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DOT drag tires which ones

69 GTX

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So I'm going to replace the tires on my car once I get it going. The ones I bought are now 6 years old and I'm a little nervous about them. They were the 325/50-15s but they don't make that style anymore. I'm looking for something with decent traction for the strip, but won't hydroplane on the street. 600 hp automatic car. Looking to go 7.50 1/8 & 11.50 1/4
Thanks
 
If staying with 15" and you get the Nitto's that are not as bad to hydroplane, but they don't hook good. If you get the MT's or M&H's they hook decent, but don't like wet roads at all. The best thing I found is having a second set of rear wheels/tires if you want to do any track time. The Nitto's also last about 5K where the others last about half that. Just my opinion.
 
Need 2 sets of wheels,driving in the rain can be a white knuckle ride especially with a spool.:D:rolleyes:
Street tire is an MT ET street 16.5X31
Track tire is a 10.5w X 29.5.They both hook but the slick is faster.

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Yeah, that's the thing. I don't want to have to drive 25 mph in the rain.
I also don't want to have to run tubes either.
 
I'm running the Nitto's and like them for traction vs. Cobras. No comparison. And you're are running more horsepower. I have little rain experience so I cannot comment on it other than tires made for sticking when warm will probably do bad when cold and in the rain.
 
I don't know if I can bring myself to put Nitto's on....... Maybe I'm to old fashioned.
I'd prefer M&H M/T Goodyear Firestone ect.
 
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I run M & H 275-60-15 bias ply street tires on my '69 Road Runner. Runs 11.0's and I drive it all over the place. I do not drive in the rain, but the hook is good. I'm not a guy that does a lot of burnouts on the street. Driving it somewhat normally gets me about 4000 miles per pair. I've had at least four pair. I couldn't agree more with your thoughts on the Nitto's. No matter how good they work, I couldn't put them on my muscle car. I ran the M & H's because of the name. I came to love them for the way they work. With a pair of 29.5-9-15 MT ET Drag slicks, I see virtually no difference in 60 foot times. 1.55-1.60.
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Tommy Wheels Up .jpg
 
M&H, M/T, Hoosier, and Nitto all make 325/50x15 tires. Are you open to bias tires, or do they have to be radials?
In my never-to-be-humble opinion, if you are looking for something that has great dragstrip and street traction, decent tire life, and safe rain traction at freeway speed, it doesn't exist. Any kind of safe rain traction will have huge water transfer voids, and can't have decent drag traction. For what you are asking, I think your best compromise would be the nittos (they claim their tread pattern for their nt555r is safe in wet or dry) the M&H drag radials,(very little void, 25 mph in rain...maybe) Or M/T street ss (more void than et street r,). Then there are always the bias tires, Hoosier quick time, and qt pro, M/T ETstreet, and M&H muscle car drag tires. Excellent race track traction, absolutely deadly in the rain.
Personal opinion...i definitely agree with those that say to get extra wheels for your strip tires, and use them on the strip only.
 
M&H, M/T, Hoosier, and Nitto all make 325/50x15 tires. Are you open to bias tires, or do they have to be radials?
In my never-to-be-humble opinion, if you are looking for something that has great dragstrip and street traction, decent tire life, and safe rain traction at freeway speed, it doesn't exist. Any kind of safe rain traction will have huge water transfer voids, and can't have decent drag traction. For what you are asking, I think your best compromise would be the nittos (they claim their tread pattern for their nt555r is safe in wet or dry) the M&H drag radials,(very little void, 25 mph in rain...maybe) Or M/T street ss (more void than et street r,). Then there are always the bias tires, Hoosier quick time, and qt pro, M/T ETstreet, and M&H muscle car drag tires. Excellent race track traction, absolutely deadly in the rain.
Personal opinion...i definitely agree with those that say to get extra wheels for your strip tires, and use them on the strip only.
I absolutely concur with 33 IMP. Most great drag tires Bias or not, will be excellent on the dry pavement of the track or street, but rain????? you are asking your car to drink and drive, not thrive.
My car is the best weather vane out there, "if it's out and about, there should be no rain in the forecast".

One more hidden and yet crucial thing, You don't want to find yourself in a legal hole if and when an accident happens on the street and your car is wearing outlaw tires. If it's not DOT Tested and Approved, it's not supposed to be on there.
Just a word of caution, Hoosier QTP's used to have DOT stamping on their sidewalls and now, they don't for the exact same tire. HHMMMMMMM.
I aim and run with the best out there; Hoosier Quick time Pros, but I'm civil in my drives and wear Pro-track DOT Approved tires.

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I don't know if I can bring myself to put Nitto's on....... Maybe I'm to old fashioned.
I'd prefer M&H M/T Goodyear Firestone ect.

I was advising Nittos only because you don’t want to drive white knuckled in rain. Also if only a street driven car they will do a good job.
 
I'll NEVER have Nitto 555Rs on a car that could possibly be driven on a wet street, through a puddle, or possibly get caught in the rain. I had 555R on the back of my 89 Conquest TSi and lost control doing 60ish on an interstate highway. Tires and surface of the highway both in good condition. It wasn't a heavy rain and totally took me by surprise.
I've been running Toyo Proxes TQ drag radials, I have complete confidence in them should I encounter an unexpected rain storm or wet road from a storm that had passed. The short sidewall isn't the best for my manual transmission, but I did drive on mine long enough to buy a pair for my wife's GTO, and I certainly wouldn't want to live with the thought of her wrecking her car or worse because "I picked the wrong tires".
They have a number of sized, and last Wednesday night I was able to warm them up a bit for the first time with a line lock, and I'm pleased with the improved track traction.
 
I don’t think they make the Toyo in 15”, but they look nice. All I know is the M/T street will turn loose on the road when the dew falls in the late night :steering:
 
I'll NEVER have Nitto 555Rs on a car that could possibly be driven on a wet street, through a puddle, or possibly get caught in the rain. I had 555R on the back of my 89 Conquest TSi and lost control doing 60ish on an interstate highway. Tires and surface of the highway both in good condition. It wasn't a heavy rain and totally took me by surprise.
I've been running Toyo Proxes TQ drag radials, I have complete confidence in them should I encounter an unexpected rain storm or wet road from a storm that had passed. The short sidewall isn't the best for my manual transmission, but I did drive on mine long enough to buy a pair for my wife's GTO, and I certainly wouldn't want to live with the thought of her wrecking her car or worse because "I picked the wrong tires".
They have a number of sized, and last Wednesday night I was able to warm them up a bit for the first time with a line lock, and I'm pleased with the improved track traction.
I think your Conquest was making too much power :)
 
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