Nitto Drag Radials Dont Hook!

[KILL4PEACEUSMC]

I bought a set of wheels with 275 60 15 Nitto 555 last year. This past friday night our local track every month or so has a "Import and Street" night no slicks alowed. These bitches whould'nt hook no mater what. flash the converter 0 boost.......trans brake... yup like driving on ice........I really never race ( or tried to ) a drag radial before, what PSI is everyone out there using? I normally have 1.5 60 ft. times........2.3 with 555 at 12 psi in tires. what should I do? Tires are new, I would like to be able to run at these friday night Giddy-Ups. Thanks

 

[XLR8]

I used around 22# - 24#. A good first burn out and then stay on a paved area - don't go into any dirt - and a smaller burnout for the next runs. Don't put too much into me though because I could only get 1.75 - 1.90 out of the 275 x 50's.

 

[Pronto]

Did you get the 1.5s on slicks? I've steered away from Nittos, heard they didn't hook too great but lasted longer than others. I'm not that concerned on how long they last, I'd rather hook.

 

[KILL4PEACEUSMC]

Yes the 1.5's were with slicks, I tried playing with the air psi, but I had my tire gauge that has 14 psi as the highest reading. So thats what I started with. I did no burnout, and 4 small burnouts and the other 4 runs

 

[Pronto]

Well, maybe you need to heat them up good. At this point wouldn't hurt if you got linelock. My old bfg dr's needed a pretty good burnout to get them to hook good. I haven't tried my new M/Ts dr's yet to compare.

 

[KILL4PEACEUSMC]

I will try that, we have a TNT on Friday and I think something is going on Sat. too. I still have them on the car, I will make a few more passes, The track prep looked sad, sometimes the dont do much prep for the imports/street night if they have a low turn out.

 

[Pronto]

Ya, that happens at NED too. They say the FWD cars "tear" up the track. I assume they mean the prep. Best time seems just before an event when they get the track all prepped for a big race.

 

[87NAT]

MT ET street drag radials are the only way to go. They will also keep your 500HP car out of the ditch or the opposite lane of traffic on the street too.

1.58 sxity foot at 4psi footbrake launch.

 

[KILL4PEACEUSMC]

Yea I have MT slicks, just dissipointed that these dont hook for sh*t. Maybe after I ruin these I will buy some, these Nitto's hood about as good as radial T.A.'s!

 

[ChavoLC2]

Nitto555R's

Yeah someone was saying they were going to be running 325's 555r's and wanted opinions. They do not hook unless you roast em', they are the best DR in rain. MT's are definately a better sticking tire

 

[GNBRETT]

I had Nitto's on my 03 Camaro SS. They were with out a doubt the most useless set of tires one could have. They are no better then snow tires IMO.

 

[Boost231]

junk them nittos. get some MT ET Street Radials. i went 1.60 off the foot brake. also SIR track sucks for prep. best i could get at that ****ty track was a 2.0 on the old style ET Streets

 

[GNVYUS 1]

Nitto's are WAY better than street tires, I had 295/50/15's street tires and those were pathetic, my Nitto's will roast but not nearly as long or as easy at higher MPH.

Nitto's are known for being a great street tire since they last longer and can be used in the rain, no one ever said these tires were kings at the track, MT Street Drags have proven to take that crown.

 

[KILL4PEACEUSMC]

Glad to see my 2.0's are the norm!

 

[Way2QWK]

What did you run this past weekend at SIR??

 

[KILL4PEACEUSMC]

dont even wanna post! 13.50's at 115-119 mph...... best pass.......8 lbs boost with transbrake stall....launch go 2 feet shift light on! Oops! lights every warning light I have on the dash! Knock...shift light.......more spin...panic..shift too early 3500 Alky spraying!! motor bogging...traction.. 23# hits like hell finally forward momentum= 13 sec time slip= car trailer and early night!

 

[RegalX2]

Try them again, my buddy had a 7.0 GN on slicks(1/8 mile ) he ran mid 7.2's on 275-50 nittos. Track prep was pretty good. You cant pull a banzai launch, try a gentler launch. Good burnout is a must as is launch technique. Try more air press. and some ballast.

I had the same problem with my 6.4 et GN. I tried MT radials blew them off, scary bad. Later same day was able to salvage 6.7 et's.

 

[Hammer231]

I have the 275/50s and they are nearly bald. Still they catch better traction than pure street radials but I wouldn't recommend them as a drag tire if you are putting down some power. I keep a set ET streets ready for track duty. My best 60 ft with the Nittos was a 1.73 on a decently prepped track.

 

[GNVYUS 1]

Kill4, are you leaving at 3500 and 8psi on the Nitto's, if so that's WAY to much and either drop the rpm or psi or how you hit the gas after you shift out. I'm messing with techniques on how to launch these off my transbrake and even 5psi around 3400 is taking some fancy pedal work to get them to stay on the road. I've noticed that if I slap the shifter out and floor it than 1 second later when the turbo comes all it forget about it. So work in how you use the gas pedal as you should do better than 2.0 on these.

 

[wbrophy]

Every car/power level is different. I would listen to Mike above me. I have run a lot of 1.7's on pepboy tires and 1.4's on drag radials (4 psi footbrake launch) you need to find out how much you can come out of the hole without spinning, than as in my case on pepboy street tires walk the pedal down at a rate that is on the edge but does not spin.