I need to buy some new rear tires for my '98 camaro with a stock LS1 and my only mod for now is an SLP cold air intake kit. I need some tires that will hook well on the street and track and also still be able to handle when I need to take sharps turns and not worry about loosing the rear end or getting wobbly because of weak sidewalls. Does anyone have experience with either of these tires? I was thinking of either the Nitto 555R or R2, or Mickey Thompson ET Street 2. Thanks!

 

I like the 555r myself hook pretty good. Never tried the Mickeys on street I heard they hook better than the nittos but don't last as long. A lot of street nitto a lot of track mts.

 

well, the ET streets r going to be better for drag racing. youd be better off with a wide autocross style tire. I used the NT-01's at 571rwhp, procharged car and they hooked great. good enough to destroy the 10bolt i had.. i ran a 315/30/18.

 

I've ran 270/50 15 MT ET streets at autocross and a road course and they worked great with no issues.

 

^ there ya go!

 

toyo r888

 

I haven't heard much about the toyo r888s. Do they hook well from a dead stop? And what's the wear like on those?

 

Look into the Toyo Proxes TQ. Practically like a Nitto 555R in all aspects, but sticks much better.

 

i have the nt555r, i like them, hook pretty decent. only had few hundred miles but im happy with em.

 

In no way does the MT ET work as a handling tire. I had the ET 2s on the rear of my car, 315/35/17s and thought I had something broken, it was just my street tire and would wander 1/2 a lane on the highway. I put my track tires on, 888Rs and all was good and tight again. So that Mt tire's soft side wall, which I had 40psi in them made the car move that much with the steering wheel straight. I had 275/40/17 555R2's on the front. So the MT's are sticky in a straight line yes, handling no F'n way. IMO they were dangerous.

BTW when I had 555R's in the rear, with 40psi they were pretty tight and did not squirm like the MT's did.

I have the MT 2s in my drag set up with a skinny in the front and I notice the squirm less, I think because the front tires move around too. Not too mention I drive the car very different with the skinnies on it.

 

Anything that will hook like you want is going to DESTROY your 10 bolt... Just sayin'

 

555r in a m6 car with any kind of power suck, i spin thru 3rd and have full suspension all set up. et street radials are so much better

 

with all that **** you have in your sig i'd say they wouldn't hook either..LOL
but for OP with just a lid. id think 555 DR would be enough for straight line racing, or some good soft radials for twistys..

 

I personally have the tq's and they're great. I said the r888 because they are better for turns and cornering and will still hook in a straight line situation.

 

Are you talking about the ET Street bias ply? If so I agree. But the radials feel no different than any other street tire. UNLESS they do something different for the sidewalls on the low profile tires to bandaid the short height.


I ran them at 22lbs on a 3660# car. There was no sign of rolling onto sidewall and the car was as stable as a normal tire. The difference was they stuck so the *** end was sliding around every turn with any mild throttle input. While they wouldn't be my first choice for continued autox or road course, they are plenty capable and I have better luck with them than a street tire.

Proof:





Picture of the car on street wheel/tire for comparison, note they are 10" wide and have center caps versus 8.5" wide and no caps

 

all the car is a cammed 370 stock 241 heads and ls6 intake with headers and exhaust its nothing special lol, dont get me wrong the car is a low 11 sec car but you would think with all my suspension work 315 drag radials would atleast hook from a roll lol

 

I am going to guess that my car has a little more effort into the handling department. There is nothing left stock in my lower chassis. My car was the only car capable of competing with the Canadian Champion at our events, though I did beat him once, lots of 2nds. All the FTDs. He ran stock class with 315 V710s and me in ESP. So I had to be close to 3 secs faster to win.

I had the MT ET Street 2s, which look as though they would handle better, but when coupled with a stiff front tire, they were frightening. they would not even track in a straight line at 70 mph. I seriously thought something was broken.

The Toyo R888s have zero sidewall flex, until pushed really hard, though they are heavy bitches.

The MT looked great sitting still. I know I could have gotten it to turn, but where you wanted to go and ended up would be vastly different.

MT's




MT drag set up and same tire, different size. I do not notice it this way, but the front has zero stability either.




Toyos, side wall is flexed, but I will bet it is close to 1.2 Gs or more. They are accurrate though.





I personally have had the car since new and the tires I have used on it:

GY F1 Steel - hated them, stock
Firestone Firehawk SV-EP - awesome tire, 2 sets
Nitto 555Rs - pretty good tire 2 sets
Nitto 555R IIs - good tire, 1 set used on the front only
Kuhmo V710s-great autocross tire, no tread for the street though. 3 sets
MT ET Street DR 1s 15" - never could hook them at the track, 1 set
MT ET Street DR 2s 16" & 17" - not a great hooking tire so far. 1.7 is best, 2 sets
Nitto NT05Rs- current street rear tire, never used yet.
Hoosier QTP - big time hook, 1.47 best and on an autocross suspension with an M6. Strip only.


Plus various skinnies - Kuhmo, Hoosier and M&H

I am likely missing some.

If it were me, I would look at the regular Nitto NT05s or maybe the new BFG G Force Rival. Both are near R compound performance and handling.

 

Didn't consider the impact of a wide stiff front tire. Might be a similar effect as a bias ply rear with a radial front? My front's are 235 width and they are Firestones which have a slightly mushy sidewall compared to every other 15" tire I've ran.

Maybe that is why I haven't had an issue? I'm not claiming to be an expert, was just posting my experience using them.