My friend has a group buy going on with wheel works. I wanna get some tires but I hear too many diff. opinions from people about the same tires. What's the best tire for dry/wet track use that would accomodate for a wear thats not below 200? Whats the best tire from BFG and why? What's the best tire from Bridgestone and why? Whats the best tire from Yokohama and why? Nitto? Falken? Kuhmo? Michelin? etc.... My wheel application is the stock wheel 225/50/16 but am aiming for some 245/45/16's. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Jeremy

 

the best tire from kumho is the mx, i got 1 set and prolly stick with kumho forever now. It is so good in rain i can go as fast as i want as long as the wipers keep up with the speed, hit 100 in a downpour with no probs and never felt a hydroplane yet.....im at the wear bars too. In the dry its definately grippier than yokohama es100 and other than than i cant explain how it is cept its better heated up than cold by a longshot, check out the tirerack reviews and tests to see how it compares to other tires. I got 10k miles b4 i hit the wear bar and prolly run em down to the bands since its not gonna rain where i live anytime soon.

 

Well, it's usually pretty damn easy to tell the "best" or "top" tire from each manufacturer.....

As far as differences between brands, read the Tire Rack testing reports for some indications. Some of it will come down to personal preference -- some like stiffer sidewall, some prefer more forgiving tire at the limit, etc.

In reality, you can't go too wrong by picking any of the major brand's top tires. However, IMO, I've never liked any thing made by Goodyear or BFG (although the KD is very good but very expensive), and Michelin is seriously overpriced.

If I were you, I would look at some of the more bang-for-the-buck tires like the Kumho MX and Toyo T1-S. Pirelli and Yokohama also make excellent tires that typically cost less than Michelin or Goodyear.

In any case, if you're just getting started tracking the car, you have a lot of learning to do and your tire choice won't really matter that much.

 

Did that, just wanted to get opinions from other FD members to see how they handle on the car.

Well I do DD the car, and I will use the car for track events soon. I know I have much to learn... that's why I'm trying to get as many opinions as I can . I read the tirerack reviews all the time. I used to work at America's tires also so other than the reviews, I get the opinions and reviews from managers/tire company executives blah blah but I want opinions from people with FD's!

Hey good tip with the BFG KD... my buddy is getting the BFG KD's for his wrx... he says they're the "upgraded" version of the g-force sports. But I dunnoe? I'm just traumatized from my shitty tires and really don't want to be disappointed AGAIN .

Jeremy

 

Let all mystery fall away...
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....Force+T%2FA+KD

Confusing information about tire models is tire store sales nonsense. It doesn't have to be that way.

-Max

 

All out dry performance, I'd try a set of Yokohama A048's.
Wet performance is all about compromise; there is no such thing as a "best wet" performance when compared to an all-out dry tire - i.e. the best wet performing tire (in the rain) will NOT out-perform even a decent dry tire on dry asphalt.


-Ted

 

i think if you're looking for a true street tire, not an R-compound like the Yokohama A048's or Toyo RA1's, the BFG KD (not the KDW) is supposed to have the highest dry grip, and most track-worthy design. Other contenders are the new Michelin Pilots, S03's, and Toyo T1s.

The KD's, Michelin's, and S03's are all significantly more expensive than T1S's, particularly the KDs and Michelins, which hover around 300/tire or more for the bigger sizes. I would have put the KD's on my street wheels, if they'd made the sizes I want, but instead went with the Toyos in the right sizes, and got it done for under $200/tire.

 

Toyo T1s

Very good tire for the money as Peter just said and they're lighter than any other street tire I've used.

PLUS IMO they look very

 

To CUSTOMERS its nonsense .

I consider that tire for track use only . My car will be hitting dry road and rain too. Isn't that tire on the really expensive side also?

I looked at the KD's tire review... then I looked at the KDW 2's. They seem to have a higher rating than the KD in comparison to an overall use in rain, cornering, stability, dry traction etc. Maybe I'll be aiming for the KDW 2's? They're a pretty good price also.

Where can I get get a look at these? I was looking at the toyo site istelf but I wanna look at a site that shows prices .

Jeremy

 

Jeremy, I don't know where you are in the Bay Area, but Roger Kraus Racing in Castro Valley is a Toyo dealer (www.rogerkrausracing.com). They will do a professional job mounting and balancing your tires. You can get a first-rate 4-wheel alignment there as well.

 

I'm in Fremont =/. Pretty far from Castro Valley. I'll check their site out though. And I do REALLY need an alignment. For some reason I can't get my camber to adjust . So T1's are good eh? I do have alot to learn lol. Thanks!

**sidetracking** Do you drive you FD around San Lorenzo? I got a few friends that live there... never yet to see a FD cruising around

Jeremy

 

Eh, CV isn't THAT far... Yes, the T1-S is a fantastic tire, especially for the money.

Yeah, I drive around San Lorenzo a bit but my car is down at Rick's for 5-6 weeks for a rebuild at the moment.

 

Ohhh.... lol yeah CV isn't THAT far... but its far. Well my buddy that's holding the group buy was reading the thread(wrx owner). So he's not registered or anything and he wants me to ask if you think the PS2's from Michelin are considered overpriced to you. He says they're a pretty good price for their efficiency .

Jeremy

 

Jeremy, if Castro Valley is too far, try C2 Automotive in Oakland.

1009 7th Street
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 272-9869

The mechanic there drives an FD and that shop does suspension setup for local SCCA cars.

 

Hmmm I'll give them a call when I get my tires. Thanks for the info!

Jeremy

 

Yes, I've got my car aligned at C2 before, they know FDs and they do a great job.

It's hard to say whether the Michelin is overpriced or not, it is the best street tire right now (brand new design). Yes, it is the most expensive but nothing cheaper than it is better. On the other hand, there's no way I'm paying well over $200/tire for street tires. For one thing, you'll never notice a performance difference on the street (you may notice a different driving FEEL of course). For another, if you are a good enough driver to eke out the performance differences between the PS2 and, say the T1-S, then you should be running race tires at the track anyway.

EDIT: If you live in Fremont, CV is a hell of a lot closer than the northern side of Oakland where C2 is....

 

Yeah I agree with your 200 dollar thing. So expensive for DD . I think I'm going to go with either the T1-S or the KDW2's. They're basically the same price and as of right now I see mutual performance comparisons. Unless someone can prove me wrronnng .

I think both places are equal distances... CV gotta take 580... C2... just gotta stay on 880 for a while am I correct ?

Jeremy

 

I consider anything that is a true street tire rain-worthy. I wouldn't put a "combo" tire on my car, you shouldn't be doing anything but put-putting in the pouring rain anyway... or getting off the road... so i'd be on KD's.

 

I just mean that the actual information, like you can get at manufacturer sites or Tire Rack, is pretty straight forward. The nonsense you hear at tire shops (e.g. "he says they're the "upgraded" version of the g-force sports") is almost always just nonsense.

-Max

 

Ohhh I get ya. My buddy was the one talking about having the upgraded versions of the g-force sports. I have yet to find a shop where they tell you about "upgraded" versions. All they do is try to get you to buy the tire and say its better hehe. Well, I decided on BFG KDW's for the choice. I was going to go to the Toyo T1-S but they said it would take 4 days to come in and I can't wait that long .

Jeremy

 

while we are on this subject, I am having trouble putting the power to the ground I have currently Toyo Proxies FZ-4's 225/50R16.
I wan't something that will get me better traction and doesn't have nearly as much "wandering" as these tires do. I would like some good dry traction as well as some descent wet (so that I dont' hydroplane).
What do you guy's suggest.

 

That's because you're running all-season tires! Just about any real performance tire is going to be much better than those. You can also step up to 245/45 16s on the stock wheels (assuming FD).

 

Not FD I have an FC, But I still am looking for the Best tire... regardless Of which I think that no matter what tires I get I will have trouble putting the power down... in third gear I can still feel wheel spin.
So any suggestions or recomendations for tires?

 

What's the application? Daily driving? Occasional fun driving? Track only? A mixture?

Like I said, any real performance tire is going to be a lot better than what you are running. If you are making a lot of power, you're also going to need wider wheels and tires, period.

 

well The widest Tires I can fit right now are 245's, After that I have to do WB.
But it is Daily Driving, and some track time. but mostly daily (spirited) driving.