Gauging Interest on Nitto NT01 Track Tire in a Viper Size...

[YellowViperSRT10]

We have a Viper Track wheel coming out soon in the stock 18/19 setup. We are looking for an ideal tire for this application, something that people can drive to and from the track on that is still street legal and will be safer and last longer then a full our Hoosier slick tire or something similar that people cannot drive to the track on. One major option is the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tire stock on the ACR. The Cups are great tires and I went threw 3 sets on my 997 GT3. I was looking for another option and something that would even cost a bit less then the Michelin. We all know the Nitto NT01 track tire is amazing. I been speaking to someone I know at Nitto, and we are trying to see if there is any interest in this size for the Viper application. I was thinking of either a 275/35/18 or 285/35/18 and of course the rear would be 345/30/19. Keep in mind this again is the R compound NT01 track tire.

I am setting up a poll, but please post here if this is something you would be of interest in, as I will be showing this thread to Nitto.

Thanks

 

[Grant]

Yes!

I've run these tires on my C5, while I've driven on PS Cups on my ACR and another car. I'm not sure what the ultimate difference in grip is between warm PSCs and NT-01s, but I do know the NT-01s are far better when cold. Once PSCs get a few heat cycles in them, their cold grip drops off even more. They aren't a lot of fun on the street for that reason, IMO.

I'll probably run 315/30/18s in front, which Nitto already offers.

 

[Viper X]

Yellow Viper SRT,

Most of us track guys that would buy a volume of tires won't run 275 or 285 fronts. 305 x 18 would be the minimum, 315 x 18 better.

On the rears, 18's offer wider tread and a lighter wheel compared with same width 19's, so few guys run 19 inch rears on the track. I know that the ACR's have 18 / 19 (I just got mine), but I won't run 19" rears on the track (except to burn up the Cups that came with the car).

345 x 30 or 35 x 18, depending upon the car. SRT-10's can run the wider and taller rear tires while the GTS seems to prefer 335 x 30 x 18 rears.

It would be nice to have a less expensive, equally sticky alternative for guys who drive their cars to the track (I don't - but many of our guys do).

Good luck.

Dan

 

[Hiss]

I would be interested.

Nitto will be coming out with a new 19" R compound tire in February-the NT05-I am hearing that it will be a good sticky tire. I may give this tire a try. It may be good for the street.

Grant- I also have the 19" Cups on the rear. Great tire in warm weather but very bad cold grip.

 

[steponz]

What viper x says...

Joe

 

[ACRBruce]

Yellow, Maybe I start by asking how much influence you have over Nitto's product offering? I ask this because I have mentioned to their marketing people numerous times that they need to come out w/ more 19" sizes and it is like fallen onto deaf ears. With that said, I'm currently using the NT-01's on my daily driver EVO X. I have about 5000 miles on the set with at least 100 laps of autocross and the tires are less than 1/2 worn. It is a very sticky tire and heat up fast with very progressive breakaway but it is also very noisy, the noisiest of all the R compound tires I've used - Yoko AO48, P Zero Corsa, P Zero Corsa System, Kumho ECSTA V700, V710, A6, R6, and Toyo RA1. BTW, Toyo and Nitto are sister companies and the RA1 and NT01's have identical coumpound and the RA1 was the spec tire in American Le Mans I believe a couple years back (don't know what tire is being used now). Here're the pros and cons as I see between going down from 19" stock to 18" rear tire:

Pro:
Lighter tire and wheel weight
Smaller overall diameter means greater leverage/shorter gearing but better acceleration
More selection (but most 18" don't come close to the 27.2 OD of the GenIV rear)

Con:
Smaller OD = small circumference = smaller contact patch = less grip
Smaller OD = too much difference between front OD and rear OD and changes rake of car and be sure the difference isn't more than 5% otherwise it might affect even how ABS operates.
If the factory designed the car to run on 27.2 OD, then the suspension geometry must have been optimised to run on 27.2, not 26.x or less. Right?

Based on the above, I'm willing to take a 3 or maybe 4 pounds per side hit on weight and go with the 19's.

 

[Grant]

Most of us track guys that would buy a volume of tires won't run 275 or 285 fronts. 305 x 18 would be the minimum, 315 x 18 better.

Nitto already offers a 315/30/18 NT-01 (as well as a 275/35 or 275/40 for stock wheels).

Nitto NT-01 tires listed by size

Personally I'd prefer a 19" rear.

 

[99 R/T 10]

I would like to see a 355 rear vs. the 345.

 

[aries]

I'm considering putting a set of the Hoosier R6's on my car but I would love a set of these in the viper size. DO IT NITTO!!!!!!!!

 

[ACRBruce]

Nitto already offers a 315/30/18 NT-01 (as well as a 275/35 or 275/40 for stock wheels).

Nitto NT-01 tires listed by size

Personally I'd prefer a 19" rear.

The OEM front wheels at 10" wide is NOT wide enough to run the 315's.

 

[Grant]

The OEM front wheels at 10" wide is NOT wide enough to run the 315's.

I know.

...well, actually you could probably do it, it would just feel really sloppy and certainly not be ideal. Some autocrossers run a 315/335 combo on C5Z wheels (9.5"/10.5") with Hoosier A6s.

 

[ACRBruce]

I know.

...well, actually you could probably do it, it would just feel really sloppy and certainly not be ideal. Some autocrossers run a 315/335 combo on C5Z wheels (9.5"/10.5") with Hoosier A6s.

Autocrossers have no choice because they have to use factory widths to run within Super Stock class. I know as I used to campaign a C5 Z06 in SS with the SCCA. I am running the NT01's on 9" rims right now on my EVO and even though a 9" rim is within specs for 275 tires, the sihoulders are still rolling too much over so I, for one, will never run that much tire on 10" wheels. Maybe ok for the street for looks only, but you'll hurt the handling and induce more understeer into the car when pushed hard, not to mention the front shoulders will get worned in no time.

 

[YellowViperSRT10]

I would be interested.

Nitto will be coming out with a new 19" R compound tire in February-the NT05-I am hearing that it will be a good sticky tire. I may give this tire a try. It may be good for the street.

Grant- I also have the 19" Cups on the rear. Great tire in warm weather but very bad cold grip.

I am not quite sure the NT05 is an R compund, although I may be wrong. Also, the rear will only come in a 335/30/19 not a 345.

 

[YellowViperSRT10]

Yellow, Maybe I start by asking how much influence you have over Nitto's product offering? I ask this because I have mentioned to their marketing people numerous times that they need to come out w/ more 19" sizes and it is like fallen onto deaf ears. With that said, I'm currently using the NT-01's on my daily driver EVO X. I have about 5000 miles on the set with at least 100 laps of autocross and the tires are less than 1/2 worn. It is a very sticky tire and heat up fast with very progressive breakaway but it is also very noisy, the noisiest of all the R compound tires I've used - Yoko AO48, P Zero Corsa, P Zero Corsa System, Kumho ECSTA V700, V710, A6, R6, and Toyo RA1. BTW, Toyo and Nitto are sister companies and the RA1 and NT01's have identical coumpound and the RA1 was the spec tire in American Le Mans I believe a couple years back (don't know what tire is being used now). Here're the pros and cons as I see between going down from 19" stock to 18" rear tire:

Pro:
Lighter tire and wheel weight
Smaller overall diameter means greater leverage/shorter gearing but better acceleration
More selection (but most 18" don't come close to the 27.2 OD of the GenIV rear)

Con:
Smaller OD = small circumference = smaller contact patch = less grip
Smaller OD = too much difference between front OD and rear OD and changes rake of car and be sure the difference isn't more than 5% otherwise it might affect even how ABS operates.
If the factory designed the car to run on 27.2 OD, then the suspension geometry must have been optimised to run on 27.2, not 26.x or less. Right?

Based on the above, I'm willing to take a 3 or maybe 4 pounds per side hit on weight and go with the 19's.

Bruce,

We have cars sponsored by Nitto, and we also had an influence with Nitto in developing the now very common 345/25/20 INVO rear tire. I communicate with the Staff engineers and marketing dept often.


I understand now that I brought up this thread we will all be requesting many sizes, and it comes down to that Nitto probably will not make a size we all want, but instead something most common that will sell the most for Vipers or similar cars that can also use this tire. We gotta look at it in the eyes of Nitto here, a tire they make ONLY for the Viper application will not sell....But the sizes I mentioned above can work on the Viper, Corvette, Lamborghini, Ferrari and all Porsche 997 Widebody cars i.e Turbo, GT2 and C4S.

I should make it more clear that, we are not trying to find out the best size for this car for the track, what we want is an alternative for people to use with there stock wheels or very common track size for the Viper. Which is an 18/19" setup. I do understand that a lot of the track guys run an 18" setup on the rear. But there is already some choices out there for the 18" size in a track tire. But nothing much in 19" besides the Cups. Sticking with the 18/19" setup again allows people with there stock wheels to swap tires without buying new wheels. And is still a VERY common setup for some of the non extreme hard-core track cars out there.

So again, we will most likely use the 275/35/18 NT01 that Nitto currently offers for the front application and are most likely looking for the interest in the 345/30/19 NT01. These can still be used on the street too if needed by those who desire.

Keep the interest coming in these sizes so we can hopefully have Nitto make this set for us!

 

[FrankBarba]

what Viper X said +2

 

[ACRBruce]

Yellow,
BTW, your yellow Vert looks so mean and low. Yellow w/ black top/wheels is a killer colro combo.
I know Nitto won't make sizes for everyone but while you are requesting sizes, can you mention 295/30-18's also? This is a VERY popular size w/ Porsche and Nitto should consider making it available. I think the 275 and 285 will make the car push too much.

 

[Kala]

what Viper X said +3

 

[Grant]

I think the 275 and 285 will make the car push too much.

My ACR pushes a lot with the OE 295/30/18 in front and over 2 degrees of camber. The NT-01 275/35 is 1.2" narrower.

So I agree, thats going to **** for track use on stock wheels.

 

[Disturbed]

What about a 355/30/20

 

[YellowViperSRT10]

Yellow,
BTW, your yellow Vert looks so mean and low. Yellow w/ black top/wheels is a killer colro combo.
I know Nitto won't make sizes for everyone but while you are requesting sizes, can you mention 295/30-18's also? This is a VERY popular size w/ Porsche and Nitto should consider making it available. I think the 275 and 285 will make the car push too much.

Thanks. Although I sold that car a while ago, for some reason I cannot edit my avatar or sig on this site. I have an 08 Coupe now. The orange one I recently posted pics of.

I will mention the 295/30/18.

I have run my car with the 275 and a 285 on the front. I did not feel the car push at all with the tire pressures right.

 

[YellowViperSRT10]

What about a 355/30/20

Lets stay on topic here to get this done. Nitto is not going to make so many new sizes. Let alone a R compound track tire in 20".

 

[ACRBruce]

My ACR pushes a lot with the OE 295/30/18 in front and over 2 degrees of camber. The NT-01 275/35 is 1.2" narrower.

So I agree, thats going to **** for track use on stock wheels.

Mine pushes a little, not too bad but I wouldn't want to go any narrower than 295 to make it worse. What air pressures are you running?

 

[Camfab]

What Viper X said +4 345 30or35/18

 

[Grant]

Mine pushes a little, not too bad but I wouldn't want to go any narrower than 295 to make it worse. What air pressures are you running?

35 hot psi, which is what the setup article recommends. However, Mark tells me my front camber was actually set to -1.8, so I'll be increasing that.