I Need Some Tire Advice From the Track-Day People

Hat_Trick_Hokie

I just got some Azenis fot my Summer/Track Weekend setup. However, the 225/45 Falken Azenis 615's are rubbing on my new wheels (17x8 +35mm, Hotchkis Spring, TRD Struts) during hard cornering comebined with slight bumps. They are great tires, but I don't want to deal with this on the track. The way the Azenis is built (large shoulders) they act larger than the 225's they are.

First question, does anyone have my wheel/suspension setup with a 235/40/17 tire?

Second, I'm looking at replacement tires (with 225/45), mainly the Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec, Hankook Ventus R-S2, and maybe the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. Dunlops sound like they might be the winner, I read that the Hankooks have a soft shoulder and get greasy turing track sessions (6 laps or so.)

So, does anyone have any road course/daily driving experience with these tires? Better options? I'm not getting the Bridgestone RE-01R's, just too much $$.

Thanks for the help :D

Rawkerstatus · Posted: 9/4/08 8:31PM Post subject:

dude... goodyear eagle f1gsd3.. hands down will grip like no other. i say go w/ those.. the re-01rs would be an even better choice.

Hat_Trick_Hokie · Posted: 9/6/08 1:21PM Post subject:

Bump, any more advice from the weekend-warrior people?

davedavetC · Joined: 01 May 2005 Posts: 15399

+1 for the good years, i have them on my volks and they are insane! i cant wait till they go so i can get new ones :P

davedavetC · Joined: 01 May 2005 Posts: 15399

+1 for the good years, i have them on my volks and they are insane! i cant wait till they go so i can get new ones :P

Hat_Trick_Hokie · Posted: 9/7/08 2:08PM Post subject:

Yea, looks like the Dunlops won't work either, they are going to rub as well. I guess I'll have to move to the Goodyears or something else now.

davedavetC · Joined: 01 May 2005 Posts: 15399

yea goodyears have a smaller profile and they should work good for ya, plus they grip like a mofo

Hat_Trick_Hokie · Posted: 9/7/08 8:09PM Post subject:

Yea, it's looking that way. Reading the reviews, it seems like they are pretty loud tires. True or false?

Now I just need to decide what size to get.... 225/45...235/40

davedavetC · Joined: 01 May 2005 Posts: 15399

false!!! they make the least amount of noise out of all the tires i have had on the tC (stock, neogens, toyo fz4, bfg kdw, and winter tires) very quiet and comfortable, with fantastic traction, they are awesom!

WendysOrBust · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 322 Location: Garland , Tx

Do you have any pictures of your car on the new wheels? I want to see how the stance is with the 17x8's withe a 35 offset.

Hat_Trick_Hokie · Posted: 9/9/08 5:11AM Post subject:

Yea, I can get those for you later

Hat_Trick_Hokie · Posted: 9/9/08 2:53PM Post subject:

WendysOrBust wrote: Do you have any pictures of your car on the new wheels? I want to see how the stance is with the 17x8's withe a 35 offset.
Best I could do in my driveway...

WendysOrBust · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 322 Location: Garland , Tx

Awesome, thx man, they sit very well, almost perfectly flush.

And high five for having a fellow Tc with 615's

senseiturtle · Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Posts: 831 Location: Shreveport, La

It's a shame you've ruled out the star specs, they're phenoms.

Scion_South · Joined: 14 May 2004 Posts: 203 Location: Richmond, KY

Here is my take on the Goodyear and the Dunlop.

Goodyear: I've run on this tire during a three day drivers school at Mid-Ohio and it was great. The first day it rained constantly and the Goodyears loved it. They were predictable and recovered nicely in the wet. Dry was about the same. My choice for a true 3 season tire.

Dunlop: Haven't driven on them yet, but based on all the feedback so far it is probably the top dry tire to have. Sounds like it is still good in the wet but probably not as good as the Goodyear.

Dry = Dunlop

Wet = Goodyear

Couple of questions for you.
What swaybars are you running?
Where is the tire rubbing on the car?

Hat_Trick_Hokie · Posted: 10/2/08 6:00PM Post subject:

Scion_South wrote: Couple of questions for you.
What swaybars are you running?
Where is the tire rubbing on the car?
TRD rear-sway, set on race of course.

Looks to be the black clips on the edge of the fender.

Scion_South · Joined: 14 May 2004 Posts: 203 Location: Richmond, KY

There are probably a couple of ways you can run bigger tires and not rub.

Add a front sway bar. It will reduce the body roll up front and do a better job keeping the camber in check. I've tried running multiple setups and the bigger front bar helps more than it hurts.

And depending on the the amount of neg. camber you are running right now you might be able to add enough to allow the tire to stay clear of the spot you are rubbing. Plus the neg. camber is going to improve general handling characteristics.

If you can do both you should clear 225 and maybe even 235 if you wanted.

senseiturtle · Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Posts: 831 Location: Shreveport, La

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

This calculator will likely be of help. Going from 215 - 225 did make your tire taller.

If you get a 235 / 40 -17 ... your tire height will actually be very close to stock dimensions.

Hat_Trick_Hokie · Posted: 10/3/08 9:14AM Post subject:

Scion_South wrote: Add a front sway bar. It will reduce the body roll up front and do a better job keeping the camber in check. I've tried running multiple setups and the bigger front bar helps more than it hurts.

And depending on the the amount of neg. camber you are running right now you might be able to add enough to allow the tire to stay clear of the spot you are rubbing. Plus the neg. camber is going to improve general handling characteristics.
Thanks for the help. I do need to make some camber adjustments actually, so that might be where I start.

senseiturtle wrote: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

This calculator will likely be of help. Going from 215 - 225 did make your tire taller.

If you get a 235 / 40 -17 ... your tire height will actually be very close to stock dimensions.
Thanks. I just that exact same calculator when I was getting my second set of tires.

Thorium06 · Posted: 10/3/08 9:20AM Post subject:

I currently have the Hankook RS2's on my enkei rpf1 +35. They have awesome grip wet or dry, however i only get moderate rubbing when encountering large dips. I also run hotchkis springs. I would recommend them.