesel?
-
April 23, 2009 1:12 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork
exactly why would you need a tire specifically for a diesel application? Tire contact patch to racing surface should have nothing to do with the fuel type...am I correct?
-
April 23, 2009 1:13 p.m. maroon92 SuperDork
the only thing I can think of is the weight of the vehicle...maybe they need stiffer sidewalls?
-
April 23, 2009 1:40 p.m. P71 Dork
Height may be an issue as well. Diesels tend to run really tall tires and they just don't make DR's that big. I think the weight/sidewall has something to do with it as well.
-
April 23, 2009 3:01 p.m. DirtyBird222 Dork
sidewalls for the drag radials on my dads chevelle are bigger than the ones on his avalanche.......
-
April 23, 2009 3:45 p.m. VWguyBruce HalfDork
Height is an issue and classing is also an issue.
-
April 23, 2009 4:34 p.m. Rusnak_322 New Reader
It is going to be a truck tire size I bet. And with all the torque and the extra grip of a race tire, you would think that they would have to possibly do something different to prevent the tire rotating on the rim.
-
April 23, 2009 5:57 p.m. MCarp22 Reader
I doubt the torque seen at the wheels is drastically different since a diesel has to be geared taller to make up for the lack of revs.
I'm voting for truck tire size.
-
April 23, 2009 10:19 p.m. SVreX SuperDork
MCarp22 wrote:
I doubt the torque seen at the wheels is drastically different since a diesel has to be geared taller to make up for the lack of revs.
You sure? Have you driven a diesel truck?
It is significantly easier to rip the tires loose from the pavement in my diesel truck than any gasburner I've ever been in.
Diesels are known for their towing ability not just because the stump-pulling torque ends at the flywheel.
I'm going to agree that the fuel in the car has nothing to do with the tires. I'm guessing the tires are kind of getting an industry nickname of "diesel tires" for the combination of truck sizing and the fact that LOTS of people are now adding performance tunes to diesels, which leads to the need for DR tires. They'd work fine on gas burners, but not too many people would need them.
