Hi guys,

i've searched for this, but there isn't a dedicated thread to serve such purpose..

We need grip, we need wide tires, we need something with less noise, we need something for the streets (more or less for occasional track days).

please share your experience with the tires you've used, and what you recommend, also whp you were at when you've used them tires.

Please make sure to mention the size of your wheels and the tires details. also a pic of them installed would be a plus (to confirm if fender rolling is a requirement or not).

Thanks

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Following list is compiled from the posts within this thread and according to user experience and what was their impression of the tires and what whp they've tested them (give or take).. This is by no mean an accurate measure, but more of a guide for whoever is looking for the best tires to his benefit.. so keep your comments and recommendations coming please..

Again, please, as possible as you can, mention the tire sizes you've used and wheels specs you had them on. this could be an extra tip to the public that they might find helpful. (pics will be a plus too)

Updated: [15/May/2012]

Recommended Tires:

Hankook
Ventus R-S3 || upto ???whp
Ventus Evo S1 || upto 350whp

Nitto
NT05 || upto 420whp
NT555 || upto 450whp
NT555R Extreme || upto 500whp
NT01R || 468whp

Toyo
Proxes T1R || upto 470whp
Proxes R888 || upto 650whp

BFGoodrich
KDW2 || upto 550whp

Bridgestone
RE050 || upto 450whp
RE11 || upto 500whp

MT
ET Street Radial || upto 523whp

Vredestein
Ultrac Sessanta || upto 530whp

Dunlop
Direzza Star Spec || upto 650whp

 

Hankook RS3's work great, Nitto NT05's are OK, then if you make serious power i would just run R888's all the time.

 

NT555 are holding 400whp for me and are relatively cheap. I have 20x10.5's and 285x30's on the rear. They would probably break up >450whp though, it feels like I'm close to the limit sometimes in 1st/2nd (occasional VDC blink) but it doesn't break loose easily.

 

i went with the ever popular 325 25 20 Pirellis. bahaha.
Literally the most hard to find tire ive ever had to deal with. fml.
Oh well.. i dont want to flip into a guard rail on the fwy by dropping the hammer... id rather buy Ill-matic tires than buy my own cemetery plot haha..Ive seen cars over 500 whp on youtube.. its a steering wheel wrestling match apparently..... so i iz scared of FI.

 

This is nice to see. I will be rocking 285x40x18s on Saturday when I pick my car up from Z1 Motorsports. I have a friend that is making about 470whp on a set of Toyo Proxes T1Rs and traction is limited in first but does pretty good after that. Not sure of the size... I think it may be a 285x30 or 295x35.

 

550hp at the tire in mine and I run BFG KDW2's...only a 275/35/19 in the rear because of offset issues with PIAA wheels and stop tech....they are noisy on concrete roads, but hardly noticeable with the exhaust and stereo....road race and track with them with no issues..yeah it will get squirrely if I mat it even in 3rd but used to it so no worries for me.

 

I am looking at the RE-11's for next year. At the moment I have the RE050 in 295/30/19 and they perform well, but no traction in first at about 450whp with a 3.3FD. Camber is at about -1.1. I am more than likely going with a 285/35/19 RE-11, and will try to get the camber up to about -.6 or better. My wheels are 19x10.5 +22 in the rear, so a 305 would be hard to fit without massive camber. I have read great things about the RS3’s, but they only come in a 305.

 

speaking of 305s.. i have a set of pirellis for sale in 20" in a month or so, lightly used, sell cheap. haha.. ok back to topic now.. ( Shameless plug) .

 

Depends what you want from tire and what power.

at > 500 rwhp and rwtq you should look for a 3.3FD first.

Tires, well, R888's are best all around. But if your climate doesn't make them a safe option, then just run DR's all the time (like I did). Nitto 555R Extreme DR's, 305/35/18's held good. And as long as you weren't on a slalom course actually handled ok (surprising better than expected).
BFG DR's were sticky, but scary as hell if you even looked at a puddle.

Khumo ECSTA MX's couldn't hold 400rwhp anywhere (much less anything more than that)

Tom

 

Been running RE 11'S 285 35 19 out back... Always gripping! My fenders are cut n welded n currently running a used set of 305's for test fitment..
I'm on BC coilovers and have no issues with rubbing...
My wheels are 19 x 10.5 +22 no camber issues at all..

 

I run MT et street DR 305/35-18

523hp@13psi but i'm running 18psi now, 3.5FD

They are ugly in second gear and sometimes early in 3rd. They hate cold and don't even think about rain. After a decent burnout on the track they hook up nicely.

about the rain: i hydroplaned and almost lost the car on the interstate a couple weeks ago coming home from the straight. Straight road, just enough rain to need wipers, cruising 65mph. *** end just came around without warning. It was not fun.

 

but remember, r compound tires (r888, drag radials, etc) CANNOT be subjected to freezing temps. They will crack. So you must change them out during the winter.

 

Was your traction control on? This happened to me while driving during a modest rain on the highway with 30% tread rear tires. To my amazement I could actually feel the car apply the brake of the opposing front wheel to straighten the car out. I think our cars have a yaw sensor for this (mine is a touring model). This was very helpful as I was in the middle of a bunch of cars on the highway. But back on topic, I run 275/40/18s Dunno Sport Maxx and they don't seem to hook very well.

 

was running a set of vredstein ultrac sessanta's when i was stock block tt'd (530 whp) 275 35 19. they hooked nice in third and didnt have any sidewall roll when cornering hard and performed very well in the rain i was impressed. got a set of hankook evo 12's after 295 30 19 and hate them for high speed cornering they have tons of sidewall roll >.>

 

Most of the real grippy tires cannot be driven in freezing temps. And they develop flat spots on them as well.

i run currently Dunlop Direzza Star Specs and they are great. However during colder temps, it makes me not want to drive the car with them on.

 

Very true (thats why I said R888's if climate allows).

DR's are not R compound though....so not as subject to cold (I actually ran Nitto's on a 03 cobra year round lol)....but that doesn't mean they are ok, or that all DR's are same!

Tom

 

OP - look at bolded areas and take heed. The only other tire I'd add is the Dunlop Star Spec. I run them on my 650+rwhp Z32TT, and am amazed with their grip. I used to run a 295/30/18 R888, and that worked as well. You need a wide wheel (10-10.5") with a high-ish offset (+25ish) to run a big tire. Don't run a big tire on a tiny wheel. Don't buy an old or used tire. Get something freshly-produced (you can ask for the 4-digit production code before ordering at TireRack, for example). The 285/35/18 RS3 on a 10.5" wheel is incredible. Same goes for a fresh R888. You could also go BFG DR, but they wouldn't be very good in colder climates (like most tires anyway) or for any performance driving including turns. You don't need a huge tire for grip, you need one that fits properly, has minimal camber (0-1*), and is fresh.

 

Also to add, the 285/35-18 Hankook RS3 runs wide, really freaking wide. Its is dam near perfectly fitted to my 10.5 inch rear wheel. Compaired to the NT05 i took off 275/40-18 (supposed to be 10mm difference ) it was actually closer to a 1.25 inch difference in width.

 

On 10 psi (about 420whp) I have zero traction in first gear and part of second with my tires (Federal 595, 245/45/18’s)… haven’t tried launching on 14 psi yet (470whp)…

 

Is be surprised if u got traction with that tire and size at all XD