fmowry

iTrader: (8)

I just started dailying RA1s but I doubt they'll see much below 50 degrees.

They replaced ES100s which would not hook up at all in my v8 car through 1st and in 2nd from a roll with no prior spin and still lacking into 3rd. RA1s hook well into 2nd from a roll.

I could start from a roll in 2nd gear and the ES100 would just spin and spin. Only reason they're OEM on the NBS is the stupid size.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

Ouch, that sounds somewhat less than ideal. What are you doing to get them to go away like that?
I like the RS3 a lot, they have enough grip on the street when cold that I don't ever worry about them. I've run the RS3s @ THill and most recently, 2 days out at Laguna for the Miatas @ MRLS event. Saturday it rained like a bastard the whole time but I never worried about traction. Sunday it dried out and I really got to push it and get them hot. They warm up nicely and never seemed to get greasy in any of my 20 minute sessions at MRLS (or THill. My brakes are a whole other story...) The grip is GREAT when they are hot but it does take a couple of laps to get there. (As a disclaimer, I'm still a novice so take this with a grain of salt. I KNOW I drive like a -----.)

AutoX is another matter entirely. Either I don't drive hard enough or the runs aren't long enough to get significant heat into the tire. This is 2300-ish lbs of NB @ 165-ish HP. I know what these things will do once they get warm, and I never seem to be able to push them that far in our 50-80 second courses. But are they better than my Yokos for AX? You bet your *** they are!

fooger03

iTrader: (2)

The comments about the RS3s being a bit slick when cold are accurate. Below 40 degrees, you've got to be careful - it's really what I would consider an unacceptable tire below 40 degrees, but I use a snow tire in winter. From 40 to about 60 degrees, they gradually improve from acceptable to great, and finally at about 70 degrees they turn into road velcro. My own mileage calculations have put it about 12,000 miles. 10K if you leave them on the rears, 15k if you leave them on the fronts, 12k if you rotate.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

Why even continue tlaking about RS3s? its not like Joe can even source a set

MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

What temps did you Auto-X them in? My wife co-drives with me....i get them nice and sticky withing the first run. Temps have to be in the 80's though. They do not overheat and you can beat on them alll day and they will love you for it.

They can be had, you're just too proud to do what needs doing to get them.

triple88a

iTrader: (2)

At least one of them is gonna have some grip eh?

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

if oyu think that, you don't even know me

triple88a

iTrader: (2)

MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

Hey I've lurked and broke the search button here for a while now. Ed's told me what he had to do to get his MS tunned

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

I'm glad SOMEONE finally noticed that

2ndGearRubber

Almost anything really. Autox on a 70* day would have them heat soaked in 4 runs. 85*+ and they'd be useless after 2. Mind you this is with 120+ cars so it wasn't like I was running them over and over again. I tried experimenting with pressures, but it didn't seem to help. After about 6 months off DD and autox, they were noticeably less grippy; a victim of heat cycles.

I've toyed with the idea of buying another set, just for the fun of testing. Use controled enviorments/courses, experiment with a wider range of pressure and cool down techniques. But for my money, I think I'll probably just buy another set of dunlops which work wonderfully with little to no effort.



I'm surprised you felt the RS3s did so well in the rain. Granted the whole "summer tires suck in the wet" concept is ridiculous, my only experience with Hankooks was on a set of RS2s, in a downpour, doing 30 on the highway with the hazard lights on. They were great at the event (on a friends mazda3) but didn't enjoy the trip getting there. I was tempted to get the 'Kooks myself, but was worried I could keep them hot enough at autox with such a light car. Perhaps next season will be a decision between 225 Star Specs and RS3's......... How do you like them for cone dodging?

skidude

iTrader: (3)

In the last three years I have run RS-2, Star spec, and RS-3. I won't bother with the RS-2 for obvious reasons, but I will say I ordered another set of the RS-3s and I am happily waiting for them to stop being back ordered.

That said, I have an 8" wheel, and I like the 225 better. If I had a 7" wheel, I would probably buy the star specs. Dry traction is better on the RS-3, but I think the Star Spec did a little better in the cold and wet. Also, you can buy them now.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

If it never rains in southern California (I think that's a song) and you are interested in dry grip and not worried much about wear, I used 205/50/15 Kumho V710's on the street in my RX7 that I used to autocross. I only drove it on the weekends and the tires are DOT legal. They didn't like puddles but the stickyness of the compound caused them to stick well on wet pavement. The tires lasted about a year and a half (~5k miles). Very sticky and the tire life surprised me. I had them heat cycled by Tire Rack when I ordered them.

You are not a man who likes compromises. So why compromise?





Feel the grip.

skidude

iTrader: (3)

I had always heard that tires like that would heat-cycle before they would wear out for street driving.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

i bet they would. hell my rt-215s went hard over the years and had plenty of treadwear left.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

This is exactly what happened to my friend who was DDing his NT01s. They still had "tread" (if you can call it that) but they were definitely not the same after a while.

fooger03

iTrader: (2)

Southern California roads are "slippery when dry" simply because it doesn't rain there.

During the one week I did spend in the North LA area, it wasn't just easy to break the tires loose - I thought it felt difficult to keep them attached to the ground. At one point, what would have qualified as "daily rush hour" braking here in Ohio became "holy ****, my front tires are locked up already!?".

curly

iTrader: (25)

Couple articles for ya:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/pro...ire-smackdown/

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/art...-tires-part-1/

I forget which issue has the actual article in it, but it's in my bathroom. I'll check after I drink my coffee.

chokeasphyxia

iTrader: (8)

I run RS-3 because of 9" wheels needing 225, they work nice. I've heard great things about Star Spec's though, guy here runs them on his miata chump car and raves about them.

GeneSplicer

iTrader: (14)

Just broke down and ordered a set of Star Specs for my daily... 205/50-15 on a 7" rim. I probably would have gone RS3s, but no luck finding them. Tire Rack should have them in by 6/1, Discount Tire didn't have 'em... thanks for the useful thread gays!