Phil, can you explain how a tire without any tread can be a directional tire?

 

Toyo recommends specific rotational directions depending on location of drive axles. No arrows on side wall, just DOT code on inside or outside depending on where it's located on the car. BFG doesn't do this with the Rival officially but there have been internet reports (decide for yourself) of some splice issues on heavier, higher HP cars.

Cap plies are laid on like a roll of paper. There is an overlap somewhere. That overlap gets pulled apart and the tread tears. Looks like someone took an exacto blade and cut slits laterally across the tire. Worst case, the tread comes off in a big flap. I head that is a bad thing.

Tire Rack tech thingy http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...jsp?techid=160

Toyo RR



Rival


BFG R1

 

I think one of my Rivals has done it. They're just street tires, so I've mostly ignored it, although perhaps that's not the best idea...

Any idea if the Toyo instructions apply to the BFGs? Are the date codes on the same side relative to the ply overlap?

--Ian

 

Are you kidding? The RS3V2 are great in the cold. They're nowhere near the RE71R but they worlds better than RS3V1s, original rivals, or R6s.

 

I've read that tread splices are more of a cosmetic issue than a safety issue. Now if they go all the way down to the nylon cap then it's probably a safety issue.

 

You read wrong

 

Mine are terrible cold -- very easy to spin the car until they get some temp. Worse than R6 IMO, more like R6 in the rain.

 

These splices are called butt splices. They are on a 45 degree angle in most cases. The braking forces are what cause the apparent "slice" not the acceleration forces. That and the casing design are what determines in what configuration the tire should be mounted on a particular vehicle.

 

That is interesting, as BFG specifically says the R1 are non-directional and can be mounted in either orientation.

 

That is true - BFG R1 and R1S can be mounted either side out. Keyword was "most cases".

 

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiret...jsp?techid=160

 

Toyo's bulletin on the RR dictates that the orientation of the tire be altered based on which wheels are driven. That strongly implies that the main issue is seen under acceleration, not braking.

https://nasa-assets.s3.amazonaws.com...unting_Rec.pdf

 

Looks like no one read the Tire Rack tech bulletin I linked. Read it. Helps splain splices.

 

For endurance WRL series we must use > 180 UTQC tires. Planning to upgrade to 15x9 rims after running 15x7's with original Rival the past two season in Chumps. For 225/45/15's the current Tire Rack 200 UTQC choices are Rival S, RS3 V2, and Toyo R1R. Interested in durability and good driving manners as we're still learning... Any advice on which 225/45/15 tires are a good fit for endurance racing?

 

If budget/economy is more important than results, RS3V2 or standard Rival

If you want to win and triple your tire budget in the process, Rival S

 

LOL, always choices to be made in racing, eh? ...and they usually involve more money!


Any experience with the Toyo R1R's in an endurance format?

 

Running WRL, we're not able to get the Rival S to last for a whole race. It's fast though. If your rules allow you to change tires during a driver change, Rival S. If you have to run one set the whole time, RS3V2.

 

WRL here too. I am hoping that we don't end up having to run the Rival-S and do a tire swap mid race to be able to keep up with. Fingers crossed that the new VR-1 is a healthy balance of wear and traction that will negate the time it takes to do a full change. Right now it isn't that way, but I have seen a rise in teams using them, only to then have to change the tires 5 hours in.

 

Great rain tire at full thread but I would go with the RS3V2s over those for longevity. If you overdrive the R1Rs they start wearing down very fast. Also the 225R1R was never regarded as a great tire, supposedly had a harder tread compound halfway through compared to the popular 195 which you could shave and still have the sticky stuff there.

The new generation of tires got a little ridiculous. The RS3V2s were a great balance. You could run a crapcan race the whole weekend on one set, on your street car you could autocross a whole season and throw some track days in there too.

Now you need 3-4 sets for a weekend of crapcan racing to win? 2 sets for a season of autocrossing?

 

Is anyone brave enough to drive your miata to the track on Toyo Ra1's? I dont necessarily want to buy two sets of wheels right now and was just wondering if i could manage driving the Ra1's in a little wet. I don't dd my miata so theyd just be for driving to the track on the track and then back.