TX98Z28

First time buying new wheels and tires for the camaro, checking to see whats going to work best for my application. I've done a good amount of searching and reading around so bare with me. Car will have around 450rwhp, 400rwtq when I'm done building it, 3.89 gears, 6 speed. Will be a daily driver for the most part with spirited weekend drives on safely maintained low traffic back roads.

Front OE Wheels C5 9.5x18, 54mm offset, machined face
Rear OE Wheels C5 DD 10.5x18, 56mm offset, machined face

Would like to go with a true 285/35/18 for the fronts. Must have good Tread wear rating for the fronts, looking to get at least 40,000K out of them was looking at max performance summer but leaning towards an ultra high performance all season for a longer lasting tire.

I have some bridgestone potenza's 960as on my stock wheels and got a solid 35,000K out of them with a lot of tread left on the fronts for example, believe their all season with 400 tread rating, backs are bald of course.

Looking at these for front Continental Extreme Conta CT DWS 06, Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3, Pirelli P Zero Nero All Season, all in 285/35/18.

Would like to go with either a true 315/30/18 or 315/35/18 or 305/35/18 for the rears. I'm concerned with what to go with for the rears? Probably get 8-15K out of them.

Theres the Toyo TQ which I love the size and look but not liking the non reinforced sidewall, heard there mainly for going straight. Also looked at the Toyo R888's in either 315/30/18 or 305/35/18, seem safer when wet and better built side wall but still not the safest in rain, even being careful.

Also looked at Pirelli P Zero Rosso, BFG GForce Rival S, all in 315/30ZR/18.

Lots of choices, I'm stumped, again budget is $1200 give or take $100.

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

With that power and that gearing anything less than a drag radial will spin quite a bit on quality straight line.

TX98Z28

What your thoughts on the Toyo R888's in either 315/30/18 or 305/35/18?
Any recommendations for the fronts?

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

Are you more concerned with handeling or straight line traction?

TX98Z28

I'm concerned with both, but I will drive slow and safe when raining or wet out if wen't with the R888's.

I should add I'm adding a solid 150lbs. to the back with my battery relocation and sound system which should only help with traction.

Guess I'm accepting running a radial with my power goals if thats why it takes to hook going straight, will just have to be very careful when raining wet.

SAPPER

iTrader: (10)

Adding weight to the rear does not help with traction. It helps with unloading the front end weight for launching. A proper pinion angle will help more for traction. But if looking for a good all around tire, look into more of a tire that Auto-X cars use.

My son just put on a new set of Potenza RE760S. So far they hook great when hot and handle great. BTW, he does AutoX with some fun racing on the street and drag strip. If you want to hook hard, you will need a drag dedicated tire. But no such thing as the ultimate all around tire. Close but not 100%.

My wifes car (94 Impala SS) has new Nitto 555's on it. They are very quiet and smooth, handle great on the road when warm but unpredicatble on straight line. Back to back runs it would cut a 1.6 60' or blow the tires off. Same launch style, same rpm, same lane. I did 5 runs back to back. 3 runs blew the tires, 2 runs cut the 1.6's. But the drive on the street is very nice.

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

Gotcha. The R888 is a great choice for what you're wanting but my only concern is that you may not be totally satisfied with the straight line traction....especially from a dig. I've owned both the Toyo TQ and Nitto 555R and for a drag radial they handle surprisingly well and do pretty darn good in the rain too.

TX98Z28

I would think more weight over the rear end/tires would help with traction as it's pushing down the tires into the ground, Hell thats one of the main reasons I put the battery in the back, but did it for under the hood space mainly and to be closer to my amplifiers, I didn't realize it was going to cost me over $300 to do though, a true 370 amp alternator takes a lot of copper wire to safely carry the load all the way to the back. When it's finished I will be able to tell if it made a difference or not, to be honest I replacing the whole suspension and adding power so nothings going to feel the same.

I don't ever plan on going to the drag strip with my car as I'm building it now, eventually I will make it a drag car only but thats going to be awhile after forged motor procharger etc.

I just checked those RE760S Potenza's out those look nice, the 275/35/18 run pretty stout, 10" tread width, will throws those into the mix for $175 a pop.
I will look into the Nittos 555's , haven't looked at them much, heard Nittos run small and either Toyo owns Nitto or the opposite.

TX98Z28

I will look in to the Nitto 555R's. So you were happy with the Toyo TQ driving them on the street? Heard some people say they felt like the tire was going to come off the wheel with it not having the reinforced sidewalls that the R888's are built with.

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

Wow no I never felt that with the TQ at all. It handled just as good as the 555R that I had prior. I only had the TQ on my Mustang (400 rwhp) and I loved it.

TX98Z28

Well this is why I started this thread, there was a lot of people bashing the TQ's on other threads I read about them. One guy said they were so bad he thought they were going to come off the wheel just going around the corner at the stop light, I'm guessing he didn't have much air in them if not flat.

I looked at the Nitto 555R's looks like theres a 305/35/18 a 305/40/18 and 305/45/18 for my wheel size. Guessing the 305/35/18 would be the size for my ride, don't know if the others will fit or if I'd want them 28" is a tall tire.

Looks like I have some good choices got the Toyo TQ, Toyo R888, Nitto 555R….hmm decisions decisions

Captain Slow

I went from some Mickey DR's to R888's with that power and 4:10/t56.

If you're mainly concerned with driving a straight line in the dry and are not opposed to putting your car into oncoming traffic or a ditch when it rains....get the DR's. People suggesting DR's all the time is ridiculous.

TX98Z28

How are the R888's when it rains and your being already cautious, and please describe your version of cautious (45 in a 65 etc.)?

This is my main concern for the rear tires, I'm out its dry bam it starts pouring rain and I have to get home. Ive drove my camaro stock with bald 245/50/16's on the back but not with 450rwhp I plan on making with the build I'm doing, reason I went with 10.5 width for the back and looking at 305/315 for the back to help if not hook when I get on it going straight.

My whole absolute fear with the DR's is it's raining I think I'm going slow enough on the highway/road/etc. around a small turn/bend/curve then the whole rear slides out under me….would not be good.

Deeohgie69

iTrader: (3)

^^^All of this about the TQ's

I've ran the TQ's with almost 400rwhp and now well over 5xxrwhp and they have always handled just fine to me. I honestly have never felt any roll with them while taking curves or anything. My car is lowered and running koni shocks, but I have tested them pretty good on curves and I wouldn't be worried one bit. I usually keep mine aired at 22.5psi all year around for track and street. But have driven them on 19psi and still didn't feel like they were going to fly off the rim lol

As far as the rain, yes, be very careful with them. The TQ's did really well when they were brand new, but once they got around 60% tread life you really had to slow down. Tbh, I wouldn't push any drag radial in the rain. If it's a heavy downpour and I'm on the highway or anywhere that the speed limit is over 35mph, I throw my hazard lights on and stay under 40mph til I can pull off somewhere.

Edit: He's absolutely right about street tires, you'll blow them off everytime you go wot. I had brand new bfg kdw 2's that dead hooked from 5mph on up and barely spin from a dig for a split sec when I was bone stock. After the cam, stall, full exhaust I took a video from a dig of me leaving well over 100ft of black marks and I had to let off because it was getting squirly. It looked like a John Force burnout lol. Even 30 rolls you would be sideways pretty bad and I was only around 390rwhp. Drag radials are a must!!!

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Nitto 555 Extremes up front
Goodyear GS-D3 in the rear

Great combo. Goodyears stick like glue and the Nittos stop awesome in the rain. All 4 will last 15,000 miles.....if you're not smoking the tires all the time.

Or go with Michelin Pilot Sports in the rear.

Either way, you will be way less than $1,200

.

Deeohgie69

iTrader: (3)

Those two tires you mentioned for his rear, won't last 2k miles if he's going wot under 30mph with 450rwhp/400lbs torque. Now if he is going to drive around like a granny until he gets over 30mph and then get in it, he may get 5-6k out of them. Because I still was sideways on street tires at 30mph, so he'll still spin some on 40 rolls.

OP, if you want any traction at all, and you want to even get 8-10k miles out of your car, I'd go for either the Toyo TQ's or the Nitto NT05r's. If you don't put a drag radial on that car, you may as well plan on being mad all the time because all that money you just put in your car will be unusable for lack of traction.

Tires are at the top of the list for a build, without them, it doesn't matter how much power you make, or how good your brake setup is, because they are needed to hold them to the road.

Edit: Nitto 555's up front for sure though.

TX98Z28

They don't make the Goodyears in 18's except for a 235/50/18. I'm looking at the Nitto 555G2, fronts they have a 285/40/18 seems very tall. Also checked the Nitto 555 for fronts they have a 285/35/18 will add that to the choice list.

TX98Z28

Looks like I'm going to need two pairs of rear wheels, 1 pair with say 305/315 with a summer style tire for daily use and another set with some 305/315 TQ/R888/Nitto radials on them to have fun with when dry on weekends etc.

There goes another grand.lol. This hobby is worse on the bank account than a drug addiction.

Deeohgie69

iTrader: (3)

Dude, you're not kidding! There has been many guys, myself included, that have said they wishes they had left it stock lol.

I wasn't trying to be rude about it to anyone of it came off that way, but I just wanted you to know exactly what would happen and what to expect if you put street tires on a car making that much power. I've experiences it first hand and went through way too many sets on my 3rd gen because I didn't buy dr's.

It gets very expensive! But after putting that much money it it to perform, I know that you would want to get traction. There's nothing worse than a guy pulling up next to you and watching him walk away from you because you're spinning. Then if you have enough power to overcome their pull, they let off and stop the race once you close the gap lol. Plus, there's nothing like feeling all that power plant you in the seat on a dead hook!

TX98Z28

I didn't sense you being rude at all. It's good to know I'm going to need two different sets for the back rather than burning through 3 sets or more and finally accepting I just blew another $1000+ and then need to spend $1000 more to get another set of 10.5's with DR's on them.

With as stressful as this build/restoration has become I almost wish I sold it and bought a new 6th Gen. I haven't even installed anything yet either! Just getting the right parts etc. making sure I don't buy things 3 times to get it right and doing my research on parts is driving me insane.

Honestly though I'm past the point of no return, it's my high school muscle car with a lot of good times and memories and I know I would highly regret selling it for the 6th Gen. I can always buy something new in the future but can't always find that camaro I wish I would have never sold 20 years from now. I mean **** I have way over 10K in the drivetrain and suspention without adding the wheels and tires, I'm past the point of no return. It going to be one interesting build thread when I officially start tearing her down.

Looks like I'm just going to buy some 305/315 max summer performance for the back for now, will buy the DR's and other set of wheels for back once car is done and everything is broken in.