Do you need bias fronts with bias slicks

[CamaroCracka]

I'm looking to move to bias ply slicks and when I was asking some technical questions, the guy on the phone said that I need bias ply skinnies on the front or it will be squirrely. I'm wanting some confirmation from drag guys on if this is true or is the guy just trying to sell more tires (which I am fine with, we all have to make money).

[bayarea408]

Radial up front, Bias ply in the rear is a recipe for danger. Around town you will be fine, its when you ripping at 100+ and the road has imperfections and the two different rubber compounds act drastically different. It will get ****in nuts.

Let me draw a scenario. You are on the freeway and you floor it, the nature of a bias ply tire is that it will wiggle when you wack it with power but it will correct itself, this is the nature of how the softer bis play works its just alot more soft and will correct itself, kinda like tapping something jello. When the rear tire does this and the front tire does not , it grips, it will send you into the wall when the bias ply's correct from the violent hit and the front tires just grip its bad ordeal. The fronts need to be a bias ply to match the reaction of the power being felt by the car.

Bias ply tires need to be used with Bias ply tires up front. I hope this makes sense, google it and you will see it all over the place wrecked street cars with street tires up front and bias ply in the rear.

a lot of people do not know the meaning or differences behind bias ply and radials. Everything under a camaro is SLICKS lolol

[Chris49066SS]

Yeah you don't want a radial on the front if you are bias in the rear. You can get away with a radial rear and a bias front. I just go bias on all 4 corners, they are slightly lighter than a radial due to their different construction, haven't had any issues. MT ET Street R bias ply 28x10/17 rear, M&H 28x4.5/17 skinny fronts, never have had any issues, GL

[TheFlyingBananaSS]

I got 2 brand new bias ply M/T's for sale if anyone interested. BRAND NEW, NO MILEAGE ON THEM. PM me.

[Pro Stock John]

I've run radials up front and bias in back and vice versa. No issues.

But if you run stock 20's up front and bias slicks in back, might not be happy... but if you have skinnies it's fine.

[CamaroCracka]

Wow, did not realize anyone actually responded to this. Thanks for the info.

To be clear, this was not for the street, just for the drag strip. I run road course tires on the street.

[Pro Stock John]

I've always run auto transmissions, so when I've mixed radial fronts and slicks in back please take that into account.

They also sell bias DOT fronts too so if its stickly a track combo, that's an option. And bias tires are always lighter.

[sinisterZL1]

Originally Posted by Pro Stock John

I've run radials up front and bias in back and vice versa. No issues.

But if you run stock 20's up front and bias slicks in back, might not be happy... but if you have skinnies it's fine.

This is exactly what i have been told by lots of guys , as long as the radials up front are skinnies.

[dreksnot]

Originally Posted by sinisterZL1

This is exactly what i have been told by lots of guys , as long as the radials up front are skinnies.

I made it to the strip a few days ago with my new 17" M&H slicks and it was a crazy night. I was at work, got a phone call asking to go to the track. Car was up on my lift at home with no diff fluid. I hurried home, fluided up the car and quickly swapped rears to my new slicks. I left my radial Michelins up front fulling knowing full-well I should swap them to my skinnies, but figured I'd take it easy at the strip and I was in a hurry to get loaded up and head out. It was a freaking scare-show at the track. Launching and hitting 1st and 2nd were fine. Half way through 3rd it turned into a pucker show with the back end shifting the car left or right a full car width - had to let off the throttle. Since running with new slicks (moving from M/T bias Street ET's), I figured it was probably, most likely due to tire pressure, so I tried pressures between 15-18psi). Buddy has same rear slicks and same weight car and he runs 15psi. Still scary AF running for me. Ending my story, I had only 1 out of 7 runs that I didn't have to let off the throttle running my lowest boost setting. Of course, I think I figured things out after my last run. Compared my handheld tire pressure gauge with two friends and apparently, my gauge reads 2psi higher than theirs. Did a quick 15ft burnout in the parking lot and it appears my slicks are cupping (presuming too low of tire pressure - my gauge read 15psi so they were likely 13psi). Thoughts on the picture I had below? I did try letting some air out the front street radials, from 37psi to 32psi (again, my gauge readings which are 2psi too high). That appeared to help a tine bit.

So, does all this sound realistic (and seen from experience of ya)? I know next time heading to the strip, make sure I have the bias skinnies up front and us more tire pressure.

[bayarea408]

LOL!