[JimGnitecki]

A few days ago, I ordered a pair of Nitto 555R2 tires, as they are highly recommended here on the forum to solve traction problems when running a forced induction Camaro.

Yesterday, in looking in ore detail at the Nitto 555R2 webpage, I found the following warning from Nitto, in which I have bolded the most important statements:

"
Consumer Advisory NTSD-12-009 April 19, 2021 Recommendations on the Proper Use and Handling of Certain Nitto® Tires This advisory supersedes NTSD-09-002, dated October 2, 2009, and applies only to the following products: All NT555®R All NT555®RII All NT01™ All NT05®R NT555®G2 (Sizes with U.T.Q.G. 200AA A) NT05® (Sizes with U.T.Q.G. 140AA A) Trail Grappler® SxS This advisory addresses the proper use and handling of these tires in colder climates.

Tires exposed to temperatures below 15°F (-9°C) will lose rubber compound flexibility. Under certain conditions, it may even experience cracking (see image below). The rubber compounds used in these tires have unique properties that, when compared to other tires, can cause them to lose some of their flexibility when used or handled in conditions below 15°F (-9°C). This loss in flexibility can lead to potential cracking and other damage to the tire.

TO MINIMIZE THE CHANCES OF THIS HAPPENING, CONSUMERS AND INSTALLERS ARE ADVISED TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Do not move or operate the car with these tires in conditions below 15°F (-9°C). ALWAYS INSPECT FOR SIGNS OF CRACKING! NEVER USE TIRES THAT HAVE CRACKED!

2. Avoid moving these tires in conditions below 15°F (-9°C).

3. Before mounting or dismounting, store these tires for at least 24 hours in a temperature-controlled environment of 68°F (20°C) or warmer, and ALWAYS INSPECT FOR SIGNS OF CRACKING! NEVER USE TIRES THAT HAVE CRACKED!

4. Remove these tires from the vehicle and deflate to half the normal air pressure during prolonged periods of non-use or storage.

For more information, please contact Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.’s Consumer Relations Department at (888) 529-8200. Nitto Tire U.S.A., Inc. PO Box 6064 Cypress, CA 90630 www.nittotire.com
"

Here in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, the average nightly temperatures "lows", outdoors, only get below -9C during December, January, and February, and they are unlikely to get below -9C inside a reasonably well insulated garage. And my Camaro is not a daily driver, I don't plan to voluntarily drive it in cold (or wet) weather, and I don't plan to voluntarily drive it at night anyway (Our daily HIGHS are all above 0C even in our coldest months.

Still, this important information from Nitto, is something that I wish I had known before I ordered the tires, as I would have at least looked to see if there were alternative tires with less of a temperature restriction. After all, I might not WANT to move my Camaro on a very cold day, but if I NEED to for some reason, this Nitto warning says it might cause my tire rubber to crack.

MAYBE this Nitto warning is an exaggerated warning mandated by Nitto's lawyers, to cover them against liability if some fool living in a northern climate takes his stored Camaro out in January to do some doughnuts or street racing. On the other hand, MIGHT it instead be based on actual Nitto experiences where owners have simply driven, or simply moved their cars in a cold driveway or unheated uninsulated garage environment and had their tire rubber crack? We don't know which is correct.

Those of you looking for sticky tires, might keep this Nitto warning in mind. I do not know if it applies to other makes and models of tires, but might be a good question to proactively ask when buying any tire with especially high traction rubber.

Jim G

[Jus Cruisin]

The Michelin Sport Cups that were OEM on my 2016 Corvette Z06 Z07 had the same warnings and many owners had sidewalls crack when driving in cold temps.

[arpad_m]

Not unusual for high perf summer tires, Goodyear and Michelin have similar warnings. My PS4S tires come with a 20 °F advisory, so these Nittos may even be more crack resistant.

These grippy rubber compounds are rock hard and very slippery under 30-32 degrees anyway, so driving them under 20 would be asking for trouble. Such crazy low temps are what all-season and winter tires are for.

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

Not unusual for high perf summer tires, Goodyear and Michelin have similar warnings. My PS4S tires come with a 20 °F advisory, so these Nittos may even be more crack resistant.

These grippy rubber compounds are rock hard and very slippery under 30-32 degrees anyway, so driving them under 20 would be asking for trouble. Such crazy low temps are what all-season and winter tires are for.

[Gen6cyl]

15°F is good for a summer tire. I use summer tires all year but I live 130 miles south of Atlanta. If I lived in Atlanta I might use all season tires.

[JimGnitecki]

When I had a 1992 Corvette Convertible (with 6-speed manual) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as my daily driver, and was too busy raising a family and building a home to spend much time on the forums or at tire company websites, I ran that Corvette with the OEM tires in snowstorms and also at temperatures as cold as -30F (because I simply didn't know any better)!

I got caught one day at work, 40 miles away from home) in a snowstorm that had already laid down 5 inches of snow. I don't recall the temperature, but it was January in Minneapolis, so you can imagine. The freeway was entirely snow covered and unplowed. I drove at about 40 mph, pretended that there was an egg on the gas pedal under my foot, and made sure to not attempt any sudden changes in either speed (up or down) or direction. Surprisingly, the Vette did remarkably well, even though most people were staying off the roads and there were many car on the shoulder or right off the highway. And despite the car's frontend and chassis having to "plow" the snow, given the car's underside clearance.

So I guess careful driving makes a difference, even when you are driving when you should not be. (I had no choice)

I'm sure that OEM tires back then though were closer to what we now call "all season" than they were to what we now call "summer only" tires. Tire width was also much narrower back then. My '92 Vette made only 300 crank hp or so I think, so wide wheels and tires were not necessary.

Jim G

[Vtor_ZL1]

"performance" tires were a MUCH different animal in 1992 vs 2022. Stuff that passes for street tires today ( looking at you 200tw club!!) is BETTER than R-compounds from the 90's


1/2 of snow and my summer only pilot sport 4S may as well have been skating on ice. Many will recall freak snow/ice storm in mid November few years ago on East Coast.