I want to make sure that I'm looking at this right, and get some opinions if y'all have any.

I'm going to be mounting some drag radials on a pair of stock aluminum LS Silverado wheels. So far, I've narrowed my choices down to two tires:

M&H Racemaster Radial Drag Race
275/55-16
Sidewall Style: Blackwall
Tire Construction: Radial
Tread Width (in): 8.8
Tire Diameter (in): 28.0
Section Width (in): 10.90
Recommended Rim Width: 9 in.
Roll Out (in): 88.0

Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial
Tire Size: 255/50-16
Tire Construction: Radial
Tread Width (in): 9.7
Tire Diameter (in): 26.0
Section Width (in): 10.30
Tire Size 1: 26.00
Belt Construction: Steel-belted
Tire Compound: R2
Roll Out (in): 82.0

I really want a 27-28" tall tire more for looks than anything, but I'm worried about mounting a 275mm tire on a 7" rim. I think that the MT's would fit the rim better, but it's way too short.

With the 80-e, 4.10's and a 26" tall tire, 3rd gear will be good for about 118mph. With a 28" tall tire, 126mph. Is that really a consideration? The 26" tall tire would put me closer to redline going through the traps, so is that really what I should look at getting?

 

My regular street tires(toyo proxys) were 275/60/16 so that 275/55 should fit if you want the 28" tire. Just fyi, if you are comming out of the hole good, 118 mph should be good for mid 11's

 

i'd go with the et street radial to give you more gearing out the hole.

 

I just want some room to grow. If I ever decide to spray it, I don't wanna have to change tires. I'm planning on having the 80-e done at the same time I get the gears installed, and I am a tiny bit worried about the gearing out of the hole, but won't the 4.10's make up for that?

 

There is also a big difference in a 8.8 and a 9.7 contact patch.

 

I'm confused then...what's the difference between section width and tread width? So even though the M&H is wider overall, the MT has more contact patch hitting the pavement?

 

Section width is the over all width of the tire measured at the side wall on the recomended rim width. Tread width is the actual width of the contact patch. Therefor the M&H is going have round sidewalls where the MT will have a flater sidewall.

 

Would the drag radials for the lightning by Nitto work good? 305 45 18. 28.5" high.

Would need 4.56 gears though. I think the taller wheel and tires would look a lot better.

 

I don't have any 18" rims to mount them on. 4.56 gears would put me topping out 3rd at 116.

 

get the mt's