i need new tires

[Castor Troy]

just curious to know what tires people are running ?

 

any recomendations for 225-50-15 Z-rated ?

[auxilary]

bfgoodrich gforce sport

[2126]

Yokahama, ES100's....great street performer at a very reasonable price!

[naviathan]

Kuhmo makes some nice tires at a good price.

[MrFancypants]

If you are interested in a different size, I have an almost new set of BFG gForce Sport tires for sale in 205-55-R15 size. They are the same overall diameter but narrower tread, obviously.

 

 

 

- Greg -

[Savage42]

I've run the Toyo T1-Rs on my BMW 540i M-sport for 2 years and like them. I just bought Kumho MXs for the Z, as I've like and run Kumho street and race tires for a long time.

[Clifton]

What you do with your car would help in picking a tire. AutoX, drag, high HP street car, weekend car, daily high miles and wants something that lasts or 50 miles a week and wants something that will last a year or two but stick.

[Castor Troy]

225 50 ZR 15 is pretty limited theese days. not as much choices ?? everything is 16" and up...i only drive my Z on the weekends and am looking for a good/sticky street tires.

 

my choices so far are dunlop sp sport 9000 OR the yokohamas avs es100(v-rated).

 

any recomendations ?

[rejracer]

Falcon ZE 512's. Lightweight tires that do not squeal. I am running them now on my 72, but in a 205 60 14 size. They are available in the size you need. I like them a lot and they are cheap too. I have heard they don't last long, I only have about 1000 miles on these, so i cannot talk to that.

[Clifton]

225 50 ZR 15 is pretty limited theese days. not as much choices ?? everything is 16" and up...i only drive my Z on the weekends and am looking for a good/sticky street tires.

 

my choices so far are dunlop sp sport 9000 OR the yokohamas avs es100(v-rated).

 

any recomendations ?

 

If it's a weekend only car the tires you mentioned will last 8 + years and become hard before you wear them out. The last 3 years the tire is so hard you'll want to replace it. The tread wear will give you a good idea of how hard it is. Those es100's are fairly hard. I had them on a Z31. Great if you want to get 60k+ out of a tire. I would run an R compound tire. You really don't drive enough to wear out a regular set of tires.

 

This would be my first choice as it has good tread depth for an R comp tire. I run these, my favorite street tire. It will easily last 3-4 years on a weekend car that isn't tracked. May cost a little more but if you want to stick this is it. This will have twice the grip of the two you listed. Life will be shorter but you'll enjoy them much more.

http://www.bmwwheels.com/bmwwheels_toyo_tires.asp

 

Another R comp, same tire Elises come with as a daily tire. Kinda pricey

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?make=Yokohama&model=ADVAN+A048&tirePageLocQty=

 

Another good tire would be the Nitto NT-01. http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireProductCategoryDetailBrnd.do?tpc=NITHZ8&tp=Competition&tc=NITHZ7

 

That Falken 512 is a granny tire, would be great on a Buick:biggrin:. I would atleast get a 615. They don't come in his size though.

[Castor Troy]

thanks, i think i will be getting those toyos. have you ever ordered from that site before ?

[Clifton]

No, there's a local place to me that has them for the same price, so I got mine there.

[bjhines]

I think the RA-1s have ~reasonable rain characteristics. But there is not much tread depth even raw/unshaved. There will be a lot of tire life left once the tread is worn off, but the tires will become useless in rain conditions long before the "meat" of the tire is worn away.

Those are competition tires. They are usually run WITHOUT the tread as a semi slick tire. Most racers like the extra grip right as the last remnants of the tread pattern are worn off.

[Pop N Wood]

What about those toyo's in the rain?

 

That is the one thing about the G force sports Aux mentions. They are a soft compound tire, maybe not R1 level, but they have a fairly decent rain rating.

 

My worry with all out stick tires on the street is coming around a corner and finding the street wet from an errant sprinkler. I would gladly give up a little dry stick for peace of mind.

 

Any opinions?

 

Here is an intersting read. they rate the toyo's as the best overall tire.

 

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Track/TrackTires.htm

[Clifton]

I think the RA-1s have ~reasonable rain characteristics. But there is not much tread depth even raw/unshaved. There will be a lot of tire life left once the tread is worn off, but the tires will become useless in rain conditions long before the "meat" of the tire is worn away.

Those are competition tires. They are usually run WITHOUT the tread as a semi slick tire. Most racers like the extra grip right as the last remnants of the tread pattern are worn off.

 

They have 8/32 tread depth, same as any other high performance street tire. Unshaven, they are more than fine in the rain on the street if you drive sensibly.

[bjhines]

They have 8/32 tread depth, same as any other high performance street tire. Unshaven, they are more than fine in the rain on the street if you drive sensibly.

 

 

 

NOT!^^^

Toyo RA1s are NOT just like any other performance tire. Have you ever even seen an RA1 in person and up close? This is a prime example of someone becomming an "expert" after reading the description on the side of the cereal box.

 

Toyo RA1s have 8/32 TOTAL tread depth. HALF of that tread depth is left after the "rain tread" is gone. The RAIN tread is only 4/32 deep. Most people cord the sides of the tires before they are able to wear them to their full 8/32 depth.

 

 

Pics are worth a thousand words. read em carefully.

 

This shows ~3/32 rain tread depth at this particular point on the tire.

 

This shows ~7/32 of total tread depth at this point

 

This shows ~4/32 left after shaving this tire for maximum grip.

 

Here is a corded TOYO RA1 with ~2/32 of "tread" left in the middle.

 

 

 

stock pics.

 

 

 

 

 

...

[Clifton]

NOT!^^^

Toyo RA1s are NOT just like any other performance tire. Have you ever even seen an RA1 in person and up close? This is a prime example of someone becomming an "expert" after reading the description on the side of the cereal box.

 

Slow down and read a little more carefully. You are a prime example of someone just reading a few posts of a thread and not all of them.

 

This would be my first choice as it has good tread depth for an R comp tire. I run these,

 

I RUN THESE TIRES ON THE STREET. I ALSO RUN V700's ON THE REAR.

 

I said as far as tread depth. I didn't come up with 8/32. Toyo did. Debate them on that.

 

 

Based on the mileage the car will be driven they would last. Yes I know what they look like after 3 years of weekend street driving they are on my car right now. They get down to the wear bars. same as any other tire that get to the wear bars. They have the same tread depth. Just RA1's have less voids. Do as EVERYONE does with street tires at the wear bars. REPLACE THEM. With RA1's they are still useable and can easily be sold though as track poeple don't mind them and like them worn this much.

[bjhines]

The rain tread is gone long before the wear-bars are surfaced. The rain tread is also worn off MUCH more quickly than the meat of the slick tire surface.

 

You are gonna end up paying a premium for a tire that wears quickly and ends up a slick LONG before they are truly worn out. I can wear the rain tread off these tires in a few hours.

[Cal Poly Zmanaustin]

The rain tread is gone long before the wear-bars are surfaced. The rain tread is also worn off MUCH more quickly than the meat of the slick tire surface.

 

Maybe I am jumping in too late, but why does this matter for someone on the west coast? Doesn't the person asking live in CA? East coast can totally understand, but CA and AZ have very few days with heavy rain.

[bjhines]

Well there ya go. No rain then no problemo.

 

I have driven them on ice and sleet in Feb. at VIR. They don't stick at all without the rain treads. They don't resist hydroplaning very well in a downpour with full tread. Nothing like a passenger car tire.