V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

i thought the R888's were newer but with much less useability, and much less life. I thought the RA1's were supposed to go away as well since the R888'd came out but,... i think the RA1's end up being a better tire,... toyo may realize this, and they're still out and a available,..so I'm thinking unless they increase the short life of the R888's,...RA1's will be here to stay. hopefully.

VT_Z06

Could expand on this a bit please? Why would a DR be awful at high speeds? What do you consider high speeds? I'm not likely to take this street car over 100 and I don't see it turning into a track car any time soon. Thanks.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

Why'd you buy a fast car? The car was designed for triple digit speeds. And you're not going fast until you get there.

VT_Z06

Well I will drive it 100+, but it's not like that is a regular occurance on the streets. I do, however, adore the acceleration, braking, and handling.

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

surely...

I'm probably a little of your opposite... i like going fast, in a vehicle that was designed to go fast. sometimes, when going fast, obsticles arise,... its obvious you'd have to go around them... drag radials, are not really a tire that wants to make irratic or fast, abrupt lane changes. But, they work in getting it(the car) up and going quick, with little or no wheel spin. wouldn't it be neatooo if you could have the best of both worlds? The typical drag radial has a soft, or weak sidewall,..making it easy for the tire/sidewall to fall over under cornering load.......therefore, making the driver feel uncomfortable,...or sometimes worse. road race tires,...have a firmer sidewall, and allow for high g loaded corners.

Therefore, it in the past, wasn't possible to have both. Well, with an RA1 or something compairable.....you can have both. In my opinion, which I'm basing off experience solely...the Toyo RA1 is that tire. The stiffer your suspension,...the more you'd want a tire like the one i mentioned.

I hope this is understood a little better for you.

LSOHOLIC

iTrader: (3)

Allright lets get down to the nut cutting !!
I would like you guys to rate these for best to worst for the supreme "street tire". Or at least pick the ones that you beleive in. One with the best traction without scaring the S**T out of you in the curves. Milage not being of concern.

(Nitto)
1) NT01= 100/AA/A
2) NT05= 200/AA/A
3) NT05R= 00/B/B
4) NT555RII= 100/A/A
5) NT555R= VWY ??
(Toyo)
6) R888= 100/AA/A
7) RA-1= 100/AA/A
8) TQ= 0/B/B
(Michelin)
9) Pilot Sport Cup= 80/A/A
(Hoosier)
10) R6= 40/C/A
11) A6= 40/C/A
(Kumho)
12) Ecsta V700= 50/A/A
13) Ecsta V710= 30/C/A
----------------------------
The rest I beleive to be a true radial/slick. And not really an option considering I'm looking for "best all purpose tire". One with the best traction without scaring the S**T out of you in the curves.

BFG Drag radials
Hoosier DR's
MT DR's
M&H DR's

And these are in no specific order !! (random)
Thanks...and this will be the last beating of the dead horse, I PROMISE !

WKMCD

iTrader: (2)

Another thing to consider here is the softer the tire compound the more prone they are to pickup little things in the roadway - like nails, screws, glass, etc. I use my car to commute on nice days, spirited drives on backroads and to take long trips. During none of these would a flat add to the enjoyment. AAA is only going to help so much when you're looking for a gas station with a 345x30x19.

sciff5

iTrader: (1)

Well I can cross some tires off your list. Both the hoosier and khumo tires listed there are not really street tires. They are meant for autox/ roadcourse work.


Its a lot colder in Vermont right now and thats the problem. Its actually about 5 degrees up here in new england. When its this cold outside you can do rolling multiple gear burnouts with a 14 second car, all tires other than snows just turn to bricks at these temps.

Once the temps get back into the 70s you'll get a huge bump in traction, but you'll still be able to blow them off if you want.

I run relatively small 255/40/17 Falken Azenis 615s on the back of my cammed Ls1 Rx7 which also has 4.10s and short tires and I can find traction if I'm looking for it. Also most cams will shift the power band higher which can help a bit with traction sometimes.

LSOHOLIC

iTrader: (3)

I can't speak for all but my vette is my secondary ride. Meaning if the tire barley makes the 2000 mile mark, thats ok. So when you exclude tire because there not real "street tires" I question that(they are DOT approved). I'm looking for the supreme "summer time" tire, I only put 2200 mile on her last summer. So, would you still exclude the Hoosiers and Kumhos ?? One of my favorite car builds ran Hoosier R6's all the time "Drewstein black C5 FRC". Hey WKMCD, his car is the one that made me fall in love with the L5 setup! He was putting down 750ish and said he loved the R6, but he did live in Scottsdale where the streets are 100 degees at night. So...????

Thanks...

All due respect but get "winter" out of your mind. I understand when the road is 10 degrees no tire will get traction. My cars been sitting in the garage since October 13th.

01bird58

iTrader: (9)

I han't tried any of the tires you listed but the best street tire I have ever had was a BFG KD. This tire had awesome street traction and wear. It was decent enough in the rain. I think this tire is discontinued but you can still find it floating around if you search.

Tires aren't the only factor in keeping your vette planted to the ground. Here is a link that lists some cheap traction parts. https://ls1tech.com/forums/corvette-...9-vette-2.html

LSOHOLIC

iTrader: (3)

Here's a link for your dicontinued tires; http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....Force+T%2FA+KD. And still avaliable. Sizing for that tire is terrible and its 200/AA/A whick is ok.
I skimmed through your link about a 99 vette and I saw nothing about a traction aid. I hope your not referring to a brace and axles because those do not aid in traction. And FYI, I'm running axles and the ECS brace.

Please elaborate on traction aid's, aside from shock valving and/or coilovers.

01bird58

iTrader: (9)

OP are you experiencing wheel hop?

I WAS referring to the ECS and Pfadt braces. If the OP is experiencing wheel hop (which I know the OP hasn't specifically brought up) then the rear end and drivetrain is bouncing all over the place thus losing traction. I know this because everytime I floor it in my stock 99 my drivetrain is bouning up and down and I lose traction with the road.

These parts will help stabilize and stiffen the rear end while eliminating wheel hop i.e. improving traction.

LSOHOLIC

iTrader: (3)

Actully the brace solidifies the relationship between the diff. and the tranny. The diff wants to rotate when power is applied, thus catastrophic separation from the tranny. I know it seems it would help wheel hop but it really does not. Wheel hop has more to do with tire selection and proper launch technique.

This is how I understand it and the way it was explained to me by the ECS crew. Thanks...

01bird58

iTrader: (9)

As I understand it, an ECS brace helps to eliminate wheel hop. Here is the explanation from the ECS site http://www.eastcoastsupercharging.co...rut_Brace.html
Either way these pieces are important to have if you plan on running your corvette hard.

LSOHOLIC

iTrader: (3)

Haha...This is getting out of hand. There is nothing in the link to ECS that states it relieves or stops wheel hop. This is the quote
"The ECS Trans/Rear Brace is designed to minimize the occurrence of this breakage and keep your driveline in one piece!"
Or, "A trans / rear brace is the best way to limit the potential for case fracture on your big horsepower corvette."
Think about it, your not changing anything. Your just beefing up whats aready there. The brace is simpily there to limit the damage. Think about this, if the tranny and the diff. were cast as one piece would wheel hop totally disappear ?? No, is the answer.

Wheel hop is; "Car alternates between obtaining and losing traction.

The sensation the driver feels is similar to driving over a series of railroad ties spaced about 6 inches to a foot apart. A bumpy, sometimes violently bumpy sensation. Can happen during burnouts, hard launches, or on 1-2, 2-3 shifts.

Some say that parts of the driveline actually twist somewhat due to the torsional forces, because keep in mind we are talking about two rear wheels when this is happening.

The up/down twisting force is enough to break driveline parts, usually manifest with a cracked differential case and since the diff is bolted to the tranny in our cars, sometimes the tranmission case and output shaft along with the differential output shafts are destroyed.

It may only take one or two "hops" to destroy one's differential. It is generally felt, that once the car starts to hop, it is best to get out of the throttle.

A cracked differential case is among the things which can and will happen if it gets bad enough. And sometimes when this sort of thing happens, the transmission case gets it too and the tranny output shaft resulting in a very expensive repair." per 06QuicksilverZO6.

LSOHOLIC

iTrader: (3)

Here's a link for understanding wheel hop; http://www.competitionengineering.co...s/chassis2.asp

Like I said tire selection and proper launching technique play a HUGE role in wheel hop. Reguardless if your tranny is in the front or back and if its IRS or solid axle.

WKMCD

iTrader: (2)

FWIW: My LG GT2 coilovers and PFADT bars pretty much eliminated wheel hop. I also run an ECS brace and 300M shafts.

LSOHOLIC

iTrader: (3)

Haha..Thanks WKMCD. Put some shi**y hard wall street tires back on it and see if the wheel hop comes back. If I remember right your running one of the top tires money can buy(PSC). With better traction comes less wheel hop, and sidewall tech. Which is what this thread started as , traction.

LSOHOLIC

iTrader: (3)

But yes the coilovers help as I said in about 8 post back.

WKMCD

iTrader: (2)

No wheel hop with PS2's or MT ET Street II's on the street or well prepped track.