best tires without going to drag radial?

i am in the need of a new set of tires but i don't want to get drag radials. i am looking for straightline traction on dry surfaces and a summer tire not an all season tire. i have been looking at toyo's, and yoko's but not sure. anyone seen seen or heard of some good tires for this purpose? thanks

Bf Goodrich makes a badass street tire. Also, MT ET streets are a good one. Comp T/As... there are tons of good ones out there, pick one that works good with your car. Tires are weird like that...

Just curious why you specifically do not want to get a drag radial?

The Nittos can last up to 15-20k miles, and they are reasonably priced. For a tire to have better dry traction, it needs a softer compound along with less waterchannels. Call it a "drag radial" or not, its going to compromise things a "drag radial" would compromise for increased traction.

With that in mind, the only reason not to buy a drag radial would be because you don't like teh tread patterns that are offered - which is a big factor in my tire selection.

Ryan

I am running the new NITTO 555RIIs. they kick azz and hook well. they are fair priced and hook and turn better then my BFG KDs(at $270 each)

they are in essence pure bread race tires but like the 555R DR they do not wear fast till you get them real hot ;)

I am curious as well. If you are looking for a "summer" tire, not an all season variety, why not go with a drag radial? They look like regular street radials yet hook up much better than a regular street tire, plus as has already been mentioned, the Nitto's get some fairly decent mileage (depending on how many burnouts you do of course).

well, i just wanted a tire that would last longer. i was like looking at the kdw's, potenza's, sz-50's, toyo t1s's, and yoko avs's. the treadwear is around 220 or higher on these tires. my car is fairly stock so i would think these tires would do fine. i just know i want more than 15,000 miles out of these tires. i just don't know if i can do that on those nittos.

Well i can tell you for sure the KDs will not last that long ;)

we got 20K miles out of the last set of Nitto 555R DRs we had.

the KD's don't come in 16's i don't think. i was looking at the KDW's. i think they should last 20,000 because they have a treadwear of 300.

Originally posted by cals400ex
the KD's don't come in 16's i don't think. i was looking at the KDW's. i think they should last 20,000 because they have a treadwear of 300.

I ate up a set of KDWs in 15,000 miles ... and they didn't hook for crap - either on the street or the strip.

Go to Les Schwab and get a set of Ventus ... they are wearing as well or better then the KDWs, hook better - still no where close to a DR though - handle better, track less, less road noise and do it for just over $100 a tire installed ...

Good Luck

My BFG Radial TA's hooked great when new and I had gotten as low as a 1.86 60' time with them.

I have been happy with my Sumitomo HTRZ's I pull consistent 2.2 60's on them and that is launching straight off of idle and they have no hint of wheel spin. I just bought these to have on my stock rims I will be running D/R's as soon as I get some 15" race rims, since I already had a set of Nitto 555R 275/50/15's from my truck.

The nittos are around 125ea. The BFGs are 150ea. The BFGs are not going last much longer than the Nittos.

You will be MUCH happier with the Nittos. Twice the traction, ~$25 cheaper, and 75%+ tread life.

Be careful about the tread ratings. Those are manufacturer's ratings and they are not standardized. A 300 BFG rating might = 100 rating by Nitto. IOW, BFGs might look like they will last longer, but in reality are going to wear just as quickly as the Nittos.

Ryan

Originally posted by darkangel95
... I pull consistent 2.2 60's on them ... and they have no hint of wheel spin.


If they're not spinning why are you only cutting 2.2s and why go to a sticker tire???

yeah, i am wondering why your not getting wheel spin and pulling 2.2's? i think i am leaning towards yokohama avs sport or those toyo T1S's. i know someone that runs those toyo's right now with 355 rwhp and he said these are the best tires he has used for all around summer use.

Originally posted by V6toZ28
If they're not spinning why are you only cutting 2.2s and why go to a sticker tire???

This was my first time out with these tires and only my second time racing this car. I know I am not pulling sub 2.0 60's but I am still working on launching right. MAYBE I should have said I have no audible wheel spin so there may be some slippage. The 2.2 60's where leaving basically off idle and rolling into the throttle so I know that I can improve it. I know they should be better but this is just the best I can pull so far. I was thinking that with the stock stall and 2.73 gears I was doing half ass decent, but I guess not.

I wanted to go to the sticker nittos that I have so I will be able to launch more agressively, anyway I am done here.......

I've got the Yokohama AVS's on now and I am pretty happy with them. They only see dry pavement and are pretty sticky. I think I paid $125 each @ Discount tire. Nitto's will be next though.