Drag Radial input needed

[flynz]

Picked up a set of polished pro stars 18x7.5 front and 18x10.5 rears and they came with BFG 295/35/18 drag radials and these things on top of looking very small and out of place just do not get traction like the 305/35/20 (28.7" tall) mickeys they are replacing. I'm torn at this point between the:
1) Mickey ET street S/S 305/40/18 (28.0" tall) $720 pair
2) Mickey ET street R 325/35/18 (27.0" tall) $706 pair
3) Mickey ET street R 305/45/18 (29.0" tall) $656 pair
4) M&H Drag Radial 325/40/18 (28.0" tall) $660 pair
5) Nitto NT05R 305/45/18 (28.9" tall) $542 pair
Any other recommendations are welcome as long as they are race style and not "high performance summer" tires, they just don't hook at these power levels in my experience. The car does not see the strip just need these for the power level I have arrived at 750rwhp, primarily for pavement driving and random run ins with others on the freeways. Any input in direction here would be great as all I have only ever run are the Mickeys S/S and have been very happy until turns come into play, but $700+ a pair when I can get the others around $550 is hard to justify.

 

[Jam421]

I moved up from BFG DR's to Mickeys years ago on 3 different cars and never looked back. My car now has wider rear wheels with 305x35x20 MT's.
I love them! Car is making 715rw thru 410's and I can dead stick the 21psi Mickeys every time from a 20-25mph roll stab in 2nd gear.
But by next fall's annual inspection I'm trying out the NittoNT05R.
Got a thread on this on another forum. A guy with a cammed Z06 swore by the Nitto over the MT's. I hope he's right->) !
I'm sure you'll hear from the M&H guys because none of those fellas ever seemed unhappy in the traction dept. They would not have worked on my 20's or that could've been the new direction as well.

 

[flynz]

These BFG's are terrible... I've tried anywhere from 17-25psi and at 55mph its just spinning all the way into 3rd gear. I had the 305/35/20 mickeys and they dead hooked at 50+ mph in 2nd at 25psi.

 

[gimmie11s]

DP.

 

[gimmie11s]

I just installed 305 MT ET Street SS last night on an 18x10 wheel.

I had them 2 years ago on a different car (305/35r20 on that car) and i understand what you are saying about the "turns" and how loose the tire is/feels.

I'll say this... This time around i DO NOT feel the same way about this tire. I dont know if MT made some changes to the sidewall or what, but the tire is now VERY confidence inspiring on the highway at 120+ mph.

Absolutely no complaints and they hold every bit of 670whp from any speed on a 2nd gear hit.

Im impressed.

.

 

[flynz]

@gimmie11s pictured are the 305/40/18 ET S/S?

 

[gimmie11s]

No... these are 305/35r18.

 

[Zemedici]

MT did make some changes, as we started using them at the shop about 2 years ago, and before that they were not very impressive.....now they hold our 1200whp Hellcat to the pavement. Would recommend.

 

[Beercules]

Just watch out in the rain with the m/t et streets. Mine hydroplaned on the interstate until i brought it down under 50 mph.

 

[biminiLX]

OP what gear?
Will help pick the optimal height, but more sidewall the better.
I like the 27" 325/35/18 if stock gear.
For big power,I'm very impressed with the 325/45/18 Hoosier their DR2 pro compound but a big girl at 30"
Josh---ever try those on the big power Cats?
On the less common, I liked the 325/40/18 M&H for traction over the 315/35/20 NT05Rs, but both held a roll at 750rwhp
-J

 

[802gt500]

People gonna roast me here. I have 869 hp 12gt500pp. I can hook my 555r 305/45/18 in some of 1st and always 2nd on a roll. I tried nto5r 315/40/18 for about 200s mile and got rid of them. Would hook 1 out of 10 time in second. Hated the nto5r. Different pressures adjustments heated the tires up and nothing good to say about them. 555r after 1 pull are heated and work good. No experience with mt but hear good things but they wear out quick. I get 5-6k miles per year out of these 555r. At the track the 555r is a joke however. spinning in 3rd and some times in 4th. Did 11.5@135 spin spin spin. Definitely going to try some bias ply at the track and probably break something.

 

[PC03GT]

I can get a good 6,000 miles out my mt s/s. They wear way faster depending on the tire pressure, I keep mine at 25 psi. At 20 psi they wear out extremely fast

 

[Handlebar Moustache]

IMO one of the most important things when comparing DRs for street use is simply: Which one takes the least heat to stick? When is there time or the right opportunity to heat them up and clean them off properly on the street? Rarely. To me, MT has the compound that sticks best with the least heat. Nittos are greasy until they are properly warmed. I have a set and they break loose in 3rd at 60 mph with the clutch out, just stabbing the throttle (4.10 gears). I had a set of MTs on a different car that would stick on the street (without being heated) much better.

 

[flynz]

I agree with that totally, in a given situation where you can do a burn out I think they all kind of start performing the same but my experience with the mickeys is that even after a short 10 min drive they just grab and go at 20psi, they do however only grant about 3-4K miles of driving at that pressure and at $700 a set it adds up quickly.

 

[flynz]

OP what gear?
Will help pick the optimal height, but more sidewall the better.
I like the 27" 325/35/18 if stock gear.
For big power,I'm very impressed with the 325/45/18 Hoosier their DR2 pro compound but a big girl at 30"
Josh---ever try those on the big power Cats?
On the less common, I liked the 325/40/18 M&H for traction over the 315/35/20 NT05Rs, but both held a roll at 750rwhp
-J

Im on the stock 3.31 Just to stay with the Z06’s and Vipers down here on the highways. The 30 sidewall makes the gears way too short, was having to roll from 3rd at 60+ mph. I just got rid of the wheels actually due to the limited options for the 18” size and am going to downsize to 17x10. I keep hearing I should just go to a 15” but I want a little less sidewall for turns on highways and street manors. I think I’m just going to stick with a Mickey s/s as close to 27” as I can get.

 

[fulanititoo8198]

OP you're in a similar boat as I am, the reality is you just can't have everything your asking for. I thought I could and wasted a ton of money, in the end I just decided to buy two sets of wheels. A street setup and a race setup. I just accepted the fact that 1st and 2nd will never hook, but luckily I can change my boost levels with a dial where as you can't. If $ isn't an issue they do sell aftermarket traction control systems and stand alone systems that will take care of that.

.I've run the 555R, old ET Streets, and the new S/S in 15 and 18". I've done quite a bit reading on the NT05's, 888's and Toyo TQ's. I don't think there is much traction to be had on an 18" stick car. I went from 15 to 18 on the on the street for better high speed stability and better handling characteristics. Have you considered changing your gearing, suspension and all that other bs?

 

[gt347mustang]

People gonna roast me here. I have 869 hp 12gt500pp. I can hook my 555r 305/45/18 in some of 1st and always 2nd on a roll. I tried nto5r 315/40/18 for about 200s mile and got rid of them. Would hook 1 out of 10 time in second. Hated the nto5r. Different pressures adjustments heated the tires up and nothing good to say about them. 555r after 1 pull are heated and work good. No experience with mt but hear good things but they wear out quick. I get 5-6k miles per year out of these 555r. At the track the 555r is a joke however. spinning in 3rd and some times in 4th. Did 11.5@135 spin spin spin. Definitely going to try some bias ply at the track and probably break something.

That trap seems slow for your power level, no wonder you can hook a 555r.

Something is wrong if you're spinning at the track and not on the street. This isn't street outlaws lol!

 

[802gt500]

Hands down the 555r work better on the street than at the track. In the day had a 500 hp 347 fox body. Would run slicks at the track and hook great. Take slicks to the streets and they were greasy feeling not as good as the nittos on the street. Each tire has there application.

Also consider my trap speed when spinning not gaining mph. I was pedaling several times on each pass which probably effects mph when not wide open the entire time.

 

[pridemore54]

I'll say this, I make about 100 less hp than OP but my Nitto NT05R's still dead hook from a dig even with over 10k miles on them with my 630whp. I will never buy an M/T as much as I see them be hit or miss on quality. NT05R all the way.

 

[RedVenom48]

I had the Et Street in 15", before this current gen of production had come out. After a session of use, they went out of round badly.

However I have heard the current ET Street S/S got a better carcass. My production numbers on the old ET Street was from 2015 so hopefully they did improve.

I originally had a set of 18" AMR rims and bought 305/45R18 Nitto NT05Rs as my first sticky tire. Blew the tires off from a dig on anything less than full prep. Even then they still spun a bit on occasion. From a roll thought they did well.

At this point, Id recommend these M/T ET Street S/S 305/45R17s

http://www.jegs.com/i/Mickey-Thompson/672/3472/10002/-1

The OD tire diameter is factory height, and the 45 profile sidewall will give a cushion, but should be plenty stiff for the street.