Tire delima.

[shmoov69]

Ok, so I am wanting to go to the MMCC at the end of the month and I need to get some new tires since mine are pretty much junk. The treadwear maximum is 200 for the event. The tires I have now are BFG's and the treadwear is 400 for them, and yes they are hard as a rock and practicly suck. The size that I need are 255/50/17 in the back and 225/45/17 in the front. I would like to get a matching brand for both, but there is not too much options for the rear. And I like the way they fit in the car, and there isn't much space to spare in the back and just a tad in the front.
So my question is, what route should I go since so far what I can find in that size is a Nitto with a softest rating of something like 320 or so. Is that worth the change?
Thanks!

[mc84_zz4]

Treadwear 200 maximum allowed or minimum to be allowed?
BFG KDW NT and Nitto 555 Extreme are 300 treadwear, Michellin PS2 are 220 tw, but have short lifespan, others under 200: Toyo, Nitto, and MT (?), of course with an even lesser life span.

[stealth71]

Those sizes seem to be pretty restrictive. A lot of people like the Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, they have your front size, but not the rear. I have Nitto NT05 and love them.

[6spdcamaro]

Nitto makes the INVO in those sizes. It is a 260 treadwear. Good luck

[John Wright]

Tire rules – We understand that this is primarily a street car event and that the drivers have limited on-track experience, especially with sticky tires. That is why we have decided to have everyone run a 200 treadwear tire [or harder]. We feel this provides the best chance for “mainstream” street cars [driven by non-professional drivers] to exhibit their cababilities safely.

looks like your 400 tw tire is fine...unless you want to get closer to the 200 to take the most advantage of the rules.

[Northern Goat]

I would try going to 1010tire.com and using their tire selector to find who make a matching set that you require. The site will give you a listing of all matching tire brands and also gives you the specs on the tires that fit your criteria.

[shmoov69]

Thanks for the info guys. I am needing new tires anyway, and I am not too happy with the stick of the BFG's. That is why I thought about getting closer to the 200 rating. But I know nothing about that stuff and that is why I wanted some input.
I'll check out that site, thanks again!

[JustinB]

Toyo makes the T1R's in a 225/45/17 and a 255/45/17. UTQG is a 280. The 255/45/17 is 27" tall for the rear.

[shmoov69]

So, what would the difference between a 255/50 and a 255/45 on a 8" rim?
Also, the Nitto Invo has a rating of 260 and the Nitto NT555 has a rating of 300, but the NT55 has a better handling review. What gives and whats the difference?


THanks

[JustinB]

an inch. I posted the wrong overall diameter before. The T1R is 25.9" and the 255/50/17 is 27" tall. Sorry about that.

[shmoov69]

Thanks Justin.
So, what gives on the handling being supposidly better but the treadwear being higher? Doesn't treadwear and stickey go hand in hand? What are the experiences here for the Nitto NT555's?
Thanks!

[Wicked]

I think most people here have had the Nittos. I've had three or four sets of the 555's on my 01 Cobra and a few sets of drag radials as well. The 555 wore well and even. I wasn't using this car for much more than a spirited daily driver, but I will say they stuck when I pushed them and were pretty predictable at the limit.

I think they compare pretty closely to some of the more expensive high performance tires I've driven on(Micheline Pilot Sport 2, Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3) in terms of normal dry handling.

The only area I would say that tires like this(i.e. cheap) suffer is that mine would flatspot in cold temps pretty noticeably. Basically the warm tire cools and the next morning the belts are formed to the shape of the static tire. It works it self out in a few miles.
This tends to worsen with the age of the tire/loss of tread.
I also noticed it more because I hit the interstate only 2 blocks from my house.

That said, I just installed some closeout($90 each at tirerack) BFG KDW's(old style) and these things flatspot like none other. Before they were discontinued, they were comparable in price to the Nitto 555.

And no, treadwear rating and sticky don't necessarily go DIRECTLY hand in hand. The tread block height and shape and sidewall stiffness also play into it. That's why some tires of equal treadwear rating do better at braking OR acceleration OR wet handling OR dry handlign and are not always the best at every category.

Tire rack has some good test data. You can compare the performance of similar treadwear tires.
Here's a good one....tire ranging from $99 to $180 in a 225/45/17 size.
http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/tests/CandD_gy_f1_gs_d3/CandD_gy_f1_gs_ds.pdf

[Bow Tie 67]

If you run BFG you can enter in for contigency money.

[shmoov69]

Thanks guys, that info helps me out a bunch. Sounds like the Nittos may be the ones I go with. The BFG's just don't seem to stick very well at all. And the contengency money, don't you have to do good to be able to do that?! Lol. I'm a virgin on this kind of track!

[NOT A TA]

The tread wear ratings are kind of arbitrary Jimmy. The tire company makes up the number. It is not given by an outside uniform testing company controlled by government regulations or anything like that. If they feel like saying 235 is a good number they can do it. So two tires from different companies with very similar compounds could have much different numbers.

This also leads to the possibility that a company will change the rating of a tire that they currently rate at say 160 to say 210 in order to allow the tire to qualify for events where they'd get free advertising exposure. If I was in marketing for a tire company I'd do it! If a certain tire seems to be showing up on all the winning cars you can bet they'll sell more tires to the rest of the community!

[shmoov69]

Thanks Jon

did you ever get all your stuff? I finally got a certificate from Hotchkis for $250! WooHoo!

[NOT A TA]

NICE! I got the Flowmaster system for the bu yesterday, a new SS system for the G bodies. Looks like nice bends on the tubing. I'll open the rest of the parts this weekend. Still patiently waiting on other companies.

[shmoov69]

Cool man! Did they send you any good luck for something other than cars!? Lol

[shmoov69]

Ok guys, one more question......for now! I have 215/45/17 on the front now, the next closest size in the 555's is a 225/40/17. But they say 7.5" rim and up, I have a 7" rim. What will that matter trying to put it on a smaller rim?
Thanks again!

[MarkM66]

Ok guys, one more question......for now! I have 215/45/17 on the front now, the next closest size in the 555's is a 225/40/17. But they say 7.5" rim and up, I have a 7" rim. What will that matter trying to put it on a smaller rim?
Thanks again!

It'll be fine.

[shmoov69]

Thanks mark, but what'll it do different?

[wmhjr]

It was either Frank at Prodigy or Jon at Driverzinc that told me that if you put the tire on a smaller than recommended rim (width) it will actually expand your sidewall. No personal experience, so one of those guys would probably be better to answer.

[shmoov69]

Hmm, that would be perfect, because the 225/40 is about 1/2" shorter than the 215/45.
Thanks!

[wmhjr]

Hmm, that would be perfect, because the 225/40 is about 1/2" shorter than the 215/45.
Thanks!

Expand in width - not in height. Meaning larger sidewall bulge. At least that's what I remember.

[shmoov69]

Hmmmmm, as low as the car sits, it is pretty tight on the fender lip.

[shmoov69]

I ordered a set of Nitto 555's today and went with the 225/40's in the front. I hope I like them......and they last! Lol

[shmoov69]

Got the tires on today, oh my! BIG difference!! Lol!