street radials

[Mest30]

Hey guys,

I'm in need of some new tires and if I'm going to be going to the track throughout the summer, I figure I might as well get tires with the best traction available. I've been doing some searching and discovered that some members are running drag radials on a daily driver. That seems ok with me but how long are the tires lasting while be driven everyday? I did some searching on the nitto website (I think that's what it is) and saw the drag radials that were being used for street driven cars, but the sizes dont match. So are there any good street radials that fit (at least the rear) the marauder or can the drag radials being used by some on daily drivers fit and have good durability? I've also read on some posts that with drag radials, people have to tune their cars to a different gear to compensate for the different size tire. I'm not really interested in doing this. My car isnt blown or anything and probably wont be. I'm just looking for the best street radial (best traction) that fits the rims. Thanks for any and all help.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

If you already have an xcal you can already change the multiplier for the change in tire diameter so that should not be a problem

[vkirkend]

Are you having traction problems with the factory tires?

[magindat]

Nitto 420s out back and nitto 555 up front will pin her down quite nicely. They held me well on the street and track through all your mods plus headers and full exhaust plus built trans and 300K stall.

I got over 30K out of front and rear in this config.

[QWK SVT]

Doubt you'd need drag radials, at you power level... IMO, it's not worth it, for the compromise in wear and wet traction, unless you're overpowering what's already there.

I had Nittos on the truck. less than 10K later, I went back to the stock goodyears, and am looking at a set of dedicated wheels and tires for track use...


300K stall :eek: Must make launches pretty rough, launching at 300,000RPM :lol:

[LeoVampire]

In the rear I run the Eagle Respons Edge size: 255 / 55 / 18's

Great in the rain and dry pavment but when cold they spinout easy once they are warm excelent grip. About $200.00 each installed. 50,000 mile tire if your nice to them. 150 MPH rated Directional tire.

http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodyeartireselector/results_size.jsp?treadwidth=25 5&aspectratio=55&rimdiameter=18&mrktgrp=Performance&image.x=54&image.y=26#

In the front I run the Eagle F1 All season 235 / 50 /18's

More expensive about $300.00 each installed. AWSOME wet road control and dry pavment. Too bad they don;t make the size for the rear as they are awsome in the snow. 190 MPH rated tire directional. 55,000 mile rated.

http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodyeartireselector/results_size.jsp?treadwidth=23 5&aspectratio=50&rimdiameter=18&mrktgrp=Performance&image.x=84&image.y=27

The stock tires wore out on me @ 25,000 because it is soft rubber for awsome dry pavment tracktion. So it was time for a change.

Both tires have Kevlar reinforcment.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I have never gotten more than 50% of the life the mfr says the tires are good for. I think you'd get 60k to a 60k tire if you drove straight at 35 mph and never ever turned.

[Mest30]

Nitto 420s out back and nitto 555 up front will pin her down quite nicely. They held me well on the street and track through all your mods plus headers and full exhaust plus built trans and 300K stall.

I got over 30K out of front and rear in this config.

Are those Nittos a direct fit on the rims? If so, I'm going to look into those and the goodyears. Thanks for the advice.

I'm not having traction problems at all, but I am in need of new tires so I figure I might as well buy a tire that's going to give me excellent traction on the strip and also serve me a few years on the street.

[red]

MANY people make the mistake of using drag radials for daily driving. DON'T BE ONE OF THEM. They build up confidence on the tires due to the great traction on warm, dry pavement. Then, they eventually drive on wet or cold roads with the same confidence and lose it. If you're concerned for the life of the tire... consider this: the better the radial (and compound) for competition, the less miles you're going to get. Also, concerning a good street and track tire, look at the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. I've cut a 60' of 1.927 on them (lowest N/A 60' on street tires from what I know (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=43187)) and regularly hit mid 1.9's. If you're going to buy new tires for daily driving, I highly recommend you purchase the same model/syle tire for all corners (search on mixing tires).

[LeoVampire]

MANY people make the mistake of using drag radials for daily driving. DON'T BE ONE OF THEM. They build up confidence on the tires due to the great traction on warm, dry pavement. Then, they eventually drive on wet or cold roads with the same confidence and lose it. If you're concerned for the life of the tire... consider this: the better the radial (and compound) for competition, the less miles you're going to get. Also, concerning a good street and track tire, look at the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. I've cut a 60' of 1.927 on them (lowest N/A 60' on street tires from what I know (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=43187)) and regularly hit mid 1.9's. If you're going to buy new tires for daily driving, I highly recommend you purchase the same model/syle tire for all corners (search on mixing tires).

And yes it is better having matching tires but it is a soft tire just like the stock tires that came with the MM. Which means your going to spend a lot of money on a tire that will not last you a long period of time.

Even official testers of the tire say everyday use of it on a car means short life span.

But what you said about the sliks is totaly true. Once you hit wet pavment your screwed.

[Mest30]

MANY people make the mistake of using drag radials for daily driving. DON'T BE ONE OF THEM. They build up confidence on the tires due to the great traction on warm, dry pavement. Then, they eventually drive on wet or cold roads with the same confidence and lose it. If you're concerned for the life of the tire... consider this: the better the radial (and compound) for competition, the less miles you're going to get. Also, concerning a good street and track tire, look at the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. I've cut a 60' of 1.927 on them (lowest N/A 60' on street tires from what I know (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=43187)) and regularly hit mid 1.9's. If you're going to buy new tires for daily driving, I highly recommend you purchase the same model/syle tire for all corners (search on mixing tires).

Thanks. When you went to the strip with those tires, did you mash the gas on the last yellow or preload the TC? Just curious on your technique to get those 60 foot times.

[joefireman18]

Just an fyi.
"Tire rack" has the BF'S on sale for the front if any one's intrested?
$89.00 a peice
I got a set for under $200 after shipping.
Not a bad deal, even if you don't need them just yet.
Normal price is $130.00 a tire.:eek:

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I paid $69/each brand new on ebay, plus $12 shipping, for new BF KDWs about 6 months ago. The fronts are cheap. It's the rears that are the more $$$. And unfortunately, the rears are the ones that wear the center out on this car.

[red]

Thanks. When you went to the strip with those tires, did you mash the gas on the last yellow or preload the TC? Just curious on your technique to get those 60 foot times.
As mentioned in my thread (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=43187), this was with a 2800 launch (preloaded) and an effective gear ratio of 4.04 (slightly taller tires).

[Mest30]

Thank you very much. Next time I go to the track I'll see if preloading the converter a little bit makes a difference. When I went to the track last Sunday (for the first time) I just mashed the gas every time with no preload. When I get the funds, I'll be getting the goodyears.

[Mest30]

Well, after getting underneath my car working on the pulleys and water pump, I realized I needed front tires asap. The threads were coming out! So I went yesterday to the nearest tire shop (discount tires) and all they had available were the ones that came stock, so I got them. I have to special order the rear tires since they dont have them in stock but since I already got the stock ones on the front I'm just going to go stock on the back.

[John F. Russo]

Nitto 420s out back and nitto 555 up front will pin her down quite nicely. They held me well on the street and track through all your mods plus headers and full exhaust plus built trans and 300K stall.

I got over 30K out of front and rear in this config.

I'm searching for the next set of rear tires for my widened rims.

I don't understand your use of the Nitto 420's on the rear and 555's on the front. How does having near-slicks on the front help the car take off?

I looked on the Nitto-like website (What is their website?) and my understanding is that the 555's are designed for the rears only.

[red]

I don't understand your use of the Nitto 420's on the rear and 555's on the front. How does having near-slicks on the front help the car take off?

I believe you're confusing these with the 555R's (their drag radial version). They're referring to the street tire version known as the 555s.


I looked on the Nitto-like website (What is their website?)

http://www.nittotire.com/