[Clinker Clint]

What tire really works on the street for you big hp guys? Not that I am big hp, but if it works for you guys, it'll work for me.

My Nitto NT05Rs worked well when new but after 1000 miles or so, they got hard (or something like it) and will not hook below third gear. No, they were not at the wear indicators/showing cords:bomb: anyting like that.

I'm looking for replacements. Tires will be spooned on a set of factory 17s.

I'm leaning really hard to the bias ply ET streets but have also been eying Hoosiers drag radials. I have even entertained the thought of running a slick but would like to avoid the tickets.:rules:

Being an M6 car, I prefer shock absorbing characteristics of the bias ply but don't know how they will feel going down the road/track.

Driving style is 99% boredom, 1% terror. I drive like a grandmother through corners. Car has never seen rain, never will. Not worried about hydro issues. I hit the track 1-3 times a year.

My main concern is getting it to hook on the street. Can anyone comment on how the tires I mentioned respond to wear (did they loose grip)?

Is there an obvious choice I am over looking?

Thanks guys. I appreciate the thoughts and comments.

 

[04cosmos]

I know somebody who runs hoosiers on the street. He liked them... long as it wasnt raining.

 

[noyz1]

Bridgestone re11's on street. at least they'll last a little while

 

[Phantom04M6]

What tires are you running up front? I've heard bad things about mixing bias ply's and radials.

 

[Sticks n Stones]

Biggest issue you will find with daily driving a Drag Radial is what you already encountered: you heat cycled your NT05R's and they became hard. As they lose there oils that keep them supple, you have to get them progressively hotter and hotter to make them stick- which is simply getting the tires hot enough for the oils to migrate over from other parts of the tires to the tread area. That heat cycles thing happens every time you drive your car long enough to warm the tires to there operating range- freeway driving ALWAYS warms them, so does quick burnouts or long drives on country roads.

Then you run into the problem of overheating the tires: especially if you are driving around at less than 32psi. This causes them to get 'greasy' as the oils in the tire come all the way out of the tire - never to be seen again. Greasy tires are very dangerous because leading up to them getting greasy they are giving you the best grip they ever will then rather quickly they get all slippery.

ET Streets and any other true drag radial will suffer the same fates. What you really need is a autocross designed "Summer Only" tire. Regular Summer Only tires work good, but your power level puts extreme demands on the relatively small tires that GTO's use: any OEM that had a car making 420+rwhp would equip the car with 310+ tires, not 245's!

Go here and study up: I assumed that cornering grip directly equates to accelleration grip and haven't been let down yet! With both my Dunlop Star Specs and Potenza RE-01R (superceded by RE-11 now) I've hung with or beat EVERY car I've come across from a dig- including multiple vehicles who were sporting 555R's, ET Streets, 05R's, and every imaginable OEM summer tire imaginable.

Research and learn. Click "Test Results" Then pick your category- Extreme Performance Summer is the top dog/autocross tire category
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire-brand.jsp

Just be warned: my Star Spec 265/40/17's were wider than most 275/40/17's: had to roll the fender lips for proper clearance.

 

[Clinker Clint]

What tires are you running up front? I've heard bad things about mixing bias ply's and radials.

If I go bias ply, I'll put a set of front runners up front. Thanks for looking out for a fellow enthusiast!

 

[Clinker Clint]

Thanks for posting Sticks, I'm looking into the link.

 

[Sticks n Stones]

Friend of mine with a full bolton LS1 Z28 running NT05R's. Gave him the hit on the first two vids, 3rd one tells we three honked: his tires were fairly new, too.

Info: RE-11 is same compound as RE-01R. My RE-01R's lasted around 12,000 miles before noticeably hardening up. By 18,000 miles they were worn out AND dried up.

Star Specs started getting harder around 16,000 miles? but I would say are still surprisingly sticky with 20,000 miles on them-- and 4/32nds of tread left before the wear mark -would probably go another 10,000 miles. My miles are 90% commuting, 10% playing.

 

[Phantom04M6]

If I go bias ply, I'll put a set of front runners up front. Thanks for looking out for a fellow enthusiast!

No problem man. I was gonna post my experience with 555R's but I saw you use them already lol. Sticks got you covered tho!

 

[Clinker Clint]

like this one?:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?pc=29282&ar=35&rd=19&cs=265

LOL, glad the car doesn't have 19s on it!

 

[miker]

+1 for RE11s.

 

[Sticks n Stones]

The link I gave you is broken: everytime I try to take a direct link it redirects to that stupid website. here is the link I use: (fixed the original post also)

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire-brand.jsp

 

[2005YellowGTO]

Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta tires for me. Look them up, they hook real good but DO NOT hydroplane. I have tried.

 

[Lonestar]

Dunlop Direzza Star Specs, hands down will be the best street tire you can get for our cars. I had a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3's on my car before the Star Specs, and the star specs get better traction with twice the tread life if not better (GSD3s were 4/32nd after 7k, the Star Specs are @ 15k and 4/32nd both driven just as hard and with lots of wheel spin) Anything thats a radial will get a little more traction, but wont last anywhere near as long.

 

[Lonestar]

Star Specs started getting harder around 16,000 miles? but I would say are still surprisingly sticky with 20,000 miles on them-- and 4/32nds of tread left before the wear mark -would probably go another 10,000 miles. My miles are 90% commuting, 10% playing.

Mine have also gotten a little harder than they originally were, but a nice ~10 second burnout holding 1st gear @ 4k rpm gets them nice and soft again and they will hook up like a MOFO in 55* air. Whats really badass, is powerbraking these tires doesnt shave rubber off them AT ALL. With the GSD3's, rubber would fly off them if you did a power brake :dunno:

 

[Sticks n Stones]

Dunlop Direzza Star Specs, hands down will be the best street tire you can get for our cars. I had a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3's on my car before the Star Specs, and the star specs get better traction with twice the tread life if not better (GSD3s were 4/32nd after 7k, the Star Specs are @ 15k and 4/32nd both driven just as hard and with lots of wheel spin) Anything thats a radial will get a little more traction, but wont last anywhere near as long.

As OP can tell, this subject has been hashed and rehashed lots of times- and more and more guys are converting over to Star Specs for the street.

I am willing to say that on the street, the Star Spec can launch at least as good as a fresh set of ET Streets (ET Streets seem to be the perennial street drag radial king). However, on a prepped drag strip you gotta work the stiffer sidewall autocross intended Star Specs with more finesse and even then a 1.6 and maybe 1.5 (with full drag suspension) will be about the best you are going to get in the 60', period. A true drag radial "can" get a tenth or two better.

 

[Animalwarfest]

Not not be a buzz kill or anything but isn't there other sections on the forum where this thread would properly go?? I just don't see where this fits in the kill section....

 

[Phantom04M6]

Not not be a buzz kill or anything but isn't there other sections on the forum where this thread would properly go?? I just don't see where this fits in the kill section....

Oh shit!

 

[Lonestar]

Not not be a buzz kill or anything but isn't there other sections on the forum where this thread would properly go?? I just don't see where this fits in the kill section....

do you really want a fisting in here too?

 

[06gtoin216]

Dunlop star specs
Falken Azenis Rt-615
Kumho Ecsta Xs

All have served me well in that order. Debating between another set of Specs or Yoko Advan 08's