Tires, tires, tires

[LPM911]

Ok, so I’ve got a new-to-me set of OEM 993 wheels (17x7x9) that should arrive Saturday and a set of cup1s (17x7x8) with MPSC that I’ve been running since March (11 track days plus driving to and from the track and the occasional joy ride so maybe 3k miles total). I’m trying to figure out what my tire set up should be now that I have another set of wheels. My plan is to drive up on the streets, which will also be rain tires, and throw the track wheels up on the roof (unless I can convince someone to haul them up there for me). Keeping in mind that I do have a budget (read: no hoosiers), the two suggestions I get the most are:

Option 1: MPSC on the track, and then run normal street tires
Option 2: new RA1 for street and shaved RA1 for track (then rotate them as the new RA1s become shaved and the old RA1s become crap)

I haven’t had any problems with MPSC and grip, but then again I’m not running 1:23s at summit either. I haven’t really been keeping track of the heat cycles (hey, I’m new at this) and it is also the first set of more aggressive tires I’ve ever had.

Thoughts, opinions, new ideas, etc...

-Lane

[Lucky]

Lane,

Back when I DE'd ;) my strategy was your option 2. I bought a fresh set of RA1s every 12 to 18 months as my street / rain tires. After 5k of street miles they were ready for the track and became the dry track tires and another set of fresh RA1s were purchased for the street. Worked well for me and was affordable.

You may also want to consider the new R888's... I hear really good things about grip and wear, but they are noisy on the street and would not be (IMHO, based on tread pattern) as safe a street/rain tire as the RA1s.

[LPM911]

Also, forogt to mention for those who haven't seen my car in a while, the interior is stripped out and I have a full cage,etc. So its not the everyday driver for me that it used to be. :twisted:

-Lane

[BlackTalon]

I don't know if the RA-1 cycle will always work for you the way Lucky laid it out -- that would be my biggest concern. 12 - 18 months sounds like a long time unless you only do ~ 5 events per year. I have S03 Pole Positions for street (and they are fine in the rain -- I used them for many years as my sole DE tires), and RA-1s for the track. I did have an eye-opener at SP two weeks ago when I had brand new, full-tread RA-1s on the back -- it was like driving on ice. So I would probably recommend getting shaved RA-1s for the track, that way you only have to deal with the initial lack of grip due to no heat cycles without it being compounded by the squirmyness from the full tread.

[racer]

The RA-1 is being phased out. Some sizes are currently not available. The R888 is the replacement. Also a "noisy" tire like the RA1 when it comes to road noise.

Like others have mentioned, full tread RA1s can be a bit scary, especially if you are used to shaved or worn RA1s. the amount of tread squirm is enough to make you think you have a completely different set of tires on the car.

I am not clear on how much DD duty your RSA sees. However, if it is a true DD, then I would recomend pure "street" tires for one set and track tires for the other set. The advantage of using a tire like the RA1 or MPSC vs a hoosier is your ability to "be lazy" between events and not change back and forth. It is a habit that sounds do-able, but after a while becomes a PITA, imho.

If the car isn't a true "DD", I would say get two sets of the same tire. Makes cycling and mix-matching should something happen to "one tire" that much easier.

[dholling13]

Here's my $.02...

Since you don't have a trailer go with the new R-888's. Mr. 1:23 Ryan has talked me into getting them next. Then get a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE-960 AS for street use. They are the best rain tire; right now they have a $100 off promotion in Pano...

[BlackTalon]

The big question at this point is whether or not R-888s are available in the sizes he needs, or if there are still RA-1s. I thought the R-888s were not available in anything smaller then 18s at this point?

[LPM911]

I am not clear on how much DD duty your RSA sees. However, if it is a true DD, then I would recomend pure "street" tires for one set and track tires for the other set. The advantage of using a tire like the RA1 or MPSC vs a hoosier is your ability to "be lazy" between events and not change back and forth. It is a habit that sounds do-able, but after a while becomes a PITA, imho.

If the car isn't a true "DD", I would say get two sets of the same tire. Makes cycling and mix-matching should something happen to "one tire" that much easier.

Not a "true" DD now that I have to hop over the bars inside the door and wedge my ass in the seat. The MPSC have done fine for occasional street drive. MOST of the street driving since the rebuilt is to/from the track or to/from the shop at this point. Leaning towards your second suggestion.

The big question at this point is whether or not R-888s are available in the sizes he needs, or if there are still RA-1s. I thought the R-888s were not available in anything smaller then 18s at this point?

x2. I didn't think they were made for 17s or smaller yet.

-Lane

[racer]

Wow.. people still run tires smaller than 18"s? ;)

What size tire were you looking to run? OEM 205/255? 225/255? I think bigger than a 225 front and you would want larger than a 7" rim. 7.5 or 8" would work well with a tire that is larger than 225. I say this only because you mention you have 2 pairs of wheels.. 1) 7/9 and 2) 7/8. Not sure a 255 for the rear will squeeze on, in a good way.

[Trak Ratt]

I use Option 2. I must be doing something wrong cause I don't have a problem with the new UnShaved RA1s like others. Slide more but just a scound or so slower than my others.

[Lucky]

I don't know if the RA-1 cycle will always work for you the way Lucky laid it out -- that would be my biggest concern.

DD, aren't you new to R-componds? ;)

Lane, I got 18 to 20 good DE days out of a set of RA1s, after that the tires got greasy and downright scary. That is 8 to 10 events assuming the usual mix of 2 and 3 day weekends. How many events will you be doing per year?

And yes, full tread RA1s teach you car control skills all over again (which I view as a good thing), but at least they give plenty of warning before letting go. You can avoid tread squirm by shaving your first set as you suggested in your initial post.

Given how you plan to use your car (with very little DD duty) I would try and find two sets of RA1s before they are gone. Shave one for the track, use the other for street/rain for now until they are suitably scrubbed and ready for track duty. "Shaving" them down with street driving is a great way to avoid the initial squirm/sliding you get the first weekend with fresh RA1s.

Have fun... you can't go wrong with whatever you decide to do.

[Dr K]

Sorry for a brief hijack, but does anyone have a mostly worn (sllightly to barely showing tread) RA-1 in 205/16 they'd like to sell/give me? I tore one up when it caught my fender at VIR last year, but the other 3 tires have at least 2 events left on them...

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread.

Peter