Nitto NT-05 Review
05-23-2012, 07:45 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-03-2009
Location: D.C., Md., Va. area
Posts: 837
Nitto NT-05 Review
I finally hit 2000 miles on my new stickies, so it's time to do a review. The bulk of my data logging has been done on my commute to and from work which is 25 miles each way, with the morning trip done at 4:30 a.m. at speed, and the afternoon trip done at 3:00 p.m. with speeds ranging from stop and go to a mile or 2 above the limit. My driving style is more Auto X than 1/4 mile. Tire temperature readings were taken with a Harbor Freight IR thermometer. The AAT was taken from my DashDaq and the lateral acceleration numbers come right off the RPD.
The vehicle specifics:
2009 HHR SS Panel
5 speed, LSD
GMPP Turbo upgrade
K&N drop in
TTR rear swaybar, motor and tranny mounts
TSW chrome shinys in 18x8
Nitto NT-05 in 245/40/18
Instead of boring you with all of the data I'll just post up a few sets of tire temps/lateral accelerations. Cold tire pressure was set at 38psi to start. I may experiment with that later, but for the moment I'm happy with the results
Dry roads
AAT=64
left front= 99 on edge, 96 in the center
right front=96, 94
left rear= 95,97
right rear= 94, 91
Lateral acceleration .85g left, .81g right
Rain
AAT=64
Left front= 85, 82
Right front= 83, 83
Left rear= 83, 80
Right rear= 82, 80
Lateral acceleration .73g left, .58g right
Sunny, dry
AAT=86
Left front= 118, 110
Right front= 118, 104
Left rear= 86, 81
Right rear= 81, 81
Lateral acceleration .89 left, .80 right
When the AAT was in the high 40's / low 50's there was some vibration for a few miles at highway speed that I attributed to flat spotting, but with cold temps in the 60's there has been no such vibration. When the tires are cold with a wet road surface and AAT in the 50's, lateral acceleration of just over .5g will slide, but it was very controllable and minor.
Braking. I have yet to find the tire's limits for braking in the wet, or dry. They give good feedback and instill a confidence that I never had with the stock Michelin rubber. I would have no reservation about trail braking with the Nitto's
Steering response. As with braking, feedback is good. Turn in is crisp. The tire tracks straight in most situations. The two instances where the tire gets a little jittery are extremely broken pavement and grated roads. The highway I travel has been undergoing bridge upgrades, so the travel lanes have been changing and shifting. Where I notice this the most is where new lines have been laid down, and the old ones grated. These grated lines wreak havoc with the stickies I have on my Triumph D675 as well, so I'm not downgrading the Nittos, just noting the tendency.
Rain. I drive like I have some sense in the rain. Under normal driving I can't find fault with these tires whether the road surface is barely wet all the way to ridiculous downpours (which I drove through today). I have been surprised at the hydroplane resistance. When the pace was picked up and some sense lost the tires would start to slide, but nothing dramatic or scary.
Acceleration traction.
Dry. I haven't tried dumping the clutch yet, but they just hook up in all of the situations that I would spin the Michelins. Again, my driving style is more Auto X, not 1/4 mile
Wet. Broken pavement, painted lines, or too much gas will spin them from a stop, but not nearly as bad as the stockers. Once rolling I can get them to break loose if I want, but it's predictable and easily controlled.
Noise. Not that I really care, but I haven't noticed being annoyed by them, so I'll say they're average at worst.
Treadwear. Looks okay so far. I'll post some less than 50 mile pics along with what they look like at 2250.
Pics at less than 50 miles.
After 2250 miles
SDIM6015.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6019.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6017.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6023.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6024.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6018.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
Feel free to ask questions, as I may have forgotten something.
The vehicle specifics:
2009 HHR SS Panel
5 speed, LSD
GMPP Turbo upgrade
K&N drop in
TTR rear swaybar, motor and tranny mounts
TSW chrome shinys in 18x8
Nitto NT-05 in 245/40/18
Instead of boring you with all of the data I'll just post up a few sets of tire temps/lateral accelerations. Cold tire pressure was set at 38psi to start. I may experiment with that later, but for the moment I'm happy with the results
Dry roads
AAT=64
left front= 99 on edge, 96 in the center
right front=96, 94
left rear= 95,97
right rear= 94, 91
Lateral acceleration .85g left, .81g right
Rain
AAT=64
Left front= 85, 82
Right front= 83, 83
Left rear= 83, 80
Right rear= 82, 80
Lateral acceleration .73g left, .58g right
Sunny, dry
AAT=86
Left front= 118, 110
Right front= 118, 104
Left rear= 86, 81
Right rear= 81, 81
Lateral acceleration .89 left, .80 right
When the AAT was in the high 40's / low 50's there was some vibration for a few miles at highway speed that I attributed to flat spotting, but with cold temps in the 60's there has been no such vibration. When the tires are cold with a wet road surface and AAT in the 50's, lateral acceleration of just over .5g will slide, but it was very controllable and minor.
Braking. I have yet to find the tire's limits for braking in the wet, or dry. They give good feedback and instill a confidence that I never had with the stock Michelin rubber. I would have no reservation about trail braking with the Nitto's
Steering response. As with braking, feedback is good. Turn in is crisp. The tire tracks straight in most situations. The two instances where the tire gets a little jittery are extremely broken pavement and grated roads. The highway I travel has been undergoing bridge upgrades, so the travel lanes have been changing and shifting. Where I notice this the most is where new lines have been laid down, and the old ones grated. These grated lines wreak havoc with the stickies I have on my Triumph D675 as well, so I'm not downgrading the Nittos, just noting the tendency.
Rain. I drive like I have some sense in the rain. Under normal driving I can't find fault with these tires whether the road surface is barely wet all the way to ridiculous downpours (which I drove through today). I have been surprised at the hydroplane resistance. When the pace was picked up and some sense lost the tires would start to slide, but nothing dramatic or scary.
Acceleration traction.
Dry. I haven't tried dumping the clutch yet, but they just hook up in all of the situations that I would spin the Michelins. Again, my driving style is more Auto X, not 1/4 mile
Wet. Broken pavement, painted lines, or too much gas will spin them from a stop, but not nearly as bad as the stockers. Once rolling I can get them to break loose if I want, but it's predictable and easily controlled.
Noise. Not that I really care, but I haven't noticed being annoyed by them, so I'll say they're average at worst.
Treadwear. Looks okay so far. I'll post some less than 50 mile pics along with what they look like at 2250.
Pics at less than 50 miles.
After 2250 miles
SDIM6015.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6019.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6017.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6023.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6024.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
SDIM6018.jpg by FatherAzmodius, on Flickr
Feel free to ask questions, as I may have forgotten something.
05-23-2012, 08:33 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-03-2009
Location: Blo-hio Transplant
Posts: 748
Father...
Thanks for the great write up! For I will be needing new rubber probably by the middle of summer... please keep us informed as the miles add up as to wear...
I am on target for about 50k a year
Thanks for the great write up! For I will be needing new rubber probably by the middle of summer... please keep us informed as the miles add up as to wear...
I am on target for about 50k a year
05-23-2012, 10:31 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-03-2009
Location: D.C., Md., Va. area
Posts: 837
Sure, but that'll be a different review. I got a set of Nitto's new high mileage all season tire (The Motivo) that I will have mounted up as my winter setup. The only snow review for the NT-05s will be if I get caught unprepared.
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