Tires for Racing and Daily Driving

[Buccanoles]

There may not be an answer to this question. I want recommendations on a tire that I can drag race with and use as my daily driver. I tow sometimes but not usually very heavy. I'm not sure if I really "need" an E rated tire. I would like the shortest fattest tire that will fit on my stock rim. I found a Yokohama AT 275x70/16 but It's not even an LT rated tire so I may be out of luck there. If anybody has any ideas let me know. I am also open to new wheels if I have to.

 

[SIKDMAX]

I like my Proxes S/T!

 

[McRat]

Toyo Proxies are well proven to get good 60's and still hold up to towing duties. We have even won sled pulls with them, and set the Bonneville record with them.

 

[S Phinney]

John, a 285/60/18 would be a good footprint to use. Nitto Terragrappler's make this size and probably would work well for you. Depends on the power you are making but I think you will be fine. When you going to the track and where?

 

[paint94979]

John, a 285/60/18 would be a good footprint to use. Nitto Terragrappler's make this size and probably would work well for you. Depends on the power you are making but I think you will be fine. When you going to the track and where?

I would def. have disagree with Terra Grapplers.... Toyo Proxes would be your best option 1.64's here ... you ideally want light tires due to the reduction in rotating mass

 

[S Phinney]

I know the other tires would be lighter for him and they wouldn't be my pick for racing but the overall tire performance does work well. There aren't many fast trucks where we are. They all everywhere else in the country. LOL

 

[paint94979]

I know the other tires would be lighter for him and they wouldn't be my pick for racing but the overall tire performance does work well. There aren't many fast trucks where we are. They all everywhere else in the country. LOL

So let me understand what you're saying... You say for racing you prefer the Nitto Terra Grappler over the Toyo Proxes S/T?

 

[S Phinney]

No ,I don't prefer them over proxes. I haven't used proxes for a comparison. If I were racing all the time I would get two sets of tires. The area here doesn't have all the action you all have in other places. My first post was meant more for sizing. Maybe I should not have mention Nitto's sense it offends you. Do you know John? I do. Just let his thread be what it is, him gathering info. and opinions.

 

[RPM Motorsports]

There may not be an answer to this question. I want recommendations on a tire that I can drag race with and use as my daily driver. I tow sometimes but not usually very heavy.

No dirt, go proxes!

 

[NWTDIESEL]

BFGs are the $hit!

J/k


proxes=good for racing but ugly IMO and wont last for crap.

Nittos=Good ALL AROUND tire. I ran 12.8s on my old set of nittos and pulled 10,000lbs the next day.

I would mention another brand but i dont want to offend anyone here.

 

[TheBac]

I havent been too impressed with Proxes at the strip. I did just as well with my Michelin LTXs for 60' times. Weight wise both tires are within one lbs of each other, with the Michelins being slightly lighter. They even take close to the same pressures at the strip, which surprised me (within a lbs). That said, the Proxes do have the higher speed rating....but thats all.

I could have used the money I spent on the tires on something that would really help me....like shocks.

IMO, if you are turning mid-1.70 60fts with what you have, work on your suspension setup first. Tires only work as well as your suspension lets them, as Im finding out.

 

[Slick]

I agree with Tom. I do like the proxes over an all terrain tire for a few reasons though. One, most tracks frown on an aggressive tire, because they tear up the track, which I tend to believe, two, the speed rating, which may or may not be a big deal. I personally don't believe that it is because the speed is not sustained, and I've never heard of anyone losing a tire.

Another reason is obvisouly weight, as Proxes tires are surely a few pounds lighter than an A/T. So as long as you can 60 the same the lighter tire wins.

 

[Buccanoles]

John, a 285/60/18 would be a good footprint to use. Nitto Terragrappler's make this size and probably would work well for you. Depends on the power you are making but I think you will be fine. When you going to the track and where?

Going to SGMP late next month. I was going to give you a ring. I dont race enough to devote a set of tires and wheels strictly for racing so I was just wanting to get an idea of what is out there. I found that I need to do some research on load ratings. I found some tires I think I would like that will fit on my stock wheels but not sure if I could tow with them too. I did see the 285/60/18's. If I can get enough scratch by the time my current set of grapplers wear totally out, I will go that route.

 

[othrgrl]

Not saying they are the best thing out there but if you are looking for a good all around tire 285-75 BFG ATs do well. You can get them in load range E, they wear well on the street, many people pull with them on hard packed tracks, and we've cut 1.6X 60's on 2 different trucks with a best of 1.66 on both trucks.

 

[McRat]

The 305 Proxies have a weight rating as high as the OEM tires, and are speed rated.

On a well prepped track, the tire isn't that important on our trucks. It's when you must run at tracks that aren't prepped well, that the tires become critical.

At "Diesel Only" events, this often kicks in, since our trucks tend to wreck the track fairly quick. I've run BFG AT, KDW, Hoosier slicks, M&H slicks, DR's, Durango, Proxies, OEM, etc. All of them hook hard with enough VHT around. Get on a slippery track, and the OEM's won't go better than 1.9's before they hop.

If you chose a hard compound AT tire, you will have problems at a slippery track. You don't get to chose the track, only the tire.

 

[TrentNell]

The 305 Proxies have a weight rating as high as the OEM tires, and are speed rated.

On a well prepped track, the tire isn't that important on our trucks. It's when you must run at tracks that aren't prepped well, that the tires become critical.

At "Diesel Only" events, this often kicks in, since our trucks tend to wreck the track fairly quick. I've run BFG AT, KDW, Hoosier slicks, M&H slicks, DR's, Durango, Proxies, OEM, etc. All of them hook hard with enough VHT around. Get on a slippery track, and the OEM's won't go better than 1.9's before they hop.

If you chose a hard compound AT tire, you will have problems at a slippery track. You don't get to chose the track, only the tire.

well said Pat , its a subject most overlook or havent been on enough tracks to know that they are not all created equally . at my track it takes a slick or drag radial to get into the 1.6's . And also noticed when i ran in Billings that the track prep was much better for the T&T ( mostly cars with slicks ) than it was the next day for our diesel event .

 

[dordtrecht5]

If a guy was to put on the proxes s/t...what is a good size for a truck at stock heighth? I have considered lowering the truck maybe 2".

Trent I see that you have your truck lowered 3" and you run 295/45/20....no rub issues?

 

[NemesisDP]

Nito 420S 305/50/20 load rating a little low but these hook very good.

 

[TrentNell]

If a guy was to put on the proxes s/t...what is a good size for a truck at stock heighth? I have considered lowering the truck maybe 2".

Trent I see that you have your truck lowered 3" and you run 295/45/20....no rub issues?

The 295's fit great with no rubbing . but when these wear out i am going to a 305/50r20 , the 305/50r20's have a better weight rating , hoping to be able to tow with them on instead of switching out tires for towing duty's . plus the 305's are cheaper than the 295's

 

[dordtrecht5]

The 295's fit great with no rubbing . but when these wear out i am going to a 305/50r20 , the 305/50r20's have a better weight rating , hoping to be able to tow with them on instead of switching out tires for towing duty's . plus the 305's are cheaper than the 295's

Interesting...because of my ignorance I assumed that you have to have a load D or E tire on your truck for DD. However, what you are saying here is the better the load rating, yes, the better, but it doesn't need a load rating of D or E. The reason that I am asking is because I was looking for a rated LT and all i could find in the Proxes ST was a 114.

I do very little towing with my truck, so this really wouldn't matter just as long as I don't put a P-Metric on it, correct?