Wheels and Tires For all wheel and tire and related discussion - Sponsored by Nitto Tire

best 17" drag tire?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 22, 2011 | 06:08 PM
  #1  
Tar Heel's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 41
best 17" drag tire?

I'm going to pick up a '94 Z28 this week. Buying it off the orinigal owner, has 79,000 miles, never been modded, automatic, and I think I'll get it for less than 4K. It needs two tires so I'm going to go ahead and put drag tires on the stock wheels. This is not my DD and will only be driven to the track in nice weather to race. I plan to do LTs, a TC, gears, tune, suspension work, etc. Eventually I'll put 15" wheels and tires all the way around but for now what the stickest tire? Brand and size?

Thanks.
Old Jun 22, 2011 | 07:01 PM
  #2  
Injuneer's Avatar
Administrator
 
Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 71,086
From: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
Re: best 17" drag tire?

The stock wheels on a Z28 are 16".
Old Jun 22, 2011 | 10:18 PM
  #3  
30th97z's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 410
From: Metro Detroit Area
Re: best 17" drag tire?

I'm not robbing the thread, but I was just going to post the same exact thing except for the street . So what is the best 17" drag tire for the STREET as well? (275/40/17)
Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial?
Nitto 555? etc......... Please help! Thanks, Brian
Old Jun 22, 2011 | 10:38 PM
  #4  
TD95Z's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 313
From: OH
Re: best 17" drag tire?

A buddy of mine runs the Nitto 555R on his Mustang, which sees more weekend cruising than dragstrip action, and he seems to have a nice balance of grip and wear. I'm leaning towards 255 MTs on my stock 16s for the track, while leaving street tires on my ZR1s. I have some strange fascination with having a car that looks 100% stock at first glance, but which runs faster than anyone thinks it should, hence the use of the stock "salad tossers" (as I like to call the early Firebird wheels.)
Old Jun 22, 2011 | 11:00 PM
  #5  
Tar Heel's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 41
Re: best 17" drag tire?

Sorry, this particular car has the newer 17" 5-spoke OEM Z28 wheels. I don't care about wear or traction in the rain. I'm looking for the tire that will 60' the quickest and most consistently.
Old Jun 23, 2011 | 09:20 AM
  #6  
TD95Z's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 313
From: OH
Re: best 17" drag tire?

You'll probably want to go with the MT drag radials then.
Old Jun 23, 2011 | 10:05 AM
  #7  
30th97z's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 410
From: Metro Detroit Area
Re: best 17" drag tire?

Originally Posted by TD95Z
A buddy of mine runs the Nitto 555R on his Mustang, which sees more weekend cruising than dragstrip action, and he seems to have a nice balance of grip and wear. I'm leaning towards 255 MTs on my stock 16s for the track, while leaving street tires on my ZR1s. I have some strange fascination with having a car that looks 100% stock at first glance, but which runs faster than anyone thinks it should, hence the use of the stock "salad tossers" (as I like to call the early Firebird wheels.)
Thanks for the reply!
Old Jun 24, 2011 | 11:37 PM
  #8  
Injuneer's Avatar
Administrator
 
Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 71,086
From: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
Re: best 17" drag tire?

Originally Posted by Tar Heel
I'm going to pick up a '94 Z28 this week. Buying it off the orinigal owner, has 79,000 miles, never been modded, automatic, and I think I'll get it for less than 4K. It needs two tires so I'm going to go ahead and put drag tires on the stock wheels. This is not my DD and will only be driven to the track in nice weather to race. I plan to do LTs, a TC, gears, tune, suspension work, etc. Eventually I'll put 15" wheels and tires all the way around but for now what the stickest tire? Brand and size?

Thanks.
Originally Posted by Tar Heel
Sorry, this particular car has the newer 17" 5-spoke OEM Z28 wheels. I don't care about wear or traction in the rain. I'm looking for the tire that will 60' the quickest and most consistently.
There are no 17" Z28 wheels.... those would be SS wheels.
Old Jun 25, 2011 | 07:12 AM
  #9  
12sec97Z28's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 422
From: Katy, TX
Re: best 17" drag tire?

Originally Posted by Injuneer
There are no 17" Z28 wheels.... those would be SS wheels.
Truth as always from Fred. All Z28s had 16x8s. SS Camaros had 17x9(or 9.5. I forget).

As for your question, if you are looking for best traction and not concerned with street manners, bypass the Nitto 555s and BFG drag radials in favor of a MT ET Street, MT drag radial or the new Nitto NT05R drag radials. I'm currently running Nitto NT01s on the back of my 03 Cobra and I love them. They are technically a road race tire with a stiffer sidewall than DRs, but they still hook like hell.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Boss002
Autocross and Road Racing Technique
2
Jul 24, 2015 10:47 AM
Latronaxe
General 1967-2002 F-Body Tech
8
Jul 20, 2015 12:00 PM
Boss002
Autocross and Road Racing Technique
1
Jul 9, 2015 03:33 PM
Slayer
Parts For Sale
0
Jul 4, 2015 03:06 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:39 AM.