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Poll: Do/did you like nitto drag radials?

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Old 03-24-2007, 11:26 AM
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Default Poll: Do/did you like nitto drag radials?

There is a lot of bashing of nittos and it is my feeling that some people are bashing them and have never tried them on. Only vote if you have ran a set for at least a week on a car.

Basically i think they will be perfect for my cam/bolton/suspension/m6 ls1. They will hook better than any other street tire, they will last at least a couple seasons. I think they will give enough traction wise to spin em over on occasion. I am scared to run e/t streets as i fear they will suck in the rain, will only last one summer, and definately blow my rearend.

Do you Like your nittos or not? (i will run 275/40/17 btw)
Old 03-24-2007, 11:42 AM
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I wouldnt even waste my time with the nitto's. On the street you have to heat them up forever. I love my M/T et streets.
Old 03-24-2007, 12:10 PM
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I had them on my procharged C5. Sure they grabbed when they warmed up but they always felt as if the sidewall walked a bit when cornering and even changing lanes (they were 305/35 18's i believe) . Took for ever to get them warm, forget rain yea you can drive with them in it but its not fun. You can do anything if you HAVE to. And in teh cooler months it just plain blows. I would just assume run street tires, they last longer and when warm grab well enough that I can get moving. If I am going to run DR's I jsut assume spend the money on a set of MT's, or something for use there only.
Old 03-24-2007, 01:24 PM
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I really liked my 555Rs. They didn't last long (but no DR will). I was running a 245 50 R16 on the stock rims for my old Z/28 and I could tell a huge difference from the old street tires. My SS has normal street tires on it now, and I can tell a huge difference in traction.

The rain was never a problem for me, but (after a bad wreck I had in college) I drive very carefully in the rain no matter what car I am in....But snow and ice was IMPOSSIBLE for me!
Old 03-24-2007, 01:57 PM
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I daily drove a set of Nitto DRs for about a year. They grip well when new, but after a few thousand miles...not so much. They are not good for the rain. After I a got a new set of rims for my car, I decided to run regular street tires. I have a set of Welds and E/T Streets for the drag strip. If you're looking for a dual purpose tire for the street/strip, DRs will compromise street safety and don't always perform the best at the track (mostly referring to Nittos).

I would recommend buying a cheap set of salad shooters and mount some MT Drag Radials or E/T Streets on them for the track use. Best of both worlds, and no compromises in performance.
Old 03-24-2007, 03:21 PM
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I have a set on my car and they hook very well on the street. 4000 stall with a 2.6 STR and they will dead hook from a 10 MPH roll. At the track, they didn't quite measure up. I cut a best of 1.77, but I was having to launch easy. I would use them again for the street though. They work well in the rain as well, I just drive carefuly.
Old 03-24-2007, 03:46 PM
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I ran 245's DD from last spring through fall. I am really debating whether to do so again or get some hp summer street tires. In sptie of my reservations about Nittos, I'm afraid that I'll hopelessly broil ANY street tires and be unhappy with them.

What I liked about them:
1. Hooked pretty well on the street.
2. Handled pretty well in the rain (with good tread).

What I didn't like about them:
1. Hooked poorly at the track. MT's are far superior.
2. Fling pebbles and road debris against inner fenderwells terribly - MT's don't do this.
3. Squishy when cornering.
4. Centers wore down much faster than outside.
5. They are SO SMALL!
Old 03-25-2007, 12:27 AM
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I had those on my DD for over a year and I thought they did hooked very well. I never had problems in any type of weather but they didn't last very many miles.
Old 03-25-2007, 12:46 AM
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Originally Posted by RevGTO
2. Fling pebbles and road debris against inner fenderwells terribly - MT's don't do this.
3. Squishy when cornering.
4. Centers wore down much faster than outside.
5. They are SO SMALL!
I agree with all of this. The road debris these things threw up on my car made me cringe. Also, they do run very narrow.
Old 03-25-2007, 12:51 AM
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I had them on the car and had no complaints. I cut a 1.69 sixty ft at the track and on the street they lasted two years of being beat on. They are probably the worst for all out traction out of all the other brands MT,BFG,Hoosier but will last the longest on the street.

Not a bad tire at all just depends on what you want more.
Old 03-25-2007, 02:44 AM
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have a set of 275/40/18 555's for about 3.5 years now. Still got another 5-6 months left of tread in them. Overall very happy even with the occasional Autox event. I dont go around burning tire everywhere, but I do some spirited driving and may buy another set of nittos for my other rims.

PS: THESE ARE NOT 555R's, these are normal compound

Last edited by ultraz; 03-25-2007 at 10:14 PM.
Old 03-25-2007, 02:44 AM
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PS, there is no need to HEAT UP 555's on the street, whats the point they are not Slicks
Old 03-25-2007, 07:11 AM
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Try it some time, it makes a big difference! They are a softer compound than regular street tires. Heat makes them nice and sticky.
Old 03-25-2007, 07:53 AM
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if you try to go racing with them you will not hook up. i had them with bolt ons only and never hooked up
Old 03-25-2007, 09:23 PM
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With a clutch dump of around 2500rpm's even when they have been heated I'll still have to pedal out of it until I hit second, then they just give a slight chirp and hook like mad. I'm only putting down 340 at the wheels tho.
Old 03-25-2007, 09:29 PM
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Old 03-25-2007, 10:12 PM
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Originally Posted by 99Hawk262
Try it some time, it makes a big difference! They are a softer compound than regular street tires. Heat makes them nice and sticky.
Ur talking about the 555r's, im talking about 555's. I guess we are both right.

PS: edited my post as I thought it was just 555's, not the drag radial version
Old 03-26-2007, 09:34 AM
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They were good for about a thousand miles. then they were horrible. I picked up another set of ws6 rims for my MT DR's for when I want to go fast. After having all brands of DR's I will never go back. I would rather spend some money and get a nice street tire than use the Nittos again.
Old 03-27-2007, 05:12 PM
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Spun as much with Nittos as I did with my BFG G-Force Sports. Best 60' BFG 1.932 Best with Nittos 1.938. On the street no comparison BFG hook much better and handle like night and day. At track both usually spun with my stock stall stock 3.23 car. Bolt on only no NO2.
Old 03-27-2007, 10:08 PM
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Have them and hate them.



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