Thoughts on using r-comp tires with newer tires on driver side and older tires on pax

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by Dlirium

I ran the same set of Toyo R-888's for 2 seasons. Excellent grip and very predictable for the 1.5 seasons. Then, as the heat cycles added up, they REALLY got greasy quickly. Still had tread on them, but changed them out because they lost their "edge"...Ready for this season with new tires!

Are you still on the R888 or did you move to another tire? Compared with the NT01 or the Maxxis Victra RC-1, the Toyo seems to be a fair bit more expensive...

If I was buying a set of R-comp tires for my first set, I would probably go with the Nitto (and try to time it with one of the DTD $100 off $400 sales) since a lot of folks seem to use it. I am intrigued by the Maxxis though...

I think I will just buy 2 new R888 and run that set until it wears down.

Do you/did you heat cycle yours?

Steve

[Dlirium]

Originally Posted by steved0x

Are you still on the R888 or did you move to another tire? Compared with the NT01 or the Maxxis Victra RC-1, the Toyo seems to be a fair bit more expensive...

If I was buying a set of R-comp tires for my first set, I would probably go with the Nitto (and try to time it with one of the DTD $100 off $400 sales) since a lot of folks seem to use it. I am intrigued by the Maxxis though...

I think I will just buy 2 new R888 and run that set until it wears down.

Do you/did you heat cycle yours?

Steve

I changed to the Potenza RE-71r's (rules for AX changed from a 100 compound to a 200 compound for my class). I did not have the tires heat cycled, just did it on the track myself. They did need a little heat to get the best out of them. Not the best AX tires cold, but loved them on the track.

VERY noisy (i don't care), and as you said, rather expensive. If my boxster was a dedicated track car, I'd probably buy them again. But with the AX use, I'm hoping the RE-71r's are a good compromise...

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by Dlirium

I changed to the Potenza RE-71r's (rules for AX changed from a 100 compound to a 200 compound for my class). I did not have the tires heat cycled, just did it on the track myself. They did need a little heat to get the best out of them. Not the best AX tires cold, but loved them on the track.

VERY noisy (i don't care), and as you said, rather expensive. If my boxster was a dedicated track car, I'd probably buy them again. But with the AX use, I'm hoping the RE-71r's are a good compromise...

The Re-71 is the hot tire right now in autocross that's for sure, apparently it has grip levels like an r-comp and heats up quick and gets to max grip in the context of short autocross runs.

This year for autocross I am going to run in STU with my Boxster on a set of 18" Cayman S replica wheels with 225/??/18 front (the standard size) and a set of 245/40/18 Hankook RS3 that I had kicking around, they actually came on the fronts when I bought the Cayman wheels... I am not competitive anyway but I have to keep 255 or under to run in STU so I will get a chance to use these tires that came with the wheels. If not for STU I would be in ASP (because of mods to my Boxster) and there is never anybody in that group....

[LAP1DOUG]

Originally Posted by steved0x

The Re-71 is the hot tire right now in autocross that's for sure, apparently it has grip levels like an r-comp and heats up quick and gets to max grip in the context of short autocross runs.

This year for autocross I am going to run in STU with my Boxster on a set of 18" Cayman S replica wheels with 225/??/18 front (the standard size) and a set of 245/40/18 Hankook RS3 that I had kicking around, they actually came on the fronts when I bought the Cayman wheels... I am not competitive anyway but I have to keep 255 or under to run in STU so I will get a chance to use these tires that came with the wheels. If not for STU I would be in ASP (because of mods to my Boxster) and there is never anybody in that group....

A local tire dealer who runs a lot of DE's claims that the RE-71R actually has a bit better grip than an NT-01, though certainly not up to A-7 standards. There are new sizes of RE-71R coming in the next month or two that our cars can run the max tire with. Of course that won't help with running SCCA the way they have handicapped any mid / rear engined car.

Back to your original point. All of our Southern road course tracks definitely wear out the left side much faster than the right side. If I'm using non-directional tires, I just swap them from side to side without flipping at about 1/2 to 3/4 life.

Good luck with STU.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by LAP1DOUG

Back to your original point. All of our Southern road course tracks definitely wear out the left side much faster than the right side. If I'm using non-directional tires, I just swap them from side to side without flipping at about 1/2 to 3/4 life.

Good luck with STU.

Me too and for directional tires I flip them on the wheel and move them to the other side of the car to even out the wear.

I talked with Phil at Phil's Tire Service and got 2 new Toyo R888 - he too did not like the idea of mismatched tires in terms of heat cycles and diameters on the car either.

Steve