Gman57

I'm looking for a track rain tire and coming up short on choices.
Would you use Nitto NT05's price is right and has a good wet traction rating..... so what is your thoughts?
I have stock Z06 wheels that I'll mount with them as I already own 2 other sets of 18" wheels for track use.

Thanks
G

gmccreary

Absolutely not. I have them on my C6Z that I use on the street. They hydroplane before you can say hydroplane.

Lawdogg

I ran my NT05s at the Autobahn track in Joliet, Ill. in the rain. Had about as much traction as running slicks in the snow. Horrible comes to mind. The track was only wet, not enough rain to hydroplane much, but I still was skating around everywhere.

spdislife

I just got mine this week. My decision was based on price, dry, and wet performance. My thoughts are unless you're on full wets assuming standing water, the car will be a handful. One tire cant be a great dry and wet solution, so it's a compromise. My priority was dry performance, hope for no rain (which definately does not have a 100% success rate) and tiptoe around if it's wet. Next season I hope to have a set of wets, untill then we'll see...

63Corvette

Dry, absolutely!!! Wet, No thanks!

DansBlkonBlkZ06

I ran them in the rain at VIR last year and was all over the track at moderate speeds. It was a great session learning how to keep the car under control. I swapped out with my Mich PS2s between sessions and couldn't believe the difference. Any good street tire will work better in the rain than the NT-05s IMO, but I do like the NT-05s on hot dry pavement.

RaleighSS

ditto on the wet ... tried them at VIR and holey smokes 2 laps and pucker factor was off the scale. Dry different story darn good tire for the cost and I get good life out of them. I pull a trailer to the track and only use them there never had them on the street :-)

sperkins

Hoosier is practically giving away wets.

sothpaw2

I was thinking of them as street tires...now I never drive in the rain on purpose but you know how sometimes the forecast is wrong. Were these that bad because of cornering and performance driving on the track or are they really, really subpar even in a straight line at 60-70mph? And I'm assuming full-1/2 tread.

If they're as bad in the wet as described I need to get another street tire when the time comes. I wish the Supercar tires were sanely priced.

Gman57

Good info here guys.......

Thanks,
G

ERND IT

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...mpression.html


I did this write up on the NT05's when they first came out... not sure how much help this may be for you, but just another 2 cents viewpoint...

spdislife

Read your write up and thanx for sharing. Have you tried the tires at a track event? And if so what pressures were you using?

Gman57

ERND IT

No, sorry to say I have NOT driven them on a road course... yet. may give them a try for a session at the NCM HPDE @ VIR in July.

bluemagoo

The unusual tread patterns on these tires don't have much in the way of lateral sipes to move water out from under the tire. If you're looking for a track rain tire, this isn't it.

I use the NT05s for the street and HPDE and have been very pleased with them in the dry. Damp roads are OK but once there's any standing water and/or it's raining hard, I need to dial the mph back to prevent hydroplaning. Pucker-factor for sure.

c4cruiser

I just picked up a set of NT05's for my 87 in 275/40-17. Got a really good price from Discount Tire Direct ($600 delivered).

Read the review and it sounds like they are going to be a good dry tire for track and some autocross use even though I usually run A6's for autocross. Donna's review is two years old and I wonder if NITTO has changed the tread pattern or compounds from that time?

I won't be using the car in the wet unless it's city driving or short freeway trips so maybe I won't see any serious issues with wet handling performance. But rain in WA is a given so I'll just go slower.

My other choice was the Kumho XS but the reviews on the Tire Rack site were pretty nasty for those tires in the wet.

Rob Willis

So, even though these are a "drag" radial designed tire you guys find they have enough sidewall stiffness to deal with HPDEs?

I've ran R888s, R1s, and R6s before.

Lawdogg

NT05 is not a drag radial. It is a full tread street tire. The NT05R is a drag radial.

Gman57

mikemiller68gs

I have Them on my 99 FRC. They have seen a number of track days. All dry though. I like them, but I found them to be very sensitive to tire pressure

Mike