The New Hoosiers

[zracer22]

Last october at Putnam Park I saw two miatas and one 944 each go thru a set of new Hoosiers in less than a weekend. Since then, Hoosier ask the 944 driver to send his back to Hoosier and they gave him another set. Recently, we got 15 heat cycles and over six hours of track time out of one set of the new Hoosiers on a World Challenge BMW, and there was still some life left when we took them off. Is it the difference between World Challenge suspension (JRZ RR shocks) and Improved Touring suspension that made the difference, or was it just a bad bunch of tires at Putnam Park? I hope it was a bad batch of tires at Putnam!

[7racing]

I've heard both stories. Not sure what the real issue is. I'll know more after the first couple of races on them. I'm hoping that the World Challenge BMW story is more accurate.

Jeremy

[Greg Amy]

I raced on 'em at the ARRC. One practice session, two quallies, and the race. Doesn't look like they wore much at all...

[joeg]

I also haven't seen any close-out specials on the older style Hoosiers in the smaller sizes.

Are there such deals? (The Hoosier man had told me late last year that they would have such a discount program going.)

[bldn10]

Now that we're well into the season, what are your experiences w/ the new Hoosiers? I have now been through a set on my ITS RX-7 and I only got 6 sessions out of them. I ran them for a 7th and 8th and they still had rubber but no grip. I'm not real keen on spending $130 per session on tires. Someone this weekend recommended Michelins - anyone use them?

[zracer22]

The Michelin Pilots last for ever. but the are slower than Hoosier, Huhmo, and Toyo. I've been running Toyos for two years, and I love them. 20-30 sessions and they don't loose grip until the cords start showing.

[Hotshoe]

I posted on another thread that I have been trying a set of the new Hoosiers. Well, the verdict is in as far as my opinion.

Results: 9 heat cycles so far
........ 4 races
........ 5 qualifying

The tires still have 1/4 tread left, I could get one more race out of them but I am going to use them for qualifying only just to see how many more heat cycles they will take.

Compared to the old Hoosier .... Excellent ... beats them hands down. Not including when the tire is new (first heat cycle) the speed drops off about .3 per heat cycle after the first four cycles.

For the money and the drivability I will continue to use the 04 Hoosier. Five very competitive races out of a set of tires is pretty good in my book.

Rick Thompson #99 IT7

[TypeSH]

If you want to be competitive the question is how can you afford not to run them? They are a good 1-2 seconds per lap faster than the Kumhos or Toyos, which is an eternity in racing. I get about six sessions on a set before they start going off significantly. However I found that since I have FWD I can put the older tires on the rear and they are still very usable.

[philstireservice]

Originally posted by bldn10:
Now that we're well into the season, what are your experiences w/ the new Hoosiers?

I have a few sets with 8-10 cycles on them and they are still better than the old Hoosier 03's.....the new 04's are excellent....better money spent than Toyo's


------------------
Phil Phillips Integra GSR #4
www.philstireservice.com
Official Independent Amsoil Dealer for the ECHC
Distributor for FireCharger AFFF fire systems
Hoosier Tire Dealer

[ITS_Racer1]

I have gone through my first set of '04s. The grip really fell off in the 7th heat cycle. These were never set aside after the first heat cycle.
My second set have been heat cycled and "set aside" for a few weeks. It will be interesting to see the effect on useful life.

[Parrish57]

How do the 04's compare with the 03's as far as the need for heat cycling them and letting them cure for a while?

[zracer22]

Hoosier's are 1-2 seconds quicker? Where is the scientific data to back that statement up? As stated, 1-2 seconds is an eternity. I find it hard to believe that they are 1-2 seconds quicker. .3 or .5 seconds I can believe, but 2 seconds!!! Sure, if you throw some Toyos on a car that is set up for Hoosiers, you might loose 1-2 seconds, but not if you tuned the car for the Toyos. I just paid $104 each for RA1s 225/50-14 and I easily get 25 heat cycles out of them with very minimal drop off in lap times. In fact, I recently ran my fastest laps ever at Putnam Park on tires that had 20 heat cycles on them. Here's a video of that race. http://www.gtschallenge.com/videos/PutnamLap.wmv With the results I get from my Toyos, I can't justify spending $175 for a tire with a shorter life. I'd take Toyos with 10 sessions over Hoosiers with 10 sessions any day.

[This message has been edited by zracer22 (edited June 01, 2004).]

[Jake]

z- interesting stuff. I've been running 225/50-14 Toyo's for the last year and a half and have been loving them. At least 25 Heat Cycles on them. The R3S04 is said to last much longer and stick better than the old ones - but as you say - it would be nice to see something scientific. 1-2 sec? What track? What car? etc....

As for setup - I don't think the setup for the different tires is really all that different. If somebody thinks it is, please let me know.

[gran racing]

Jake - you're proof (or lack there of) will be coming on 6/19. (He is trying the new Hoosiers out)

------------------
Dave Gran
NER #13 ITA
'87 Honda Prelude

[x-ring]

Zracer22, how about telling us where you found RA-1's for $104, eh?



------------------
Ty Till
#16 ITS
Rocky Mountain Division

[Tom Blaney]

Originally posted by Jake:
z- interesting stuff. I've been running 225/50-14 Toyo's for the last year and a half and have been loving them. At least 25 Heat Cycles on them. The R3S04 is said to last much longer and stick better than the old ones - but as you say - it would be nice to see something scientific. 1-2 sec? What track? What car? etc....

As for setup - I don't think the setup for the different tires is really all that different. If somebody thinks it is, please let me know.

I ran the new tire at Pocono two weeks ago, and I reset my own best time there by almost 2 seconds. I will know better after this weekend at the 12 hour how the tire holds up on distance, but overall I think it is a dramatically improved tire. The turnin is different, it seems to be less prone to flatspotting, and the tread patch is a littler bigger for the same size tire.

Keep in mind that this is racing, if you want to go fast you have to spend money. It's that way in every racing venue, I am sure you can get a gagillion miles on a set of Toyo's, but don't get cranky when a set of Hoosiers blow past you in the corners.

[oanglade]

Quite a few Spec Miata racers tested the S04 last year before the ARRC back to back with the Toyo and found the Hoosier to be significantly faster (1 to 2 secs. a lap faster).

I've heard that they last more than the S03s. I just wish they were more consistent through their life, even if that meant giving a little of that ultimate grip. That is something I really like about the Toyo.


------------------
Ony Anglade
ITA Miata
Sugar Hill, GA

[zracer22]

Originally posted by x-ring:
Zracer22, how about telling us where you found RA-1's for $104, eh?

Sorry about that! C&J Tire in PA http://www.cjtire.com/
1-866-208-6551 ask for Joe!

[joeg]

Tom is right! I do not expect tires to last forever and it is wierd to insist they do.

The closest I have seen to a back-to-back comparison was in a GRM a couple years ago.

Guess what? The old Hoosiers were significantly faster.Haven't seen any comparos on the new style, however. I have done my own KUMHO v HOOSIER comparisons (but not back to back)in different dry sessions and I come up with a 1.5 second difference--at the minimum.

I still carry a set of KUMHOs beacause they are much safer (and quicker) on a damp to wet track.

Good Luck with the Toyos.

[Jake]

It takes me about 2:30 to get around Watkins Geln, and 1:06 to get around Lime Rock Park. 1.5sec is meaningless if you don't mention how long the track is.