high impact

iTrader: (5)

My car is a 6spd bolt on, (cam and fast intake to be installed soon) so i bought a set of 15 inch Racestar wheels with 26/10.50/15 Mickey Thompson Et Street tires and radial front tires last fall. I didn't know the issue mixing a bias play and radial caused until I did some research after my first drive. This set of tires wandered like no other set I have ever driven - almost to the point of being dangerous. Now after the tires sat all winter the car will about vibrate you out of the seat - the rear tires are extremely out of round. I was hoping after 20-30 miles they'd straighten out but no luck.

This issue puts me in the market for a street driven drag tire. I only run at the track a couple of times a year but enjoy driving the car on weekends and plan on putting quite a few recreational miles on this summer. I read that the radials aren't forgiving at the track but seem to be such a great choice for street driving. I have considered either the Nitto 555r or Et Street radial after seeing guys run at the track but they all had autos. I am hoping hose with experience will help guide this weekend warrior on tire choice. Thanks!

Scarface20_03

iTrader: (1)

I had a set of 275/50x15 ET Street Radials on my h/c/i 6 spd SS. I really liked them for going to the drag strip and cruising around on wknds. Can't really touch on the 555r's much as I have no experience with them other than a buddy had a set on his 6 spd 402 ci TA and didn't care much for them.

JDEP162

Ive had good hook on the nitto 555r at the track with bolt ons, nitrous wasnt steup right, so cant say what more hp wud work like, but seem great compared to street tires for sure.

mjs1012

iTrader: (36)

I run a Toyo TQ drag radial in my stalled/bolt on car which is a good medium between the 555r and et street. They drive great on the street and hook well. For the price (cheaper than both the Et street and 555r) you cant beat it.

87silverbullet

iTrader: (11)

You couldn't give me a set of M/T ET streets. The drag radial is a yes but the bias ply is a no. They sway all over no matter what. If you look at M/T's website they say you must run a tube in them and I know guys who do run the tubes and they say the sway goes away. I'm not spending money on tires and tubes if I can just spend money on tires and that's why I went with Hoosiers.

Last time I checked M/T site says to run tubes in any of their tires and Hoosier's site said you can if you want to. I have switched to Hoosier and never looked back. Whether it is their drag radial or drag slick I haven't had any problems.

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

I drove a few miles down the road on a pair of those and promptly sold them.

I like both the ET radials and the nitto 555R but the Nittos are too damn narrow. I've started just buying the ET streets but wouldn't mind trying some Hoosiers on my extra wheels

1320Chicken

iTrader: (4)

Hoosiers work well but you're pretty well screwed if you get caught in the rain. I'm running et street radials now and so far no complaints.

high impact

iTrader: (5)

Just picked up car from tire shop - they spun the rear tires on the wheels 180 degrees and balanced them . MUCH BETTER! Vibration is gone but the handling issue is still there. I have no tubes in these and was told not to run any even though they are tube type tires. I guess the question remains, buy tubes and try to keep these or buy radials and take my chance with traction at the line.

It sounds like a few guys have successfully ran radials with a 6 speed

Scarface20_03

iTrader: (1)

My buddy who tried the 555r's ended up with the Toyo's and they brought his car off the line like a rocket....street or strip it didn't matter. I really liked a radial on my stick car. A lot of ppl shy from them because of the work involved. It takes a little bit more playing with the tire pressure to get them to hook right on a stick car but it can be done. I ran mine anywhere from 20-15 psi depending on track prep. I wouldn't mind trying another brand but when I go to buy tires I always end up with the MT's. Guess that's why I have them on my Z-28 as we speak lol. I always wanted to give the M&H Racemasters a go around to see how they performed.

ls1 1990 VN

ET Streets for the strip only, I use with radial fronts 'should have cross plys' if the pressures are at 13psi cold the car will wander dangerously due to front radials. I usually start with 18psi.
Wouldn't for a second consider using these on the street, race tyre only.

Iceman02

iTrader: (1)

I must be lucky. I have been driving my ET Street bias plys quite a bit. No swaying, no flat spotting. I have a 15mile one way commute to work. I don't run tubes, and the tires leak down less than one lb per week( weather can do that).
I had ET drag radials. They ride nice and wear okay, but have junk traction for a 6 speed car. That's why I switched. Obviously the wear life of these bias plys wont be great, but I bought them for traction not long life.
What I learned using slicks was this: make sure you get a matched set that are the same circumference, and get a good balance job. Haven't had any problems since I started making sure of that.

dannyz

Bullshit bullshit bullshit and more bullshit.
I have been running bias ply MT/ET streets for 3 years now on stock 16" rims with radial tires up front, and have NEVER encountered the the crap thats been posted regarding these tires on the street.
They tend to follow the grooves on the road more then a radial tire, but thats about it.
Anyone here who lives within driving distance of Olympia wa. who wants to go for a quick spin with me is welcome to do so.
Then you too can make a post on this forum and hopefully help bring an end to the negative hype thats been posted time and time again about these tires.

dannyz

No, your just someone who actually has the bias ply MT/ET streets and are not falling into the "mob mentality" that so often is the case on these forums.
I also do not run tubes. What I did before I had them mounted was wipe down the entire inner tire with dawn dishwashing soap. Let it sit for 24 hours then had them mounted. The only time these tires lose air is when I drop the pressure myself.

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

For me it doesn't have a damn thing to do with "mob mentality". It had to do with me putting the tires on the car and it wagging it's *** around like a retarded puppy. By 50mph the sway was down right scary. It could have been lack of tubes or tire pressure vs weight of the car or just the imbalance of medium width radials in front and bias ply in back.

It is clearly not cut and dry and I do know plenty of people who run them with good luck like you do, but my experience was not positive so it wasn't worth my time and effort to try to tame them down.

87silverbullet

iTrader: (11)

I don't know what to tell but that I drove my Buick T-Type 100 miles to the track on them and fought my car the whole way swaying.

I can't tell you how many more people I know who don't run them anymore. I guess you're one of the dying breed that still does.

dannyz

Then clearly you were way under inflated or your wheels were too narrow for the width of your bias plys.

dannyz

And it is because of people like you embelishing the fact's that makes others afraid to either try them or simply repeat what rumor's they have heard.

Guitar

iTrader: (9)

Dude, you need to calm the **** down. People have different opinions. How are you going to say someone didn't feel what they felt or had the experience they've had? Even my ET Street Radials handle like **** on the street (as in turns), even though they do fine just cruising. They also vibrate like a mother, but that is likely because they were balanced at 40psi and they are normally run at 20+ish.

ls1 1990 VN

It's good to see you are having positive results from using them on the street.
You seem to be lucky.
When it comes down to it, why the *** would you even want to run bias ply tyres with radials on the street when you should be running bias on the front as well.
You sound like a young school kid full of bravado but little else

87silverbullet

iTrader: (11)

So I have one person in you who likes them and I have numerous friends and street racers who have used them and don't like them so they switch and you say I am embelishing the facts when the facts are laid out in front of you.

ET streets are old technology anyway. There are too many tires out there that are better to use.

I'm not going to tell nobody not to buy them, it is their choice. Hell, I own a shop and I am M/T and Hoosier dealer so I can sell you all the MT ET streets you want because nobody else is buying them. I use Hoosiers from years of experience of street and track racing and they work the best for both.

Do you work for M/T because you are sure taking this personal?