They came with the car, on RX-8 wheels with a DOT date from 2007. The next set will be a big upgrade.

Cold? If so, way too much pressure! I aim for hot pressures ~38psi all around. Usually means ~30psi front 28psi rear cold or a bit less. You might start out with 32 all around and then see how much you have to bleed down to get to 38psi hot when you come into the pits.

It does depend on the tire and setup a bit, but 38 hot is generally pretty conservative (i.e., not too low but not ridiculously high either).

I'll have to try it on the new set of tires... had a bad spin out running at 32 psi on the track (on a slow turn) last summer. I think it was a combination of the tire age and overheating from the low pressure (or heat cycles)...

i am loving my re-71 too. The only criticism I have is that they hate the cold pavement. I guess this is the case with all high performance tires though. It's like I am on ice when it's in 30s to low 40s.

Re71r or the Rival are good for track, they both have great grip but the re71r is more sensitive. The new Rival S on the other hand is the best autox tires I've used. It gets up to temperature a lot quicker and it's really grippy.

Mind you I haven't used them on the rx7, I've had them for my Mazda 2 lol. I rode on the original Rival in a frs which had starspecs ii before and the Dunlops are showing their age.

:icon_tup::icon_tup:

Anyone had experience with the tires above in the rain?

Can't decide on a tire and need to get some for DGRR.

I've had my RE-71R up to 85-90 mph cruising on the highway in moderate rain with no issues at all.

With any of this class of tire, you have to be careful in heavy rain, any kind of standing water, and making sudden movements like changing lanes jerkily. Moreso as they age and tread disappears.

Otherwise you're fine and they're perfectly streetable :)

^ thanks for the info. Interstate doesn't scare me too much it's 636 turns in 22 miles on wet pavement. I don't plan on driving on the dragon when it's raining but might be out there when it's a little wet.

Johnny Kommavongsa

Anyone had experience with the tires above in the rain?

Can't decide on a tire and need to get some for DGRR.
Johnny Kommavongsa is offline Report Post Reply With Quote

I love the 595RS-R on wet pavement since they don't take much heat to to work. They work well in 205mm wide on my Mazda3 in standing water,

BUT 265mm wide on my FD tried to kill me in deep standing water in a really bad rain storm once they were worn.

I had to drive like 45mph and then you are blind from tractor trailers passing you.

Its the same with any wide tire I have used- hydroplanes very easily over deep water.

I got caught in the hard rain once on used NT01s on the freeway.. It got scary when the steering wheel stopped working.

Great news guys! RE-71R now comes in 285/30 18! I have a set of 275/35 18 on my E46 M3 and they are great in the rain as well. I have been daily driving on them for about 7 months or so and they have been nothing short of amazing in all conditions.

Yea, 285/30/18 is great tire size to set your choice around for tire size.

I run those as well and they also have a short tire diameter which give you extra room for varying offsets.

I run re-11 on mine with 285/30/18 on 11.5" wheel width and the car handles like a boss. The tires I am very pleased with. I would imagine the re-71's to be killer as well. I think the ad08R is another tire I would run.


I ran some Kumho XS in 265/35/18 and I liked those as well in the dry. I really only drive my car in the dry anyway. I did get caught in a downpour in the mountains and was impressed with how much grip and how fun it was to drive in the rain with 285 RE-11's.

thanks for the info on the tire.

I will prob order RE71 on Monday unless someone else has a recommendation on the best tire for spirited driving on the back rds and a tire that good for 2 or 3 track events a year.

These tires don't last very long from what I hear. They are ultimate autoX tread wear 200 tire, if you want a little longer tire wear with not as much grip an re-11 or AD08R are excellent choices.

Stick with the RE-71 over the RE-11 for sure. RE-11 may be the better street tire for those daily driving their FD, but for a weekend warrior car being used maybe 3000ish miles per year or less you really can't beat the RE-71 IMO. Newer, stickier, lighter, better :D

Ugh.. All this research on tires and I can't the RE71 or RE-11 in time for DGRR.

Ended up ordering pole positions s04

My RE71Rs arrived at the shop that's gonna install them yesterday :)
245/40-17 fronts and 275/35-18 rears.
Track day at Little Talledega on the 28th :D 1st one for the FD in a year and a half :O.
New tires, also new 6.8 liter engine, new T56 Magnum transmission, new OS Giken 1.5 limited slip. It has been an expensive year...

^ who's hosting the event on the 28th? I'm doing an event there on 5/21

Friends of mine from Mississippi put it together.

my local autox club is having an event there on the 9th-10th

Man oh man are you going to be disappointed :(

Relatively speaking those things are hard as rocks.