Track Tyre Decision

[Beer Baron]

honestly I would probably rate the old a048s over the 888s with one downside that the a048 does go off after fewer heat cycles, but it's outright pace is better than the 888. the new A050 is miles better though.

[_Wing_]

595RSR is priced between r-comps and streets, and it sits where all the other street cross track tyres sit in terms of price and performance.

KU36 can't be beat for the price but I don't understand when people say stuff like "If I'm paying double the price of KU36 for X or Y tyre then they better be double the performance!" There's not much that I can think of when talking about performance, where you get double the goodness for double the price - it doesn't work that way unfortunately.

[badhairdave]

honestly I would probably rate the old a048s over the 888s with one downside that the a048 does go off after fewer heat cycles, but it's outright pace is better than the 888. the new A050 is miles better though.

It's the heat cycling that rates them lower for me. They are fine at the start of their life but rubbish after a few days where as the r888 is slower but more consistent for it's life.

Yeah, all the a050 feedback i've seen is positive.

[Gunnar_11]

Thanks for all the advice guys - I ended up going with the KU36's. Haven't put them on the car yet but will post up my thoughts when I have.

[Duncan]

for what it's worth, if you are even half serious you are wasting your time with anything but the best tyres.

when you are on the track are you competing (eg supersprint)? or running a lap timer?

top line semi slicks like re55s or dz03 will give you at least 1 second a lap over falken rsr/kumho ku36. second tier semis like kumho v70 or toyo 888 or yoko a048 will be at least 1/2 sec faster.

If cost is an issue (it always is lol) the v70 kumhos are a good choice at about 1300 va set in 245/40/17.

even better if you want to save money - run the smallest diameter wheel you can fit over the brakes. 17s are about 30% cheaper than 18s and 16s are cheaper again. the stiffer sidewall of semi slick tyres minimises or eliminates any disadvantage from the higher sidewall.

[zebra]

Dunc - since you menetioned v70s where do you get them from? FR sport? and how did you rate the khumo slicks you were on at OP?

MRA gives the option of slicks or treaded so depending on price id prefer the slicks.

you can pm me if you want

[Duncan]

yeah talk to John at F-sport. Tell him I sent you and he will add 10% to the price lol. At 1300 a set they are half the price of dunlops in the same size, so if 1/2 sec doesn't matter for what you are doing they are a bargain.

At Oran Park I had kumho slicks on the front and falken slicks on the rear (same size). They were f**king excellent. For example I was taking Suttons in 4th which i have never even considered on semis. Literally 10-20% faster in a corner so 1-2sec for a whole lap.

When slicks are an option they can be cheaper too because they might last longer (up front cost may be say 20% higher but if they keep their performance 50% longer....). But you would still need either semis for bad weather or be willing to park it...makes for a difficult decision because everyone I know who has wet tyres never uses the things which makes slicks an expensive option.

slicks worked well for me because I normally have to use semis, so I had a few I could drag along in case it rained (which it didn't in this case, despite the forecast)

[zebra]

The rain issue has me a bit doubtfull, as i only have 1 set of rims atm, I dare say I would park it in the wet, unless i buy a cheap set of factory rims and throw some KU36's on them for wet days / practice days

teh slicks should put me (in theory) in the 1:08s easily at wakefield which is right up the front of the current MRA field so for a bit more money it might just be worth it.

[Duncan]

yeah...also if it is only a single race meet then slicks aren't such a big gamble.

with stuff like the state champs though you need to score well every round, so you just can't risk having to sit out a whole round from a points persepective

[zebra]

Yeah, MRA is 4 rounds per season, so like the state champs you probably cound afford to miss a round, however it looks like every round will be here in goulburn and it doesnt rain here much lol

[SRS13]

How do the V70's compare to the RE55's?

[Duncan]

How do the V70's compare to the RE55's?

....top line semi slicks like re55s or dz03 will give you at least 1 second a lap over falken rsr/kumho ku36. second tier semis like kumho v70 or toyo 888 or yoko a048 will be at least 1/2 sec faster.....

my opinion only....but i have seen them compared in very similar circumstances

[hrd-hr30]

595RSR is priced between r-comps and streets, and it sits where all the other street cross track tyres sit in terms of price and performance.

KU36 can't be beat for the price but I don't understand when people say stuff like "If I'm paying double the price of KU36 for X or Y tyre then they better be double the performance!" There's not much that I can think of when talking about performance, where you get double the goodness for double the price - it doesn't work that way unfortunately.

last time I priced Federals they were almost exactly the same as what I got quoted for Toyo R888 and RE55S. Up around $330 per tyre in 235/45*17

You can get tyres that perform almost exactly the same as the RSR for almost exactly half the money.

OR you can get tyres for exactly the same money as the RSR that will run rings around them.

understand?

[FineLine]

You're shopping at the wrong place Harry. any time you want feddy's in the rsr guise let me know.

The feddy's are not the best semi on the market, Nor do they claim to be.

they do offer outstanding value for money for those looking for one tyre to do it all. They are a competent track tyre and an outstanding street tyre for a high performance ride. The Khumo's are probably similar but from what i have seen the feddy will go a lot further than the khumo.

I've run sub minute on qr sprint using the rsr and still get good mileage from them on a daily usage deal.

The best they are not. The best value they most certainly are IMO.

[09yonnie]

How about Dunlop D02J??

[09yonnie]

How about Dunlop D02J??

[scathing]

last time I priced Federals they were almost exactly the same as what I got quoted for Toyo R888 and RE55S. Up around $330 per tyre in 235/45*17

Where from? Most of the prices I've seen for 17" RE55S have been at least $400 each (RRP is over $538). If I could get them for $330 each I'd be pretty stoked.

[_Wing_]

last time I priced Federals they were almost exactly the same as what I got quoted for Toyo R888 and RE55S. Up around $330 per tyre in 235/45*17

You can get tyres that perform almost exactly the same as the RSR for almost exactly half the money.

OR you can get tyres for exactly the same money as the RSR that will run rings around them.

understand?

You're paying too much for RSRs.

Those R888's are grey imported, try price the proper current australian stock australian compounds.

RE55S in 235/45/17 for $330each? No chance, not even close.

You need to do a bit more homework

Edited January 26, 2010 by _Wing_

[_Wing_]

D02J? If you mean D01J, you'll only go to them if the DZ03G's aren't available in the size you're after

[Gunnar_11]

for what it's worth, if you are even half serious you are wasting your time with anything but the best tyres.

when you are on the track are you competing (eg supersprint)? or running a lap timer?

top line semi slicks like re55s or dz03 will give you at least 1 second a lap over falken rsr/kumho ku36. second tier semis like kumho v70 or toyo 888 or yoko a048 will be at least 1/2 sec faster.

If cost is an issue (it always is lol) the v70 kumhos are a good choice at about 1300 va set in 245/40/17.

even better if you want to save money - run the smallest diameter wheel you can fit over the brakes. 17s are about 30% cheaper than 18s and 16s are cheaper again. the stiffer sidewall of semi slick tyres minimises or eliminates any disadvantage from the higher sidewall.

It's for supersprinting. Went cheap ones because there's still a few more parts that I need to get relatively soon. I would have liked to gave gone the RE55's but the rears alone were about $500 (for 255/40/17). Next time it comes to upgrade I'll fork out for proper semi's.

With what you were saying with the RE55's and 888's; one of the guys in the wrx club tested both of them back to back at EC. The RE55's were just over a bit over a second a lap quicker.