Big upgrade in power. Need better tires

[KP_510]

Hey guys I need help/advice on new tires to purchase.

I have a 2013 GT running 20x8.5/20x10 SVE Series 3's on some terrible Ohtsu tires. They did their job for a while but i fishtailed and almost lost control of the car the other day pulling out of my parking lot.

Being that I'm having a blower added currently and I'm looking to reach around 600-635hp out of it before i do any other upgrades (E85 etc) I know I need to upgrade the tires to stay safe.

The car will be driven a max of 3/4 times a week most likely never in the rain unless I get caught while I'm already out and no snow or extremely cold conditions to deal with. (I'm in California)

Mostly a street car however I would like to track it maybe 4-5 times a year.
My main concerns are longevity and traction, I don't wanna spin out everywhere and I dont want to have to buy tires every few months.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[pics06gtstang]

get a set of skinny and fats for just the track w/ some M/T slicks and race masters outfront !

 

[BruceH]

Hey guys I need help/advice on new tires to purchase.

I have a 2013 GT running 20x8.5/20x10 SVE Series 3's on some terrible Ohtsu tires. They did their job for a while but i fishtailed and almost lost control of the car the other day pulling out of my parking lot.

Being that I'm having a blower added currently and I'm looking to reach around 600-635hp out of it before i do any other upgrades (E85 etc) I know I need to upgrade the tires to stay safe.

The car will be driven a max of 3/4 times a week most likely never in the rain unless I get caught while I'm already out and no snow or extremely cold conditions to deal with. (I'm in California)

Mostly a street car however I would like to track it maybe 4-5 times a year.
My main concerns are longevity and traction, I don't wanna spin out everywhere and I dont want to have to buy tires every few months.

Any help is appreciated!

There are few things you can do but you won't be able to have a streetable tire that will put 600rwhp+ to the ground without slip.

The first place I'd look is the tune. If you have an aftermarket tune you can ask to have the drive by wire set to stock. This will give you more control over how much power you command with the accelerator. Some tuners will manipulate the dbw table to command more power at less pedal position. It give the illusion of more power than you have and it takes away from being able to give it moderate amounts of throttle. It's a trick to make customers think the tuner has made huge power gains when the reality is that 20% pedal position is now being read as 50% by the ecu (that's just an example for discussion purposes).

Now on to the tires. Do you want to stay with 20"? What kind of driving do you do and where are you looking for traction? If it's mostly straight line then a good drag radial will help. I've had a few different makes of DR and for something that's mostly used on the street it's hard to beat Nitto NT05R. They ride nice, are quiet, and have enough traction for the dragstrip. A tire that's inbetween the NT05R and NT05 would be 555R. The 555R isn't really a drag radial but it does have more traction than most street tires and they will last about 15k-20k miles depending on how you drive.

Suspension modifications will also help with traction.

 

[KP_510]

There are few things you can do but you won't be able to have a streetable tire that will put 600rwhp+ to the ground without slip.

The first place I'd look is the tune. If you have an aftermarket tune you can ask to have the drive by wire set to stock. This will give you more control over how much power you command with the accelerator. Some tuners will manipulate the dbw table to command more power at less pedal position. It give the illusion of more power than you have and it takes away from being able to give it moderate amounts of throttle. It's a trick to make customers think the tuner has made huge power gains when the reality is that 20% pedal position is now being read as 50% by the ecu (that's just an example for discussion purposes).

Now on to the tires. Do you want to stay with 20"? What kind of driving do you do and where are you looking for traction? If it's mostly straight line then a good drag radial will help. I've had a few different makes of DR and for something that's mostly used on the street it's hard to beat Nitto NT05R. They ride nice, are quiet, and have enough traction for the dragstrip. A tire that's inbetween the NT05R and NT05 would be 555R. The 555R isn't really a drag radial but it does have more traction than most street tires and they will last about 15k-20k miles depending on how you drive.

Suspension modifications will also help with traction.

Thanks for the help! Yes i have an aftermarket tune from Lund my base tune is already done but maybe with the data logging i can get him to change it.

I'd prefer to stick with the 20's for the foreseeable future. Majority of my driving is freeway driving with a small mixture of city driving so majority of my focus is straight line highway traction. I've been looking at the NT05R for the rear and NT555 up front. Also will I have any trouble fitting a 315/35/20 on the back being that I'm lowered an inch and a half back there??

I have lowering springs, panhard bar, shocks/struts and LCA's currently on the car. Adding a front/rear sway bar for the corners soon and possibly an UCA as well.

 

[BruceH]

Thanks for the help! Yes i have an aftermarket tune from Lund my base tune is already done but maybe with the data logging i can get him to change it.

I'd prefer to stick with the 20's for the foreseeable future. Majority of my driving is freeway driving with a small mixture of city driving so majority of my focus is straight line highway traction. I've been looking at the NT05R for the rear and NT555 up front.

I have lowering springs, panhard bar, shocks/struts and LCA's currently on the car. Adding a front/rear sway bar for the corners soon and possibly an UCA as well.

For the record I have no idea what he does for the dbw, he's not one of the "gimmick" tuners I was using for an example. Still though it wouldn't hurt to ask for a stock dbw to help with daily driving.

 

[DRock]

i like the R888's for that kind of power, but the NT05R's or even a NT01 would work

 

[cbass]

I'd do the NT05R over the NT01 for what you want. It's a straight line vs handling change. But you're going to burn through them, and will be wasting life on highways trips. I went with NT05 non-R, and have been happy enough with the traction, even though a little is sacrificed for increased life. And they make it in a 305/30R20, which is perfect for an 11" wide wheel.

 

[KP_510]

Thanks for all the help you guys.

I'm still pretty undecided but I'm leaning towards the NT05R in the rear and 555s up front. If I have to replace them somewhat often then so be it.

Also thinking about just staying away from the track and doing the MT street comps

 

[tigerhonaker]

Thanks for all the help you guys.

I'm still pretty undecided but I'm leaning towards the NT05R in the rear and 555s up front. If I have to replace them somewhat often then so be it.

Also thinking about just staying away from the track and doing the MT street comps

If you want a good looking tire with normal traction and much longer life go with the M/T Street Comps.

http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97826



.

 

[mustangtcs]

NT05R is a great street tire. I have had M/T and M&H. They all spin on the street. But the Nitto has a race compound with a stiff sidewall so you don't lose handling. I run 18's with a tall tire so I still have some sidewall but it doesn't flex like the others.

 

[skwerl]

Thanks for all the help you guys.

I'm still pretty undecided but I'm leaning towards the NT05R in the rear and 555s up front. If I have to replace them somewhat often then so be it.

Also thinking about just staying away from the track and doing the MT street comps

MT Street Comps are not going to have the traction you need with 600+hp. I had them on my Bullitt (less than 6 months old) when I lost control and totaled it.

 

[BruceH]

Thanks for all the help you guys.

I'm still pretty undecided but I'm leaning towards the NT05R in the rear and 555s up front. If I have to replace them somewhat often then so be it.

Also thinking about just staying away from the track and doing the MT street comps

Any reason for not going with NT05 in the front? If they made them in the size I want I would of went NT05 instead of 555. NT05 have a softer compound than 555, IIRC NT05 are 200 wear, 555 are 300, NT05R are 000, and 555R are 100.