firebirdman469

iTrader: (3)

I have decided on getting 17" x 11" and 17" x 9.5" Torque Thrust 2's for my car and now I am trying to decide on what tires to purchase. Keep in mind, I am daily driving this car, for about 60 miles of highway and expressway driving per day at least. I live in Michigan, so it tends to rain a lot. I am trying to decide between 3 different set-ups. I am concerned with wet traction, fitment, and treadwear. I know that the treadwear is pretty much non-existant for any of these tires, but I might as well throw it in there.

1. 2-Sumitomo HTRZ 275/40/17
2-Sumitomo HTRZ 315/35/17

2. 2-Nitto 555 275/40/17
2-Nitto 555R 315/35/17

3. 2-BFG KD 275/40/17
2-BFG Drag Radial 315/35/17

I am planning on going thru TomZWheelz, and I was quoted a few prices. The Sumitomos would be the cheapest, then comes the Nittos for an extra $300 or so MORE than the Sumitomos. Next would be the BFG, which would be around $450 MORE than the Sumitomos.

So here comes the question......Which set up would you recommend for me given the conditions. Any info would be greatly appreciated, and personal experience/pics would be great as well.

Thanks once again LS1Tech members,

James

Slow01TA

iTrader: (3)

I have the Sumitomos now. For the price, you really can't beat them. Theyreally don't compare to the Nitto's or the BFGs in dry traction. I run the same combo that you're thinking about. The tread life is pretty good actually and they hold up fine in the rain. If you are looking for a cheap tire that will be able to drive in the rain get the Sumitomos. If you are looking for a tire that will actually hook, get the Nittos or BFGs.

jimmypop13

iTrader: (17)

on my stock wheels, i alwas ran nitto 555s. They have a really long life and decent traction. Plus they aren't loud and they handle well. I also just got a 17x9 / 17x11 combo so I will be staying with the 555 on the front but for the back i was gonna go 555r even though i knew the treadlife wasn't great but after seeing these pics, i'm goin with the Sumitomos until I have enough for the BFGs. https://ls1tech.com/forums/texas-members/635222-my-wrecked-trans-am-sale.html
He has 555r's on the back of his car and he said he was drivin down the highway in the rain when a truck passed him goin pretty fast & it caused him to lose the rearend. I do a lot of driving in the rain so these would definitely be a BAD idea for me

LebaneseShowoff

iTrader: (6)

BFG ftw. I've had nitto's, they're not all that, Sumitomo's are the best bang for your buck, i got them up front and they're good. And BFG would have to be best all around. Like they say, You get what you pay for. Next tire change, BFG Radials all around, cheaper than regular tires. But i guess it's ALOT more expensive if you're going 305 or 315's out back.

firebirdman469

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the replies guys, keep them coming!!

LS1MONSTER

iTrader: (1)

I'm currently running 275/40/17 Nitto 555's all around. They are a great tire for the money and they have excellent tread life, no noise, and overall great traction. I recently got my ZR1's from TomzWheels and I will be running the Nitto Drag radial in the rear simply because they are decent price (for a 315) and my car does not see much mileage at all. I've done alot of reading about the Sumitos on here and its either a hit or miss tire. I love my Nitto's. Hope that helps!

firebirdman469

iTrader: (3)

Yes it does, too bad I put a lot of miles on my car. That is one of the reasons I am leaning towards the Sumitomos. That, and the fact that I will get a little more life out of them too.....

Ericbigmac83

iTrader: (19)

Go with the Sumi's for now, buy the time those wear out you should hopefully have enough power to justify the bfg's

ss292355

iTrader: (1)

i had the sumi's and they sucked no traction and tread life was a joke.

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

I'd go with #3, I have them but no DR's in the back, but I absolutely love them and they are worth every penny. Sumitomos are a joke.

JoeyAnderson

iTrader: (20)

If you don't care about dry traction, go with the Sumitomos.

tbird31

iTrader: (22)

i have the sumitomos and they're working great. plus they are just a nice looking tire. i have heard that once they start to break in they get noisier though...but so far they are great...great traction in the twisties...

DuronClocker

iTrader: (25)

Nittos or BFGs in the back for traction. BFGs will hook harder, but Nittos will last longer. I've got Nittos on my 16s right now, and I've got a pair of 315 BFGs sitting in the basement for whenever I choose to order my ZR1s (next few weeks).

Are you able to get another tire for the front besides the BFG KD's? Like the KDW's? They are quite a bit cheaper. Aren't quite as grippy in the turns, but the wet traction is a LOT better. KD's are meant for dry roads, and the KDW's are designed more or less as an every day summer tire. If I had the cash, I'd go KD, but my car is becoming more and more of a good weather driver.

What about a pair of Kumho Ecsta MX's for the front? They are very nice tires priced very competitively too!

Silas2k

iTrader: (5)

oops, i voted bfg because they have better traction than the other two, but then i read u said this was daily driving tires... so i vote nitto... my bad

Fibbado

iTrader: (8)

Sumitomo's would be good only as a show tire since they look great. They have no traction... none... I hate mine now. It is true that they are good in rain and i supose handling. but seriously the traction is a serious problem with the sumitomo's.

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

My KD's are just fine in the rain. I haven't gone through any standing water at speed though, but no issues.

candlelit

iTrader: (21)

I'm in the same boat on buying tires. I would toss the fronts up between Nittos non-drag radials & the Kuhmo Ecsta MX, then if I'm really tight on money I'd go with the Sumitomos. The backs, if you want grip I'd go with Nittos or BFG drag radials. You then have the grip in the back & the life savers up front.

98-LS1

iTrader: (4)

I went with the BFG KDWS's in a 275/40 up front and BFG Drags in 315's out back on my car. So far I've put about 6,000 miles on the set and the front two still look new but the DR's are worn down a little, of course I'm not too nice to them either though. I've drove this car to South Carolina, Nashville, Atlanta GA, Chattanooga about 20 times and all over the mountains of East Tennessee so they hold up well. The handling is amazing and dry traction is great, although my car will still spin the hell out of them from a dead stop. I've been in the rain several times, you just have to be careful and drive the speed limit. So far wet weather hasn't given me any trouble at all. Good luck with your purchase!

Roadhouse

iTrader: (8)

Other than a real sticky drag radial for the street there isn't a tire (that'll fit in the wheel wells) that can hold traction against the power these LS1 cars make. Now I can't speak about the Nittos OR the BFGs, I can speak about the Sumitomos. For the dollar, can't beat 'em. They run a bit narrow for a 315 and the tread life isn't bad. The only real complaint I have about the Sumitomo tire (you older dudes know what I'm talking about) is how it acts like a bias-ply tire by taking a shape while parked, which seems like a driveline vibration at speed until the tire warms up. Other than that, I think it's a good tire.

TuffSS

iTrader: (6)

older dudes........lol guess I finally graduated to older dude status.

Personally, I always liked that flat spotted effect since it always meant I had tires that were gonna hook once the beast warmed up to operating/unloading temp. Unless you meant bias ply as in like Polyglass. In that case, I'm not old enough......

My Bronco has radials that still do that flat spotting crap. Probably just the nature of the beast with bigger off-road type tires.



Good thread, carry on........