Gurus: Street Drag Tire Size Help Needed

[Jeepngli]

I am a dummy when it comes to tire sizes and what I should run. Car is a street car running 275/40R18 in the rear. I would like the most aggressive/drag tire to fit on the 18" wheel. I know it would be better to run a 15" wheel but I really these wheels. At most, it would see the track rarely. I included pictures of the current wheel gap. I measured approx 2" - 2 1/4" in between the wheel and outer fender. Car is sitting on Saleen Racecraft Shocks and springs.

All suggestions appreciated on size and which tire . Don't mind increasing the overall diameter as long as it fits and I rub like a VW

 

[stkjock]

How wide are those wheels ?

 

[Jeepngli]

18x9 with an offset of 36, should have mentioned that.

I looked at the sticky post and my numbers don't add up.

It seems like I want something like a 275/45R18 to keep the same width and add a little sidewall?

 

[stkjock]

The 275/45 is taller than stock. Good choice if u have 3.73 or steeper rear gear. MT makes the SS tire in that size

 

[Jeepngli]

Yes, I have 3.73 and the 5speed. So the overall diameter changes about an inch?

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[stkjock]

More like .6”

 

[Jeepngli]

Oh thats nice much. Is that about the most I should go height wise? That retains the same width I have since I'm staying with the 275?

Thanks!

 

[stkjock]

With 3.73s u can go to a 28” tire if you’re making powwwwaaaa

 

[Heaten m90]

A Hoosier DR2 315x40Rx18 will fit, and grab nice. It’s DOT rated slick, but not much sidewall.

MT cheater’s Are nice too & they hook better then a DR2, if you don’t have any suspension work done, go this route. Down side is they don’t hit as hard off the line, and they can shake

 

[retfr8flyr]

I would run the M/T S/S 275/45/18's, with your 9 inch wide wheels. I have run their older version DR's for years and they work well on the street.

 

[Jeepngli]

Awesome. I think that's what I'm going to do. Now to find the best price. Thanks for your help everyone.

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[Jeepngli]

If just the rear tire overall diameter increase, is the pinion angle conserved or does it need to be re-adjusted? I'm trying to grasp it in my mind. I have LCA's, relocation brackets, adjustable upper and have had the pinion angle check and adjusted.

 

[skwerl]

How would tire size affect pinion angle? How could it?

 

[Jeepngli]

I'm just asking. The whole geometry, body and suspension would lift so the pinion angle should stay the same just with the rear of the car slightly higher.

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[Jeepngli]

My good buddy has me teetering. He thinks I should stay with the same overall diameter based on my setup. My car is about 420whp and has 3.73's. My two options are:

Nitto NT01 275/40/R18

Mickey Thompson 275/45/R18


Using the calculator, going from 40 to 45 yields a new effective gear ratio of 3.58. Kind sucks, I like being in the 3.73 range.

Overall diameter goes from 26.7 to 27.7. Width stays the same.


Is the NT01 a decent tire? Its close in price to the MT, only a few dollars less. Either way, both those sizes aren't cheap so I'm going through all the options.

 

[retfr8flyr]

The Nitto 01 is not a drag radial, it's a road course tire and I don't think it will give you what you are looking for.

 

[Jeepngli]

Hmm. The car is a street car, that's why I was considering it. I want an aggressive street tire. Car only comes out in the nice, dry weather. Thanks for the info.

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[46addict]

Is it a street car that rarely sees the track, or a car that gets raced often but is passed off as a street car?

If drag radials aid launching traction, and road course tires are for lateral grip, it wouldn't hurt to put road course tires on a good weather street car unless the goal is to cut mean 60 ft times. Michelin Pilot Super Sports and Continental ExtremeContact 2s are recommended often for what you're trying to do. And they should be offered in a 26.7-27" size. I'm like you and like having steeper gears and would hate to end up somewhere taller than a 3.73.

 

[Jeepngli]

The first is more correct: street car that rarely sees the track. And I have a lot in handling so I agree that may be a better move: a good road course tired. That's why I liked that nt01. Does anyone else make a more aggressive street ties like the NT01? The ones you mentioned I will look into.

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[46addict]

I've heard complaints of NT01s and NT05s being noisy. Michelin PSS is supposed to be the best all around tire. And there are others like the Bridgestone Potenza RE11 and Toyo R888. The Toyos are labeled as a race tire so they might not last 10k miles, but neither will the MTs you were looking at earlier.