[cmitchell17]

I had discount tire order me a set of NT05s and I had to get the 255/35 up front, but they make the 275/35 for the back. I still have a little tread left up front on my PS4S's but my rears just hit the wear indicators. I also hit a pothole a few months back on one of my fronts and it got a bulge and now its ripping so I need to try and hurry to get new ones on before something happens.

Anyway, the manager at Discount said he got the fronts in but its been about 3 weeks and I havent heard from him, I wish I would have gotten him to order the 285 for the back, the Michelins with their narrow and rounded edges look ugly on the stock SS wheels.

Can anyone comment on the NT05 and straight line traction, they appear to be a softer and sticker tire than the PS4S, the Michelins seemed about as good or maybe slightly better than the stock Goodyears for straight line. I am just wondering if there is maybe a better choice for me? I was really thinking a drag radial but my car is my DD and I put probably 30k on it a year. I know a drag radial is basically the only way to actually get any kind of traction and make 1st gear actually usable. However, the Michelins didnt do too bad when they weren't as worn and would hold in 1st gear past peak torque. I am just really tired of always spinning and having traction control cut so much power.

[ScatPack]

No, but I can comment on the MT ET street Rs. They are the best drag radial on the planet, but do not drive in anything wet but a drag strip water box. As for the NT05s, they are like ultra summer tires, but still work in the wet on the streets. I wouldnt waste money on them. There are better DRs out there like the MT Street SS for the street and the Street Rs for the track.

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by ScatPack

No, but I can comment on the MT ET street Rs. They are the best drag radial on the planet, but do not drive in anything wet but a drag strip water box. As for the NT05s, they are like ultra summer tires, but still work in the wet on the streets. I wouldnt waste money on them. There are better DRs out there like the MT Street SS for the street and the Street Rs for the track.

Ok thanks for the info. I don't think I want to commit to drag radials, but instead step down and go with the stickiest street tire I can get since I have to depend on my car as my DD for now. All the tire marketing is confusing and it is just that, marketing, so you can't really tell how soft a compound is going to be until you buy some and try it yourself. I would be happy if I could find a tire that sacrificed a little more tread life in exchange for traction as compared to the PS4S's. My PS4S's currently have 47,000 on them and the rears just hit the wear indicators and the fronts still have some left, I am really surprised.

[KingLT1]

For the street, 555r's are the best all around tire for traction, drivability, and mileage. They are classified as a drag radial but imo they are not nearly as soft as a Mickey or Hoosier and will still get by in the rain. The 305/35 hooks really damn good too.

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

For the street, 555r's are the best all around tire for traction, drivability, and mileage. They are classified as a drag radial but imo they are not nearly as soft as a Mickey or Hoosier and will still get by in the rain. The 305/35 hooks really damn good too.

Thanks for the input King, have you ever tried the NTO5R's and compared them to the 555R's? I hate all this marketing BS but the way I think I understand it is that the 555R's have been around since the 90s and the NTO5R's were developed around late 2000s. I personally like the looks of the tread and the squareness of the NT05's better than the tread and roundness of the 555's. Also I got the discount to order me NTO5 regulars not the R compound ones. I'm sure there is a lot of difference between the R compound and the regular ones, but the regular NTO5's still have a tread wear of 100 (I know you can't compare treadwear ratings especially between different manufactures).

From what I have seen people say as well, a r compound track tire such as the Toyo R888R or NTO1 will not hook up straight line wise any better than a normal 200-300 tread wear max/ultra/extreme summer tire?

I think my main goal needs to be to try and figure out how to get the camber more towards zero. Right now my rear is at around -.9 degrees on both sides, I feel like getting closer to zero will help as well.

[Markoz28]

Originally Posted by cmitchell17

Thanks for the input King, have you ever tried the NTO5R's and compared them to the 555R's? I hate all this marketing BS but the way I think I understand it is that the 555R's have been around since the 90s and the NTO5R's were developed around late 2000s. I personally like the looks of the tread and the squareness of the NT05's better than the tread and roundness of the 555's. Also I got the discount to order me NTO5 regulars not the R compound ones. I'm sure there is a lot of difference between the R compound and the regular ones, but the regular NTO5's still have a tread wear of 100 (I know you can't compare treadwear ratings especially between different manufactures).

From what I have seen people say as well, a r compound track tire such as the Toyo R888R or NTO1 will not hook up straight line wise any better than a normal 200-300 tread wear max/ultra/extreme summer tire?

I think my main goal needs to be to try and figure out how to get the camber more towards zero. Right now my rear is at around -.9 degrees on both sides, I feel like getting closer to zero will help as well.

Negative!
NT05 is a 200 TW. And whoever said the R888Rs don’t hook on the straight has never used them. I have them now and they hook crazy good. Tire life is not good tho like maybe 6-8k miles. You should go with stock GYSC3s but in a 305 if trying to get a street tire with grip. 275 is skinny and will not plant.

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by Markoz28

Negative!
NT05 is a 200 TW. And whoever said the R888Rs don’t hook on the straight has never used them. I have them now and they hook crazy good. Tire life is not good tho like maybe 6-8k miles. You should go with stock GYSC3s but in a 305 if trying to get a street tire with grip. 275 is skinny and will not plant.

You are exactly right my bad, they definately list the NT05 regular version as a 200 UTQG tire, but interestingly they list select W speed rated versions at 140?

Also from what I've gathered it that width does not help traction, of course tire to road friction is extremely complicated, but I think point being is that for straight line traction diameter needs to be increased well before width. Width may help when the road is not as uniform or flat but you would probably have less than ideal traction anyway if the road surface was that far out of flatness.
I'm not sure if it would help by getting a larger width tire and then compensating by running a lower pressure though. I still agree though and I should have ordered the 285s instead since I think they would fill up the wheel and look better. I know tire rack had some leftover stock of GYSC3's but it now says they are out, just anecdotally though I though the bone stock ZL1's were having trouble getting into the 10s with these tires?

[KingLT1]

R888 is the superior to both. What I like about the 555r is the size it comes in. The 305/35/20 fits the stock wheel perfect being it runs a tad small for its rating. I have already proven it's traction capability. NT05 will not hook nearly as well as the R tires. All that being said the biggest factor for traction is tire height. with the A8's steep first gear a taller rear tire definitely helps get it out of the hole on the street.

[Clam]

I had the NT05 on my 350Z in 275’s and they were easy to put the power down. However, wet traction is not so great so I would look at maybe a better 200TW tire such as a Bridgestone RE71R or Yokohama A052.

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by Clam

I had the NT05 on my 350Z in 275’s and they were easy to put the power down. However, wet traction is not so great so I would look at maybe a better 200TW tire such as a Bridgestone RE71R or Yokohama A052.

Nitto indicates the NTO5 regular as a 200 TW tire (actually a 140 TW tire if you get the W speed rated sizes which the 245s and 275s are W rated).

I would be willing to sacrifice almost all wet traction capabilities for dry traction.

And yes, the way I understand it is that a larger diameter tire helps more than anything since you are able to increase the length of the contact patch, increasing the width of the contact patch only really helps lateral traction. Of course we are talking about small differences here, I'm sure the dominate factor is strictly the soft/sickyness of the tire, if it wears out faster it will grip better.

I am also having trouble trying to find a tire place to even sell me a non stock tire size. I'm in a new place and I don't know any tire places I trust.

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

R888 is the superior to both. What I like about the 555r is the size it comes in. The 305/35/20 fits the stock wheel perfect being it runs a tad small for its rating. I have already proven it's traction capability. NT05 will not hook nearly as well as the R tires. All that being said the biggest factor for traction is tire height. with the A8's steep first gear a taller rear tire definitely helps get it out of the hole on the street.

What tires do you have on the front? I guess Nitto intends for you to run the 555 G2's up front when you have the 555R's in the back? Or is that marketing BS also? I am scared the 555R's are going to feel really unstable in turns and at higher speeds being the sidewall is got to be really soft?

[KingLT1]

Stock tires up front. they handle fine at high speeds and the sidewalls are not that soft...it's still a radial. Read the reviews...several reports on how well they corner. That is why I keep suggesting them. My car isn't a race car...if they compromised how the car drives, then I would of pulled them off.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

Stock tires up front. they handle fine at high speeds and the sidewalls are not that soft...it's still a radial. Read the reviews...several reports on how well they corner. That is why I keep suggesting them. My car isn't a race car...if they compromised how the car drives, then I would of pulled them off.

King, do you have those 305/35/20 Nittos on the stock 9.5" rear wheels? If yes, can you post a pic? Unsurprisingly, I'm struggling for traction at the drag strip with my 285/35/20 PS4S and wondered if keeping the OEM wheels and wrapping them in a PS4S + 555R or 555 G2 + 555R combo would be realistic.

You have about 50-60 more whp than I do, do these R's hook properly for you?

Thanks in advance.

[cmitchell17]

So far the NT05 regulars don't seem promising, problem is I already had the fronts ordered and really needed new tires after my Michelin went flat. It's just really hard to try to get Discount or anywhere else to sell you drag radials or non stock size tires.

I was hoping they would at least be a little better than the stock Goodyears and the PS4S's since they are supposedly the softest tire you can get without going to a "R" compound being that they are a 200 TW tire. I still need to wear them in a little more maybe they will get a little better but they seem about the same at the PS4S's I just took off, which they were getting a little more slicker being at the end of life.