pianoprodigy

Right now, I need tires. Contrary to my profile. I'm running 225 35 18s on the front on my Enkei Aegis 8.5" wheels. I've been told by a wheel and tire shop that these tires are really too small for the front. He suggested (an FD owner) that I get 245 35 18s for the front (what he's running with no issues). I have 9.5" wheels on the back running 275 35 18s. Offset is 44 on the front, 45 on the back. I'm planning on purchasing drag radials. There seems to be only 2 real brands: BF Goodrich and Nitto. Nitto does not make a proper size tire for either the front or the back. I found BF Goodrich g-force T/A Drag Radials in the proper size...

BF Goodrich does not make a front tire in 245 35 18. Actually only a few brands do. One is the Goodyear Eagle F1-D3.
They are ~200 a piece as are the Drag Radials.

Will I have issues with mixing tires? Does anyone have any other recommendations? I really want to get this taken care of ASAP because my Right Front is VERY bald on the inside (obviously I need an alignment). I'm not going to risk driving the car anymore until I get the tires installed.

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

-Alan

Snook

iTrader: (12)

I would suggest getting drag radials only for the rears as they wear out very fast

my car has nitto 555s on the rear and I was able to get decent traction on the road and they are only 225s stock size. its a shame they dont make those for 18s because I know the other drag radials last like 5k miles

Id get some good front tires for now so you can drive it again. Mixing tires is perfectly fine as far as I know if you have 2 of the same infront and 2 others in back. For the fronts I suggest brigestone so3s. I had toyo t1s proxys on my 18s before and I highly suggest NOT getting those. They wear out in 8k miles and arent even that good for traction for the price so expensive what a mistake.

good luck

pianoprodigy

Yeah, I was only planning on getting D/R for the rears. Nitto does make an 18" D/R, but it starts at 285 for width, and I'm pretty sure that that will be too big.

Snook

iTrader: (12)

dont supra guys put 315s on their stock 9.5 rims? you may want to check out what the best size is for your rim? they are 8.5 all around?? that kinda really blows.
i know the max for stock 8inch rims is 245

so they do make a nitto 555 for 18s or is it another kind? if you can get the 285 on there id go for it. you can never get enough traction, im planning on getting at least 275s on my new rims

spoolin93r1

i'm runnin 245's all the way around. bfg g-force t/a kdws in front and nitto 555r drag radials in the back. i have no problem and even placed 2nd in my first auto-x event with that setup. works great on the street

jspecracer7

285's will fit a 9.5" rim just fine. I run 275 on a 9"

machinis

I don't want to sound so obvious, but if you are thinking of BF G's Drag Radial I hope you are not using them for daily driving. These tires wear out quick! You'd get about 2-3K miles on them. Their treadwear is 00.

pianoprodigy

Actually, I was just thinking about that....(daily driving)

I guess the Nittos would be a better choice because they at least have a treadwear of 100...

I just wasn't sure that my offset on my rear 9.5s (45) would allow for a wider tire (285 35 18s).

rynberg

I assume you are talking about running a 275/40 on a 17x9 wheel? That is an approved fitment. However, when going to 18" wheels, the shorter sidewalls are less tolerant. I think there is only one manufacturer that lists 9.5" as an acceptable rim width for a 285/30 18. All of the others require a minimum 10" wide wheel.


Also, IMO, mixing drag tires and street tires is for straightline performance anyway. I wouldn't want to haul ***** around corners that way. Also, if you really are considering running drag tires, you should also consider getting a set of Toyo RA-1s. These are R-compound tires designed for auto-x and road racing -- they probably work decent for a hard launch as well -- and will provide far better cornering abilities. They will probably last just as long as a drag radial as well.

SPOautos

Get some Nitto drag radials on the back with a good tire on the front, like some SO3's. The So3's are a excellent wet tire as well as dry and you need that cuase the Nittos arent a very good wet tire.


STEPHEN

rynberg

I agree with you on just about everything but not on that...

The tire setup you describe would mean that you have much better wet grip in the front than the rear = oversteer in the rain. Not good. That is precisely why if you mount only two new tires, they should go on the rear.

SPOautos

Its better than running all 4 tires that are bad in the rain. At least his steering tires would be good in the rain.

I'd rather have the back end step out some than to loose control of the streeting tires cause they are hydroplaning

Thats just my .02, I've been driving various drag radials daily for the past 2 years and thats how I like mine setup but like everything else its personal preferance

BTW - In the dry believe it or not Nitto drag radials handle pretty damn well, especially if you run a lot of tire pressure in them. I have a friend that is a experienced auto crosser and knocked 2 seconds off his time switching from So3's to drag radials. He just ran a ton of tire pressure in the Nittos so they would have a stiff sidewall. It was actually done as a joke, untill he saw his time lol

STEPHEN

pianoprodigy

I was wondering about this... I'm obviously not the only person that has Drag Radials. Drag Radials are obviously going to suck in the rain because of the lack of tread. It would make sense to buy the best handling tire for the front tires. I realize that oversteer would be more likely with the D/R in the back and the good tires in the front, but mainly, the problem would exist in the rain. I hope to not have to drive my car very often in the rain, but of course in Florida, it rains all the time especially in the summer.

So I guess my options are:

1. Buy all 4 of the same sticky tires so that the handling will equal on all four corners, yet still be able to hook up in first gear (but not as well as the D/R). I'll have to replace the tires fairly soon with this option.

2. Buy all 4 normal treadwear tires and not have first gear still

3. Go with my original plan (D/R in back, Performance tires for the front.

Which option would you choose?

Snook

iTrader: (12)

listen to spo autos I totally agree with him and its exactly what im running and have experienced

any tire is fine in the rain. The jackasses that have a hard time with traction in the rain are driving like maniacs. I have never not one time had a problem with the back end coming out on me in the rain. Ive had shitty rain tires too, kumhos and nitto 555s for about 25k miles now on 2 different 3d gens. If you cant drive calmly and smooth in the rain no tire is going to help.

so3s up front
nitto drs in the back

youll be in love. They handle amazing on the street around corners. Thats all bs that you have to warm them up for them to be good. They are way better than a normal tire even without heating them. Now at the 1/4 mile track it made a big difference to get them hot.
So far I have 10k miles on mine and they look like they have another 10k to go! With 1 15 second burnout at the track too

tt2323

I would still be very careful with the nittos on the highway in the rain ..I've ran both the bfg's and nittos on my supras...the nitto's will last much much longer. I would prefer and all around performance tire for my FD, since i'm be doing more then going straight ..is this for your daily driver? weekend racer, dragstrip?

yy4u

I've driven on Kumho MX's and S03's wet/dry, daily/race and i think the MX is just as good a tire (if not better) as the s03 for substantially less, my vote is Nitto 555R's in the back and MX's in the front, assuming they make that size

pianoprodigy

The car is, for now, a daily driver. My dad is supposed to get an Rx-8 pretty soon, so I will drive the FC Vert daily.

I've decided that I will just get some softer performance tires rather than going all out and getting D/R. It seems that there were too many issues with D/R (tire life, proper size, drivability in the rain).

I've decided to get the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 all around. They are the highest ranked tires on TireRack by both the consumers and the owners of the site.

Read more about the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 here

Granted, I will still probably lose traction in first gear, but I'm thinking about just getting a pair of stock FD wheels and mounting some D/R on those for track usage only.

Thanks for the input guys! Feel free to add your response to this particular post...

yy4u

if your gonna have a track only set, might as well go ahead and put ET streets on them, unless your scared of breaking axles/differential/etc.

Street King

Nitto 555r's will last depending on how many times you track. A few times at the track and daily driving , I say a good 7k miles. Some have gone longer some have gone less.

With DR's you have to remember these are really soft compound tire and on the street you are going to pick up every little pebble on the road and it's going to be chunked at that nice paint job of yours, another thing to think about.

I'd just stick with that you plan on doing, getting just some really good treet tires if you do not go to the track a lot.