Corvette Performance - Which drag radials?

Which drag radials would you put on a stock Z06 wheel (18")??? Most of your driving will be on streets, maybe a trip to the track once a month... maybe. Rains... uh, still waiting on it to do that here. So, which would be best?

Nitto 305
BFG 315
MT? ( can you get these in an 18?)
any others?

I was very pleaaed with my last set of bfg's great traction wet and dry.... They really hook

I was very pleaaed with my last set of bfg's great traction wet and dry.... They really hook

you actually got wet traction with the BFG Drag radials?

These...
http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/images/catalog/tires/gforce_drag_radial_large.jpg

The BFGs willl hook better at the track but wont last and defintely suck in the rain. Same with the mickeys. The nittos will net you about 15,000 - 20,000 miles and work well in the rain along with great street traction. They also work pretty decent at the track if you heat em up real well....

hmm... i'm really thinking i'm going to sell my rear wheels and buy some 12.5's with 335's now :-\

i vote mt but i have them on 17's. i may grab some bfg's and throw them on my 18's and see how much i like them. 275mt or 315bfg....

Nittoes are great for a daily driver but the MTs hook the best.

Nittoes are great for a daily driver but the MTs hook the best.

If i can't sell my factory Z06 rear wheels with current tires (probably good for one hell of a burn out), i'm thinking i'm going with the nittos.

Nittoes are great for a daily driver but the MTs hook the best.

Agree completely! The BFGs are great, but watch out in the rain!

On my daily I run 335 Nitto DRs. They are a good all round tire that will allow me to drive in the rain if I get caught in a rain storm.

On my daily I run 335 Nitto DRs. They are a good all round tire that will allow me to drive in the rain if I get caught in a rain storm.

I know the nitto's run small, but can a 335 nitto fit on a factory z06 wheel?

I saw a set of the NITTO 555s on a buddy's car and they look like a damn good tire, so I may try those next.

Micah

I use Nittos and am VERY pleased with them. After about 3,000 miles of 22 - 25 psi, there is only a slight sign of ware. This is includes normal driving, constant 80 mph cruising on the freeway, a 300 mile “fun run” with some supras, spirited driving on back roads, and countless runs on my G-tech. I’ll continue to use the Nittos and highly recommend them.

Wet conditions are by no means “great,” but as long as you’re aware of it, you should have no problems. I’d say they handle “like most cars do” in wet weather on the freeway. Just slow down a bit and everything should be fine. It rains like hell here in Houston! :D

i use nitto's- they hook great on the street

I know the nitto's run small, but can a 335 nitto fit on a factory z06 wheel?



No they can not. I have aftermarket wheels.

The BFGs willl hook better at the track but wont last and defintely suck in the rain. Same with the mickeys. The nittos will net you about 15,000 - 20,000 miles and work well in the rain along with great street traction. They also work pretty decent at the track if you heat em up real well....



werd.

I know the nitto's run small, but can a 335 nitto fit on a factory z06 wheel?

The nitto 335s DO NOT RUN SMALL, but they will fit on a factory Z06 rim...barely. ;) I run em....the outside width of my tires are not used however...

The nitto 335s DO NOT RUN SMALL, but they will fit on a factory Z06 rim...barely. ;) I run em....the outside width of my tires are not used however...


Thats very dangerous. I ran 335s nitto drs on a stock rim for about a week and it was not safe at all. I wouldnt have even ran them that long but thats how long it took to get my new wheels shipped in.

Thats very dangerous. I ran 335s nitto drs on a stock rim for about a week and it was not safe at all. I wouldnt have even ran them that long but thats how long it took to get my new wheels shipped in.


I tend to agree with 2 much rice.... When I ran my bfg drags on my camaro... they were a little too wide and they were just fine for about 2k and then the tread just randomly seperated from the sidewall right at the crease from them being too wide... It looked badass but they didnt last long like that, the tires had little to no were and surprisinlgy enough I did get good wet traction. Although with these ls1's its hard not to drive it like you stole it. :)

hmm... i'm really thinking i'm going to sell my rear wheels and buy some 12.5's with 335's now :-\

You dont gain much traction by going to 335s. My 335 Mich pilot sports can not even touch the 295 BFGs when it comes to traction. Night and day difference. If it was not for rain and tire wear, I would leave the BFGs on there 24/7.

I use Nittos and am VERY pleased with them. After about 3,000 miles of 22 - 25 psi, there is only a slight sign of ware. This is includes normal driving, constant 80 mph cruising on the freeway, a 300 mile “fun run” with some supras, spirited driving on back roads, and countless runs on my G-tech. I’ll continue to use the Nittos and highly recommend them.

Wet conditions are by no means “great,” but as long as you’re aware of it, you should have no problems. I’d say they handle “like most cars do” in wet weather on the freeway. Just slow down a bit and everything should be fine. It rains like hell here in Houston! :D

I agree . I have them on my 02 vert. and have over 10k miles on them.They stick pretty good at the strip also if you heat them up.I have run 1.6xx 60 ft times with them.I run 28psi on the street and 16 psi at the track.

Thats very dangerous. I ran 335s nitto drs on a stock rim for about a week and it was not safe at all. I wouldnt have even ran them that long but thats how long it took to get my new wheels shipped in.

I have about 6000 miles on mine. No problems whatsoever....I ran 335 pilot sports before they fit about right. Ran those for 20,000 miles with no problems. I would have went with a 305 Nitto but I got the 335s used with less than 300 miles cheap.... I keep them at 22psi all the time. What made you think it wasnt safe? Did you have problems?

What made you think it wasnt safe?
The minimum wheel width for a 335 tire is 11.5 inches. That's why it isn't safe on stock wheels.

M/t's will hook the best but have least tread life. Then bfg's, then nittons. I have owned bfg's and nitto's, and the nitto was a much better tire for the money. Tire lasted 15-20k miles, depending on how many burnouts, which is easily 4 times longer then a bfg will last. Also like everyone else said, if you get stuck in rain, nitto's are driveable, bfg's and mt's will suck.

I had bfg's on my 750hp camaro and they were pretty slippery for how heavy that car was..

I have nittos on my 900hp vette and they seem to hook great. If it's 100+ ambient air temp, thye'll hook in first gear from a slow roll :)

The minimum wheel width for a 335 tire is 11.5 inches. That's why it isn't safe on stock wheels.

Yep thats the specs..... Again Im not worried.

Even a 305 on a stock wheel is going to have alot of bulge to it.

I've had both. It depends on how much you drive your car.

Nittos = Hook good, good dry traction, has good wet traction, lasts around 10-12k miles.

BFGs = Hook AWESOME, GREAT dry traction, no-so-good wet traction, lasts 4-8k miles.

Mike

i ran 335 mich with no problems, on a 10.5, just bought some nittos 335, and the width for them are 13.1 to the mich 13.6!

i ran 335 mich with no problems, on a 10.5, just bought some nittos 335, and the width for them are 13.1 to the mich 13.6!

Thats funny. My Mich Pilot Sport 335 18s were actually a bit narrower than the 335 Nittos.....

I've tried most every tire. Right now I'm running 555r2 on all corners. They hook good, fine in the rain, are z rated to 186 mph and handle awesome. When I was cam only I took a few passes on them and cut a 1.70 with little practice. Even though they are Road Race tires they will be good for 1.6x's with the proper technique. Nittos typically need alot of heat. They tend to lose traction in cold weather moreso than other sticky tires.

What are the major differences between the Nitto DRs and the Nitto R2s? :confused: I know the latter is the road race tire, so wouldn't it be better suited for the street (wear, wet traction, handling?)
I'm thinking of going to the 305 Nitto R2s from a 295 Kumo MX, but was not sure how much tradeoff I would have to make on handling and wet traction for an unknown difference in traction. :drive:

If you want long life, good traction and good rain characteristics I suggest the Nittos. The BFG's and Mickeys will hook the best, but will wear very quickly compared to the Nittos.

What are the major differences between the Nitto DRs and the Nitto R2s? :confused: I know the latter is the road race tire, so wouldn't it be better suited for the street (wear, wet traction, handling?)
I'm thinking of going to the 305 Nitto R2s from a 295 Kumo MX, but was not sure how much tradeoff I would have to make on handling and wet traction for an unknown difference in traction. :drive:
Yes , you are correct. On high hp cars guys run the nitto drag radials out back for that extra bit of traction. Apparently they handle fine also, just not at extreme maneuvers. I personally don't want sidewall flex at 100+ around a bend but even the dr will probably be fine. Kumo makes a great tire also.

You will likely feel that the nitto handles slightly better, hooks considerably better, wears faster, and is not as good in the rain especially when the tread is less than half. Always tradeoffs.

IMO the nitoo 555r2 is the best all around performer for 450 -550 rwhp. Opinions will vary. I always drive very slow if I get caught in the rain anyway. In the colder months the traction drops off on the nitto's unless your able to warm them up by driving for a while. The kumo's are no slouches either. DJworm(an experienced road race guy) has a good writeup
about various tires on the Zo6 forum. That's about all I got.

For track only, MT ET Streets 275 40 17 are hard to beat. My car did a 1.70 on the OEM clutch before I upgraded to an aussie. They fit perfect on an OEM front Z rim, and it is the hot set up for the drags.

Street strip... I have run the BFG in an 18 and they are better on the street then the MT IMO, but both are no fun in the rain, but the BFGs take it better.

I have not run the nittos but I have heard they are a great street tire, but have seen them suck @ the track.

Bluff if you want a very good track tire, MT. If you want a good street tire, nittos. Good luck! :chug:
Dave

I havent tried the mickeys but the B.F.Gs hook up real nice, and you ar'nt realy looking for milage when you buy a tire for the track! I definitly would take the B.F.Gs over the nittos!

I daily drive on 315 BFGs and have no trouble with my power.

On CF guys complain about wheel hop via drag radials. Do you guys have problems with wheel hop as well?

I had some 315 BFG's on my old 18x12's and they hooked great. I think part of it though had to do with the 18x12 rims being chrome/repos which where heavy as shit. Now I am running my stock rims and I am considering putting some 295 BFG's on there. One question though...not trying to steal the thread: Which BFG front tires match the tread pattern of the rear drag radials?

just a little physics lesson if people are wondering to go with 305 vs 335 the width of the tire does not help traction, it is the coeffecient of friction. That being said the two tires usually are made of the exact compound which means they have the same coeffecient of friction.

just a little physics lesson if people are wondering to go with 305 vs 335 the width of the tire does not help traction, it is the coeffecient of friction. That being said the two tires usually are made of the exact compound which means they have the same coeffecient of friction.

So, theoretically... you could have a 215 tire, and a 315 tire made from the same compound... and they'd hook the same?

I understand that there is not much difference in width between a 305 and a 335.

But i still believe the 335 would hook better than the 305.

So, theoretically... you could have a 215 tire, and a 315 tire made from the same compound... and they'd hook the same?

I understand that there is not much difference in width between a 305 and a 335.

But i still believe the 335 would hook better than the 305.

Yes I am the only exception is the wider the tire the softer compound you are able to use due to the larger amount of rubber to support the weight. It sounded extremely weird to me at first also.

I have run both the Nitto 555R's and the BFG Drag Radials....

BFG's hook up better, no question about it....I'm running the 555R's right now on my Z06, as they came with the car....

Tread life is great, but I dont get good traction even N/A, so there is no way I will use them once I get the nitrous setup finished.

Like I said, tread life is great and they handle better in tight turns, but they are definitely behind the BFG's traction-wise...

just a little physics lesson if people are wondering to go with 305 vs 335 the width of the tire does not help traction, it is the coeffecient of friction. That being said the two tires usually are made of the exact compound which means they have the same coeffecient of friction.

Sorry but it does not work like this. Yes for the sliding block comparison mass and friction coefficient are all that you have to worry about, but tires are different for 2 reasons. 1) A wider tire helps distribute the vehicle weight better 2) During a launch the rubber tire is not sliding but is actually seeing shear stress. The rubber and road are under shear. Shear stress is dependent upon the area, so the larger the area the less the stress will be and the more traction that you get. If it was simply rubber compound and friction coefficient, we would be running skinnies in the rear.

Sorry but it does not work like this. Yes for the sliding block comparison mass and friction coefficient are all that you have to worry about, but tires are different for 2 reasons. 1) A wider tire helps distribute the vehicle weight better 2) During a launch the rubber tire is not sliding but is actually seeing shear stress. The rubber and road are under shear. Shear stress is dependent upon the area, so the larger the area the less the stress will be and the more traction that you get. If it was simply rubber compound and friction coefficient, we would be running skinnies in the rear.

but a wider tire allows for a softer compound due to the weight which i stated in my second post

BFG drag radials hooks better than the Nitto's for sure. MT's are equal to the BFG and they are coming out with 345/30/18 in December, which is going on my car. I'm currently running a Toyo RA1 335, which is a road racing tire that gets me little traction. On a kick down it hooks above 70 mph.

My Nittos are going on two years old and still look great. They are decent in the rain and were driven to the track and ran a 1.7 in the 60'.....I'll take it.

My Nittos are going on two years old and still look great. They are decent in the rain and were driven to the track and ran a 1.7 in the 60'.....I'll take it.

What size are you running? I am about to order some and wanted the BFG's but with a A4 I figure the nittos will work just fine. I have the stock 5 spoke wheel on mine.

Never mind just saw your post on another thread that answered my ?

just picked up some 17" et streets for the track. Going to use the stock tires F1's, car only has 6900 miles on it, for normal everyday driving. Then at the track put on the et streets and get the 11's for sure. Nittos in my opinion are the better all around tire, longer lasting. At the track the M/t et street radials seem to hookup good. My friend has them on his SS. Haven't seen anybody run the bfgoodrich, I have heard that they hook up good though.

I'm gonna be getting a custom set of wheels for some 345 BFG DR's.

has anyone used the Nitto 555r's?

I noticed on their website they have several different DR's .. The 555's are a general all around DR for autocross, street, track, road etc. and then they have special ones like the 555R which are more for drag racing.

Does anyone know what the widest 555 i could fit under my car on 18" Y2ks as i would need correct speedometer readings?

Considering they are for drag only would anyone think i'd be better off using a 17" wheel instead?

i assume these fit fine as teh rear brakes have miles of clearance.

NT-555 is a street radial (A good quality tire with all around capabilities), NT-555R, A Drag Radial which is for street/track (I run these all year long in 285/35/18 size), NT-555RII is an autocross tire with a stiffer sidewall than the drag radials and they have NT-01 which is strictly a dry/track tire, which offers the most grip under the right conditions. I think that for me to change I would need to see what Mickey Thompson comes out with in 18" sizes. Hope that helps.

BFG drag radials hooks better than the Nitto's for sure. MT's are equal to the BFG and they are coming out with 345/30/18 in December, which is going on my car. I'm currently running a Toyo RA1 335, which is a road racing tire that gets me little traction. On a kick down it hooks above 70 mph.you mean MT is coming out with a 345?

I have the Nitto 305 DR's in the back for street driving. The few times I went to the track with them I was really disappointed. I could not get it to hook for shit. Couldn't get anything better than a 2.0 60.

I ended up buying a set of Z06 17's and put some ET streets on them. Now you are talkin.... Air them down to 12 psi and it's hard NOT to get anything below a 2.0. I have pulled a 1.69 60 on the stock clutch and numerous 1.7's and 1.8's. Only issue is it gets a bit squirly doing 120 down the track.

Also, being that the strip is only 30 miles from home, I can slap them on at home and drive with them to and from.

I have heard that the MT street radials are pretty damn good too.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

I'm intrested on who has wheelhop on what tires, and how bad.

Ran 315s BFGs on my Vette and loved them.

you mean MT is coming out with a 345?

Yes, a 345/xx/18 and a 305/xx/18. It's probably going to be April before they're available.

315 BFGs here and at this power level anything less sticky breaks loose at 100mph.

I don't understand why so many vette guys are worried about spending $500 on tires every 10K miles, I mean you own a fricking vette and you're being cheap on tires? I'd rather spend that money knowing I'll be hooked up than be cheap and maybe spin into a wall from losing traction.

315 BFGs here and at this power level anything less sticky breaks loose at 100mph.

I don't understand why so many vette guys are worried about spending $500 on tires every 10K miles, I mean you own a fricking vette and you're being cheap on tires? I'd rather spend that money knowing I'll be hooked up than be cheap and maybe spin into a wall from losing traction. I agree

Yes, a 345/xx/18 and a 305/xx/18. It's probably going to be April before they're available.

The 305 will probably be too wide for my 18x9.5 Magnesiums. Hopefully they also release a 295 otherwise it looks like another set of Nitto's or BFG's for me. :drive:

has anyone used the Nitto 555r's?

I noticed on their website they have several different DR's .. The 555's are a general all around DR for autocross, street, track, road etc. and then they have special ones like the 555R which are more for drag racing.

Does anyone know what the widest 555 i could fit under my car on 18" Y2ks as i would need correct speedometer readings?

I have the 305's on factory 18" Y2K wheels fit perfect, on my 3-4 set
best 60ft 1.5x, my car is lowered 2-3 inches, does not rub

Nitto 555s are very street friendly.

I have the nittos havent mounted them yet. I hear they handle well in the rain.

I had 315 BFGs on the stock Z06 rims and the car floated, was very unpredictable and downright dangerous at 70+ mph on the street in a straight line, never mind corners. I would strongly advise against it. 305 Nittos will fit the stock wheels, 335s on a 10.5 rim sounds like a really stupid move.

Nitto 555r 305/35-18. Pump up the air pressure on the street (35-39lbs) and they act almost like auto-x tires.

http://www.re3.hopto.org/frcdyno/3sm.JPG

Nittos should last longer on the street and still provide adequate launches at the track.

Just put on a set of 305/35/18 Nittos Nt555r drag radials on the Z this weekend. I have them at 24 psi. At 28psi the car would not hook that good on the street. My friend had a set for his t/a. He had them at 32psi and after a few thousand miles the center of the tire wore out. He put them down to 25psi and they lasted for 14,000 miles total on them. Tested the tires out last night when it was cool. When the tires warmed up a bit they hooked great. Plus they have a lot less road noise than the stock tires. Btw at 24psi cold, got it up to 150mph last night with no vibrations or problems, car stuck to the road!

btw checked on the M/t's. They don't make them for 18" rims.

all i will run is MTs my dad had BFGs not even close to mine. a freind had nittos and they were in the middle. i should say that if you do long distance driving you will burn the MT up very fast. i drove them in rain and they did very well. i also didnt drive like a moron. i did vote the MT but if you dont hit the track that much or do drive a bunch on the street go NITTO

nittos= high millage street driving mild track

MT= low millage min street awesome track duty.

BFG= ummmmm... i have not seen any good my buddie totalled his 02 ann yellow TA in a mist on the interstate going slow, dad couldnt hook his vette on them for shit. buddie i worked with had a 10LX mustang and he hated them same 60ft as his street tires......

Well,......now Im convenced,.....I do not need to drive on my track tires as I will not be going every weekend,... I have a small army in tow when I do go to the track,.......ALL the tools at the track, air,....guns,....jacks and stands,...I do not drive in the rain,.....and sence I do not need to "wear" them all the time,....presumebly "just in case",......Im not worried about mileage sooooo,.....the new Toyo drag slick?? Its cheep and who cares if it doesnt last I only need it to last the summer and maybe 20 passes. Oh,.....ya,....and "chicks dig em"!!!

my buddy has an 02 ZO6 with nitto d/r's and his hooks real well on the street. i have them on my GN too.

All my friends are using Nitto's 555R including myslef, they are good and u can get a set for let than $400 out the door brand new, if u need info on a set, PM me later.

Guys i want to see some pictures please :eyes:
any body got pictures of 315 BFG on a Z06?

I have a set M/T's 18" 305 35r et street radials coming, so yes you can get them in an 18. I hope they solve my lack of traction problem. Good luck. Pm me in a few weeks and I'll let you know how they worked out.

Ran 315s BFGs on my Vette and loved them.

I am currently running 315 BFGs on my DD and love them. If they lasted longer and got better wet traction they would be the only tire I would run!

Guys i want to see some pictures please :eyes:
any body got pictures of 315 BFG on a Z06?

http://a178.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/107/l_1d4a5b0bcab73058015b9cee234eed31.jpg

http://a521.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/84/l_c462a5822a3dff872ae6abcd9d6d0120.jpg

M/T's were on permanent back order so I went with Nitto DR's. They hook great on the street and can't wait to try them at the track.

335 Nitto DR's on my car, they hook ok for the power I make.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-7/39141/1999CorvetteFRC750rwhpProfile.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-7/39141/1999CorvetteFRC750rwhp-DriverSide.JPG