Tires for street and drag racing

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Demon499

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I am going to buy a new set of rear tires and I wanted to hear from you guy and gals on your tires. Currently I am running 275/60/15 Goodrich tires and these are the worst for the track. They will spin on the launch every time. My car is a 74 Dodge Dart Sport with a 408 engine.
Thank you ..................Ted
 
I’ve run Goodrich and nitto drag radials on the street. I liked the nitto a little bit better. Never ran them on the track and I had 325 hp max. Be aware 5k and most the tread is gone. They will go a bit farther but bald. And bald tires suck on the street if its your daily driver.
 
Mickey Thomson S/R series, are a choice?

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I would lean to the Nitto drag radials. I have had them on several street cars.Last longer on the street than ET streets. They kept me from doing burnouts too and that saves me from getting tickets.
 
Funny, I have a pair of mickey’s and have never run them.
 
The wife has the above Mickey’s, pretty good tire. We like it. On my Duster, I have Nitto 555 which are also very good. I think the 555’s have the edge at the track.
 
Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S. Dead hook at the track only needing short burnouts just till you see smoke. On the street it depends on level of power and how you hit them. Best method I’ve found for my setup and only way I flog them is strictly from a roll. Otherwise they will spin and never recover until I let off some for them to grab. Still better than any pure street tire. Only downsides about these tires is tread life. Not very long, not good in rain (why would anyone drive in the rain anyways, especially with no wipers!) and cost. I use them for the track only atm.
 
Nittos for me 325/50 r15's Standard width axle housing with springs relocated 3" inward and 15x10 cop wheels!

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I have 275/60/15 Nitto 555R2 currently. A couple weeks ago I hd the most success with these tires. Compared to last year. They like a really good burnout(for my car maybe). I am still working on some things but they hooked great on the 3 passes I got that day before rain showed up. My car is a 72 Demon with a 512 low deck, 4 speed, 3.91s. Best 60' to date is 1.68 launching around 3k rpm. I also run them on the street and they hook great there. Last season I struggled getting them to hook. They were very inconsistent. I also wasn't doing a huge burnout at that time. So that may have been the trick I just learned. We will find out in the near future if that is the case. I will be switching to Hoosier CO7 slicks soon though. Best of luck!
 
MoparMcK said:
I have 275/60/15 Nitto 555R2 currently. A couple weeks ago I hd the most success with these tires. Compared to last year. They like a really good burnout(for my car maybe). I am still working on some things but they hooked great on the 3 passes I got that day before rain showed up. My car is a 72 Demon with a 512 low deck, 4 speed, 3.91s. Best 60' to date is 1.68 launching around 3k rpm. I also run them on the street and they hook great there. Last season I struggled getting them to hook. They were very inconsistent. I also wasn't doing a huge burnout at that time. So that may have been the trick I just learned. We will find out in the near future if that is the case. I will be switching to Hoosier CO7 slicks soon though. Best of luck!
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Great review, and good timing. I am building a big block A with 3.91’s and was curious about the Nitto’s performance. I’ve always run MT’s but might have to give the Nittos a try.
 
MidnightSwinger said:
Great review, and good timing. I am building a big block A with 3.91’s and was curious about the Nitto’s performance. I’ve always run MT’s but might have to give the Nittos a try.
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Thank you. I had the nitto 555R before. They seemed to be more consistent but I always seemed to have other issues arise. So never knew if they were truly getting tested. Best 60' for those was a 1.73. Consistent 1.80s. I do hope these R2s will keep hooking. I plan to bump the launch rpm up a bit and keep the 15psi. See how that goes and maybe drop air pressure a couple if needed. Have to find the limits.
 
Demon499 said:
I am going to buy a new set of rear tires and I wanted to hear from you guy and gals on your tires. Currently I am running 275/60/15 Goodrich tires and these are the worst for the track. They will spin on the launch every time. My car is a 74 Dodge Dart Sport with a 408 engine.
Thank you ..................Ted
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Nitto 555g2 Tires are insufficient, and if I remember correctly they are 305/45r20.
I have a 4400 lbs '16 charger with the 392. 485 hp, 475 torque.
Since you should be pushing something close to those numbers and your car is probably 1000lbs lighter, I doubt those tires will work. Look at drag radials.
More importantly you need to build your suspension properly for launch.
Nobody here knows your car as well as you do, nor do they know how and where you drive it. Do some research into super stock springs, caltracs, assassin bars et cetera. Also do research into the front suspension setup.

Sticking to the road and controlling power is more than just tire selection, just like picking a good wife is more than just her giving good head out back of the pub.
 
I saw repeated 60’ wheels up times of 1.54 with my MT ET Street radials with a too loose converter. But have quite a few years of runs with solid 1.58-1.60 wheels up with a TA tight (not as much “up” as with the looser converter though)
 
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I run 325/50×15 M/T Street R's, drive and drag them with no issues. I was originally using the same size M&H racemaster radials and had nowhere near the traction.
 
If you are interested in a much better street tire with some wet capability and tire life, and MUCH better traction than bfg's, Nitto 555 Rs. Nitto G2 is merely a ("ultra") high performance street tire.
If dragstrip performance is more important, Mickey e.t. street R or SS, or Hoosier drag radials. DONT get the bias versions of mickey or Hoosier, they are just drag slicks with thicker sidewalls and a couple grooves.
I have no experience with the M&H drag radials. I have never seen anyone running them.
And most important, this is only my opinion. (Tho I do use mickey et street pro's[marginally legal on the street , maybe. Full on drag tire] and Hoosier qtp bias (huge) , oh and of course, real slicks)
 
I have been trying to get a new set of nitto 555 extreme drag for 3 years now but i can't find them anywhere i can only find the much more expensive 555R and from what i have read they are more of a road race tire or am i wrong on this ?
 
Got mine from Amazon a few weeks ago.
 
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