Hi all,

I got a nail in the center of my BFG DR's and was wondering if it can be patched from the inside and still be safe to drive? The tire only has about 100 miles on it and the tread still looks new. I was using them on the street and at the drag races occasionally.

Or, should I just replace it?

Thanks,
Matt

 

Anybody???

 

id get rid of the DR's all together they cause a lot of damage unless u have already changed up all the halfshafts etc etc

 

Huh?!

I went through two sets of Nitto DRs on my '99 SS and never had a minutes trouble from them. My experiences with them have been reflected by 1000s of others on this board and elsewhere. I think you are confusing drag radials with drag slicks.

Viprklr: To answer your question, I got a nail in one of my DRs, had it plugged, and went on to put 1000s of more miles on the tire including lots of 1/4 mile runs at the drag strip.

 

Actually Drag radials are more prone to break stuff then slicks. With the very small amount of side wall there is no give in the tire. If you have a sticky track and the tie is heated well they will easily break stuff. I would say 75% of all the broken cars I have seen at the track were on drag radials. A tire like an ET Street has a much bigger softer sidewall. When you launch on them they have more room to give thus reducing the shock to the sidewall. When you run them between 10-12 lbs of air they become very soft and mushy. When people get more serious about drag racing they will find there is no tire that is good at the track and the street. Buy yourself a set of drag tires (slicks and skinnies) and a set of street tires..

 

So, are you saying the Nitto 555Rs would not be a good street tire? I really like my Kumho MXs but been considering a switch to the Nitto 555Rs, or the 555R2s (stiffer sidewall for autocross driving). My C5 is not a daily driver, however since I seldom go to the track I'm only wanting one set of tires for street & 1/4 track.

TIA

 

The 555's are a decent street tire depending on how you are using them. They are pretty sticky and hook pretty well on dry pavement. They also work decent on the track but as I stated earlier can do some damage on the drivetrain. The problem with them is that when you get caught in the rain they can be very dangerous. I am running a 345 pilot sport and it does most things very well. I tend to take some long trips (did 3 cruise ins so far) and you are always in the risk for rain. My pilots are awesome in the rain. Thats not important for some people as I know people that dont drive their vettes more then 15 minutes away from shelter. Its pretty hard to find that ultimate tire as I dont think it exists but for my driving style the pilots work very well. If you dont have any real intentions if getting caught in the rain the 555's are a nice street tire. Hope this helps. I am fortunate to get to drive a whole lot of vettes with different tires so I get to see the pros and cons of them..

 

Hello Chris NJ C5,

So, are you referring to the Nitto 555 or 555R, in regard to unsafe driving conditions in the rain? BTW, I have my C5 riding on Kumho MX Ecsta tires which are also awesome in the rain. However, I've been considering a set of Nittos(see list below) for better traction since my C5 A4 is putting down 395.2RWHP, w/OE Heads. Yet, I only want one set of tires for my C5 weekend pleasure ride that are safe in the rain. Maybe I should just stay with my Kumhos???

1. The Nitto NT-555R Extreme Drag Radial Tire is an exciting addition to the specialty performance radial tire segment of the Nitto Tire Product Line. With the NT-555R Nitto engineers succeeded in designing a DOT approved, drag racing radial tire. Nitto Tire demanded a tire that would outperform all drag racing radial tires, provide impressive control and handling, and still deliver up to 15,000 miles of tread life of normal street-driving use. NT-555R's are manufactured with the original tread depth of 6/32nd's of an inch and are constructed with a specially formulated soft racing tread compound to provide maximum traction. However, this soft and flexible tread will wear much quicker than tread compounds formulated for regular passenger cars. The Nitto NT-555R is designed primarily for competition drag racing.
Link to Nitto 555R

2. The Nitto NT-555RII Extreme R road race and auto cross competition radial tire was developed through a unique fusion between a race circuit oriented stiff sidewall construction and the popular Nitto Drag Radial tread pattern. These features combined with the high traction, specially formulated soft racing tread compound resulted in a competition radial that exhibits impressive control and handling, to provide maximum traction under severe racing conditions. The Nitto NT-555RII is designed primarily for competition road racing. The sidewall construction is optimized for handling extreme lateral acceleration; vehicles may experience rougher riding when used for daily driving.
Link to Nitto 555RII

3. By utilizing a racing concept design, Nitto Tire's engineers developed the NT-555 "Extreme ZR". With a specially formulated compound and one of the biggest contact patches available, the NT-555 provides superior traction, reliable handling, and delivers total vehicle control. The three-circumferential grooves channel water efficiently, while the lateral grooves break up the water wedge. This combination of grooves and channels reduces the chance of hydroplaning.
Link to Nitto 555

 

First I've heard that drag slicks were safer than drag radials, but I'll take your word for it, Chris.

 

Great info. guys. Still, I 'd like to know if others have plugged a DR and been safe. Would appreciate any other responses.

Thanks!
Matt

 

"Viprklr: To answer your question, I got a nail in one of my DRs, had it plugged, and went on to put 1000s of more miles on the tire including lots of 1/4 mile runs at the drag strip. - XTrooper"

Maybe you are wanting more than one person that has plugged DRs, if so , just a reminder of XTrooper's earlier reply. BTW, he is definitely a reliable source.

 

Sorry, I did not mean to hijack your thread.. Yes you can plug a drag radial just as long as the hole is not in the sidewall..