i have an opportunity to get some (275's) but I'm worried about getting stuck in the rain and dying in a fiery crash! Although, I'm sure they may be better than my 10 year old bald Eagles (245's). Currently my car can't take off in 1st or 2nd without spinning if the road is wet and lane changes are scary. But I seldom get caught in the rain so I stuck with the bald tires last season. I'm planning on buying 4 new tires in a month or so once I get paid for some contract work. But I need something in the interim. I ran over a nail last weekend which is why I'm thinking about the 555DRs for the rear, for now.
Nitto 555dr For Non-track Use?
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You'll barely be better off w/ the DR's. There aren't enough grooves to channel rain water away from under the tire to trust the tire at speed, and you're getting them.........used?. Not safe. That, coupled to the softer tire compound the tire has will literally wear before your eyes in your rear view mirror. ( Well,.....almost)
I had them on my stock Pony / Waffle rims but the car was not a daily driver. I had a blower on the car and traction was really an issue plus the Z06 came out that year. They were surprisingly very well on the street, lots of traction. However I couldn't tall you about rainy days because my car never saw one. Well once on the way back from the drag strip and don't remember any issues.
245-50-16 on pony's with supercharger.
245-50-16 on pony's with supercharger.
wht93gtEd
Active Member
At least if you do participate in a fiery crash, it'll be raining to extinguish the fire.
MY 85 GT
10 Year Member
I had them on a car before drove in the rain no issues at all...They were a good tire...i went from a 2.0 60ft down to a 1.7 60ft just with nittos installed...Im looking for a set now..
foxna6
Member
Ronin38
15 Year Member
foxna6
Member
I have. The standard on my sn95 DD drive them in the snow and all there a little scary when there cold most of the time.the first 1/2 mile or so in winter below like 40 degrees I've been using Norris for the last 5 years and could not be happier I get about 20000 miles for the rears a little more from the fronts I'm an I'm pretty hard on them there my tire of choice
I'm with madmike1157 on this one. Soft rubber compound wear very quickly,and you will replace the tires sooner than is comfortable for your wallet. Ouch...
Minimal groves to channel water away and wet pavement are a nasty mix. The soft rubber is OK for the rain,and Grand Prix race cars use a soft tire with lots of groves and channels to pump the water away from the tire gripping surface. Lack of all those groves and channels allows the tire to hydroplane at low speeds, changing your role from driver to helpless passenger. Hello bash and crash...
If you HAVE TO run a tire with a soft rubber compound and minimal groves , use them on the rear only. About 85% of the braking is done by the front tires, so tires that grip under all conditions are the best front tire choice for the street. Don't cheat and run skinnys on the street, because they don't have enough traction in a panic stop situation to save your bacon...Canadian or otherwise...
See http://www.racecartuner.com/02/104.html for some very intersting information on race cars and tires.
I used to daily-drive on Nitto DR's in the back and they were surprisingly good in the rain, in anything short of a downpour or when they wore significantly in the center. The worst part about them was they used to kind of wander on the highway and create a very disconcerting feel. FWIW I even used them autocrossing for 2 seasons 
Flossy
Member
I used to DD 245 555r's on my Formula year round and did fine with them. I drove around on them bald for a winter also and didn't die... I wouldn't suggest it, but I had no problems with them in the rain. Actually, the last 4 years I DD it, I had nothing but 555r's on it, and still have them on it to the day. Going to be swapping for some 315 NT05r's shortly though...
Bryan83taco
Active Member
I run 555 DR's in the rear. No problems here but I don't drive the fox that much. Especially if it's raining out.
No experience with the Nitto's, but I had the Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials and they were a death trap on anything but clean, dry pavement.
My buddy had the Nitto drag radials on his car and he was all over the place in the rain....but in the Nitto's defence, he can't drive worth a
.
My buddy had the Nitto drag radials on his car and he was all over the place in the rain....but in the Nitto's defence, he can't drive worth a
.
