Some Auto-x pics and review on E30S50's performance...

[joshh]

RA1's are awesome tires, fairly cheap for what they are, durable, versatile and they stick very well even when "cold" such as autocross. Depending on the conditions they are better than Hoosiers/710's, and you can drive them on the street if you want. Even in full tread they hold up to hard laps very well, recently I did 2 back-to-back 15min track sessions all day and the tread blocks still look great.

WHOA there (you work for Toyo??). The only thing the RA1's are better at in any condition than the 710's or Hoosiers is they have tread and will do better in standing water.
But I do agree with you on everything else!

[Jean]

RA1's are awesome tires, fairly cheap for what they are, durable, versatile and they stick very well even when "cold" such as autocross. Depending on the conditions they are better than Hoosiers/710's, and you can drive them on the street if you want. Even in full tread they hold up to hard laps very well, recently I did 2 back-to-back 15min track sessions all day and the tread blocks still look great.

x2... from what I read and hear from guys who use these, they are good track tire, not good autox tire. so there is trade off, but they will LAST.

[dinanm3atl]

douchem3atl?

Wow... how old are you? Ever heard of driving smooth maybe?

Aggressive doesn't meant fast nor does it equal sliding.

But debating with someone calling people names is pointless.

[10/10ths]

You have an e30. Everyone with an e30 has 14 inch wheels lying around. I've got 18 of them.

lol, I have 15 14in wheels...that should almost be its own thread, I bet average for track guys is 12-16.

[madjurgen]

Do you realize what you just wrote?

Correct grammar, correct spelling, what's the problem?


A BBK is ONLY useful if youre cooking your pads and/or fluid. You dont mention that anywhere. What you do mention is lack of bite, which almost entirely has to do with pad compound. You need to make up your mind. You want more bite but you want to run them on the street. Mutually exclusive for the most part. Get a set of pads for the track, HT-10s or PFC01s. HP+ are really just not that aggressive.

RA1s will last you an eternity on a lightened e30. A little squirmy when new if you get them unshaved, but still well above any street tire.



Douchem3atl: Gforce Sports, Hankook RS2s, Azenis 615s. All produce stupid amounts of sliding during autox in a m20 powered e30 with decent suspension and a decent(aggressive) driver. At least thats what myself and every other e30 owner down here experiences. If they work for you, congrats.

[10/10ths]

RA1's are awesome tires, fairly cheap for what they are, durable, versatile and they stick very well even when "cold" such as autocross. Depending on the conditions they are better than Hoosiers/710's, and you can drive them on the street if you want. Even in full tread they hold up to hard laps very well, recently I did 2 back-to-back 15min track sessions all day and the tread blocks still look great.

[mazur]

Then maybe you need to replace your booster? Or did you use a 320i booster when you did your swap?

There is a good reason I tell people not to use that one...

I have an IX booster.

I've got at least 20 track days on one set, and another 7-8 days on a set of "throwaways" from a spec miata guy that I picked up for 10 bucks.
They last a long time.

-Charlie

Is that shaved or unshaved? I have heard that supposedly they are supposed to last longer shaved, but I don't know if they meant by tread life or the amount of times you can heat cycle them without losing their ability to grip.

[Charlie]

Looks like I can get those in a 225/50/14 (how did you know I have a set of 14's? lol)

You have an e30. Everyone with an e30 has 14 inch wheels lying around. I've got 18 of them.

Will these actually provide me with the amount of grip I'm looking for? And how many track days (with 4, 20min. sessions) can these be expected to last for? I've never driven on them before so don't know what to expect.

They're not Hoosiers or Kumho 710 gumballs. They are a significant step up from pretty much any street tire you can cram on an e30. In terms of life, I've got at least 20 track days on one set, and another 7-8 days on a set of "throwaways" from a spec miata guy that I picked up for 10 bucks.

They last a long time.

-Charlie

[matt]

Then maybe you need to replace your booster? Or did you use a 320i booster when you did your swap?

There is a good reason I tell people not to use that one...

[mazur]

If your brakes aren't grippy enough, bleed them better, bed the pads in properly, or get a bigger master cylinder.

Got the 25mm MC and pads bedded properly. I'll bleed them again and see if that helps.

Buy a set of RA1s for your 14 inch wheels, it'll set you back about 500 bucks. That's a good bit less than a BBK, and swapping out a set of wheels takes a lot less time than installing a BBK. Ditch whatever god forsaken street tires you're running on, and then see if you really want to blow tons of cash on a BBK. Doing it the other way around makes no sense at all.
-Charlie

Looks like I can get those in a 225/50/14 (how did you know I have a set of 14's? lol)

Will these actually provide me with the amount of grip I'm looking for? And how many track days (with 4, 20min. sessions) can these be expected to last for? I've never driven on them before so don't know what to expect.

Maybe I can try finding some good used slicks for the 14's...hmm.

[nando]

Buy a set of RA1s for your 14 inch wheels, it'll set you back about 500 bucks. That's a good bit less than a BBK, and swapping out a set of wheels takes a lot less time than installing a BBK. Ditch whatever god forsaken street tires you're running on, and then see if you really want to blow tons of cash on a BBK. Doing it the other way around makes no sense at all.

-Charlie

but how to you run a 18" Ferrari BBK with slotted/drilled rotors on 14" wheels? 100mm spacer? :p

which reminds me of another point. with better tires, it's possible that you'll use the brakes a lot less, since you can carry significantly more speed through the corners.

[Charlie]

Buy a set of RA1s for your 14 inch wheels, it'll set you back about 500 bucks. That's a good bit less than a BBK, and swapping out a set of wheels takes a lot less time than installing a BBK. Ditch whatever god forsaken street tires you're running on, and then see if you really want to blow tons of cash on a BBK. Doing it the other way around makes no sense at all.

-Charlie

[10/10ths]

Do you think just taking the dust shields off will be sufficient enough for cooling?

Probably not, just a freebie additional mod that helps, some guys swear by it. I run cooling ducts (stock ones that just aim at the rotor) and I never tried JUST the plates removed.

[matt]

No. You need to duct air straight to the middle of the rotor.

If your brakes aren't grippy enough, bleed them better, bed the pads in properly, or get a bigger master cylinder.

[mazur]

Do you have brake ducts?

If you don't, do them before you get a big brake kit... save yourself some money.

Do you think just taking the dust shields off will be sufficient enough for cooling?

BTW, all my comments on the brakes are based on base performance, not when they have begun to fade/overheat.