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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

Smaller wheels = better 1/4 mile times?


hadyn

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Got a 13.5s 1/4 at the pod yesterday which Im pretty pleased with. Im now looking to reduce my 1/4 times futher after removing spare wheel, pulling trac fuse etc and im considering wheel options. Am i right in thinking that I may get a quicker 1/4 time if i run with say the stock 16" j-spec wheels than the big and wide 18s that I currently run with? I presume i'd also get quicker times if the rears on the 16s were shod in drag radials or slicks?

Cheers!

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they run smaller wheels to get more tyre for grip. buy a set of stock wheels and some drag radials.

 

im on the case, i've heard drag radials can put strain on transmission components tho - gearbox,clutch drivetrain etc.

 

How accurate is this - can the stock supra autobox/driveshafts etc take it? Currently running bpu spec on stock tubbies

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Hard launches from drag radials will put more strain on the drivetrain but you should be fine. I ve just head ppl say not to launch with drag radials with the 5spd tranny from the NA supra. (so i better stay far from that route till i put in a 6spd)

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I Would not be able to give u a straight YES or NO answer for this Q but will explain the theory behind smaller wheels. When u run smaller wheels, say 16" there is more rubber between the wheel and the road (profile) and hence there is more flex when u launch and this helps reduce wheelspin marginally. Whereas, when u are runnin 19" or so there is less rubber between the wheel and road and hence if u do a hard launch wheelspin would be greater due to power being transferred faster due to the absence of the 'flex'. So theoretically you will lose time when running large wheels and low profile tyres because it will promote wheelspin when lauching.

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I would think its pretty complicated and hard to give a definitive yes/no unless someone has already tried it.

 

Dont forget the weight of the wheels also, lighter wheels will mean less unsprung mass and so greater acceleration. Lower tyre pressures for the reason above.

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If you stretch 4th gear into the red, it is good for 220-odd mph, isn't it?

What were they thinking FFS?

I haven't yet done such a run on the soop, but I'd think that you really want the 1/4mile to end with 3rd gear in full blast, so if smaller wheels help towards that, it's worth a shot IMO.

As for the smaller frontal area of the (slightly) narrower tyres, I don't think it will make a measurable difference in 1/4mile times, traction variances will be much more important.

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im on the case, i've heard drag radials can put strain on transmission components tho - gearbox,clutch drivetrain etc.

 

How accurate is this - can the stock supra autobox/driveshafts etc take it? Currently running bpu spec on stock tubbies

any sticky tyres will put strain on drivetrain. you cant expect to get good times if you dont give it some off line. you will sure know when to launches real good. if you break auto gearbox you can pick up a spare box as there is so many about.

you will find street tyres are only so good. my best time on street tyres is 12.5 and best ever 60foot on street tyres is 2.050

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i thought the auto was geared for 196mph looks like john been watching star trek the next generation lol

Yeah, like that guy wearing the K&N filters for glasses :cool:

 

Actually the 220 figure I got from this forum somewhere, but looks roughly correct on my speedo as well (you know, check the revs in 4th gear at 110mph, and then multiply by two)

Perhaps I should have added 'indicated'

 

(I doesn't take much knowledge on cars to know that long gearing doesn't mean jack, if you haven't got the horsepower to pull through it. Toyota here did it for mpg purposes I'd imagine, if they had geared the car 10% shorter it would have been faster overall)

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