Auto-X tires and brakes
 

I'm getting ready for some Auto-X with some new tires and brakes.

Its also a daily driver so I have another set of Rims for the race tires.
I have a few decisions to make that I could use some opinions on.

Picked out some new brake pads on Amazon (~$275 for all), I'm thinking EBC Yellow Stuff although Redstuff is probably also fine for the 1 day a month Auto-X (~$40 less than yellow).
(I read that some folks have brake squeal while street driving perhaps due to incomplete bedding process?)

EBC USA_Automotive_Catalogue_2016

For the tires I'm thinking Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R
255/4?-17 on the rear and 225/4?-17 for the fronts.
However could the fronts be 235/4?-17 and do even better?

Any suggestions, alternates or comments on these options?

Ray

It was nice meeting you at CFOS

RE-71 is the HOT tire
in 17's 255/40 rear and 225/45 front is a good combo if using stock wheels, 8.5 rear and 7 front.
If you are running in PCA and in a SS class, you can go up to 285 rear and 245 front and wheel width 10 rear & 8 front. If not staying in a stock class, then the width is not really an issue

Check the tire diameters on TireRack and match the front and rear as much as you can. This is very important if you have PSM, not as much without

BTW, 255/40-17 RE-71 is out of stock everywhere right now with availability in early to mid May. Kind of sucks as the $70 rebate expires Apr 30. I guess you could buy them from Costco who has similar pricing to TireRack and pay up front and wait for the tires to come in a few weeks. Costco gives you an instant rebate rather than a gift card mailed a few weeks later

I have used RedStuff for AX and track and just went with YellowStuff and did a track weekend. Yellow Stuff is a higher temp pad, but it is dustier than RedStuff. I have not had any squealing once I bedded the pads

If you are looking for a DD pad that is good for AX and some track, RedStuff is a good choice. They have very little dust
Search out the best price you can find online and then call Summit Racing. They will beat the price by $1.00 and EBC is drop shipped from a warehouse in Las Vegas, so 1 or 2 day delivery and no sales tax

If you need rotors, look for sets of Meyle rotors on ebay, about $85 for front set and $75 for rear set (not each!)

I went with YellowStuff and the Meyle rotors in January. When I am using my brakes I don't get any squeal at all, but I find that if I have been "easy" on them (i.e. puttering around town with the light braking) then I will get the occasional squeal until I get on them hard again.

It was nice to meet you too, and Cuda for the first time as well. What is Cuda's first name? I'm bad with names.

Don't have PSM but I'll go with the 255's & 225's.

I checked Costco's web site and they did not show the Potenza RE-71R's. Do I have to go in and special order them or do different Costco's have different tire selections?

Great tip on Summit Racings price match for the EBC brakes since I can also save the tax as well vs the Amazon source.

Redstuff are ceramic and Yellowstuff are aramid fibers that are supposed to last longer with greater friction and heat tolerance.

I'll give the EBC YellowStuff a try since its only $40 more than the redstuff.
Don't care about the rotor dust as the 3000 psi pressure washer takes care of that in seconds.

Great tip on a rotor source as well, those are great prices for a pair of rotors.
I'll have to measure to see if they need replacing yet.
I'm real easy on brakes and rotors during daily driving as I use engine braking mostly and don't ride peoples bumpers.
I still need to learn more aggressive speed and breaking before turns during Auto-X to get my times down.

Good to know that the yellows don't make noise if they are bedded properly.
I kept reading that some folks get lots of constant squeal but I presume its due to incomplete bedding or needing new rotors as not everyone has that issue.

With the EBC Yellow's do you need to order any additional bits like noise damping or shims material, or do they come with all that you need?

Ray. Do an web search on the part number. You will probubly find lower pricing than Amazon or eBay. Summit will let you use different vendors for each set if needed for the latest price. I just paid $251 delivered for from and rear yellow stuff for my S.

I reused the factory pad dampers and the pads have rubber shims on them

You have to go to a Costco store to order them.

Cuda = Mike

partsgeek.com is good if you want to check prices for price matching on EBC, I got my last pair of reds there and it was around $20 cheaper per set if I recall correctly. One bonus from ordering from summit is that you get $20 summit bucks coupons from time to time.

Just ordered a set of EBC Yellowstuff from importrp.com
$238 total incl shipping and no tax req'd.

Parts DP41414R Front set & DP41208R Rear set.

I was in the phone queue with Summit Racing for too long so
I just pressed [Purchase Now]

Some deeper Googling can really save you a lot of bucks.

Costco tires is next.
Are they any good at tire balancing or should I take the tires elsewhere to be mounted and balanced?

I'd go online at Tire rack they may beat Costco pricing and deliver most of my tires in 2 days at my door. There are several local shop near me that mount and balance I just drop off the tires and wheels, and pick them up the next day.

Costco is actually $10 cheaper than TireRack with Mounting and balancing depending which installer you use. I am basing that on the one I use that charges ~$15 per tire and they do road force balance

Right now RE-71's in 255/40-17 are not available ANYWHERE!!! Delivery form Tirerack is mid May and they are probably as soon as anyone

That is a great deal. Summit quoted me $251, but only charged my CC $201 :)

No luck on the Costco Potenza RE-71R's.
Great price at $750 for a set installed/balanced, rebate at the register etc.

They said that the Bridgestone supply has been exhausted and that it may be a couple months before the next batch is ready for distribution.

Anyone know whether Tire Rack still has any?

Plan B would be the Hankook RS-3's I guess.

Any other suggestions for ~ 200 stickiness tire just for track days or are the RE-71R's worth the wait?

Probably at my level of driving I would not be able to get all the performance out of them anyway as I have a lot of practice ahead of me at only about 7 auto-x so far.

Check with TireRack, but last I checked the 225/45-17's are now backordered until June!

RS-3 is a good choice, also Dunlop Star Spec as well as Rival-S
I just replaced my Star Spec with RE-71's and the Star Spec are a great tire

RS-3, Dunlop Star Spec, Rival, RE-11 are all very capable 200tw tires for track days and AX. I often run Saturday on my RE11 or RS-3 and then switch to RE-71 for timed runs to maximize tire wear.

I was expecting to race in mid May but since the RE-71's were not available I went with Tire Rack and a set of RS-3's instead.
Its also good that they have a price guarantee with Installer/Balancing so I had the local FireStone shop do that at $14.20 a tire. Their normal rate is $25 each.
Nice!!!

But, unfortunately my race day got pre-empted by a weekend Bachelor Party in Vegas, drat!!!
Must be getting old as I would have preferred to go racing instead. :p

What sort of break in will the tires need?
Perhaps the 80 mile drive to the track will help?

I use RE-11's but the rears are on backorder. Originally they said first week of May but they kicked it bactk to June on Tire Rack.

Ray

POC has a PDS (like the PCA DE) coming up June 4/54 at Streets of Willow
I am signed up with my son for that weekend. They will provide helmet and transponder if you don't have them

The Alfa club is doing a DE at Buttonwillow that weekend as well

I am pretty sure there is a DE in So Cal May 14/15 as well. Check on motorsports reg.com

Maybe that is interesting for some of you which like to use EBC brake pads.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1462965241.jpg

Regards, Markus