I want to get a set of tires for track days that will fit on my 16" xlites. What sizes should I look at and what brands.

 

You've got a lot more choices if you're looking for a street tire that does pretty well at the track. Off the top of my head, choices in R-compounds in or close to Mini sizes in 16 and 17" seem to be limited. The closest in 16 seems to be 215/40/16 which Kumho makes their Victoracer 710.There's plenty of street tires like Bridgestone S03, Goodyear F1 GS-D3, and Kumho MX in 205/50/16. Opinions vary, but the MX's to seem to be a good economical choice.

Personally I'm leaning towards going to 15" for track use, much greater choices in R Compound, not to mention cheaper in terms of both wheel and tire cost. On my previous track car I've run Michelin Pilot Sport Cups which I loved both for their wear and handling, plus the fact that you could drive them to the track if you were relatively close and weren't expecting torrential rain.Very pricey though..

Minihune usually has excellent very detailed responses on posts like this, so you should probably hear from him sooner than later.

Good Luck,

Tom Der
2005 MCS Works
1991 M3
1990 535i

 

Correction. Tire Rack doesn't show Kumho MX in 205/50/16.

T

 

It really depends on your level of track experience, what your expecations are for wear vs. lap times, and whether you're going to drive to the track and back on them.

If you're relatively new (<15-20 track days) to high performance driving on a race track, I'd say stay with street tires for a while. R compound tires will let you go faster right away. But street tires will make you become a faster driver. It's tougher on the ego, but easier on the wallet :smile: . The R compound tires will cover deficiencies in your driving that could impede your progress as a driver. You can still go fast on street tires, but you'll have to be smoother and better to do it.

Another benefit is that when you do make the switch, the change in your lap times will be dramatic. Those who you were running with will now fall behind. Many of those who passed you before will not. In this case, delayed gratification will pay handsome rewards.

I advise my students to wait as long as they possibly can before moving to R compound tires. Spend the extra money on extra schools: making the driver faster is better than making the car faster. You'll be a better driver in every car you get in from now on!

Having said, I run on R compound tires. But, I waited until my 13th weekend to make the switch. And, I still run the occasional afternoon on street tires to help me stay sharp. This is just my approach.
When you do switch to R compound tires, you'll still have to balance lap times against wear qualities. Fortunately, MINI's are relatively light. But with the fronts doing all the turning and accelerating, and most of the decelerating, the front tires can take a beating. This is particularly true with a stock suspension.

So... some recommendations...

• Hoosier R3S04's are fast but wear pretty quickly. Also a little pricy for some. The 205/45/16 would also give a slightly lower gearing effect.
• Kumho Ecsta V700's are more affordable, wear longer, but not as quick. Also available in the 205/45/16.
• Yokohama A032R's are also affordable, but they're being phased out I think. They wear exceptionally well fora track tire, but they're not as fast as the others. We could use a 205/55/16. They'd be a bit tall, but I doubt it would be significant.
• Yokohama A048R's are new. Don't know much about them. Should be better than average in the rain at 6/32". They are not cheap, but they do come in a 195/50/16.
• Toyo RA-1's are a fantastic tire. They're a bit pricy, but they wear well. They're not the fastest, but they're very consistent. They're my personal favorite. Available in 205/55/16.

All but the Toyo's can be acquired by contacting Alex@TireRack.com. The Toyo's can be purchased from Vilven Tire @ 800-251-0017. Following their recommendations around shaving and/or heat cycling would be wise. Drinving to the track and back on them is OK for street tires and the better wearing R compounds, but it does shorten their useful life as track tires to a degree.

 

Good post eMINI.

I was about to get some R rated tires but a few people have told me to wait a bit, so I think I will since I'm still just a novice.
Now, ... what to do with the $1600 ?

 

Without question, Falken Azenis.

RT-215 (old style) available in:
205/55/16 - $77
215/45/16 - $98

RT-615 (new style) available in:
205/40/16 - $93

They don't need to be shaved, and will suit your needs well into the advanced level. I definitely agree that novice drivers shouldn't be buying R tires. In fact, most organizers strongly discourage, or even prohibit, novices from driving on race tires.

 

sanddan,
Your x-lites are 16x6.5" rims. What is your budget? How many track days do you want the tires to last for? Some tires are really high performance and last about one or two days while others are much more durable and last alot longer (like Toyo Ra-1 or Michelin Pilot sport cups (expensive!).

For low cost and good performance a good choice is the Falken Azenis sport
http://edgeracing.com/tire/666/
About $100 each and will barely fit on the x-lyte rim (that size tire is supposed to fit 7-8" wide rims).

In 205/55-16 at edgeracing you can find:
http://edgeracing.com/tire/665/
$79 each and perfect fit for 6.5" rim but a bit tall at 24.9" might rub on a lowered MINI. ok for use with a stock suspension MINI.No shaving needed.
or
http://edgeracing.com/tire/1122/
Toyo Ra-1 for $162 each, 8/32 tread depth is ideal for wet weather but for dry track conditions best results are with 4/32 tread depth

Otherwise street tires can be a good choice as eMINI mentioned. I agree with what eMINI wrote. Careful with new street tires- chunking of tread is a common result from too much heat when running on the track. Shaved tires means that some of the tread is shaved down to a lower level so that the tire handles the heat better and works better on the track. Shaving is done for some tires (some R compounds depending on tread depth when new, the Ra-1s but not usually for street tires).

For ideas and an opinion you can also talk to Alex@tirerack but tirerack doesn't carry Falkens or Toyo tires.

I have seen MINI runflats, Yokohama ES100s, Bridgestone Potenza S-03s all used on the track with good results (not as fast but OK at a reasonable price). Caution- MINIs with stock front camber will eat through all tires (on the outer edges of the outside front tire) in a jiffy when pressed to drive fast through corners on the track. (where did my rubber go and what are those cords doing there!)

 

Buy a set of lightweight 16x7in wheels instead of running the xlites. You can get a set of ROTA's for $500 shipped that weigh 13lbs. Then you can get yourself a set of Azenis, Kuhmo MX's, or the new Hankook RS2. You'll still have $500 in your pocket, get some camber plates.

 

My thoughts exactly! Kosei K1 TS might be worth a look also. Azenis, check. Camber plates or sway bars. Or spend it all on schools!

 

Of course, if I were going to buy new wheels it would be 15's. Tire savings alone would pay for the wheels.

 

JeffS brings up a good point. For performance purposes, the only good reason to go with a larger wheel is if you need it to accomodate bigger brakes. If you're running the stock calipers & rotors, 15's would be the ticket. They're lighter and cheaper, for both tires and wheels. And, it's easy to get a smaller rolling diameter/lower gearing and a lower center of gravity. For track stuff, this is a direction you may want to go.

On the other hand, if you have or will have a BBK, make sure your wheels/tires will be compatible.

In a nutshell, going with the smallest wheel required to accomodate the brakes is your best bet. You won't impress your friends with anything but your lap times. :smile:

 

Thanks to all for the extensive information! Since I am in the novice catagory, only 1 driving school so far, I guess I will stick to street tires for a while. I was going to add a BBK but decided to upgrade the stock system instead. I had ES100's on for the school and the fronts took quite a beating. If I stick to the stock 16" wheels for now what street tire would be better than the Yokohama's? The suspension setup so far is-

H-Sport springs, Maddness rear swaybar on the middle hole, H-Sport lower rear links with the camber set at 1.5 deg negative, stock front.

If adding camber plates, which brand based on street driving and 5 to 6 track days a year? What camber setting for the front to reduce the tire wear?

 

Already got all that stuff.




Just spent the $1600 and more on french doors for my new addition.
Wasn't that fun! ....

 

And one more thing: some track schools don't allow novice drivers to use R compound tires, for exactly the reasons that were pointed out earlier in this thread.

Neil
05 MCS
96 M3