Tire size

[Streetwise guy]

My 2650 pound twincam Neon and I powdered an even dozen tires this summer on our way to the WCMA regional championship. I ran 6 weekends, with around 2 1/2 hours of track time per weekend, on older coarse ashphalt. My question is for others with fat cars- I ran on 205/50-15 R888's, and I am wondering whether there is a tire life benefit to moving up to a 225/45-15s.

Opinions, anyone?

[NORRIS]

Hey Jim

Congrats on your championship.

If life is what your looking for, try Toyo RA1's

I've been trying the new BFG's almost as fast as Hoosiers!! But seem to last a lot longer as far as cycles are concerned

[CRXsi]

RA1's were a great tire, problem is you can't find them here anymore...rumour has it they may be available next year again but who knows.

Jim, I would think the bigger size would wear just as fast at out track but I could be wrong...

[cjb25hs]

RA1's were a great tire, problem is you can't find them here anymore...rumour has it they may be available next year again but who knows.

Jim, I would think the bigger size would wear just as fast at out track but I could be wrong...

Not a problem if you are running 205-50-15's

[Streetwise guy]

I just read in Grassroots that the other sanctioning body has signed a contract with Toyo to supply RA1's for all their spec series for the next three years. That would seem to suggest at least a small variety of sizes.

Do the RA1s really last that much longer?

What are the options for less spendy tires? Rubber amounted to a pretty big chunk of my budget last year. A harder tire, and give up speed? A grippier tire, then run easier? A bigger tire, which may not heat up and scrub off so quickly? Quit whining, and accept that I'm gonna shred tires? Spend $10k and find a lighter H car?

[Knestis]

I made the transition from RA1s to Hoosiers after two years with the Golf and I am NOT convinced that the assumption that the Toyos "last longer" is accurate. If it is, it's not as big of a difference as some seem to think, I don't believe.

For what it's worth, the Golf weighs about 150# less than your car. We're limited to 14s but run 225s in the front and 205s in the rear. It could be a pain rotating around two tire sizes but since we do enduros and have more than 20 wheels it's OK.

We can run two three hour stints on fronts and still have meat on them for a couple of sessions. I'll start Regional sprints on fronts that have done one stint, easy. The rears just ride along for ages, unless they get flat-spotted.

I can't picture running with 205s on the front. We get REALLY good, even wear with the alignment we finally perched on and I'm pretty confident that putting less tire on the road would use up more rubber even after we re-optimized the alignment.

K

[Dave Burchfield]

Take a look at the Nitto NT-01. Same compound as the Toyo with a slightly different tread pattern, work great on fat cars, and don't have to be shaved. Quite a bit less than the Toyo also. Some of the BMW teams love them.

[CRXsi]

Hey Jim,

Yes the RA1's did last that much longer at Race City (Calgary) then the R888's. I was to say less then impressed with the R888's...and no they don't work in the swamp either...

I usually bought 2 sets of RA1's and they would last 1.5 seasons at Calgary. The R888's looked like I would be lucky to get 2 race weekends on a set...not to mention they went off drastically through out the weekend. The RA1's started off kinda greasy, got decent and then stayed consistent until they were at the wear bars, then they got real good until they corded and obviously went off completely.

As for wear compared to Hoosiers I cannot say for sure other then 1 major issue we have at Calgary is the pavement condition...it is extremely poor, very course worn out asphalt that does a number on tires. Many who have run Hoosiers here have commented that they do not last long due to the rough pavement where as the Toyo's seemed to work OK.

As for 205/50R15 RA1's...can't get them in Canada anywhere as of last season (09)...only R888's...

[philstireservice]

RA1's were a great tire, problem is you can't find them here anymore...rumour has it they may be available next year again but who knows.

Jim, I would think the bigger size would wear just as fast at out track but I could be wrong...

We got em...lots of them !!!

[CRXsi]

Do you ship to Canada?

Next question...is it worth it after duty, brokerage and shipping? This is where the problem typically comes into play but maybe not in this case?

[philstireservice]

Have them shipped to a clearing house along the border. That's the way we ship them to Canada.

[wrcRS]

I've had a lot of luck running the Nitto NT01 in a 225/45-15. We run an FC RX7 so the comparison is what you make of it.

A Kuhmo V710 205/50-15 on a .5" skinnier wheel and actual tread width was not much different from the 225 Nitto on a 7" wide wheel. Just something to think of when you look into your tire selections.

[TreadZone]

There's a $150 mail in rebate on the 205/50R15 R888 if you want to stay with them. We have the form on our site.
Joe
Treadzone

[philstireservice]

There's a $150 mail in rebate on the 205/50R15 R888 if you want to stay with them. We have the form on our site.
Joe
Treadzone

Better yet .....here's the link

http://toyotires.com/r888rebate

[LD71]

<snip>

What are the options for less spendy tires? Rubber amounted to a pretty big chunk of my budget last year.

Tires ARE a huge part of any racing budget. An option is the new Goodyears...just introduced and your size is first available. I ran them at the Runoffs, great grip, haven't worn any out yet. Contact Goodyear in your area, or I can dismount a set of used tires if you are interested--send e-mail.
LD71 []

[Streetwise guy]

Tires ARE a huge part of any racing budget. An option is the new Goodyears...just introduced and your size is first available. I ran them at the Runoffs, great grip, haven't worn any out yet. Contact Goodyear in your area, or I can dismount a set of used tires if you are interested--send e-mail.
LD71 []

I've got a call into the local circle track Goodyear dealer to see whether I can buy through him- They are on my list for sure.

[philstireservice]

I've got a call into the local circle track Goodyear dealer to see whether I can buy through him- They are on my list for sure.

We're a Goodyear dealer. If he can't get them give me a call.

[Aanselm]

We have a FC rx7 that we maintain for a racer he just started to run the Hankook ventus z214 in a c51 compound. ran a four hour enduro , plus two more weekends for a total of 7 hrs on the tires, they just seem to get better as time goes on. All of the BMW CCA racers that we support are all using the Hankook's now.