turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

After a weekend of auto-xing and getting my *** handed to me like I'm not accustomed to I'm searching for answers.

I've run Kumho V700 in 245/45/16 for years with good results. Last year I switched to Hoosier RS03s since they were on sale and I was hoping for a little advantage, I've heard they were faster. The tires were new in Sept '04 and run for 4 events in '04 and 3 this year, stored inside over the winter. There is plenty of rubber left on the tires, my setup hasn't changed. The car doesn't want to turn in like it did with the Kumhos and the front tires chatter on turn-in, especially in the wet.

Saturday I ran in the dry, Sunday I ran in the rain. Both days I was ~3 sec off FTD on a 50-55 sec course. I'm usually only .5-1sec off if I don't grab FTD.

How do the Hoosiers age compared to the Kumhos?


Has anyone run Avon tires on a FD?

Final question, is the V710 out yet in 245/45/16? It doesn't show on Tire Rack's site.

Icemastr

iTrader: (2)

Go big, Hoosier V710 285/40/17s on front, 315/40/17s on back I liked it. At least I think thats what size the tires were.

YearsOfDecay

have you tried altering your air pressures? 1psi of pressure can make a hell of a difference.. Just a thought... different tires like different pressures..

Personally... I've never like Hoosiers.. I still relate them to dirt track sprint cars....

HedgeHog

Consensus from those who tried: A3S05 > V710 > A3S04 = V70A = A3S03 > V700.

And Hoosier likes tons of camber so camber-challenged cars need not apply. And more slip angle too.

DamonB

The 710 is available in 225/50/16, but the 245/45/16 is not yet (though it was to be available this month last I heard).

I have found the Hoosier to be better than the Victoracer in every way. On the other hand to get everything out of them you have to drive them differently and I'm still coming to terms with that.

I shared some of what I have felt in my car on Victoracer vs AS03 here in my Geez! thread.

If your Hoosiers were used some and then stored over the winter I would expect them to be down on grip. Everyone I know basically say the clock starts ticking on these tires as soon as you heat cycle them the first time. I don't know anyone who has ever kept Hoosiers with rubber left over the winter and didn't complain about them when bringing them out the following spring.

The Hoosier definitely corners at much higher slip angles than the Victoracer. The sensation I feel is as the car takes a set into the corner it yaws much more than the Kumho did. It doesn't slide, it merely points the nose farther down into the apex of the turn when you're on them hard. I was fighting that sensation at first because before that was the warning of the rear end trying to get unsettled; not true on the Hoosier. Compared to the Kumho the Hoosier will turn in and rotate around more without the tire breaking loose. When they go they go in a hurry; definitely not as forgiving as the Victoracer.

A recent course had a very big and fast sweeper that you could accelerate all the way through. The best description I can give is that it felt like the tread on the Hoosiers was bubble gum. The car stuck and turned in but as I accelerated hard around the corner it felt like the "gum" was stretching further and further away from the road and yet the tires wouldn't actually turn loose, patter or slide. I've never felt such a sensation on the Victoracer that I can relate it to but now that I've done it I know how to sense it.

gfelber

Jeff,

Been there.

These should be superior to the V700s, unless there's a problem or you're running too little neg camber (should be at least 1.8 front and 1.5 rear). When I used to autocross, I picked up a good .5-1 second from the V700s using the R3S03s. I won my region at the time on the latter. The following year I used the same tires and noticed that I was quite a bit slower. Appeared that storing (stored in outside garage- a no no) caused them to get hard and difficult to bring up to temp for auto-x. However, they seemed to do okay for road racing once up to temp.

Have you tried the autocross compounds (A's)?

Also agree with Hedge on his hierarchy, though the debate rages as to the superoirity of the A3S05s vs. 710s. Erik Strelnieks reported overheating of the A3S05s during 2-driver events, but thought they came up to temp better than the V710s and recommended them for single driver cars.

Can't find any info re: availability of 245-45-16s.

Regards,


Gene

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

Thanks for the info guys.

I noticed a mistake in my thread. I'm running AS03s not the RS03s.

My camber is -2.0 front and -2.3 rear, stock rear toe, 0 toe front. I was running 39ish psi front and rear.

Last fall I ran the AS03s on a 4 min course, I definetly felt they were overheating, the last lap it was difficult to keep the car going where I was pointing it.

I think the temp issue could be a huge one here. Saturday the pavement had been wet all day, I doubt the tire temp exceeded 100F. Sunday it was 55F and raining, the tires practically had NO heat.

The tires were stored in an inside garage and covered.

DamonB

My camber is -2 front and rear, 1/8" of rear toe in and 1/8" of front toe out. Konis with stock springs and Tripoint front bar. Pressures right now are 38 front / 36 rear but I'm still playing with that.

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

What type of shock settings are you using front to rear?

1/8" toe out in front, wow. How does that work on the street?

DamonB

Far majority of the time the fronts are at full hard and the rears full soft. On low grip surfaces I'll soften the fronts and on rare occasions (very tiny course) I'll stiffen the rear to make it easier to rotate.

As long as the rubber isn't shot I have no trouble making the rear hook up.

Basically it pulls the car towards every single rut or bump in the road It's not unstable or anything but when slowing for stop lights if the road is not completely smooth the steering will fight you some. The steering definitely tugs in your hands at times but it won't try to put itself in the ditch or anything.