I'm am looking for the best tire and size to use on stock C5 Z06 wheels for HPDE's and Auto-X. The options that I am looking at are the Nitto NT-01 and the Toyo RA1. The problem is that they don't have close to stock sizes, so. What do you think? I am leaning toward the RA1's in the following sizes:
275/40/17 front
305/35/18 rear
That is the closest that I can see to optimal sizing for the stock wheels. What do you think? Thanks
-Dave
Toyo RA1's come with 8/32 thread depth, if memory serves ...
Nitto 555RII's come in same size, with 6/32 front and 5/32 rear IIRC. (that's what I have)
Toyo 888's are out in same sizes now ... same thread depth as Nitto's.
RA1's will serve you better on a wet track, but may be a bit "squirmy" and build up more heat due to thread block flexing in the dry.
'bout as aggressive as you can go and still drive to track.
If you trailer, CW says the winners go with Hoosiers.
FWIW
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^VIR Turn 3 '08^-MungoZ06-'03 QS/ModRed - NCCC, NASA NCM Member - Z06 Fest IV,V,VI
Toyo RA1's come with 8/32 thread depth, if memory serves ...
Nitto 555RII's come in same size, with 6/32 front and 5/32 rear IIRC. (that's what I have)
Toyo 888's are out in same sizes now ... same thread depth as Nitto's.
RA1's will serve you better on a wet track, but may be a bit "squirmy" and build up more heat due to thread block flexing in the dry.
'bout as aggressive as you can go and still drive to track.
If you trailer, CW says the winners go with Hoosiers.
FWIW
You could consider the NT01 as well. I believe it possible (much less so) to also drive to/from on the treaded Kumho V700s. Or you could do what I now do and get a utility trailer for the tires and tow it with your Vette.
I've had several sets of tires in my cart lately, but still don't know what size/brands for certain. I've got the same plan. I have an extra set of C5 Z06 wheels that I plan on mounting at the track for HPDEs.
I'm wavering between Hoosier R6 (275/40-17 / 295/30-18) and Nitto NT-01 shaved (275/40-17 / 315/30-18).
315 is just barely acceptable on a 10.5 inch wheel though. Anyone know how badly a stock alignment is going to kill either of these tires?
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2002 EB Z06, NCM Member, LTPWS, K&N, CAGS eliminator, DRM brake ducts w/Phoenix spindle adapters, Carbotech pads, Goodridge brake lines, Elite Engineering Heel/Toe pedal, Optima red top, C6 Z06 Shifter, Corbeau A4s, BK Harness bar, Simpson 5 pt harnesses, Driver tuned by Spring Mountain Motorsports
"As I drive through the valley of rice, I shall fear no turbo for Torque art with me, and the enemy is fat"
Stock alignment will not give you max advantage of the "stiction" of Toyo or Nitto 100 grade tires, much less the 40 grade R6's ...
I can't find the reference handy, but I think the Nitto 555RII's and the NT01's suggest -1.5 to -2.5 camber. I think the Hoosiers suggest the high end of that range as minimum.
I ran 555RII's with less than that (~ 1.2 front and 0.8 rear), and got some rear tire "heeling" over, ... laying on the outside and not using as much "patch". I'm going to VIR end of month with 1.6 front and 0.9 rear (I was looking for 1.1 rear but couldn't reach that number this round on stock camber eccentrics ... (yes, I know ... and camber plates are in my future ... )
Last edited by DennyM : 06-19-2008 at 02:40 PM.
Reason: spelling!
they last for a long time, definitely longer than the front NT-01s. I think I did most of the wear to the rear 315s on the skidpad
I went ahead and got the car lowered 1", corner weighted, and a track alignment. What an improvement! My tire wear at Barber was dead even all the way around.
The only thing about the 315's I didn't like is through the kink, you could feel the movement in the rear tires as the tire shifted. I think I'll go a bit smaller next time, but they are still quite acceptable.
mmm yeah i forgot to mention i run -2.0 deg camber. yeah they squirm a bit, for me it is most noticeable during hard braking but it never became a problem.
I have read that the vette is height adjustable on stock hardware - but is it possible to corner balance in stock form? I always thought coilovers were required.
I have read that the vette is height adjustable on stock hardware - but is it possible to corner balance in stock form? I always thought coilovers were required.
I've not done it, but from what I've read, corner weighting is possible with stock suspension. Best to disconnect the sway bars when doing. Good to have adjustable end links so as to eliminate preload after corner weighting.
... The options that I am looking at are the Nitto NT-01 and the Toyo RA1. ... I am leaning toward the RA1's in the following sizes:
275/40/17 front
305/35/18 rear
My experience with both the Nitto 555RIIs and the RA1s is that the RA1s are much faster.
I ran the 275/40/17+305/35/18 Nittos for several years and plateaued my lap times. I recently changed to a narrower RA1 and run 275/40/17 R and 275/35/18 F and have repeatably shaved nearly 1.5s off an average 1:50s lap across the range of 3 tracks I frequent. The RA1s are easy to drive fast, seemingly last forever and are not very fussy on either pressure or temperature.
I am also trying 295/35/18 Yokohama A048 MH F/R and find them to have less grip than the RA1s (though probably better than the 555RIIs), have a very narrow optimimum range of pressures/temps and find them very uncommunicative and unpredictable near the limit.
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