I'm thinking about running drag radials on all 4 corners of my street car. I don't care for the look of non-matching tread, or non-matching wheels, hence the reason I'd like to run matching tires. Finances and wear aside, is there any legitimate issue with doing it?

I can't think of a mechanical or safety reason why not. But it never hurts to ask.

Plus, when the fronts are kinda used, it's a simple rotate to the back. kinda handy.

 

Idk how a 26inch tire will fit in the back. im sure you can make it happen. what kind of tire are you talking about? bfg t/a radials. like a 225?

 

damn that **** going to get expensive

 

The rears might wear just as fast as the fronts! I would imagine it would be absolute hell in the rain if ever driven. I used to have a set of nitto 555R's on my old car and it was kinda scary in the rain sometimes.

 

Never driven in rain or snow. Never more than 10 minutes from my house. As few miles as this car sees, it's possible these will last me for 1-2 years. That may only be 300-1000 miles total. But I'm looking at it as a "they've been on the car for 2 years", impaired math kinda way.

Not 26" but 23.9" and I will guarantee the rears will outlast the fronts.

This tire. 225/50/15
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BFG-49256/
.
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Those tires are the epitome of suck. They hook barely better than the 205 falken ziex pos tires I had on before, and they lasted all of 1500 miles. I would look into the MT's.

 

I've been running bfg's on my front tires on my car for the last ~10k miles when it's driven on the street. I've gone through a couple sets. While there are better options out there for more traction on the street, like the MT's, these tires do much better than any regular street tire.

I don't see an issue with running them on all 4 corners, other than cost, but if that's what you want, go right ahead. Although, the softer sidewall on the bfg's compared to street tires doesn't do very well at higher speeds for prolonged periods of time or when corning and that's based on what i've experienced and what i've heard from other's. And that's with them only on the front, i'm not what kind of effect this would have on handling if they were put on all 4 corners, but running a more standard tire pressure (~30psi) in the rear might help out.

 

stormer, I'd prefer some 225/50/15 MT et streets over the bfg's. but I'm assuming this is on your street wheels, why not just get a good set of R-compound radials and make that bitch handle? Even with the drag radials, if you're not going to go with a 26" tire, you'll still blow the tires off under boost.

-Zol

 

I'm with this line of thinking. I ran BFG and Nitto DR's on the street for years, and came to this conclusion.

The BFG's wear out fast and don't corner well due to the soft sidewall. Decent at the track.

MT's are great if you are strictly trying to dead hook while street racing, but I don't think that's what you are going for - maybe I'm wrong?

The Nitto 555R dr's I had weren't the best drag tire, but still provided pretty good traction on the street while handling well. I did a lot of serious cornering on these and they handled great and lasted quite a while.

The difference in traction between a standard tire and an R-compound radial is huge.

 

Corner handling is not as important to me. Only forward traction. And blowing them off in 1st is fine, maybe a bit of throttle control in 2nd, but I'd like to be slightly hooked up by 3rd. And 3rd now will "roll-on" and get loose. Which I 'm not afraid to admit.... I kinda like....

It's a weird compromise that I'm looking for. I'd like traction to be as high as possible when need be, and I can modulate the pedal to get it, and be low as possible when the need for tire smoke takes over. But I have a realistic expectation for life span... few hundred miles, at best. I'm not one of the guys you see looking to hook a 1.5 sixty foot and still get 50,000 miles on them.

I'm interested in a tire that will dead hook on the street and high wear is fine, low cornering ability is fine.

I think I've come up with an idea. I'm gonna get a set of BFG and a set of MT's in a 225/50/15 and see what I like. I guess it's kind of a personal thing with people feeling pretty strongly on both sides. Although You and Zol seem to be diggin the MT's and it's hard not to pay attention to that kind of experienced advice. I'll take the G-tech out and see what transpires. (road closed professional driver scenario)

I've been PM'ing M&H, and he has a dude running 10.33@144 on his 235/60-15 bias ply street tire. But that's a 26" tire for crap-sake, not a 24" like the 225/50/15. A 26" Would be tight on room without a different front end like a JCR (which I'm not against doing to this red car). I'm not against running slicks on the street, but I KNOW that I'm giving up "probable cause", never make it THAT easy for "Five-O". Be kind to them, but don't gift wrap yourself...

I will say, as a "learning" tire rookie... I uh... didn't know about this "R" stuff.... gonna go read up, privately, and in shame...

In the past, I never had to shop for tires in this manner. Never had Speedfactory power to deal with on the streets.

 

Aw heck... we could debate it forever. I called Summit, got 2 of the BFG's and 2 of the MT's. I get the guy with the Rotas to ship quick, and we're in Business.

I'll switch 'em front to back and see how it goes. WOOHOO!

 

Since this is the Drag Race forum I'm assuming he would like some traction at the drag strip, and R comps or any stiff sidewall tire suck ***** at the strip. I run hard sidewall tires for SCCA on my EVO and I blow them off at the drag strip with around 500hp. Hooks much harder on snow tires ha ha. The EVO guys run BFGs all around and they are no problem for daily driving. I would imagine the rears would last a long time.

 

well, after some reading, here is what I decided. (doesn't make it right, that's for sure) ...lol...

2 bfg 225/50/15 Drag radial
2 mt 225/50/15 drag radial
4 toyo r1r in a 205/50/15
8, rota J-specials 15x6.5 to mount 'em on.

I'm thinking I'm gonna end up daily driving the toyo's with a softer R compound that might help with traction, at least better than some random el-cheapo 50,000 mile warranty tire. and experiment with the traction of the drag radials and find out what feels best... to me. for some mysterious reason, tires don't seem to last long on my cars... particularly the fronts.

I got the wheels in green...

 

Guy called, Toyo is out for 5 weeks on the tires. *lovely*. SOOooooo, I went with these for street tires (likely just end up as rears...bald rears.)

Kumho Ecsta XS 205/50-15

After some poking around the Kumho's are "w" rated and have a softer sidewall compared to the RE-11 or the Advan Neova AD-08 (So I've heard).. So I went with the Kumho's based on higher speed rating and softer sidewall.

I guess we'll see how that works out. Did save me about $135 too. AND, they'll all be on matching wheels, make it easy to try stuff without looking like "your trying stuff". Green wheels.... I must have been sniffin' glue when I thought that was a good idea...

 

$$$$$ lol

I've always like the Azenis for a good, and cheap street tire. But that Kumho may work well for you too, the old 712 sucked but that was their entry level job.

 

why not run 235s? Ppl hate so hard on bfgs like it's night and day from mt or mh it is to a point to but you can still cut 1.7s if you know how to drive either way so don't see what the big deal is. My buddy has MT ET streets 225s me bfg 225s we have identical 60fts. Personally I think 555r's are absolute crap and don't hook at all.

 

Stormer, if you go with Toyo's, go with the R888's over the R1R's. And they come in both 225/50 and 225/45 's. i sell the toyo's and the R888s are very popular with my local guys that track there dailys.

 

Cool, keep that in mind for next time. I ended up with these, Kumho Ecsta XS 205/50-15, for general use. "Likely" they will become rears for the drag radials. And green wheels, FTW!

 

I think it will just slow you up. A harder, narrower tire would be better. Try coasting down a hill with 205 Azenis then with 195 Ziex. You'll go much farther with the Ziex.

 

Hmm.. So I'm getting used to the power of the street car. Went out driving for an hour or so. Finding out the best way to simply, drive the car. What gear to be in, when and how boost comes on, how to get outta the hole, how and when to shift. How the shifter feels, and what it seems to like. the ins and outs of the setup, things you need to learn. Like will it do a dry 2nd gear burnout from a dead stop. And then will it do it in 3rd from a dead stop (Car has 5.9 axles and Stage 5 clutch). How much smoke can you have in the car before you need to open the sunroof. Important setup stuff. ...so I'm told...

450whp on street tires is ridiculous.... We didn't build a street car... we built another race car... 'DOH...

okay, next time... 300whp, somebody make a note.

Those other tires better get here soon, I think I can see the air in these.

 

Well, here's what showed up today.

My first impression.
MT drag radial, 225/50/15
BFG drag radial, 225/5015

The BFG sidewalls are considerably more flexible than the MT's. But the MT's have a softer durometer. Good compromises, actually. Both sets, static, would be a perfect mount on a 7" rim. I'm surprised at how rigid they both are, compared to a slick. But I guess they are technically street tires. I did the durometer testing right off the UPS truck. Tires were about 45 degrees. I would think the durometer change would be consistent as they warm to room temperature.

I'm thinking some G-tech testing will be in order.

Just waiting on rims.

 

Can you tell me where to grab a money tree?? JK man Keep up the great work, and keep us posted how you like both

 

Easy, I don't drink, smoke, hunt, fish, waterski, own a boat. Compound that times the fact that my wife would rather see me in the shop than in the bars, and BAMMO!

I have a broke-a$$ local buddy. Can't scratch two nickles together, always scrounging car parts but can never get anything built or buy decent parts.... manages to always find himself $3000-$4000 a year for Cigarettes though... He's potentially given away $40,000 worth of fun stuff over the last 10 years on just that, JUST THAT. And he drinks a little beer as well...

By smoking, since he was 18, he's now given away a home, $8-$10 a day. Lesson for today, don't smoke, don't drink, buy more parts, build better cars, live longer.

Doesn't apply to everybody, but it's something I notice from time to time.

 

Screw the pics of the tires, where are the shots of the rims!

When I eat Ramen noodles for months at a time I can buy parts for my car lol

 

I like the way you think. Are those for all 4 wheels at once like you had originally wanted? Or are you doing back to back tests on both sets for the front?