98SS Blackattack

Im really thinking about this. Do they hook at all when the road is cold. 5 months out of the year i cant get any traction below 30mph with dr's. I dont drive in the rain or snow. I drive 40-50 miles a week. Every 2 weeks i hit the highway for a 40min drive and thats it. I just want all kinds of traction. Plus they look great on a 4th gen.I dont care about cornering im a straight line guy. Anyone run these as their regular tires??

ThaBeaSSt

Im no expert, but I would think both a drag radial and a racing slick would hook in the cold as long as you heated them up enough. The ET Street is definately going to hook better than a drag radial because of the softer compound, but again, it must be heated. I honestely think that drag radials hook less than a good street tire when not heated. Now both an ET Street and a drag radial are DOT approved which can be driven on the street, however, they dont really serve the purpose unless theyre heated. I think the drag radial is going to have better street manners if youre wanting something to drive on the street, yet stick good when heated. The drag radial is also going to last longer because it has a bit harder compound than the ET Street. If you have the money to be buying them often due to driving them on the street regularly, I say do it, but if not, stick with the drag radial. On the other hand, I know that Mickey Thompson just came out with a drag radial, which I know nothing about, but you might want to look into it because it may be just what youre looking for.

If youre looking at it in a different perspective, a drag radial will hook better on a hotter surface vs. one being cold. Hope that clears things up a bit. Thanks

TexassTA

ET streets are more likely to go flat.They pick up nails easy and can`t be patched.

InvisibleSun

I'm sorta in the same boat. I've been looking for the best compromise for the best street traction and yet still retain a decent amout of street manners. Basically, here are the options:

1) Run a drag radial - Right now I run 17x11" wheels so I am using Nitto 315/35R17 DRs. They hook great when your car is stock. They have great street manners - you can corner hard, they handle OK in a light amount of rain, and they will last around 10K miles.

2) Run 17" ET Streets - These just came out and there isn't much data on them yet. Haven't seen ANY 1/4 mile times yet. I ASSUME they will hook better than the Nittos listed above. They will last half as long and will be unusable in the rain. I wonder how well these will handle, though?

3) Run a larger drag radial - You can go with a smaller wheel - say a 15" or 16" and run a taller tire like a BFG Comp-TA 325/50R15 (28") or 275/50R15 (26"). These will get better traction then option #1. Since the sidewall is so large, you will compromise some cornering and handling but they *should* last longer than the ET Streets (not as long as the Nittos) and will handle better in the rain, too. This may be the option I go for. Some import and mustang guys have gone 9's with these tires.

4) Run a larger ET Street - If you opt for the 15" or 16" wheels, you can go with the larger 26" or 28" ET Street. This will *probably* give you the best traction of all these options. They will also give you the worst street manners - cornering will be difficult and driving on the freeway at highspeed is dangerous. They are also unusable in the rain and won't last very long. Someone once told me they are like driving on mush.

I know it was a bit simplified but those are some traction options. Anyone have anything else to add? Any real-life experience or comparrisons? Can't wait for the MT Drag Radials!!! Maybe they are the best of both worlds we are all looking for. The only problem I see with option #3 is that if you want to go to the track and use an ET Drag, you'll have to take off the BFG tire and re-mount it with the ET Drag.

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

Get the D/R's.
The E/T's are alittle much for full time street tires.
Just as texass said they are soft, & pick up a lot.
A tiny amount of water & it's dangerous.
Unless you keep it under 40. LOL!

Dave Carney

You'll be sick of the ET Streets in a week! You won't like the handling.

Ryan Boechler

What kind of Drag Radials then?

InvisibleSun

BFG or Nittos. Or wait for the MT Drag Radials coming out in March or April. What size wheels do you have?

Classic

iTrader: (3)

Just like the others said - ET streets aren't really great for a daily driver or a car where it will ever have the chance of seeing rain (i.e. not a nice weekend warrior). Plus, driving the ET streets on the street will hinder their track performance. Go with the drag radials - I might give the new MT DRs a try this spring.

jstpsi

there is really no comparison with off the line traction when running a et streets
or et drags, and are very dangerous at high speed cruising and are worthless in weather. where as drag radials wear really fast under daily driving, the sacrifice of straitline traction is worth it in a nice street tire just due to the fact that you can enjoy cruising the car, if you want best of both worlds there is no replacement for owning the best of both worlds.

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

i like many people have got as much as 18K miles out of a set of nitto drag radials. no WAY would i run et streets as a daily thing. they arent meant for it and are potentially dangerous. they are a DOT class racing tire, not a true DOT tire. it says right on teh side, not for highway use. oh and BFG last only a few thousand miles. Nittos seem to hook great on the street for me.

SilverGhost

iTrader: (53)

et streets can be plugged if they get a nail hole or something, seen it done before with no problem..i personally wouldn't race on them after they've been plugged, but i know a few that have done it.

SMOKIN01TA

iTrader: (10)

(Some import and mustang guys have gone 9's with these tires.)

Man i didnt know there was such a import, think you meant 19's \
just kidding. my 245 nittos are have awsome street manners. would like some 315s but they have no side wall. my nittos hook great once in second gear. i tried running 16" ET streets all day. but the first time it rained and i couldnt get traction until 6th gear i said hell no. since i bought the streets with 2 stock ta rims. i just swap them back and forth for weeknights and the track and run the nittos during the day.

14u2nv

I ran mine for about 1 month in the summer and they did ok, but freeway wasn't very fun... I noticed they did get a bit harder after street driving on them though, and they wear quite fast too. Your best bet would be to keep the drag radials unless you do a lot of street racing, which is just lame anyhow.

Ryan Boechler

Ok guys.... so basically for a "streetable drag radial" I can pick between..... Nittos, BFG KDs, and I don't know how you can consider the new MT DR as a street tire, but I would really appreciate it if anyone has these tires in the 275/40/17 could post pics of them.

I am having an awfully hard time attempting to pick a tire combo.

SMOKIN01TA

iTrader: (10)

go with the nittos. they hook the best as far as what i have seen and herd. everyone i know runs nittos around here if not et streets.

SMOKIN01TA

iTrader: (10)

since you have the ss rims you can run 315's also.

Ryan Boechler

I can run 315's on a 17X9 inch rim? No way that's good.... the tire will bubble out on the sidewalls won't it?

InvisibleSun

You'll actually get LESS traction if you run a 315 on a 17x9 rim. This is because the tire won't fit right and less of the actual cotact patch of the tire will touch the road compared to a 275. Not sure of the exact details of this but you can do a searh on this NG and find TONS of people discussing this...

Turnin'LT4

iTrader: (1)

Go with the new BFG G-Force DR. They hool like a slick and the do great on the street. I know a couple people with them and they said they are awesome. I am going to get a pair in a week or so.