# Opinions on tires



## ScottW (Nov 4, 2008)

Looking for some opinions on tires. I have a 2006 GTO and its time for new tires. I have read a lot of different posts and it seems everyone is all over the map. The local tire stores also have different advice. One says stay only with the stock size, one says go with 245/35’s another says go with 235/40 front and 265/35 rear and yet another says 245/40’s all around. I am leaning toward 235/40 - 265/35 combo with the Nitto 555’s. I don’t want to modify the car to make them fit and how does our car look and handle with this combo? I have the stock 18” rims.


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## shiftR (Jul 31, 2008)

Scottw,
I am in the exact same boat as you. Can't decide on the size, although after much research I have made my mind up on the NT555s. This tire is the only 255/35/18 that does say it is OK to put on an 8" wheel like ours, so I am leaning to that size for the rear. Not sure if the 265 would spread correctly or fit without rolling the lip, but I will watch this thread closely. Good luck.


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## shiftR (Jul 31, 2008)

*did it*

Well, I put NT555s on the rear and I believe they fit. It feels very close, but I believe as the tire goes upward, it sort of goes inward as well so it just does miss the lip. I only got two as I wanted to see just how much clearance from my unrolled fender lip I had, and if there were plenty, I was gonna just order 2 255/35/18s and put the 245/40/18s on back up front. I had the NTB guy feel the lack of clearance for the front tire, but he said to go ahead and put the 245s on and if they rub he will take them back and I can get 235s instead. Not bad, and they were $330 out the door! And man do they stick, it is hard to believe the difference between my stock Potenza RE040s and these, but of course I had worn them down to nothing, and forgot how they felt new. I have 24K miles on my 2006, and feel like I have a new car so the testing begins anew. The best I had gotten was 13.8 at 102, but that was last summer on a 99 degree day. I hope these tires hook up way better and maybe get in the mid 13s.
I will post when I get the 245s all the way around either tomorrow or the next day. UPDATE. Ran 13.6/103. But that was with a bad reaction time. Could have easily been 13.5 or maybe 13.4


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## AaronGough (Nov 20, 2008)

I was recently talking to my guys at the dyno shop. These guys go through a set of tires in a week testing and trying. We got into a discussion about my 05 Goat and the first thing they said was something i realised the first day I bought the car. Traction, its terrible when you want or need it the most. After talking about the fact that the gto is limited on tire size capabilities I asked if there was maybe just a good drag or drag radial that would be good for the street and would supply enough grip. I asked about the NT555's and the said it was a good tire for a car making about 300 HP. They told me they tried it on a couple of cobra's at the track and the had to heat the tires up tremendously to get them to hook up. So they told me that the best tire they have tried was some Mickey T's. Now unless someone else has better luck with the nitto's I think I'm going with the MT's.


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## AaronGough (Nov 20, 2008)

Has anyone found any new thing on the market that can be tried to be able to increase the width of the tires more than a 265. Which is what I heard is the widest tire that can go under the car with out rubbing or bumping.


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## shiftR (Jul 31, 2008)

Here is what I found. The NT555s seem to provide more grip on the street, maybe because of the 1/4 inch width or maybe because they are new. 
At the strip yesterday, I had one decent run and one bad one due to a bad launch. I am leaning to what you were told. I should have heated them up a bit before running and will try that next time. As far as width, I now believe the 255/35/18s may fit without rolling or cuttings, and I am almost positive the 265/35s will with either rolling or cutting, maybe 275s. That will be my next size on the rear, the 265s. That will come after my CAI and my diablosport tuner.


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