Gonna pull the trigger on some tires...get your input

[Ecoboost_xsport]

Some of you know I'm on the hunt for drag radials. I'd really like to stay with OEM tire diameter as much as possible with maybe slightly smaller. OEM diameter is 30.0" with the 255/50R20s on the 20x9s. I've currently got a set of 295/45R20 on some 20x11s. This puts me at 30.5" diameter. I really dislike that. But it looks pretty good and fills the wheel well nicely.

My ideal tire size would be some 305/40R20s. That would put me at about 29.6" diameter. Issue is...there are no drag radials in that size. Closest size is 305/35R20s. This size puts me close to 28.5" diameter, pretty significant change from stock and very drastic from what I currently have. And may look a bit funny in the wheel well, adding a fair amount of wheel gap (at least an additional 1")

Well, as I'm primarily performance driven, I'm going to give in and get a set of 305/35s and deal with the wheel well gap, but I'm stuck between 3 different tires. Help me out...

1) Toyo Proxes R888R
Load Rating: 104 (1984lbs)
Speed Rating: Y (186mph)
Diameter: 28.4"
Width: 12.3"
Weight: 35lbs
Tread/Traction/Temp Rating: 100/AA/A


2) Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S
Load Rating: 104 (1984lbs)
Speed Rating: Y (186mph)
Diameter: 28.7"
Width: 12.0"
Weight: 36lbs
Tread/Traction/Temp Rating: 00/C/C


3) Nitto NT555RII
Load Rating: 107 (2149lbs)
Speed Rating: W (168mph)
Diameter: 28.4"
Width: 12.3"
Weight: 34lbs
Tread/Traction/Temp Rating: 100/A/A


So, the Toyos are high on my list mainly because they look bad-ass, lol. They've got the best traction rating of the bunch, but they are also the smallest as well as the widest. I'm currently flirting with rubbing (but not yet) with my 295/45s at a width of 11.7"

The MTs are a bit better in the size department, being a bit narrower and a bit taller. But they are also the heaviest and have the worst traction rating

And finally the Nitto (I'd love NT05Rs but they don't come in 305 width) are the lightest and have a decent traction rating. But I mainly don't like the tread pattern, LOL...

Anyway, between these 3...any opinions?

 

[rubydist]

I don't have any personal experience with any of those, but I would rule out the Mickey Thompson ones just because of the 00/C/C rating.

 

[Nova]

So if you get a smaller diameter tire which gives you a bigger wheel gap, couldn't you just lower your explorer to reduce the gap? (I guess that would mean you have to have coilovers/air ride, I'm not sure if you do or don't) but that would solve your wheel gap problem no?

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[Ecoboost_xsport]

So if you get a smaller diameter tire which gives you a bigger wheel gap, couldn't you just lower your explorer to reduce the gap? (I guess that would mean you have to have coilovers/air ride, I'm not sure if you do or don't) but that would solve your wheel gap problem no?

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I already have the H&R lowering springs. Sure going lower would reduce the wheel gap further, but there's no off the shelf product to do that and not interested in air ride as I'd still like some performance handling. So I'm pretty much stuck with where I'm at in regards to suspension.

 

[Ecoboost_xsport]

I don't have any personal experience with any of those, but I would rule out the Mickey Thompson ones just because of the 00/C/C rating.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking...I will say that I see these being used most frequently however...

 

[RonPorter]

When you get down to the 100 or less treadware, throw the other ratings out the window, the A or C are basically pretty meaningless.

The Toyos are used by track (road course) guys who love them. They are true track rubber with tread. Dunno about from a dragstrip standpoint, with a lot of heat.

I have never heard a bad thing about the Mickey's. Guys love them, and reports are great for a true street/strip DR.

I had a set of the Nitto 555R in 305/35/20 on 20x11 wheels on my Scat Pack last year. Frankly, they were almost too much tire!

If you want great straight line, street and strip performance, I would say the Mickey's or the Nittos. Road course? Toyos.

 

[Ecoboost_xsport]

Yeah, I've read that the Toyos are not technically drag radials and designed mainly for the road course (which I'll never see with my rig). That's one of the marks in the "CONS" column for them for sure...I'd be interested to see if anyone has ever used them for drag racing, and how it held up...

But yes, the MTs are definitely what you see most commonly.

 

[RonPorter]

One more thing. 555Rs already come with a minimal tread depth, so heavy rain is always dicey. At about 5k miles, I had a white knuckle drive across the Ohio Turnpike. They weren't quite at the wear bars, but the back end was dancing at anything over 40 mph!

Now, there was plenty left for someone who just did nice weather and/or dragstrip days (I did sell them). But, for DD use in Michigan in the wet, they were done.

 

[Nova]

I already have the H&R lowering springs. Sure going lower would reduce the wheel gap further, but there's no off the shelf product to do that and not interested in air ride as I'd still like some performance handling. So I'm pretty much stuck with where I'm at in regards to suspension.

Really?? I thought there would be a coilover kit for the explorer.

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[Nova]

One more thing. 555Rs already come with a minimal tread depth, so heavy rain is always dicey. At about 5k miles, I had a white knuckle drive across the Ohio Turnpike. They weren't quite at the wear bars, but the back end was dancing at anything over 40 mph!

Now, there was plenty left for someone who just did nice weather and/or dragstrip days (I did sell them). But, for DD use in Michigan in the wet, they were done.

Well considering he's in cali I don't know if he even knows what rain is lol

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[RonPorter]

Yeah, I've read that the Toyos are not technically drag radials and designed mainly for the road course (which I'll never see with my rig). That's one of the marks in the "CONS" column for them for sure...I'd be interested to see if anyone has ever used them for drag racing, and how it held up...

But yes, the MTs are definitely what you see most commonly.

I would tend to suspect that they may not handle drag duty. You would need to see reviews of them, and if there are comments about how they react when they get really hot.

I would suspect that a summer tire in the 100-200 TW would better handle dragstrip conditions, than one 100 or less. But, I would need to see actual reviews.

 

[Ecoboost_xsport]

Really?? I thought there would be a coilover kit for the explorer.

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I haven't seen one, but I know there are air ride kits. But honestly, unless they were something reputable like Ohlins or equivalent, I'd likely not mess with 'em as most of the cheap coil over kits ride like crap.

 

[Ecoboost_xsport]

Well considering he's in cali I don't know if he even knows what rain is lol

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LOL, not to mention, it's not a DD

 

[802SHO]

I really like the tread pattern of the Toyo R888R. What made me want to get them for drag racing was seeing Ken Blocks Hoonicorn Mustang street racing to 1500 ft and hooking with 1400hp.

 

[Jordan_R]

Are you going for a square set up? I just don't see the point of having the sticky in the back other than street cred if that's the way you want to go.

 

[Ecoboost_xsport]

Are you going for a square set up? I just don't see the point of having the sticky in the back other than street cred if that's the way you want to go.

That makes sense from a performance perspective. Not sure how I feel about mixing tire brands and types, though simply to save a few bucks. I think you're right that they probably wouldn't actually do much, but having them the same couldn't be detrimental, could it? There are subtle differences and they woukd wear differently and may look differently when on the car. Although performance is driving this decision, if I can keep it looking good too, it's a plus in my book.

 

[Jordan_R]

That makes sense from a performance perspective. Not sure how I feel about mixing tire brands and types, though simply to save a few bucks. I think you're right that they probably wouldn't actually do much, but having them the same couldn't be detrimental, could it? There are subtle differences and they woukd wear differently and may look differently when on the car. Although performance is driving this decision, if I can keep it looking good too, it's a plus in my book.

Unnecessary friction slows you down. If you're going to this extent I'd definitely consider different rears. However, I totally get the wanting keep it looking good aspect. I'm going through the same thing with mine currently on deciding my 17" drag pack.

 

[Ecoboost_xsport]

Unnecessary friction slows you down. If you're going to this extent I'd definitely consider different rears. However, I totally get the wanting keep it looking good aspect. I'm going through the same thing with mine currently on deciding my 17" drag pack.

Yeah, its definitely a balance I'm tryin to strike...with the needle more toward the performance side, but not all the way, LOL...

The guy who ran the record quarter in my platform has the MTs all the way around, so that's what I was basing this off of. I'd think, for that brief instant off the line when the rears are being used, they would help but would end up hurting as the torque switches back to the front? If so, is it negligible or a pretty significant amount...would be an interesting experiment for those of you with a drag pack in addition to your street tires. Try a run with all 4 drag radials, then switch the rears to your street tires, and seeing how it does...I'd be interested in seeing that...

 

[Jordan_R]

Yeah, its definitely a balance I'm tryin to strike...with the needle more toward the performance side, but not all the way, LOL...

The guy who ran the record quarter in my platform has the MTs all the way around, so that's what I was basing this off of. I'd think, for that brief instant off the line when the rears are being used, they would help but would end up hurting as the torque switches back to the front? If so, is it negligible or a pretty significant amount...would be an interesting experiment for those of you with a drag pack in addition to your street tires. Try a run with all 4 drag radials, then switch the rears to your street tires, and seeing how it does...I'd be interested in seeing that...

Gotta remember the rear differentials clutches are going to spin before any street tire would in the rear. So rear traction is not really ever going to be an issue.

 

[stripSHO]

Just remember the traction rating relates to braking performance, not acceleration. I’ve always been of the impression that MT’s are hands down the best for grip but their big drawback is that they wear out incredibly fast.

I’ve been considering 26” Mickey’s for some time now. I think with some super sticky and maybe traveling to one of them pinewood derby dragstrips, I should be able to hit 12.0 stock, maybe even 11.99.