Currently running TOYO RA1 225/50x15 on KOSEI K1 Racing 7x15 for DE's Lots more choices of tires in 205/50x15 which would raise the final gear ratio. Help or hinder? NE1 got some feedback for me? Do the revs get too high? Handling NE better? Tire recommendations? TIA!

 

I am a huge fan of the 205/50/15 for track & autocross. nice light steering feel - lots of choices. Shorter gears help in Auto X but end up keeping R's higher on the track. To me an advantage. Check out BFG R1's in that size - I LOVE mine!

Alex

 

What would you say to Hankook RS3 in 225/45x15 for a "Drive it to the track and run what you brung" tire? Compared to all the hot-shoe boy racers out there, I know I'm not going to be the fastest out there no matter what tire I run, so I just want a tire that won't go away in a 20-25 min. session and one that I can sanely drive in the rain. TIA for the advice!

 

+1
True about revs high (in power band imo) just got to remember that when you are just over redline in your current set-up, you will need to upshift with 205/50-15. My first session with this size I got blackflaged cause I constantly over revved engine that overflow tank leaked and smoked. After that session I got used to it. The Hankook RS3 in 225/45x15 is a tire I want to run as well, out of laziness to switch wheels, have read that this tire loves to run hot. Here is a pic of 205/50-15:

 

I've had very good luck with the 205/50-15 Azeni, the Direzza was only available in 195/55-15 and even so that might be the best autocross tire I've ever used.

The Z1 is just now available in the 205/50-15, and that alone may cause me not to purchase a new set of 8x15 Enkei rims - which I intended because I've been in 225 land for the last couple of years.

The 225 R1R is hands down the best rain tire the car has ever seen, but didn't command much respect in the dry -- similarly the RS3 in the 225.

I have come to the conclusion that the 7" rim (now running Kosei) pinches the 225 just enough to spoil the intended contact patch.

But I just might run the Z1 as a 205, with the expectation that it would match or outperform either of the offered 225s. And save the money on the rims...

Any of the 15" combinations I have run feel like an extra 5-10 horsepower over the stock 16" setup. In fact I think that the difference in radius between the 16s and the 15s computes to about 7hp on my car. It is definitely noticeable as when the winter setup comes off the car just seems to come alive.

You folks are talking about some fine tires there -- I cannot run the RA-1 though as I do believe it is on the exclusion list for ST* competition.

Cheers,

Charlie