Slicks at launch with picture?

After reading the post Cody put up about his truck launching, I tried to slow mo some videos of my truck with not much success.
So last Saturday the track photographer took this great shot of my truck launching. It has me alittle worried.
Guys the slicks are 29.5x10.50 and I'm running 8psi in them.
Here's a link to the picture. Does the slick look ok or????
Thanks as always
mike
http://artactiongraphics.com/2011_Track-Photos/10-11_Oct/10-08-11/IMG_6185.jpg

I'd say it needs more air.

x2..........try 12psi. i like to run all i can,makes the far end work good.

More air for sure.

More air. Do you run tubes? Stiff sidewall slick would also help with the weight of your truck.

Maybe all of the above and a two inch wider rim too.

Thanks guys.
I'm still new at this drag racing stuff but that slick just didn't look right to me.
The last time I tried running 10psi or above the rear would bounce and unload causing the truck to spin. The rear is kinda stiff with 175lb springs.
Guess it's time to take a stab at tuning the rear suspension.
Anyone have any 12" 150lb coilover springs laying around?

Oh and no tubes in the slicks Jason.

from my experance this year low psi causes tire shake.the moor psi i use say 11.5 is what worked for me the less tire shake i had.it lookes to me that you have good weight transfer on the start as is with the 175 springs.what shocks are you useing and what are your 60ft times?

Hey Larry
The shocks are cheapos http://www.competitionengineering.com/catalog/CategoryDisplay.asp?CatCode=12765
The truck is a no budget deal so I'm lucky to have the ones I have.
My 60ft times are normally mid 1.5's to low 1.6's. A 1.47 60ft is my best so far
mike

Air pressure & cheap shocks are probably working off of/aggravating each other.

Low slick air pressure can sometimes be somewhat of a band-aid for cheap rear shocks/extension valving too loose/compression valving too tight/springs too stiff. The low air pressure/mushy sidewalls absorb some more of the loose/exaggerated/violent initial suspension hit that a slick with higher (more correct) air pressure would fight & possibly cause "bounce back" up toward the vehicle. That's probably why the truck bounced more with increased (better) slick air pressure numbers.

But the low air pressure increases the chance of "over wadding" the sidewalls (like in the pic) and possibly around into the tread surface/running over the wrinkles. Add to that an increasing chance of top end walk with low air pressure and it's not much of an "all around" band-aid.

Getting better "real" drag race shocks & adjusting slick air pressure, shock valving, (and possibly spring rate) all together as a combo is probably an idea to think about.

Or rear spring too soft will also contribute to the rear unloading?

Ok guys, last saturday I tried more air pressure. It's the only thing I could change since I don't have different shocks or springs.
I made 5 passes at 11.5psi and did alright. My 60ft times were off but not by alot (mid 1.6's). Normal is hight 1.5's to low 1.6's.
My et and mph were about normal 11.94,11.97,12.04,12.07,12.01 at 108 to 110mph. The 11.xx passes were early in the morning.
The big thing I noticed was the lack of azz wiggle on the big end.
Saturday I decided to bracket race and didn't fare so well . The last pass I dialed a 12.04 and ran the 12.01. The truck crossed the stripe ahead of the other guy by .103.
I think I'll stick to index racing
Hopefully I can get some decent shocks and new slicks by spring.

.103?????????????????? Thats about 15' We'll have to teach you how to shorten up your win margin. LOL

I need to learn curt!! lol
The guy in the other lane ran a 10.41.
I looked in my mirror then turned to look back. He was catching up fast.
Guess I should have dialed in the # I was shooting for all year "12.00"

OH well. You have been doing very good at your index racing. Keep up the good work.

Don't beat yourself up, bracket racing like anything has a learning curve.

My first bunch of bracket races driving a friend's car I almost screwed up a "sure" round win when something happened to the much faster roadster I was racing (he broke or spun bad). I had planned to run the car out the back door & not even look over my shoulder for it because I expected the race was going to be an "at the stripe" deal.

But lucky for me it finally dawned on my last working brain cell that I couldn't hear him coming. I finally looked around for him at the last minute & got on the brakes, I barely avoided the breakout. It was funny, I had won the round but was pissed I almost fukked up damn ugly.

Dave I'm ok with how the day went. I got to make some passes with the increased air pressure.
Here is a picture of the truck from that day with 11.5psi in the slicks.
Does the slick look better or should I say ok in this pic?
mike

f250mike wrote:Does the slick look better or should I say ok in this pic?

From that angle & lighting it is a little harder to see all of the slick's details. But it does appear to be "better" than before. It does look like the sidewall is wadding up more evenly an looks much less likely to be on the verge of running over it's own wrinkles like it was before.

The real question is was the 60ft/pass better or worse than before. As has been said a 1000 times before, every car/combo is different. So regardless of any suggestions anyone might make, if after testing a given car/combo was actually found to be faster with the so called "wrong" looking setup, the so called wrong setup is actually the "better" setup to use (for that given car/application).

I would try MT drag radials. I don't 60ft as good as you on motor (mid 1.6s) and im footbraking but I have been in the high 1.4s with nitrous and leaf springs. I loose 2 tenths on motor with the same diameter slicks over a radial. Try to borrow a set you will not be disappointed.