Nitto Drag Radials - Streetable? In the Rain?

[Bobpantax]

I am thinking about getting the Nitto drag radials. Does anyone use them on their daily driver? Dry performance? Wet prerformance? Please advise. Please do not respond by referring to other drag radials. I have already reviewed the threads on the other types streetable drag radials. There is very little on the Nittos. Thank you in advance for your responses.

[MacManInfi]

I've run the drag radials on my supercharged mustang and then later on my Z06. Both cars were daily drivers. Totally streetable tires. Handling is good (only noticably sloppier than track tires when you're on the track) and traction in the rain is surprisingly good. In fact, on the wet, the nittos stick much better than any high performance street tire that I've ever used. Their only weakness is hydroplaning, as they don't have much of a rain groove. But for what it's worth, I ran the drag radials on my mustang in Seattle for over a year and never hydroplaned, but they were in good condition with a lot of tread depth left. Later on, here in SoCal with the tread down to the wearbars, I felt some hydroplaning in my Z06.

In my experience, the Nittos are an awesome tire for a daily driver. Ride quality is nice because of the somewhat softer sidewall. They also don't start getting incredibly sticky until they're heated up, which means that on the street, they don't pick up as much gravel as say, the Kumho V700's do (I later ran the Kumho's on my Mustang and run them now on my Pantera). Saves some wear and tear on your body paint and rims. Plus, I got about 15k miles out of them, and that's with a number of autocross events.

[Snakester]

Do they make Nitto performance tires in a 335/18 size for cars?

[bloose]

I've got Nitto's on the front and rear of my blown Mustang. I have the NT555R drag radial on the rear and they are pretty scary when when wet so I really avoid that. I run 275/40 17's in the rear and the traction is good but even with the supercharger my Mustang is not the torquemonster that the Viper is off the line. I've used them to run a 12.68 @ 117mph in the Mustang.

The NT555R is their Drag racing drag radial and the NT555RII is their road racing version which has a stiffer sidewall. I would probably recommend that for every day driving however the NT555R is the only one that comes in a 335/30 18" tire, and the maximum wheel width is listed as 12.5". The NT555RII is limited to a 305 size on a 12" wheel.

Nitto NT555RII http://www.nittotire.com/tires_555r2.asp
Nitto NT555R http://www.nittotire.com/tires_555r.asp

[Midwest Muscle]

I found the Nitto DR's to be much more useable in the rain than some would have you believe. They aren't ideal, but they aren't an accident waiting to happen either.

Mike M

[JUCD VPR]

I run the Nitto Drag radial Nt555R's on the rear of my Mustang GT that runs 11's on radials 10's on slicks in the quarter mile on spray. They Hook GREAT when dry but not so great in the rain NOR does any other Drag radial tire. I run the BFG Drag radials on my Viper and they hydroplane pretty bad because they are so fat, but when dry the BFG's hook amazing, same with the nitto's but i think BFG's hook a little bit better.

[Midwest Muscle]

No doubt the BFG hooks better than the Nitto. But if caught in rain, I'll be hoping I don't have those BFG DR's on my car ...

Mike M

[JUCD VPR]

No doubt the BFG hooks better than the Nitto. But if caught in rain, I'll be hoping I don't have those BFG DR's on my car ...

Mike M

TRUE they are pretty bad at hydroplaning, no good for the rain.

[V10TT]

JUCD, how would you compare the Nottos with the Kumhos v700s?

[JUCD VPR]

V10TT ~ I've never run the Kumho's and i tried to get a set but JonB at parts rack said their discontinued, so i dunno?

[Jack B]

If you want an all around nice street drag tire, the ET street radials are perfect. I put about 2000 miles on a set last summer. I have run the nitto's, both 700 and 710 Kuhmo's, the ET street radials are the best for pure traction and the ride is not bad. At the track you run about 15 psi and on the street they run best at 21 psi. If you go higher they get squirrely due to the tire crowning.

With all that said, you can't get crazy and put G's into a corner. Quick lane changes are also a bit scary and like any tire without treads, they don't like water, but, they do bite. On the bottle, I can easily spin the Kuhmo's at will in third gear, not so with the ET radials. My guess is the BFG's have equal or better traction due to their size, but, I wouldn't think they ride as well.