In a message dated 4/26/02 10:58:21 AM Central Daylight Time, TommyB writes:
<< Hi,
Anyone have any experience with these drag radials by Nitto? I know they're
mainly for drag racing, but I've heard Grassroots motorsports tested them
and found them to be pretty good for autox. The reason I'm asking is b/c
I've got a line on a good price for these tires, and I mainly autox my car,
not drag race.
Thanks,
Tommy >>
Unlike the other responses you got, I actually own a set, AND have
autocrossed on them. I use them as my street tires on an high power rear
drive Celica. On of my big problems has been putting down the power. As
expected, the "drag" radials do hook up hard and launch in a straight line as
good as any tire I have ever tried, and actually launch far better then the
BFG G-Force did. The Hoosier is almost as good in a straight line, which was
actually a suprise to me. I went from BFG's to Nitto's, then to Hoosier. The
Nitto 555R's hooked up so hard, I never thought an autocross tire would be
even close. The fact the Nittos are just 205 55's and my Hoosiers are 225
50's has probably got something to do with how well Hoosiers compared in a
straight line.
Now for the big surprise. They actually do corner quite well. Even thought
they are a DRAG tire, they are not floppy sidewall stickies. My car does have
a fair amount of negative camber (about 2 degrees all around) but I am able
to run just 35 psi and not roll over past the edge of the tread. When I ran
BFG T/A street tires. I had to run over 40 psi to keep from chewing the
lettering off. Turn in is a little slower than the Hoosier, and steady state
grip is a little off too, but still far better than any normal street tire I
have run. The treadwear ratign on the 205 55 14 is 100 compared to 40 for the
Hoosier. This could account for a good chunk of the steady state grip
difference.
At several events last year, I ran the Nittos so I didn't have to bother with
changing tires. I was usually about 4 seconds off of the fastest car on the
RTP index. I actually won SMod once, and finished 2nd in a field of 10 at a
couple other events. After I went to the hoosiers, I was only 2 seconds off
of the RTP index leader, and I won SM hands down. On a 60 second run, the
Hoosiers were about 2 seconds faster with the conditions being about the same.
Throw in a little rain, and the tide really turns. The directional tread on
the Nittos actually works in the wet. The narrower tire also helps, and
kicking the pressure up gave me the SMod win by 1.6 seconds this past week,
and put me into the top 20 on the RTP index out of 140 drivers. I was also
within 2 seconds of index lead again, but this is a bit mis leading as the
top index time was an STS car on BFG KD's. He had a 9/10 lead on the next
car. The next 20 places had no0 gap bigger than 2/10's. On raw time (SM has a
high index) I had the 11th fastest time with the rain falling. I was beat by
three Formula Fords, one ESP car, a BMW M3, and 5 S2000's. I will run the
Nittos anytime there is standing water on the course.
I have driven them on the street for about 3500 miles, and run 10 autocross
events on them, and they still have a good amount of tread left.
Gary M.
83 Celica with about 300 hp.
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