Tires?

[highwayracer]

Hi! I'm looking for your thoughts about the merits, or lack thereof, for different tire options.

I primarily run track trials and hillclimbs. Since 2006, I have been running IT7, which in SEDIV has a spec tire (Toyo RA1). I recently purchased an ITS car (The ex-Capaldi Mercury Cougar) and need new rubber. Having run the Toyo RA1 spec tire, I'm very familiar with the grip and feel of that tire. However, I know its designed more for longevity that speed. If you're not familiar, track trials are generally 20 minute sessions much as practice or qualifying sessions on a race weekend. Car runs 225/50-16. Tires I'm considering include:

Hoosier R6
BFG R1
Nitto NT01
Hankook DOT Racing
Yokohama A048

Any feedback you can provide, pro or con, or alternate suggestion, is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[JeffYoung]

I road race, but love my R6s.

You break them in properly and we get 12 or so competitive heat cycles of out of them (or sessions).

You plan on road racing in ITS in the SEDiv? Great class and turnout down here -- 11 cars at VIR this weekend.

[TStiles]

I think you'll find the RA1 and the NT01 very similar in terms of performance and wear. I've lost track of how many heat cycles an NT01 will do before it falls off. Have run some of the fastest laps right before they cord. NT01 also has gradual breakaway. I've been running them for years in DE's. You don't have to shave them , but you'll need to wear them down a bit before they are " prime "

For SCCA Race Weekends , I've been running the Hankook Z214 for the last year. They are at least a couple of seconds faster than the NT01's. They seem to hold up pretty well over race distance. My last set did 16 heat cycles and then rapidly went away.

[JLawton]

The fastest tire is the Hoosier............. but you'll only get 10-12 heat cycles out of them. yes, you CAN get more but they drop off quickly. There are lots of people out there that say some of the other tires are just as good but I suspect those are the people whose skills aren't up there to be able to tell the difference betwen them. Not a knock on anyone. It's just that we're not pros and there's a reason why we're not pros.......

If you really have a lot of money to piss away the Hoosier A6 (autocross) tire will get you a few more tenths but don't try to go out on them with more than 2 heat cycles....... Although the Couger might be a little heavy for them for a full 20 minutes.

[Chip42]

No experience on them myself, but I've heard good things about the "new" Goodyear and BFGoodrich offerings, both by people who could easily be argued to have sufficient tallent to make such claims. enoguh so that I'm planning to run the BFG when I get my 15x6" wheels.

the Kumho 710 is also very fast, though not quite hoosier fast but it comes in more quickly, drops off less agressively, and lasts longer in terms of heat cycles.

Hankook's C51 is a favorite of another friend of mine, wears amazingly well, reaosnably quick, good feel, and great price.

Toyo R888 are meh. RA1s are great learnign tires, quite forgiving and very comunicative but not very fast. wear like iron. the setup that extracts the most from an RA1 will not do the same with the faster tires. as noted above, the Nitto is roughly identical to the RA1 but with less tread.

the Yok's aren't up to the task.. good track day tire for a street car maybe.

easy button is Hoosier - known quantity, good setup data, fast, sizes available to fit just about everything, some contingency.

[ShelbyRacer]

Hoosier *A*6 for hills.

[highwayracer]

You plan on road racing in ITS in the SEDiv? Great class and turnout down here -- 11 cars at VIR this weekend.

Don't expect to road race this year myself (no license yet....that comes next year), but I may put someone else in the car just to see how it runs and get some feedback. There needs to be some Fords on the track! I'm going to concentrate on TT and Hillclimbs this year (as I have off and on for the last 15+ years) to learn the car. All my previous experience has been rear wheel drive.

I'll probably be at CMP at the end of March to pick up some tires. Everyone has given good feedback, so there's a lot to consider. Any consensus on the best compromise for treadwear and grip? Any suggestion for a good cheap wheel?

[monsterbronco]

When they were cheaper i loved the 710s they would last forever! Now that they are more expensive ive been bouncing around with other options.

ran a new set of BFG last race of the year last fall. was not happy with them. could be a set up difference between them and the 710s but im not sold on them.

hoosier is definitely the known tire if you want to run up front. once my bfg's are done thats where i will be going.

Wes

[seckerich]

Is highway racer Larry?? If so give me a call, I have some 16' R6's you might want to test. We run them on Vicki's TT RX7.

[Matt93SE]

I switched from R888s to BFG R1s at the end of last season and dropped several seconds off my times. I've been very happy with the R1s over R888s, even buying used BFGs.

[RX555]

Don't wanna start another tire thread so will add to this one. Just looking for opinions on Kumho v710 vs. Hankook z214. I've always run the Kumho's on my IT7 but I don't think they've shipped any over here in a couple years. Pricing seems kind of steep for several year old stock, so looking at the Kooks. Not willing to pay for Hoosiers for IT7 and Kook pricing is definitely good. Just not sure about switching brands.