best 18" tire for hpde?

[Pentalab]

My friend that owned the 07 in my avatar before me had 555s on the car for awhile. I drove it at one wet & cool track day, they were terrible ... no traction for turn-in or corner exit.

NT-555's..and 555 G2's are summer use only. Traction drops when temps drop. I only use mine from end of april /may to end of oct.
Then use Nitto motivo's for the fall /winter on oem rims, good rain tire..semi useless in snow.

The new G2's are a lot better in the wet vs the older 555 ( 5 rain grooves vs 3). But they were never intended for road course use. 555 / 555-G2 is just a cheaper version of a 300 tread wear tire vs a MPSS in the same 300 tread wear rating.

 

[Vorshlag-Fair]

Sorry to rain on the Nitto parade, but they are not good tires. I've track driven on all of these... just bad.

And don't get me started on Toyos...

Its a meme because its true.

 

[46addict]

So what is the preferred compound for driving spiritedly in sub 50 degree weather? All seasons?

 

[Strengthrehab]

Rave reviews, including my own, on the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (renamed Bridgestone RE003). I'm using them for my street/rainy track day tire.

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[Norm Peterson]

So what is the preferred compound for driving spiritedly in sub 50 degree weather? All seasons?

I've driven HPDE sessions on MPSS tires where the temperature didn't get out of the 30's F.

I've driven on different sized MPSS at temperatures a good bit cooler than that on the street still with a fair amount of 'enthusiasm' (not nearly track-level but up to possibly 0.5g). Just stay the hell away from snow & slush on those tires, they might as well be ice skates on a hockey rink in that stuff.


Norm

 

[Pentalab]

I've driven HPDE sessions on MPSS tires where the temperature didn't get out of the 30's F.

A good bit cooler than that on the street still with a fair amount of 'enthusiasm' but not nearly track-level. Just stay the hell away from snow & slush, they might as well be ice skates.


Norm

The MPSS is pretty damned good, esp for a 300 tread wear rated tire. Affordable, and will last a while. A good compromise if its primarily a street car, and you can only have one set of tires / rims.

 

[fast Ed]

Rave reviews, including my own, on the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (renamed Bridgestone RE003). I'm using them for my street/rainy track day tire.

We put a set of those on the 17 Ecoboost fastback that I had for a demo last summer, 265/40R19 on 9.5" square. I was very impressed with the traction dry and wet that they had, only downside was high road noise on older pavement surfaces. Even did a few gentle laps at Mosport, they hung on very well. At their price point they likely provide the best performance.

 

[stevbd]

Another vote for the MPSS. I think if you are looking for an all around 3 season street and occasional HPDE tire, you really can't do better. Excellent dry grip, durable, quiet, very good wet grip, it's really all there. I used to think they were kind of Kool Aid and wondered what all the hype was about, but having had a couple sets now they definitely are very good Kool Aid. Worth the few extra hundred dollars for a set compared to lesser tires, in my opinion, and absolutely head and shoulders better than the Nitto Invos I was using previously.

 

[Pentalab]

Another vote for the MPSS. I think if you are looking for an all around 3 season street and occasional HPDE tire, you really can't do better. Excellent dry grip, durable, quiet, very good wet grip, it's really all there. I used to think they were kind of Kool Aid and wondered what all the hype was about, but having had a couple sets now they definitely are very good Kool Aid. Worth the few extra hundred dollars for a set compared to lesser tires, in my opinion, and absolutely head and shoulders better than the Nitto Invos I was using previously.

MPSS. On a square setup, you can rotate front to back, and also side to side. On the staggered setup, you can still rotate side to side....another bonus.

 

[Juice]

Sorry to rain on the Nitto parade, but they are not good tires. I've track driven on all of these... just bad.

Its a meme because its true.

Well, maybe for professional racers it is true. But for HPDEs I have no issues with NT01s. Hoosiers "may" be a little better, but again, for HPDEs, who cares. Cost matters to the 'little' guys without sponsors.

Yes, I've had Hoosiers too, but the cost of them made me look at Nittos. So I"m comparing them from personal experience.

 

[RED09GT]

Rave reviews, including my own, on the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (renamed Bridgestone RE003). I'm using them for my street/rainy track day tire.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I'm using these for my street tires and for their price point, they are a giant killer.

 

[Strengthrehab]

Just turned a personal best on them last Friday. Good for 1.26G peak lateral grip.

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[Sky Render]

What sizes are you guys running in the MPSS?

 

[Thenorm]

Well, maybe for professional racers it is true. But for HPDEs I have no issues with NT01s. Hoosiers "may" be a little better, but again, for HPDEs, who cares. Cost matters to the 'little' guys without sponsors.

Yes, I've had Hoosiers too, but the cost of them made me look at Nittos. So I"m comparing them from personal experience.

We're dumping on the NT 555.
The NT01 is at least a track tire, and not a street tire like the 555

 

[Norm Peterson]

What sizes are you guys running in the MPSS?

285/35-18 (on 18x11's)

Seems Michelin has recently seen fit to offer that size in the PS4S line . . .


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

We're dumping on the NT 555.
The NT01 is at least a track tire, and not a street tire like the 555

Not that the NT05 is all that good of a choice either. Nitto's own video (since pulled) for that tire showed it being way too slide-y and tail-happy.


Norm

 

[Juice]

We're dumping on the NT 555.
The NT01 is at least a track tire, and not a street tire like the 555

I've also run my NT555 (gen1) at my last HPDE @WGI on the car in my sig. In the dry, the 555s were 3-5 seconds slower on average on low 2 minute laps. In the wet they were sketchy (but you already know that ), but I still ran faster then my buddies in S550s. (GT 350s) in the rain. My best rain lap was a 3 min 10. I have NO electronic anything, and that was on the factory original V6 suspension. It was first event I attended in this car, and I'm still getting used to it. Many upgrades have been installed since. Cant wait to see the improvements.

I would not mind trying a set of MPSS, but for the cost, there are better options IMO. I was looking at the Cooper Zeons or MT street comps. I would try a set of R888Rs, but they are the same price now as NT01s (price jumped before I was ready to buy)

Always looking for the most cost effective tire to reduce consumable costs.

Ps: The 555s annoy me the most in the rain on the STREET!

 

[Strengthrehab]

Federal RS-RR. Cheap and effective.

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[Juice]

Possibly looking at Ventus Z214 in Medium C51 compound. No "all seasons" as I have plenty of those. lol

 

[Pentalab]

I just bought a pair of MPSS in 305-35-19. What I wanted was the NT-555 G2 in the exact same size, but they were not available. For DD use from May to Oct, either would suffice. The MPSS had better work, they were expensive.