E30 R Comp for Southeasten Tracks - Experienced E30 Track Guys

[dinanm3atl]

Everyone seems to have good experiences with NT01s, but I wasn't as trilled with mine. Bought them from Discount Tire Direct last spring, by the time I had run 3 track days, and 5 AutoXs, they were finished (mid season)... In comparison, I've gone through over 3 sets of RA1s, and all of them lasted much longer.

Really? Are you sliding a lot? Pressures? This is the first I have heard of this.

I run a bunch of different tires depending on race or instructing, you want speed the Hoosier R6 is great. The RA1 is old faithful, always works well, always predictable, For a little more money and great longevity the new BFG R1 is great, however it is a 225/50/15 and $174.

I heard someone mention earlier to go full tread on the RA1. NO, NEVER,NEVER,NEVER run an RA1 full tread unless it is raining. period! A shaved RA1 will last longer than a shaved RA1 (unles you drive like a bitch)

Racing? Probably.

HPDE? Your review is not the same as most on 'never ever run RA1 Full Tread'

[nrubenstein]

Really? Are you sliding a lot? Pressures? This is the first I have heard of this.




Racing? Probably.

HPDE? Your review is not the same as most on 'never ever run RA1 Full Tread'

Frankly, once you're at that level, just buy Hoosiers. RA-1s typically cord in a weekend for me. In my experience, once you're driving past a certain point, anything less* just doesn't really hold up to serious driving.

But you'll know when you've reached that point pretty quickly.

* Hoho equivalents like the Hankooks are fine.

[briansjacobs]

Racing? Probably.

HPDE? Your review is not the same as most on 'never ever run RA1 Full Tread'

as for racing or HPDE full tread is the same situation. In the open passing run groups alot of HPDE guys are running faster than race pace.

it is an undisputable fact that full tread RA1 will chunk and wear unevenly when flogged on a dry track. They create more heat due to more friction from side to side movement of the tread blocks.

[craz azn]

Really? Are you sliding a lot? Pressures? This is the first I have heard of this.

Oh I'm sliding haha... using every piece of road and then some! Pressures I usually tried to get high 30s hot... but like I mentioned, I didn't have much times to try them since they didn't last too long :(

[7pilot]

I still think there are too many variables for that test.... Especially after people saying the RA1 is less durable than the NT01.... I haven't used either, but this thread interests me because I'd rather run junkier tires (cheaper) on the street and invest in some better rubber for open track days, HPDE's, schools, etc...

If you are willing to swap wheels at the end of the day..Sure.

I think it is a false economy to run street rubber on the track. I could never use a set of even the so-called ultra performance street rubbers on track. They would be out of grip in 4 laps on a 2600-2800lb car.
At the end of the day, the lighter the car, the easier it is on tyres. Also, the better roll control and optimization of camber, the more tyre life you get.

My E36 M3 DD stood in for my E30 M3 while the S14(Now S52) was being rebuilt. It is harder on tyres than the lighter E30.

Even lighter machines have even better tyre life. For Non BMWCCA track events I use a Lotus 7 replica, which lives on R comps 24/7.
This car weighs 1300lb and I got 16k miles of track and street usage from a set of the now almost extinct Kumho V700 Victoracers which are a 2nd tier R comp like the RA1, NT01, and R888.


m

[dinanm3atl]

as for racing or HPDE full tread is the same situation. In the open passing run groups alot of HPDE guys are running faster than race pace.

it is an undisputable fact that full tread RA1 will chunk and wear unevenly when flogged on a dry track. They create more heat due to more friction from side to side movement of the tread blocks.

As said your 'fact' is disputed by many.

Frankly, once you're at that level, just buy Hoosiers. RA-1s typically cord in a weekend for me. In my experience, once you're driving past a certain point, anything less* just doesn't really hold up to serious driving.

But you'll know when you've reached that point pretty quickly.

* Hoho equivalents like the Hankooks are fine.

I loved my Hankooks on the E36 M3. I am pretty quick. Never driven the E30 at 'full pace' so I can't say for certain how I will be. Certainly a new car will have a learning curve.

I think I am going to go with the NT-01.

[Bishop]

Matt I want your car... I know this is about tires but fuck... I wanna get rid of my late model 4 door and get a good condition early model 2 door... Your car = dun right

And I think I'll be buying up some NT01s possibly as well when the time comes

[briansjacobs]

I wish I had still had our SM here as had to use our full tread rains at the last race in the dry. 4 sessions and they were all torn up, in a wierd spot where they were no longer good for rains but still not a fast tire. The RA1 when shaved is generally fast till there are cords with a "greasy spot" in between and then they come back again.

As far as my experience with these, The past 3 years I have been doing driver coaching for SM drivers one of which I got up to 2nd in the points series at 17 years old. In this time we started on the RA1 went to the 888 and back to RA1. We have gone through approx 100 sets of tires between our 3 SM's, this does not include the Hoosiers for my BMW or the Dunlop slicks for our Radicals (PR6,SR3, and SR5 or the Pirelli's for our 355 Challenge.

on the toyo websight, while it does not specifically say to not use full tread in the dry it certainly eludes to it. (why would it, they want to sell tires)


"Tread depth indicators

Circles in tread indicate tread depth.
Full 8/32nds tread depth provides good competitive wet traction.
Shaving to 6/32nds improves dry traction."

[briansjacobs]

edit: double posted-sorry

[joshh]

Really? Are you sliding a lot? Pressures? This is the first I have heard of this.




Racing? Probably.

HPDE? Your review is not the same as most on 'never ever run RA1 Full Tread'

You're going to have to find this out for yourself. I kept being told that a shaved RA1 will last longer than a full tread one. They were wrong, I'll just stay that. I heard it both ways and now I know what works for me and my car.

Most racers shave down to 4mm so the tread doesn't "squirm". There's no question it's faster but life I disagree with.

[briansjacobs]

Most racers shave down to 4mm so the tread doesn't "squirm". There's no question it's faster but life I disagree with.

I think we are getting into an area of symantics here, im my opinion there is more to a tire than being able to hold air and not show cord or risk a blow out.

I think if you start with a full tread vs shaved the shaved would probably cord first. however the full tread will have reached a point of no longer being usefull for anything other than just holding air before the shaved tire will cord.

You will no longer get even heat across the contact patch, you will not get even wear and so on. I think that may be the difference between your definition of tire life and mine.

[j0oftheworld]

I'm an RA1 > R888 fan after only 1 weekend on the R888's.
Have raced Spec Miata and now E30M50 TT car.

[kishg]

I would shave them but try full tread and see how that works. Worse case you need to buy another set of RA-1s.

[dreeves]

I've run hoosiers, 5+ sets of RA1s, various kumhos... On my first set of NT01s now.

I've been very happy with their performance out of the box and their longevity. Not nearly as squirmy as the RA1 unshaved.

Personally, I've always gotten great life out of RA1s unshaved. Have had them shaved a few times, but it's hard to do an apples to apples comparison as the tracks I was driving tended to vary.

[dinanm3atl]

I think we are getting into an area of symantics here, im my opinion there is more to a tire than being able to hold air and not show cord or risk a blow out.

I think if you start with a full tread vs shaved the shaved would probably cord first. however the full tread will have reached a point of no longer being usefull for anything other than just holding air before the shaved tire will cord.

You will no longer get even heat across the contact patch, you will not get even wear and so on. I think that may be the difference between your definition of tire life and mine.

Well now we are into the definition of tire life. An HPDE student might be calling a tire usable and you are calling it done.