Nitto DR track performance

Almost all of the comments I have seen on the Nitto 555 Drag Radials is that they work pretty well on the street, but rather poorly on the track. I am trying to better understand this.

Can someone comment on whether they are worse than street radials on the track? Why wouldn't an advantage on the street translate into an advantage on the track?

I suspect that on the street the tires are probably pretty warm most of the time, and I wonder if the track performance could just be related to not enough heat in the tires.

I like the idea of the Nittos for a street car, but the car will see the track a few times a year, and I would hate to have less traction there than with street radials.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Dave

I can't answer this question, but I've driven a few Customer's cars with the 555s on them and they were pretty nice, but when do you get to drive your car to the limit of the tire on the street?

If you are only going to have one set of tires, then the 555 is a nice choice. Wander over to Yellowbullet.com/forum and ask the question in the drag race section. More radial guys over there than here.

I used the Nitto 275/50/15 Drag radial on my Mustang. In my case the BFG Radial TA was a better tire all the way around. It was .2 faster on the track with the Radial TAs and they were equal on the street with the bonus of bieng safe in the rain. This was on a slow car though lol, 91 mustang 5-speed than made 300 to the tires, ran 12.70s on the Radial TAs.

I run MT ET streets on my car, just a 275 65 15 as that is all that will fit. Burned a set off my car, gave them to a buddy of mine who ran them one weekend on a 64 nova. Two weeks later he used a new set of 325 50 15 nittos on the nova with terrible results. My wore out and smaller ET streets hooked way better than the larger and new nittos. He now has a set with one day on them that are strictly burnout bags. Might be okay on the street but I wouldn't take a set if nitto gave em to me.

Thanks for the feedback!

My junk only runs mid 11's, but the Nitto's work great on my car. They hook as good as my Hoosier QTP's did. It's a street car and I've driven both tires in the rain too. You'll like the Nitto's if you get caught in the rain. The Hoosiers take a little longer to get home

I got 275/50-15's no track times though
can't wait for the summer

Dart1031,

Could you describe your burn-out/launch technique? What sort of 60' times do you pull? Did you have problems with hooking them initially, and then find a "secret"?

Thanks!

i've got 275/60/15 Nittos on the back of the barge in my sig. I leave off idle and flash the converter(maybe 3000rpm)and it dead hooks every time with 25 psi.The car is heavy(4600+).I get the tires wet,put it in second gear,whack the throttle hard and smoke em for 3-4 seconds.Works for me.

Quote:

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Dart1031,

Could you describe your burn-out/launch technique? What sort of 60' times do you pull? Did you have problems with hooking them initially, and then find a "secret"?

Thanks!

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I start the burn out in second, and quickly shift to third. Hold it for maybe 4-5 seconds and drive out of it. I launch at 2,000 and the 60' times are 1.62-1.65. Never had a problem with them hooking initially either.

I've been told I do too long of a burn out, which may be true. But, it's what worked with my car. I need to make adjustments to the rear suspension over the winter to hopefully correct things and maybe get the 60' in the 1.50's.