Hoosier R6, SM6

[Charlie Broring]

Other then price, what's the difference between a R6 and SM6?

[Greg Amy]

Inserts in the molds that say "SM6".

Nothing else.

[Charlie Broring]

Fair chance there will be a few non-Miata's wearing SM6 tires.

[Ron Earp]

Any price difference in the tires?

[Greg Amy]

Significant. R6s are $234, SM6s are $166.

You boys are waaaay behind the power curve: I've been running SM6s for about 5 years now. Hoosier "developed" this tire around 2006(?) for the last "Spec Miata Spec Tire Showdown" (back when Toyo was selected) and it has been available since...C'mon, wake up, coffee's ready...

[Knestis]

It's a powerful argument to think about 15" wheels for the Golf - except that I already have close to 2 dozen 14s.

K

[StephenB]

never looked at them... are they DOT approved?

[CRallo]

only comes in one size though right?

[Greg Amy]

never looked at them... are they DOT approved?
Same. Tire.


only comes in one size though right?
You can get them in any size you want...as long as you want the same size tire as Spec Miata uses (ergo, "SM6" on the side of the tire...."SM6"...? "Spec Miata"...? Get it...?)

GA, who wishes he'd known this was the best-kept secret in club racing, 'cause if he had then he and Smarty wouldn't have bought one single beer over the last five years...


On edit: speaking of Smarty, it's my bet that he's not making the same profit margin on the SM6 as he does on the R6, so you cheap rat bastards better bring him a good tip in the form of beer...his preference, last time we drank together, was Pabst Blue Ribbon, so it's not like you have to spend a whole lotta money for it...otherwise I'd not be surprised to see a trailer-load of SM6 tires "reserved" for Spec Miata drivers "just in case they need them"...just sayin'...

[CRallo]

yea I get it lol that is why I asked.





You can get them in any size you want...as long as you want the same size tire as Spec Miata uses (ergo, "SM6" on the side of the tire...."SM"? "Spec Miata"? Get it...?)

GA, who wishes he'd known this was the best-kept secret in club racing, 'cause if he had then he and Smarty wouldn't have bought one single beer over the last five years...

[ner88]

They also come in any color you want, as long as it's black...:shrug:

[philstireservice]

It's a powerful argument to think about 15" wheels for the Golf - except that I already have close to 2 dozen 14s.

K

You know you will want the new "CR6" 15x6 12lb wheel coming out in about a month.......:happy204:

[Greg Amy]

You know you will want the new "CR6" 15x6 12lb wheel coming out in about a month.......:happy204:
'Zactly. Figure depending on how many tires you use -- especially if Phil and Greg and Prof and someone else do a couple enduro races during the year, hint, hint -- you could easily cover the cost of those wheels just by the difference in tires...I've often thought about just tossing some SM6s on both axles of the 'Teg, versus running crap 225s on the front waaaaaaay past their prime... - GA

[Chip42]

beyond the SM6, you can run the BFG R1, which supposedly wears like iron if you don't heat cycle it out, or the Goodyear, neither of which are available in a 14". Also, you can find takeoffs that fit, the truck will have tires that fit even if you didn't reserve a set ahead of time, and your front air dam can be ~0.5" lower.

AND a set of 4 pays for itself the second time you mount SM6s instead of 205/60R14s

rolling diameters are the same for Hoosier and most other 205s and 225s between 14 and 15" so no gearing, suspension, or ride height changes, either, assuming you stick with the same tread width.

TrackSpeed will have the first article at Savannah April 28-29, Daytona May 5-6, and the CMP monster (might have the real deal by then, we shall see).

doooo eeeeet

[Tim Dugan]

how many people run a 225/45/15? Looking for take offs the 225/50/15 are a little tight on the corrado.Im not real picky on the make as long as there race not autocross tires. the corrado is gonna be a little tough on tires. This is gonna be a great year i can just tell :D and there isnt even any wood to knock on

[erlrich]

Greg also forgot to mention that the SM6s are damn near as wide as the 225/45/15 R6s. I bought a pair at the end of last year, thinking I could run those on the front with 225s on the rear, but when I put them side-by-side there was almost no difference. Certainly not 20mm difference. They've got to be the widest 205s out there. For new tires I'll only be using the SM6s from here on.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Greg also forgot to mention that the SM6s are damn near as wide as the 225/45/15 R6s. I bought a pair at the end of last year, thinking I could run those on the front with 225s on the rear, but when I put them side-by-side there was almost no difference. Certainly not 20mm difference. They've got to be the widest 205s out there. For new tires I'll only be using the SM6s from here on.

I think Greg and I did a side-by-side with a set of 225 Ho-Ho's and my 205 Goodyears way back when. Same size.

[mossaidis]

how many people run a 225/45/15? Looking for take offs the 225/50/15 are a little tight on the corrado.Im not real picky on the make as long as there race not autocross tires. the corrado is gonna be a little tough on tires. This is gonna be a great year i can just tell :D and there isnt even any wood to knock on

I run 225/45/15 for drys, love them. For wets, I will most likely go with 205/50 H2Os since they are cheaper. You can certainly have my takeoffs for cheap.


Greg also forgot to mention that the SM6s are damn near as wide as the 225/45/15 R6s. I bought a pair at the end of last year, thinking I could run those on the front with 225s on the rear, but when I put them side-by-side there was almost no difference. Certainly not 20mm difference. They've got to be the widest 205s out there. For new tires I'll only be using the SM6s from here on.

My times dropped when I went from SM6's ('09-'10 vintage) to 225/45R15's in '11. Have the latest SM6 version increased in size? Currently, Hoosier has the SM6 at 8" tread width on a 6.5" rim and the 225/45R15 at 9" thread on a 7.5" rim. I guess mounted 7" rims, the difference between the two is less.

[Greg Amy]

The SM6 is the same exact tire as the 205/50-15 R6, except they stick a mold insert for the sidewall that says "SM6" instead of "R6".

Same molds. Same rubber compound. Same factory. As in, "same tire." I got this directly from someone at Hoosier-of-Indiana several years ago.

So unless they've changed something since then -- and think about it, why would they go to the trouble and expense of developing a special tire just for a spec series and then selling it for less? -- it's the same damn tire.

GA

[mossaidis]

Thank you for being "easy" on me tGA. Gosh... :)

What I should have said was... has the R6/SM6 changed over the years? To stay competitive with Goodyears and R1, perhaps it indeed become wider.

[Greg Amy]

The R6 has not had a major redesign since 2006 (thus the "6" in "R6"; the prior three years' tires were models RS303, RS304, and RS305...) At that time the R6 was - and some will argue "still are" - heads and shoulders above everything else so there was no need for any updates.

There are unconfirmed rumors that there have been relatively-minor compound "adjustments" in the intervening years, but the tires pretty much feel and drive like the same tires I won with on the NX2000 five years ago: very damn good.

Hoosiers are still the King of the Hill in DOT Radial "R compound" race tires. While there are, and have been, a lot of very good challengers, none have made a concise unseating of the Purple Crown.

GA

[Knestis]

You know you will want the new "CR6" 15x6 12lb wheel coming out in about a month.......:happy204:

I am indeed looking forward to learning more about that when it happens...

KK

[JohnW8]

I broke down and bought a set of rains. I got the Hoosier H2o rains today from Phils Tire Service. Ordered Monday and delivered on Wednesday. Awesome service!

They too are only $166 and come in 205/50/15 since they are the spec rain tires for Spec Miata


So, if it doesn't rain this year you can thank/cuss me.

[Dano77]

Since the RX7 was converted to 15's ,Thanks to AB calling me out a few years ago, we are going to be trying the SM6 this season. If they are as fast as they say, Its gonna be cool.

15 x 7 4x110 available at Discount Tire Direct,Konig Rewind silver and Graphite 115.00

You will need a spacer to get them out away from the coil over but you sudenly have a tire option available

Dan 77 IT7

[quadzjr]

I am indeed looking forward to learning more about that when it happens...

KK

Are you planning on running the monster CMP? Like Chip said we "should" have production models by then. All of the first CR6 wheels will be on 4x100 bolt pattern.

[Knestis]

Don't think I'll be at CMP but thanks for the PM. Keep me updated. The trick is figuring out how to make a transition like that. I've been stocking up on 14" Koseis every chance I get, plus I use 225s on the front and 205s on the rear.

K

[Xian]

It's a powerful argument to think about 15" wheels for the Golf - except that I already have close to 2 dozen 14s.

K

Maybe just switch the fronts to 15's? You can keep running the same set of 14" rear R6's for a couple years... hell, they may actually get better with age. :shrug: