[Z06] Running different tire sets front / rear
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Running different tire sets front / rear
I have an '03 Z06, recently acquired 
I will be mainly will be using the car for commuting, but plan to put it on Road Atlanta in in November http://www.mvptracktime.com/id1.html.
Currently it has Goodyear F1 Supercars all around, but the rears have very little tread. I would rather not put the Supercars back on the car. I also like the look of the car with the stock tire sizes.
My preferred choice would be to run the same tire front and rear, but if you run stock tire sizes then tire choices are limited.
I am thinking of Nitto NT05's in the rear and for now leave the Supercars (which have plenty of tread left) on front. When those wear out, was thinking of going to Potenza RE760 Sports for the front.
The theory: the Supercars/Potenza's will be better in the wet. The Nitto's will allow the car to hook up better.
Please feel free to poke holes in my reasoning. A bruised ego is a lot cheaper than a dented car.
I will be mainly will be using the car for commuting, but plan to put it on Road Atlanta in in November http://www.mvptracktime.com/id1.html.
Currently it has Goodyear F1 Supercars all around, but the rears have very little tread. I would rather not put the Supercars back on the car. I also like the look of the car with the stock tire sizes.
My preferred choice would be to run the same tire front and rear, but if you run stock tire sizes then tire choices are limited.
I am thinking of Nitto NT05's in the rear and for now leave the Supercars (which have plenty of tread left) on front. When those wear out, was thinking of going to Potenza RE760 Sports for the front.
The theory: the Supercars/Potenza's will be better in the wet. The Nitto's will allow the car to hook up better.
Please feel free to poke holes in my reasoning. A bruised ego is a lot cheaper than a dented car.
Last edited by Razzoo; Feb 15, 2012 at 10:43 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,451
Likes: 27
From: Bay Area CA
I have different sets on the front and back (bfg's up front and ntto's out back). I did it for 2 reasons.
1 - the front tires had great tread and I didn't want to toss them.
2 - I needed a tire out back that provided maximum traction with excellent cornering abilities. Outside of a drag radial, bfg doesn't have a tire that can hold my power, and the drag radials are crap for cornering. So I went with the Nitto 555r2 road racing tire for the rear
1 - the front tires had great tread and I didn't want to toss them.
2 - I needed a tire out back that provided maximum traction with excellent cornering abilities. Outside of a drag radial, bfg doesn't have a tire that can hold my power, and the drag radials are crap for cornering. So I went with the Nitto 555r2 road racing tire for the rear
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,399
Likes: 30
I have different sets on the front and back (bfg's up front and ntto's out back). I did it for 2 reasons.
1 - the front tires had great tread and I didn't want to toss them.
2 - I needed a tire out back that provided maximum traction with excellent cornering abilities. Outside of a drag radial, bfg doesn't have a tire that can hold my power, and the drag radials are crap for cornering. So I went with the Nitto 555r2 road racing tire for the rear
1 - the front tires had great tread and I didn't want to toss them.
2 - I needed a tire out back that provided maximum traction with excellent cornering abilities. Outside of a drag radial, bfg doesn't have a tire that can hold my power, and the drag radials are crap for cornering. So I went with the Nitto 555r2 road racing tire for the rear
Running 555r2s on the rear and will replace the fronts with 555r2s when they're low. There's no harm in running different tires front/rear.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,355
Likes: 113
From: Los Angeles
How old are your current front tires? I realize they still have tread left, but if they're the 9-year old tires that originally came on the car, and you put fresh Nitto's out back, then be prepared for understeer in performance driving situations.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,535
Likes: 378
From: NSL UT
but safer than the other way around
Racer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 452
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
Tried Toyo TQ before and now using the R888 on the rear. I love the R888 best tire I've driven on yet, I've used multiple types of drag radials in the past but these are my first road racing tire, so I can't compare to others. If I didn't put so many miles on my car I would spend the extra money and put them on the front too.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Someone mentioned that then NT05's warmed they will may pick up road debris and sandblast the paint directly behind the rear tires -- any truth to this?
Remembering I will have either the BF Goodrich or Goodyears up front, will the NT05's on the rear be an issue in the wet? Someone suggested I should consider the the INVO's in the back instead. (Tire wear is not my main concern, not hydroplaning is).
BTW: I am loving the car, and plan on driving it daily when I am not riding the bike.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,355
Likes: 113
From: Los Angeles
I don't know how accurate the simulation is in GT5, but I drove the car (stock), in and it actually drove better with sticker tires on back than on front - (soft compound front, race hard rear, Laguna Secca, stock suspension, hp between 400-500), then try it again with race hard all around.
I daily drive my NT05's and I love them, but I live in SoCal. Every once in a while we get a real rainstorm here instead of the usual drizzle, and when that happens, the NT05's aren't exactly confidence inspiring. They're not a deathtrap or anything, but if I DD'd my Z06 on the east coast then I'd likely contemplate a different tire.
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
From: Springfield VA
I read reviews from a couple of the C6Z guys saying that the Nitto Invos may be a better idea for a DD car. The 555's tended to be a bit louder, and while the were slightly grippier, the Invo's had better wet weather traction.
I currently have Hankook Ventus V12's all around. No complaints, but no outstanding complements either. When the rears are bald, I think I'm getting a set of Nitto Invo's. They are also (apparently) one of the few tires you can rotate when you run a staggered set-up like we do.
I currently have Hankook Ventus V12's all around. No complaints, but no outstanding complements either. When the rears are bald, I think I'm getting a set of Nitto Invo's. They are also (apparently) one of the few tires you can rotate when you run a staggered set-up like we do.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
I read reviews from a couple of the C6Z guys saying that the Nitto Invos may be a better idea for a DD car. The 555's tended to be a bit louder, and while the were slightly grippier, the Invo's had better wet weather traction.
I currently have Hankook Ventus V12's all around. No complaints, but no outstanding complements either. When the rears are bald, I think I'm getting a set of Nitto Invo's. They are also (apparently) one of the few tires you can rotate when you run a staggered set-up like we do.
I currently have Hankook Ventus V12's all around. No complaints, but no outstanding complements either. When the rears are bald, I think I'm getting a set of Nitto Invo's. They are also (apparently) one of the few tires you can rotate when you run a staggered set-up like we do.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,000
Likes: 2
The problem I see with running RE760's in front and NT05's in the rear is that once heated up on the road course the rear will have a lot more grip than the front inducing considerable understeer with the less grippy front tires. Other than the looks aspect there is nothing wrong with running a non stock sized front tire and in fact your car will handle better with a wider front tire since it is getting closer to the width of the rear. FWIW I notice no paint chipping or sand blasting on the lower rear fenders using NT05's.
