A Drag Radial I can keep on the car for everyday?
11-16-2010, 01:54 PM
#11
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: WI
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I just installed 285/40/18 NT05Rs and yes they do hook up great as I have a hard time breaking them loose. My car is not a DD and rarely sees rain, but I am still torn if I maintain 2 sets of rears or just run the DRs all the time.
11-16-2010, 02:11 PM
#12
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: state of confusion
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(2) They're going to heat-cycle a lot of that extra grip out of them just putzing around on the street. Somehow, I can't make that sound like a very smart thing to do, even if you didn't have to contend with rain, dew, or possibly frost. (They'll be back to about summer tire grip levels before they wear out the treads.)
(3) The choice of suspension mods depends partly on whether it's pure wheelspin or wheel hop that you're trying to bring under control.
(4) Nitto NT05's or similar with 200-ish treadwear sounds like a tire plan, if you're smart ↓↓↓ about it. NT555's are 300 TW.
(5) A smart "racer" doesn't run to the other guy's strengths. He makes the other guy run to his - and doesn't make any excuses about it. If you have traction issues and aren't being timed from a standstill at the dragstrip, forget that things like 1st gear launch and 60' times even exist. IOW, "Either you run my race or we don't run at all.". If the other guy gets insistent, just let him go and watch him make what will look like a solo "bye" run. Bet you won't have to do that too many times.
Norm
Last edited by Norm Peterson; 11-16-2010 at 02:15 PM.
11-16-2010, 03:21 PM
#13
The Paranoid One
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,320
I think you were misunderstanding me.
I want a tire that hooks like a **** and can be driven every day yes.
As far as rain... I would just want to be able to drive it at SLOW speeds
The NT05R's I have just heard DO NOT drive them in rain at ALL.
I know the 555R's are yesterday's news as was said... but I have heard from a couple
of people that say the hook great.
Of course I have heard from some people that think their 555's hook great (yes with a stock susp)...
which in my opinion is complete horseshat.
I want a tire that hooks like a **** and can be driven every day yes.
As far as rain... I would just want to be able to drive it at SLOW speeds
The NT05R's I have just heard DO NOT drive them in rain at ALL.
I know the 555R's are yesterday's news as was said... but I have heard from a couple
of people that say the hook great.
Of course I have heard from some people that think their 555's hook great (yes with a stock susp)...
which in my opinion is complete horseshat.
Last edited by Blacksmoke; 11-16-2010 at 03:29 PM.
11-16-2010, 03:32 PM
#14
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: state of confusion
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I know that I've read threads here where people crashed in the wet where DR's were a factor.
It's easier to say that you will always drive at SLOW speeds in the wet with DR's or other competition tire than it is to actually follow through on that promise. A lot easier. And sometimes, "SLOW" isn't going to be slow enough.
Norm
It's easier to say that you will always drive at SLOW speeds in the wet with DR's or other competition tire than it is to actually follow through on that promise. A lot easier. And sometimes, "SLOW" isn't going to be slow enough.
Norm
11-16-2010, 03:34 PM
#15
The Paranoid One
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,320
So you are saying you would NOT go with the 555R if I wanted good hook on the street?
11-16-2010, 03:36 PM
#16
The Paranoid One
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,320
I know that I've read threads here where people crashed in the wet where DR's were a factor.
It's easier to say that you will always drive at SLOW speeds in the wet with DR's or other competition tire than it is to actually follow through on that promise. A lot easier. And sometimes, "SLOW" isn't going to be slow enough.
Norm
It's easier to say that you will always drive at SLOW speeds in the wet with DR's or other competition tire than it is to actually follow through on that promise. A lot easier. And sometimes, "SLOW" isn't going to be slow enough.
Norm
But I will be honest with you in that even my own mother says
I drive like a grandma most of the time.
I'm either on or off man. There is really no in between with me lol.
I am not joking here... in the rain I am doing 25mph at the most.
With these tires I would'nt even get on the freeway for a quick quarter mi. shortcut to
the main road to the house. I'd just stay on the damn access road.
Maybe I should just get a cheap set of back wheels that I can throw on
my car with the regular 555's on them in bad weather?
Still that would be a bitch to jack the car up every time it rained.
I guess you are really saying leave the DR's for the track?
If so.. then I am never going to get good hook though on the street.
It's that simple.
Last edited by Blacksmoke; 11-16-2010 at 03:40 PM.
11-16-2010, 03:40 PM
#17
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,936
The thing with any drag radial is that they have a minimum of void area to drain water away and maximize contact patch--this is the case with any "DOT" tire that truly has a performance goal in mind.
A soft compound will work well when it's damp, in fact they work awesome. But add some standing water and that water needs somewhere to go. NT-05's have little place for the water to go... 555's have more. By the same token the NT-05's should give you a bit more straight line bite too.
None of these are "street tires". They are iffy anyway, but if you are hell-bent on running a drag radial in the rear everyday then you need to be smart and look for one that can deal with water the best. Also, the compounds... generally the faster the tire the softer the compound--the softer the compound the more they will heat cycle, the more they heat cycle the less grippy they are. And finally, cold weather. A tire with a soft compound won't work well when it's say 50 or colder...
Just some things to consider.
A soft compound will work well when it's damp, in fact they work awesome. But add some standing water and that water needs somewhere to go. NT-05's have little place for the water to go... 555's have more. By the same token the NT-05's should give you a bit more straight line bite too.
None of these are "street tires". They are iffy anyway, but if you are hell-bent on running a drag radial in the rear everyday then you need to be smart and look for one that can deal with water the best. Also, the compounds... generally the faster the tire the softer the compound--the softer the compound the more they will heat cycle, the more they heat cycle the less grippy they are. And finally, cold weather. A tire with a soft compound won't work well when it's say 50 or colder...
Just some things to consider.
11-16-2010, 03:43 PM
#18
The Paranoid One
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,320
The thing with any drag radial is that they have a minimum of void area to drain water away and maximize contact patch--this is the case with any "DOT" tire that truly has a performance goal in mind.
A soft compound will work well when it's damp, in fact they work awesome. But add some standing water and that water needs somewhere to go. NT-05's have little place for the water to go... 555's have more. By the same token the NT-05's should give you a bit more straight line bite too.
None of these are "street tires". They are iffy anyway, but if you are hell-bent on running a drag radial in the rear everyday then you need to be smart and look for one that can deal with water the best. Also, the compounds... generally the faster the tire the softer the compound--the softer the compound the more they will heat cycle, the more they heat cycle the less grippy they are. And finally, cold weather. A tire with a soft compound won't work well when it's say 50 or colder...
Just some things to consider.
A soft compound will work well when it's damp, in fact they work awesome. But add some standing water and that water needs somewhere to go. NT-05's have little place for the water to go... 555's have more. By the same token the NT-05's should give you a bit more straight line bite too.
None of these are "street tires". They are iffy anyway, but if you are hell-bent on running a drag radial in the rear everyday then you need to be smart and look for one that can deal with water the best. Also, the compounds... generally the faster the tire the softer the compound--the softer the compound the more they will heat cycle, the more they heat cycle the less grippy they are. And finally, cold weather. A tire with a soft compound won't work well when it's say 50 or colder...
Just some things to consider.
during spring and summer.
But I wanted to be able to operate them in rain if I had to.
How well do the 555R's hook compared to the everyday 555's?
11-16-2010, 03:53 PM
#19
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: state of confusion
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The 555R's will hook better than the NT05's (the street NT05, not the competition NT05R). At first.
They will also heat-cycle out faster just from the daily driving, and at some point they may not be much better than NT05's with the same or more miles on them. Might not be any better after a thousand miles or so. Might not be as good after another thousand (if you can get that many more).
I've got a set of competition tires for one of my cars that I'd guess are a little higher up the scale than the NT05. After a thousand or so street miles and over a hundred autocross runs, they aren't nearly as good as they once were - barely better than my normal "summer performance" tires, actually. A DR or an R-compound autocross tire will "age" even more rapidly.
Norm
They will also heat-cycle out faster just from the daily driving, and at some point they may not be much better than NT05's with the same or more miles on them. Might not be any better after a thousand miles or so. Might not be as good after another thousand (if you can get that many more).
I've got a set of competition tires for one of my cars that I'd guess are a little higher up the scale than the NT05. After a thousand or so street miles and over a hundred autocross runs, they aren't nearly as good as they once were - barely better than my normal "summer performance" tires, actually. A DR or an R-compound autocross tire will "age" even more rapidly.
Norm
11-16-2010, 04:01 PM
#20
The Paranoid One
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,320
Well that sucks lol.
What would you suggest I do then?
I don't track this thing.
But I do need a MUCH better tire for hooking than the 555's I have on now
for when I call upon them.
Maybe get a set of the 555R's and use them on the weekends only
that way I don't put so many mi. on them?
This would call for another set of back wheels of course.
What would you suggest I do then?
I don't track this thing.
But I do need a MUCH better tire for hooking than the 555's I have on now
for when I call upon them.
Maybe get a set of the 555R's and use them on the weekends only
that way I don't put so many mi. on them?
This would call for another set of back wheels of course.