Front Runner Drag Wheels: 15, 17 or 18 Inch? Sizes, Tires and Brake Clearance

The right front runner drag wheels are as light and narrow as your brakes allow. Most racers end up with a 15x3.5 or 15x4 wheel on cars with small brakes or spindle kits. Late-model cars that keep large factory brakes usually need a 17x3.5 to 17x4.5 front, or an 18- or 20-inch skinny front. What sets the final size is the front tire you plan to run: its approved rim width and overall diameter decide both the wheel width and how much the nose drops.

This guide to front runner drag wheels walks through those choices in order: diameter (brakes), width (tire rim range), backspacing (centering the tire) and overall diameter (front ride height). Every number in the tables is sourced and linked.

Key facts: front runner sizing

Front runner drag wheels only steer, brake and carry the nose, so every pound and every inch of tread width you remove is a gain at the launch.

• Common 15-inch front: the 28.0x4.5-15 ET Front is 28.0 in tall, 7.2 in wide across the sidewalls and weighs about 13 lb (tiresize.com; retailer listing at 90racing.com).
• 17-inch fronts were created for big brakes: Mickey Thompson added two 17-inch ET Front sizes in 2016 "for late model vehicles with big brakes," according to the press release reproduced by BangShift.
• Watch the rim range on 17-inch tires: the 26x4-17 and 27.5x4-17 ET Front sizes list a 3.5–4 in rim width range (tiresize.com). A 17x4.5 wheel is wider than that range, so it needs a tire approved for 4.5-inch rims.

Step 1: choose a front runner diameter that clears your brakes

Brake clearance, not looks, sets the minimum diameter for front runner drag wheels. A 15-inch front only fits inside small drag brakes or a spindle-mounted brake kit. Large factory calipers on late-model Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers need a 17-inch or larger wheel. That is why tire makers added 17-inch front runner sizes, and why wheel makers now offer 18x5 and 20x5 skinny fronts. In 2023, Dragzine reported a 20x5 front built so racers could keep large factory brake kits.

Before ordering, trace your caliper or use a caliper template, and check the spoke profile as well as the barrel. You can look up hub and bolt data for your car on the Ford Mustang bolt pattern page or the Chevrolet Camaro bolt pattern page.

Step 2: match front runner wheel width to the tire's rim range

The width of front runner drag wheels should sit inside the tire maker's approved rim range, ideally in the middle. A front tire on a rim that is too wide or too narrow can have a distorted sidewall and a poor bead seat, and some tires do not seal properly. The table below lists published specs for common front runner tires.

Source: tiresize.com ET Front size chart. *The 28x4.5-15 rim range comes from a retailer listing (90racing.com), which also gives a recommended width of 4 in. Always confirm with the tire maker before ordering.

For a street-legal option, Mickey Thompson's DOT-approved ET Street Front radials come in 26x6.00R15, 27x6.00R15, 26x6.00R17, 27x6.00R17 and 28x6.00R18. A 6.00-inch section is noticeably wider than a bias-ply ET Front, so plan on a wider wheel for those.

Step 3: set backspacing so the tire is centered

Narrow front runner drag wheels need backspacing that puts the tire's centerline close to where the stock tire sat. If the backspacing is too deep, the wheel can hit the strut, tie rod or caliper. If it is too shallow, the scrub radius grows and the car may wander under braking. Front runner wheels are usually offered with several backspacing choices; one major drag wheel maker lists options from 1.13 to 3.2 inches, so measure before you choose.

To measure, mount the stock wheel, then measure from the hub face to the inner edge of the tire and to the nearest suspension part. Our drag wheel backspacing guide covers the steps, and the offset and backspacing calculator converts between backspacing and offset (ET).

Step 4: check how the tire diameter changes front ride height

Front axle height changes by half the change in tire diameter. That is the radius difference, and it is the number to watch for splitter, header and wheelie-bar clearance. The table compares common tires for front runner drag wheels with a 28.0-inch tire.

A lower nose adds rake. That can help a car's look and aero, but it also reduces ground clearance and changes the front suspension's starting position, so recheck bump travel after a tire change. Speedometers that read from the front wheels will also read high on a smaller front tire.

Front runner drag wheel designs that suit drag cars

Front runners are usually not beadlocked, so the best-looking fronts usually match the rear design without the bolt ring. Matching options in our range include a chrome split 10-spoke forged drag wheel, a black and machined split 10-spoke drag wheel with lettered lip, a gloss black mesh drag wheel with polished riveted lip and a gloss black Y-mesh drag wheel with polished lip. These follow Weld Racing-style and Belak-style designs. Front widths and backspacing are confirmed for each order.

For the rear of the car, see our guides to drag radial vs slick wheel width and S550 and S650 Mustang drag wheel sizes. For the full setup, read the track and drag wheel setup guide.

Related forged drag wheels

See every design in the drag racing wheels range.