DOT-R Tires Discussion

[von_zoom]

I got a set of R888's for less than $850(255/35-18's:275/35-18's)

Assume you drive them to and from the track? What rims are you using, and do you need spacers? How many cycles so far?
Thanks
vz

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by von_zoom

Assume you drive them to and from the track? What rims are you using, and do you need spacers? How many cycles so far?
Thanks
vz

VMR V710's,their weight is pretty close to the stock 19's.15mm spacers for the front wheels,the rear wheels,no. I autocross,I have 4 events on em.

I get lazy,so they've been on the car for the last 3 weeks,the close up picture of the tire I posted was taken last night,you can see tire wear is pretty good.

the R888 in 255/30-18 and 275/30-18 cost around $180; 265/35-18 is almost $300.

The other thing i forgot to mention about the R888's,they're late bloomers.
In my case I feel like they reached their peak after 2 autocross events.

[consolidated]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

The other thing i forgot to mention about the R888's,they're late bloomers.
In my case I feel like they reached their peak after 2 autocross events.

They heat cycle and slow down before they run out of tread. I shave them to 4/32", good stick from the start and stable performance until they're bald.

This is on a lighter car, full tread R888 are even worse on a heavy car. They don't like the heat either full tread, going away after a few laps.

We have to use R888, it's the spec tire and hasn't been generally loved but we're slowing coming to terms with it. The perfect R888 raceday tire is one shaved to 3/32", heat cycled for two sessions, then put away for a few days...great qualifier.

[Gearhead999s]

Yep I really like 888's



3 Hours of use!

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

Yep I really like 888's


3 Hours of use!

Were you doin a bunch of burnouts? hahaha that's way passed the wear marks.

I guess If you're talented enough you can ruin even the hoosier R6/A6 in less than 3 hours of use.

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by consolidated

They heat cycle and slow down before they run out of tread. I shave them to 4/32", good stick from the start and stable performance until they're bald.

This is on a lighter car, full tread R888 are even worse on a heavy car. They don't like the heat either full tread, going away after a few laps.

We have to use R888, it's the spec tire and hasn't been generally loved but we're slowing coming to terms with it. The perfect R888 raceday tire is one shaved to 3/32", heat cycled for two sessions, then put away for a few days...great qualifier.

I agree on shaving the tires to 3/32"...

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

Were you doin a bunch of burnouts? hahaha that's way passed the wear marks.

I guess If you're talented enough you can ruin even the hoosier R6/A6 in less than 3 hours of use.

Not on purpose!After 3 or 4 laps the grip just went away to the point of wheelspin coming out of 3rd gear corners.This was the 2nd set of 888's that did this.I am on RA1's now with no such problems.my friends that are in other heavier cars like Camaro's & Mustangs have all had the same issues as myself.

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

Not on purpose!After 3 or 4 laps the grip just went away to the point of wheelspin coming out of 3rd gear corners.This was the 2nd set of 888's that did this.I am on RA1's now with no such problems.my friends that are in other heavier cars like Camaro's & Mustangs have all had the same issues as myself.

The throttle isn't an ON/OFF switch,use it like a volume control. hahaha
You appreciate that concept more when you race or have raced for a long time on street tires.

I autocrossed on street tires for years so when i jumped to the R888's,it seemed almost impossible to get them to break traction in sweepers,kinks etc.

[consolidated]

I think our friend Gearhead999 is just a chronic tire abuser. Yeah, the R888 has it's issues no doubt. Spec Pinata went back to RA1s. We're trying to but have a tire size issue.

[attila]

Originally Posted by von_zoom

I concure with the "That is complete nonesense." I have run BFG R1s for several years, and I would think that I run them as hard as anyone, and with a 3600 pound car. Nothing but the highest praise from me. And, yes, I can get them to squeel, and over and under steer, but I have never had the car "take off" so that I had to "hold on for the ride." Good bet for the track is all I can say.
vz

Well, I got two sets of BFG R1 (F 265, R 285) and the experience is complettely different. I wanted to start a thread about this but did not have time and somehow lost interest then.
The first set is mounted on 18x9 and 18x10 TRmotorsport wheels the second, newer set on 18x9 and 18x10 Advan RS wheels.
With the first set I had several snap oversteer situation, no warning no noise just let it go. (I span 3 times on the track with that set. reported them in earlier threads) the second set however seems to have even higher treshold BUT gives nice and ample warning, like noise, steering gets lighter a little bit etc. I have to admit I had a few drift with them but always recovered nicely, no black flag, no spin just a big smile. I thought about the heat cycle, but they appear to be different from day 1. They came from different source, tireRack and Onlinetire, kept them at 40-41 psi warm, (32-33 cold), they wear the same in pattern, but the second set seems wearing faster.
Any thoughts?

[lucid]

My guess is you didn't really put enough heat into them. I was caught off guard over a year ago on cold BFG R1 on damp pavement (it had just stopped raining), and spun. Once you put some serious heat into them, they are fine IMO. Yes, not as progressive as the Hoosiers, but not the widow maker the review posted earlier makes them to be. And they are pretty durable. I'm just about to order a new set for my E30 M3.

PSC also give up very easily when cold.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

The throttle isn't an ON/OFF switch,use it like a volume control. hahaha
You appreciate that concept more when you race or have raced for a long time on street tires.

I autocrossed on street tires for years so when i jumped to the R888's,it seemed almost impossible to get them to break traction in sweepers,kinks etc.

So did I with 2 Canadian National titles & 1 Pro National championship in Endurance racing and I ice raced a studded 200 horse Lotus Cortina.i think i could teach you a thing or 2 that I have learned in the 37 years that I have been doing this about throttle control!

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

So did I with 2 Canadian National titles & 1 Pro National championship in Endurance racing and I ice raced a studded 200 horse Lotus Cortina.i think i could teach you a thing or 2 that I have learned in the 37 years that I have been doing this about throttle control!

I own a Gulfstream V,err not really. Judging from that picture you posted,it doesn't look like much throttle control to me. It looked like you were doing more drifting than gripping.

I've seen a national champion drive an E92 M3 on less sticky street tires,at no point he did upset the car like that.

Why do you want to disparage the R888's that bad? Most national champs would agree for an intermediate tire between top tier street tires and top tier R-comps,they're pretty decent.

[V1.47fan]

AT gearhead999s

I see some cones on the course,was the next turn a left one?

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

I own a Gulfstream V,err not really. Judging from that picture you posted,it doesn't look like much throttle control to me. It looked like you were doing more drifting than gripping.


I've seen a national champion drive an E92 M3 on less sticky street tires,at no point he did upset the car like that.

Why do you want to disparage the R888's that bad? Most national champs would agree for an intermediate tire between top tier street tires and top tier R-comps,they're pretty decent.

Not for roadracing as they feel good for about 3 laps and they start to go away

Autocrossing is not the same as road racing and are 2 very different disciplines.A tire that works well for autocrossing usually does not work on the racetrack for racing or lapping.

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

Autocrossing is not the same as road racing and are 2 very different disciplines.A tire that works well for autocrossing usually does not work on the racetrack for racing or lapping.

Tire conservation still applies,with way more tight turns. You can overheat your tires within the first 10 seconds of a run. Also knowing how to compensate before the tires warm up,Keeping tire temp in the sweet spot between runs.

As far as street tires: the AD08's,Z1's,RE11's,Khumo XS's ; DOT R-comps: NT01's,R88's ; R-comps: Khumo V710's,BFG R1,Hosier A6,R6,hankooks work well for autocrossing.

So are you saying the above tires usually don't work well on the racetrack?

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

Tire conservation still applies,with way more tight turns. You can overheat your tires within the first 10 seconds of a run. Also knowing how to compensate before the tires warm up,Keeping tire temp in the sweet spot between runs.

As far as street tires: the AD08's,Z1's,RE11's,Khumo XS's ; DOT R-comps: NT01's,R88's ; R-comps: Khumo V710's,BFG R1,Hosier A6,R6,hankooks work well for autocrossing.

So are you saying the above tires usually don't work well on the racetrack?

iImight not be current autocross tire loop as i have not run competivlly for the past 20 years since I started roadracing.but in the past things like the Hoosier R6's and BFG R1's were a much better autocross tire than a roadrace tire but I did run A6's for Solo 1 on my Z06 with good results for 1 lap.
You are still missing the point that the needs for tires in autocross are far different than for lapping or road racing and I do not claim to know what works currently in tires driving around pylons at parking lot speeds!

[Richbot]

Two of the best autocross tires out there (Hoosier A6 and Kumho V710) are also two of the best road racing tires, and yes I'm talking about the A compound, not the R. The A compound is the preferred compound for getting the most out of a single session. Many, many people who use Hoosiers in the DOT tire classes use the A compound in qualifying and the R in the race, or if the temperatures are cool enough, the A in the race too. The V710 is good in both applications as well. This includes T1 Z06's, I've seen A compound Hoosiers on more than one T1 car. They didn't fly off the course after the green flag lap. These are sprint races, when you start talking about longer races longevity is a factor.

I have a lot of experience on the R888 in racing conditions. It's marginal as a racing tire, it really only belongs at track days IMO, even though lots of people who are involved in wheel-to-wheel are required or have been required to use it.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by Richbot

Track days aren't road racing.

True,but what works well for Roadracing will work OK for advanced lapping.The times that I turn at the big track at Mosport in my M3 are 7 seconds a lap quicker than my race car did in the early 90's.

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

iImight not be current autocross tire loop as i have not run competivlly for the past 20 years since I started roadracing.but in the past things like the Hoosier R6's and BFG R1's were a much better autocross tire than a roadrace tire but I did run A6's for Solo 1 on my Z06 with good results for 1 lap.
You are still missing the point that the needs for tires in autocross are far different than for lapping or road racing and I do not claim to know what works currently in tires driving around pylons at parking lot speeds!

Maybe in Canada,this is the kinda autocross we do,it's very competitive,it's mainly about handling not so much about power.Do you hit the rev limiter in second gear at parking lot speeds?
I see a lot of arrogant road racers like you try it and do really bad and run back to road racing.I like both forms..

[Richbot]

Gearhead, are you going to be the next Canadian HPDE national champion too?

V1.47, tone down the autocross vs. road racer rhetoric, you're starting to sound like a troll. I got my start in autocross, just like a lot of road racers. Wheel to wheel racing is in a totally different ballpark, on a different planet.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by Richbot

Gearhed, are you going to be the next Canadian HPDE national champion?

At having fun and stirring up shit.Yes