63Corvette

I ran a BRCC event at MSR Cresson on Saturday May 1st. After 2 follow me sessions, I ran 3, 20+ minute open track sessions. So far I have 7300 miles with three track days at MSR. I would say I my tires look about half tread depth left? I got 17000 street miles from PS-2s, which have 10/32 depth new. The NT-05s start with 7/32, but are much cheaper (about $900 installed), and seem to me to stick better. I expect to get 10,000 to 15,000 from my NT-05s. I have an 04 Z06 which is stock except for Stoptech BBK. I have much more brakes than tires:-( I ran 30psi cold and the tires need a lap to build heat before they stick, but once warm, they are VERY predictable and showed NO feathering, graining, blistering, nor chunking. The grip levels are definitely NOT R-compound, but I am very pleased with the tires as street tires with occasional track usage. If you are running for fun then I recommend them. If you are running to win (fast tiime) then I recommend R-compound (Hoosier A6) tires. Your results may differ

ssdeuce

Thanks I'm interested in a set of these.

Snuckley

I put NT-05's on my C5 as street tires last week. Hope to get to the track in the next month. I'll give them a try if my Victos cord. From all I read the Nitto seems like an awesome tire for the buck.

bluemagoo

I completed my 7th and 8th track days with the NT05s this weekend and I like them more and more. Don't know if I'm just getting more confident in their high level of grip or if the tires themselves get better as they wear (I'm now down to the wear bars). Good grip & very predictable. I'll be buying another set as a street/track tire.

11psiGSR

I agree. I just polished off my first set of NT05's after 5 track days... 3x Roebling Road, 1x Road Atlanta and 1x TGPR. Probably could have gotten 1 or 2 more if it wasn't for TGPR. As most of you know, that track is ROUGH on tires. It's fun though.

I have NT01's on my other track car. The NT05's are remarkably similar for a street tire. They are about as close as you can get to a R compound, without actually making the switch IMHO.

Until someone can prove there is a better streetable tire that begs to be at the track like these, the NT05's will be my only choice.

That said... man do they suck in standing water. Oh well. Dry performance is all I care about.

TXGS507

I too am running the NT05's... Love em... just got my PFADT Coilovers today.. hope to have em on this weekend...

Dirty Howie

I recently did my first track day on the NT05. Previously I have run the GY RF, MPSC and R6. The sidewalls flex much more but they seem to hold on .... its a different kind of feeling. I ran 2 seconds faster on the NT05 (new) than R6 (used).

My street tires are also NT05. I have 20K miles on them. The rears are a little past the wear bars and don't grip like they used to, but it gets me to work and back.

$1025 installed on C6Z06


DH

waddisme

I would like to try them, but my C5Z has an 18/19 wheel size and I don't think the 345s would fit on the rear. My 305s rub some. Hopefully in the future though.

DarkMastyr

Anyone think about running the 275/35/19 on a stock 19x10 C6 wheel? Would the ~5/16" difference in diameter be enough to throw off the AH?

Lawdogg

Just got my first set mounted on a second set of rims. 335/19 and 285/18. About 13 and 11 inches of tread width. Can't wait to try them on the track. Recommended cold track pressure?

Dirty Howie

30 lbs


DH

63Corvette

I concur 30psi.

Lawdogg

Thanks guys!

steel_3d

The original post puzzles me regarding the comparison to PS2 - "they seem to me to stick better". Is the difference in grip really that small?

I switched from supercars to ps2's and they were pretty good. My track time at Streets of Willow improved maybe half a second but that's more likely due to driving. The sidewalls were definitely softer and more wallowy. Anyways, small difference there, if any, despite everyone raving about the inferiority of Supercars and superiority of PS2's. I'll never run PS2's again. I might even prefer the Supercars due to the responsiveness in the side walls.

I switched to RE-11s and I'm never looking back. Straight line traction is one obvious change. I can literally lay into first gear and the tires just keep gripping, won't light up like the others, unless they're cold. Try that with any other tire. Wheel hop diminished a lot, it's rarely an issue now. Cornering grip is huge. I have to really lay into the gas to kick the back out on the street. There's actually so much grip that it's not really conducive to random shenanigans anymore. I haven't been back to the track, but at autocrosses the tires feel awesome. Of course it's hard to compare times. Incidentally at the last PCA autox I came in second overall... to an e36 m3 on NT-05's of all things. So take that for what it's worth (there weren't many guys on r-comps). But my point is that there should be a very noticeable difference in grip from PS2's to NT-05s or RE-11s. According to Grassroots Motorsports the NT-05 is very comparable to RE-11 for autocross duty, which should translate to other uses relatively well. Oh, I've never had them hydroplane either, and wet grip is great.

I'd be interested in a direct comparison between NT-05 and RE-11. Especially for hpde's, comparing heat tolerance and wear. BTW I'm at 20k on my RE-11's with many autocrosses on them, just now getting close to the wear bars and plenty of life left. I've heard negative things about tread life on Kumho XS so I'll stay away from those, too.

If you can't already tell, I've found my tire, but I'm always looking for new ideas.

63Corvette

Brand new PS-2s and new NT-05s have similar levels of dry grip on the street (cold). New PS-2s have much better WET grip. Older PS-2s have MUCH less dry grip then similar older NT-05s. That said, both require at least a lap of heat to reach consistent levels of grip on the racetrack.
I would rate these two tires close dry, PS-2 for wet, and NT-05 for price. BTW with an aggressive street alignment, the PS-2s cord the inside of the front tires before the rest of any tire is on the wear bars???? I guess the Michelin has thinner rubber there, but don't have data on that. I don't drag race, so I can't comment on that issue except to note there is an NT-05R.