After a lot of reading about MT vs BFG vs Nitto I decided on the Nitto Drag Radials, 315/35/17 on the rear for my street car. The car will rarely, if ever see a dragstrip.

What tire should I put up front? Wheel will be 17x9.5 so tire would be a 275 or 285 width. I need something that performs great and looks near the same as the rear to keep things even.

Thanks

 

Nitto makes a non drag radial too...the 555 that would match up perfect. One thing to remember with the Nitto 555R's, they get sticky and will sling rocks on your car, so it isn't a good tire to run all year for that reason. I run them in the summer since I am lazy and don't like to change out the tires all the time, but there is a difference in handling and cornering they feel a little looser than street tires. I like the Nitto 555R's, but when I put the Daytona ZR's back on after racing seaon there was a big difference in handling and overall feeling. I bought a cheap set of centerline wheels and mounted the 555r's to them, that way I can change them out. Just some advice, since I wouldn't drive on them year round...rain and corners kinda keep me on my edge when driving on the 555R's. They have done well, but you never know, only takes 1 time to lose traction. I also have a 3400 stall and really don't see much better traction on the street than the Dayton Daytona's with the Nitto 555R's unless they are hot. We have a simular setup with a stall and LT's and they are great at the track. Without the 555R's traction doesn't happen at the track...In drive entering the highway, even with the Nitto 555R's on, if I punch it from D, I can get loose.

 

Nitto 555RII for the fronts, they look identical to the 555R's,


Also, the regular 555 looks similiar to the R and RII, but not identical,

the side and inner tread blocks are smaller.

here is a better shot of the RII's,

 

Zepher

I've ran 555r's in rear with 555rII's up front, as well as 555RII's on all 4's.

For autox, the 555RII's on all 4's was better, Have you tried that? Just wondering since you obviously autox.

And frankly the RII's stuck/hooked just as well on the street as the R's did.

 

Yes, I run RII's on all 4 corners when I auto-x. I would love to run the RII's on teh street all the time as well, but they just cost so much and wear so quick, so I run the regular 555's on the street.

 

Alright good stuff, I looked up the RII and found this on Nitto's site:


Any comments on that last sentence? Do they really ride much rougher than street tires?

 

Yes, they are rougher, but not that bad. I prefer them over 555's on my car ( which I have 4 of still from 2001 ).

 

Great, any other opinions?

It says the RII has the same treadwear, but wouldnt they outlast the rears since you don't spin them?

 

I run the same 315 555R's on the back with regular 555's on the front. Perfect tires IMO. The drag radials do sling some debris around but it's not that bad. Just don't go down many gravel roads.

 

I've always run Goodyear Eagle GSC's 285/40/17 up front and BFG 315/35/17 rear.

 

isnt the sidewall taller in the front with that combo....

 

yes, on my car they are much much rougher, you feel every little bump and pebble in the road, but I love them.

 

BFG KDWS are a great tire and they will work nicely in the rain.

 

Anyone have pics of regular 555's on the front and 555R's on the rear?

Also what sizes would you recommend I run for 17x10's? I would think something like 305/35/17?

And I was told i'd have to roll the front fenders? Is this true for this size and what does that involve?

 

Bump still looking for some answers.

 

Well, my pictures show the 555RII (same as the 555R) and the 555, just imagine my 555 as the front tire..

17x10 would be a 305 or 315, 305 fitting better and 315 bulging out slightly.

don't know about the rolling part though, as I have no experience with that size on a 4th gen, besides my brothers car and I can't remember if he had to roll the fender, I do know that he had to bang the inner fenderwell to clearance the inside.

 

My car is at stock ride height for now though. I guess I can address those issues when they come up. I don't see why they wouldn't clear on my 4x4 TA

Also thanks for the pic, sometimes I post real late and my brain just misses things sometimes...

So I think i'll try the 555R in the back, with 555's up front. 305/35/17 would fit all around then? Same size for the regular 555's up front? I wasn't sure about the aspect ratio since its a different tire.

Also i'll quote what someone told me on LS2...

Maybe I could fit a 315 on the back after all?

 

I ran with 315 nittos on my friends car and it wasn't that fun. these were on stock 9" SS ZR1 wheels on his 99 HOSS. *** end was really loose, especially when shifting hard and just felt very unstable at 30psi on the street and 18psi.at the track.
Now, my brother has the 315 BFG G-Force KD's on his 17x9.5" Z06 wheels and they feel pretty much normal. he runs 35psi in the KD's.

i'd just run stock size up front, 275/40/17 and whatever you feel comfortable putting on the rear,

 

I've ran Nitto NT450s and they're great tires for the cost (just under $100 bucks)

 

555R's are a good choice, just no in a 315 for a stock width wheel.