Do I Need More Rubber?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 797
Likes: 10
From: Upper West Side, NY Very Downtown Houston, TX
Do I Need More Rubber?
Right now I am making 576/540 rwhp/tq. I am using Nitto 555 RIIs in 305/35, but I don't think they are enough. When it is hot out, the tires are generally great, but when it gets a little cold the car can break free on the highway. Also, regardless of temperature first and second gears are useless.
Has anyone stepped up to bigger rubber and is it worth it? By simply going to 345s, will I get more traction, or do I need to go to a sticky 345 like the viper? Thanks.
Has anyone stepped up to bigger rubber and is it worth it? By simply going to 345s, will I get more traction, or do I need to go to a sticky 345 like the viper? Thanks.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,388
Likes: 1,134
From: Dyer, IN
Right now I am making 576/540 rwhp/tq. I am using Nitto 555 RIIs in 305/35, but I don't think they are enough. When it is hot out, the tires are generally great, but when it gets a little cold the car can break free on the highway. Also, regardless of temperature first and second gears are useless.
Has anyone stepped up to bigger rubber and is it worth it? By simply going to 345s, will I get more traction, or do I need to go to a sticky 345 like the viper? Thanks.
Has anyone stepped up to bigger rubber and is it worth it? By simply going to 345s, will I get more traction, or do I need to go to a sticky 345 like the viper? Thanks.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 848
Likes: 3
From: N.E. Phila. PA
...and bigger tires aren't going to change anything when you
have almost 600 rwhp.
You need to focus on getting the best out of tires you have.
... and there's nothing sticky about the Viper 345 PS2's...
(just ask any Gen IV Viper owner, who all have at least the rwhp that you do.)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 797
Likes: 10
From: Upper West Side, NY Very Downtown Houston, TX
Thanks for the replies. Just to clarify, holding all things constant, is there a 345 tire that will give me greater traction than my nitto 555 rIIs? Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
as for the 345, what tire is it? a 345 ps2 won't touch the traction of a 305 R2. if the pilot sport cup is made in a 345 you have a maybe but you'll be spending a good deal of cash at an attempt to gain slightly more traction and with a tire that operates similar to the R2 in that it likes heat and does not do well in really cold temps.
the r2 is a utqg 100 and a great autocross tire
my personal guess is that you just aren't going to hook up that kind of rwhp with cold tires of any kind.
Last edited by racebum; Oct 5, 2009 at 10:23 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
I'm running 3:35s and they are useless for full throttle launches and you have to be ready for anything at the shift points, so no, going to bigger(wider) tires is not going to help a whole lot. 
