I also have the PS2's and they are great tires. They've been excellent in all kinds of weather and handle great. Fairly quiet, too. I'm also getting good wear out of them.

 

My car came with Nitto 555R. Since I have no basis for comparison im not really sure what to think of them. Although they seem sticky to me. But they are designed more for a drag setup right? how will these do in the twisties comared to some of the other tires mentioned? I like the fact that they come in 305, as I havnt seen too many other 18 tires in a 305. Any input?

 

You're correct in that they are designed for drag racing. The properties of a tire designed for hard launch at the strip (soft side walls) does not make it a good road racing tire. They make the RII for that if you are partial to the Nitto. The R compound tires stick like mad but do wear out very quickly in terms of street mileage. But if you want as much dry performance as Nitto has to offer the NT01 is your E-ticket ride, so to speak.

 

Nope. I think because they close to offer the lowest prices as it is.

 

I have the Bridgestone Potenza RE090As on all 4 corners. Love them and good wear so far.

 

FWIW the PS2 is virtually the lightest street tire you can get, ~3 lbs lighter per corner over the F1 SCs. Very important when talking about moment of inertia/driveline rotational weight/unsprung weight, etc.

 

There's also the Yokohama Advan Sport to consider. I'm trying to burn off my PS's right now, but I'm stuck on something available in an 18/19 combo.

 

Twil1ght,

Did you test the BF KD's also? It sounds like from 1st hand experience with a C5 Z that you like the F1SC's and the PS2's best?

I have some 4.5 yr old F1SC's with tread and am pretty disappointed at them, even though yes, that is pretty old. The F1SC was designed back in 2000, so I would think something better for the track would have developed by now.

But I am looking for the best street tire for the track--so I will try the F1SC again if that's what everyone still likes.

 

Yea we ran an assortment of tires that included those, and oddly enough some things I'd never even heard of. In street compound tires my money stays with the Supercars, but if the price difference between them and the PS2 gets any greater I'll buy those on my next set as they're very close. They break loose much different from the Supercar (read abrupt), but the grip is very close. The Supercars were engineered for the car, and when the car is setup correctly (it doesn't come that way from the factory) they are outstanding. They worked just as well on the 996TT and Ferrari 360 CS that we tested them on so I wouldn't say I"m just partial to them on the Z06. The KDs seem a tad soft and that perhaps contributes to overheating that in the end causes a breakdown in the compound resulting in a squirmy/greasy feeling. It's not something that happens without a decided amount of abuse which may never be an issue on the street, however, I would suspect the mileage would dip quite substantially for a spirited Z06 driver. Assuming the driver is capable of adapting to the various different characteristics of each tire, they're all within a few seconds a lap - note however that translates into a looming visible distance. A single second on a road course is a LONG time. When it comes to street driving though, unless you're certifiable (I've been called that more than once) this probably doesn't matter. I like hanging it out there when no one is looking - well, ok sometimes when people are looking - so I keep tossing money at Goodyear and just accept being PO'd about it. It's a production racing car so it goes with the territory.

 

Yes...he's right! You DO get what you pay for, and the F1's and the PS's are about as good as it gets if you are looking to find the absolute limits of your car. But, on the street, you will be hard-pressed to be able to use all that those tires have to offer. The track is where you notice the biggest difference between those and lesser tires.

If you only drive your car to an occasional car show or weekend cruise, then you could get by with anything your budget requires and probably won't notice much difference.

I do like the Firestone WO's, but not because of the excellent traction that they offer me when at the track. I like them for their excellent predictability and long life. I can go through F1's in a weekend at the track, but I use better tires for quick times. The WO's are a good, middle-of-the-road tire that yield excellent wear, and can be suitable for the track as well as long as you are not looking to set any lap records.

As far as the Tirerack surveys, I would take them with a grain of salt. Talk to people who have actually used them and really punished them.

 

I just got a set of Azena 615rts on my Z... I like them. They are cheaper than the F1s and PS2, and seem to be really grippy. They have a really hard sidewall and hold up fairly well.

On past cars... I was able to get 20-25k miles out of them. 15-20 if I was autox.

 

The Falken Azenis RT-615 is another soft compound tire. You should wear those out pretty quick. They do not come in stock Z06 sizes. (see also http://www.falkentire.com/rt615_sizes.html) You'll also note by the sizes that have indicated "Reinforced" these are marketed in the common ricer sizes as a racing tire. I don't have a joke here, I just enjoy saying "Falken Tire."

 

What size did you use in the rear? I have 275/40/17's in front and need some rears as my Nitto DR's are about gone. I'd like to go with the 315's but a 30 series is a little short in looks and overall diameter. I wish someone made a 315/35/18 for the rear. I have a decent 383 with 3.90's and a m12 trans so I think the taller 295/40/18 will work out well for me without looking to tall. It's a little less rubber on the road, but the tire height will tame some of the gearing the car has.

Bang for the buck you won't find a stickier street tire for dry conditions. The autox guys love these for the street tire class.

 

Goodyear's GSD3 are difficult to find, but keep looking if you really like that tire. After looking on the internet at various sites, including Tire Rack, I was about to give up and order the Michelin pilots. I checked with a local tire company here in Greensboro N.C. and they found me Goodyear's GSD3. Fronts 275/40/zr17 Rear 295/35/zr18. The fronts were ordered out of Raleigh N.C. The rear from Charlotte N.C. Contact Hall Tire and Battery Co. (336-275-4778) I picked the tires up next day. I do not know where you live, but I would think they could arrange shipping if they have access to more GSD3's. I paid more this time than what I have paid in the past with Tire Rack, but these tires are the best I have ever driven in the rain. I paid just under $1200.00 Good Luck

 

If you want the GSD-3's keep looking. The rears are no problem to find right now. I just got mine a couple of days ago, and my fronts will be about 2-3 weeks behind.

 

I have Wideovals on the rear I hate them, they suck in the rain and cold. These have only lasted me a year.....I'm kinda hard on tires though....hehe....plus I looked at them side by side and the actual contact patch of the tread looks not as wide as the F1 SC.
I will never buy these again. I have a friend who has had the toyo proxey's both the TS and TR, good tire great price, wish they still made the TS though.

 

I'd recommend a tire proven in my book. The Bridgestone Potenza S02 (265/40R18, 295/35R18) tire. They are to date still far superior to the PS2, T/A KD, Kumho and SC F1 I've used on road courses.

 

What would be your top three choices of tires to buy (street not Slick) if you only concern was traction on the Drag strip, I have been reading forums all morning and it appears a (R Compound) would be the first indicator of the best tire and in this forum. A soft side walled Nitto 555R sounds the best, but what's your thoughts. I'm still runing the original F1's with 16,000 miles and getting very poor traction. What is the compound of an F1?
My Corvette is a 2002 Z06 with 388 rwhp.

 

Hell, why not recommend a Hoosier road racing slick. I wouldn't recommend anyone drive around the street on those tires, unless they just like buying tires every couple of months. A tire with a wear rating of 140 should not be compared to legitimate street tires such as the Supercar, PS2, etc, which are designed for maximum grip with decent mileage and have nearly twice the UTQG rating. Hoosier A6, Toyo RA1, etc, all have a "DOT" stamp on them. That doesn't mean it's a good idea to head down the highway with them every day.

 

I've had PS2s on my '02 Z for two years. I happily replace them each year and enjoy the peace of mind they provide in inclement weather. I also enjoy the wider look from the rear. I do not however enjoy the gap in the wheel well when looking at it from the side. I suspect lowering the rear will fix that.

Regarding the PS2s on the track:

A few weekends ago the Z06 WinterFest was held in Phoenix, AZ where a bunch of Zs, other Corvette's, Porsche's, a Shelby GT500, and a Ford GT threw down at Firebird Int'l Raceway. The PS2 held up admirably considering I drove to Phoenix, drove around town, raced "hard" at Firebird, raced at the 1/4, then drove back. Great tire IMHO. Long lasting, great in water, and good looking.