Toyo R888 vs. Nitto Nt01 on wet track

[TomChan]

Hey guys,

I've been running Nitto NT01's for 2 years. Been happy with them on dry track. The half dozen times I drove them on wet track was only marginally quicker than street pace before they slip and slide. I was wondering if the Toyo R888 are any better on wet than NT01's. Would love to hear feedback from driver's with first hand experience.

Thanks in advance.

[vranko]

Yes they are. Much better but only until the tread goes away, obviously. I get a longer lifespan out of NT01s though than R888s.

[TomChan]

Yes they are. Much better but only until the tread goes away, obviously. I get a longer lifespan out of NT01s though than R888s.

Thanks! Going to Watkins Glen in June for the first time, with only one set of wheels so I think R888 will be the better choice of the two.

[trytryagain]

What hot pressures do you shoot for with the NT01s?

[TomChan]

What hot pressures do you shoot for with the NT01s?

For dry, cooler temp morning sessions I prefer 35psi all around. When I get myself in to the groove and as the surface temp get hotter in the afternoon I prefer 32f/34r. I've never took checked pressure in wet because there's very little grip at even at street pace.

[trytryagain]

Thanks! Will be on NT01s at Shen for the first time. Looks like we will be driving to WG on NT01s as well. :shock:

[TomChan]

Looks like we will be driving to WG on NT01s as well. :shock:

I suggest bringing ear plugs. I love these tire on dry track but they are very noisey on highway.

[somdcroc]

I suggest bringing ear plugs. I love these tire on dry track but they are very noisey on highway.

I've driven NT01s and R888s to, and on, VIR full in dry, wet, and cold conditions. The R888s are much better in the wet but I still lack confidence to go at full speed but have driven on them in a torrential downpour on the way home from VIR and was able to keep at highway speeds. The NT01s are good in the cold but not good at all in the rain. I hope I never have to eat them in a downpour. The NT01s are much quieter than the R888s on track and especially on the highway. They still are noisy but nothing compared to R888s. With R888s on the highway you'll think you have failing wheel bearings.

When at their peak and on a dry track R888s and NT01s have similar grip but NT01s seem to act slightly livelier allowing you to play more with predictable slip. Paul seems to have one or the other but not both at the same time. I like them both.

Scott

[RV4Flyer]

I ran R888's for a couple of years and this year switched to the NT01's to try them out. The NT01's suck in the wet. I drove on them out to SP last month in the rain and after fishtailing from a straighline consistent speed up 270 I had to back down my speed to have any confidence I wouldn't end up in a ditch. The R888's are not great but still better than the NT01's in the rain. The R888's are louder with road noise but with the Borla exhaust it is a moot issue. On dry the R888's run at lower pressures than the NT01's and squeal when pushed around turns, I have yet to hear anything out of the NT01's so far, they just let go when pushed past the limit. I also can't match my lap times from last season so either it is the tires or my driving got worse. Off this season at SP by a second. When the NT01's wear out I will probably be going back to the R888's.

[TomChan]

Thanks for all the good info.

[Dr K]

Tom,
Get a friend to bring up some spare tires for you -- Hoosier H20's. Now those are great on a wet track!

[Baywatch]

Having used both - Decided to go back to 888. Nitto's had better grip in the dry. IMHO 888 are superior in the rain. 36 PSI all around for me hot seemed to be optimal pressure

[HughA44s]

Have used R-888s in the rain in both street and track and they seem to be very good - much faster than streets in the rain but watch out in very heavy rain or standing water. I am sure NT01s are the same. Once the water becomes to much for the tire to get rid of, they become diabolical. I am sure this is the same for all tires to a point but it is kind like a light switch. On the track I start them at 32 or 33 all around in the wet - seems to work. I agree with the 36 hot.

[TomChan]

Thanks again for all the great info.

My car snaps loose on NT01's at Summit main between T7 and T8 barely above cruising pace when wet. This happen without additional inputs, just does it after fully completing T7 above certain speed. I continue to love these tire on dry though.

[vranko]

^ Yes. They are not marketed at all as rain capable tires (as are R888). If you want to run in rain get the 888s as suggested. Just be aware they'll not last as long as NT01. I've always taken them down to cord and they've had great grip all the way to cord. Current set has run 3 events with two drivers. Sill have some visible tread. R888s fronts lasted me one weekend at Mid-O :shock: :bang:

[HughA44s]

Vranko brings up a very interesting point. I am using these as a square setup on a BMW. When the r-888s are new, they have 6.2 32nds (if I remember) of thread on them and mine currently have about 5 remaining. This is after 5 full events and about 6000 miles. I am actually trying to wear them out so I can change my wheel tire combo. Granted I am not near him in lap times and do have a slightly aggressive alignment. Obviously different cars react to different tires in different manners.

[TomChan]

With the way the weather has been, I've ordered a set of R888 for Watkins Glen DE.

Public service announcement: What's the worst that could happen going from fully dry track to downpour in one lap? This-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpsJhwZF_Yg
Hope this doesn't happen to anyone.

[Dr K]

That's an impressive video. France, driver of the car Levitis slid into (certainly not like he was the only one sliding out there) took a swing at him. And Levitis barely tapped him (certainly compared to the other wrecks). Not sure what the back story was there.

[N0tt0N]

You trying to jinx us, Tom? :(

[TomChan]

You trying to jinx us, Tom? :(

Nop. Just want to be prepared. I haven't driven WG. The number do times I have been there as crewman have always rained at some point during the events. Better to have wet-compatible tires and not need them... :)

[TomChan]

That's an impressive video. France, driver of the car Levitis slid into (certainly not like he was the only one sliding out there) took a swing at him. And Levitis barely tapped him (certainly compared to the other wrecks). Not sure what the back story was there.

France was pissed about Levitas trying to make it back on track by kept backing into his car. Levitas was trying get back on track and pit with a broken windshield during the caution laps. We had rain tires, fuel, fresh windshield, and Pobst standing by on pit lane. But didn't work out. France and Levitas shortly after became friends as France said he'd have done the same thing in that situation.

[Chopper Dropper]

Nop. Just want to be prepared. I haven't driven WG. The number do times I have been there as crewman have always rained at some point during the events. Better to have wet-compatible tires and not need them... :)

Rain at the Glen is not so much a problem as the weather can be different over different portions for quite some time, one half dry and the other half wet with little warning. All wet one knows about!
Dirk

[N0tt0N]

Vranko/thelittlemrs and I separately ran into a wall of water going into 1 one after the other when it was only lightly drizzling everywhere else. Weird. Nice run-off area.

You will love WGI, Tom!

[vranko]

Vranko/thelittlemrs and I separately ran into a wall of water going into 1 one after the other when it was only lightly drizzling everywhere else. Weird. Nice run-off area.

You will love WGI, Tom!

Yes. That was fun :shock:. Took out thelittlemrs for a ride along in just a slight drizzle on Hoosiers. Then hit a wall of water in T1. Saw it coming so braked almost early enough. Still slide across T1 and used a lot of the run-off to get back on track (the wide NASCAR line!). I asked thelittlemrs what she though, she said she had her eyes closed ;)

First time I was ever at the glen. One run the bus stop was completely flooded, hydroplaned through it mostly, opposite side of the track was completely dry. :shock:

[Otto]

tom

i picked up a set of r888 at radial tire after leaving tpc

i just drove them to mid-ohio, where it rained most of saturday, then drove them back home sunday

for more than a year i ran nt01s

yes, r888 are a bit better in the rain, but not worth it in my view

the nt01 and the r888 are both about as noisy, but the r888 produces a higher pitched noise that is more difficulty to live with

in fact i am looking for someone to carry mine to the glen, if there are any takers out there, i live in herndon, va

anyway, paul said i would like the r888, but i am still undecided

i did one and a half sessions in the rain, and that was enough for me last weekend

[vranko]

^ Yea, R888s are very noisy!

[Otto]

at the glen last time there were rivers of water crossing the track at different points long after the rain stopped and the track otherwise was dry

hitting them too fast will make you pucker

[TomChan]

at the glen last time there were rivers of water crossing the track at different points long after the rain stopped and the track otherwise was dry

hitting them too fast will make you pucker

You're scaring me to the point I'm considering changing my tire order to full street...

[Otto]

lol

your the one that posted the video of mike losing his grip!

that is enough to make most sane people stay off the track when it rains :)

however, if your going to go out in the rain with a 'crossover' r-comp tire, r888 seems like a good choice

by the way, my left front r888 was badly warn at mid-ohio and i really on ran two days hard on them

granted, i perhaps pushed too hard trying to catch this little bright blue m3 that schooling me in the curves on sunday:lol:

[N0tt0N]

Standing water is simply dangerous and not a learning experience unless you are training to race in the rain or VIP escort. Damp track in drizzle is a different story. My NT01s did what I wanted them to do in the damp - skid just like they would have had I been driving faster in the dry. Very useful and still quite good in the dry.

No experience with R888 but I don't think I'd compromise what you like in the dry for the "off chance" (see what I did there?) of wanting to drive through standing water.

[TomChan]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm just a little nervous about driving on a track I haven't been on, especially one that is known that could rain on one section. Sorry for whining like a little girl. Have selected the tire and sticking with the choice. Thanks again.

[trytryagain]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qYpx2KkDzSg

[TomChan]

Okay, to the title of this thread it is concluded that between Nitto NT01 and Toyo R888 the latter is the better choice for wet track.

As for me, I have decided and mounted Bridgestone RE11 for WG, my learning tires.

[bretster]

As for me, I have decided and mounted Bridgestone RE11 for WG, my learning tires.




I ran RE11 and they were a good tire for learning. Good choice if you are starting out.

[spiffyjiff]

moved to here https://dorkiphus.net/porsche/showthread.php?p=584386#post584386

[BlackTalon]

So you revive a thread about tire performance in wet conditions just to ask a question limited to dry performance O_o

I suspect some people with info you need may not even bother clicking on this thread because they do not have much interest in reading about wet performance between the two tires indicated int he thread title. You might increase the audience a bit if you start a new thread.

[spiffyjiff]

i hate you. done. :)

[BlackTalon]

:lsl:

[Trak Ratt]

i hate you. done. :)
Some just more than others :)