mercy where are the STX NAM'ers???

so having timed out waiting on the 225/45-15 R1R tires, I just learned that the Star Spec Z1 tires ordered last Monday will arrive -- one day AFTER the first points event this year!

it seems FedEx broke the four tires into two shipments, and so today ONE tire was available, and the other three arrive Monday...

I wonder which is slower - Pirelli P Zero Nero M&S 205/50-16 with two winters on them, or the Hankook RS-2 225/45-15s that froze in the garage all winter after a tough season of competition last year. Hmmm. Tough choice... perhaps I should take out the two year old Azenis that are as tough as hockey pucks?

Oh well, who am I kidding - my driving will no doubt be so rusty that the rubber will not matter all that much!

 

here's a data point on the Z1 Star Spec [195/55-15] unshaven

i was trying to work out tire pressures versus under/oversteer this morning on the Cooper - collecting data using the poor man's DL1 (GTech RR)

Cooper S, H&R Coil overs, -2.5 front, -1.0 rear
47 degrees air, 50 degrees surface - asphalt
37psi front, 42psi rear

max lateral grip 1.03g

front tire surface temp only reached 90f, so presumably there are a few more tenths to be had with more heat...

for reference, the 225/45-15 Kook RS2 returned 1.06 to 1.09 last year under optimal conditions (25 degrees warmer)

transition control is good, and exit grip also good - the overall feel inspires confidence due to controllability

not bad for a 6 3/8" wide contact patch, but I still wish for a 225 or at least a 205 in one of the good compounds...

ah well, they'll be fine for the region and i shall have to purchase another set mid summer when the wider tires are released and evaluated

I reckon the Z1 could be lovely for the 2,050 pound STS folks, but this is a 2,500 pound 200hp STX car...

 

I enclose my recent attempt at determining the optimum wet tire pressures for my car, running the Star Spec Z1 195/55-15.

Best grip I've ever had on wet pavement - hands down.

YMMV.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

So, what is the top tire choice for this year? Anyone waiting for the RE-11? Anyone tried the Ecxta XS or Toyo R1R? I am running 16s and have last seasons RE-01Rs that I plan to get a few more events out of.

 

I will be trying out the new Ecsta XS in a 215/45 16 size. Switching from a rt-615 205/40 15. Not sure what to expect, I did very well with the 615's but I was able to attain 1.1 lateral G's with a 215/40 17 BFG Gforce sport tire and was only able to get the 615 to 1.09 lat G's. Only the skid pad knows.

I'm going to run the 215/40 17" BFG's this March at autox just to see if I can kick some but with oversized 17" wheels and 340 tread wear tires!

 

I seem to zig when everyone else zags, and sometimes pay the price.

When everyone ran the Azenis, I ran RS-2 (bad choice).
When everyone ran RE-01R, I ran Dunlop Star Spec (good choice).

So why stop being contrarian?

I've just been admiring the set of R1R 225/45-15s that the local Town Fair Tire folks have ordered in for this year.

We'll see how good the compound is, but they are very wide - the only tire with that much tread width the car has ever seen before was a set of 205/50-15 Hoosiers.

I borrowed a tape measure from the shop and estimate the contact patch might wind up over 8" side to side (the Dunlops were less than 7").

We shall see - they go on next week. Now I have to fix and re-mount the G-Tech I suppose...

 

Some local Neon drivers swear by the R1R. They claim it offers better sizes and is just as good as the RE-01R.

 

no clearance issues up front, and the same slight interference I had with the Hoosiers on the rear axle on near full compression

they'll do just fine as far as that goes

(take care on interpreting this however, as this Cooper is nowhere near stock as far as the suspension is concerned)

like all the truly wide tires I have tried, they are a bit sensitive to the "ruts" that the some of the local highways develop up here in the north east

i am in the habit however of having both hands on the wheel at highway speed so that is not a change

the GTech still works - I just fired it up, so it is now time again to go and test, and find the pressures that these tires like the best

might take a week or two - i'm traveling a lot and the weather up here is still dodgy

1.13g was the best of the Z1s (which will go on my son's Neon with half their life still remaining after last season), and we shall see how the MUCH wider Toyos do

i make no assumptions - the Hankooks taught me that compound trumps width (they were 225s, and not as good as the 195 RE-01R)

the car does look a bit like a great dane puppy - all paws...

 

I'll be curious to see how the Toyo's work for you. I've got a set on my car too in the same size, and haven't had the chance to try them at an event yet. First event of the season in February it was freezing (literally), next one at the end of March the car was still being repaired (rear trailing arm bracket was missing a capscrew and the bracket was twisting, so both were replaced with new OEM, new OEM fasteners, and poly bushings).

Last weekend the car was ready to go and at the event when a whole string of thunderstorms rolled over the site at the end of the first heat. SMS (very popular regional class for SM on street tires) was scheduled to drive in the 2nd heat, and the event was cancelled. Next try is next weekend.

Scott
90SM