How long are your track day tires lasting?

[sackofcheese]

I had looked at this chart and wondered how well it applies to FWD setups like the FL5.

Example: I found that on my Lotus Evora, PS4S tires lasted much longer than Cup 2. The chart says AAA for the PS4S and A for the Cup 2 so it matches my experience.

On the FL5 the PS4S survived for one track day on the one tire. Negative camber is needed for sure, but is the softer sidewall of the PS4S partly to blame here? Would it receive the same wear rating with the unique demands of FWD?

I would argue the wear results will be the roughly same regardless of application when comparing tire to tire as long as the control variable (Car set up and track) stays the same. On our cars the fronts will obviously wear faster than the rears, and my FK8 is way harder on the tires compared to my Miata. Comparing tire to tire on my Miata, with the rest of the car set up being the same, this guide matches up with my experience. I just got my first set of 200tws the civic so I can't fully compare how the tires wear between the cars.

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[CG13]

I would argue the wear results will be the roughly same regardless of application when comparing tire to tire as long as the control variable (Car set up and track) stays the same. On our cars the fronts will obviously wear faster than the rears, and my FK8 is way harder on the tires compared to my Miata. Comparing tire to tire on my Miata, with the rest of the car set up being the same, this guide matches up with my experience. I just got my first set of 200tws the civic so I can't fully compare how the tires wear between the cars.

I thought this would be the case as well, but if the sidewall stiffness is a key variable for front wheels with stock camber (-1.5 deg), it could be that certain tire types wear better with that setup.

What surprised me about losing the driver’s front in one day (6 sessions) was that my previous, OEM set of PS4 DT1 spec tires gave me 18 total sessions between the four tires (including rotations).

I’m not sure if the DT1 spec OEM tires are different than the non-DT1 replacements or if it’s simply that the combination of more consistently fast laps with the stock camber and not rotating through so many sessions in one day did the tire in.

I’m going to stick with OEM wheel size, put the fronts at -3 deg, and either go to a PS4 Cup 2 H0, the Toyo R888R, or possibly a 275/35R19 Kumho V730.

 

[iforgettopee]

don't get Toyo R888R's

there's a reason why people get laughed at for running these at track days... just sayin'

 

[CG13]

don't get Toyo R888R's

there's a reason why people get laughed at for running these at track days... just sayin'

Fill me in. I’ve never run them.

 

[iforgettopee]

to keep it objective: R888R's are an old tire and there are much better options available these days

My hot takes:

in the 200TW: the RE71RS is a top choice if you want to spend the money
A052 is fast, but wears fast.
Cup 2 is great but it's expensive and wears fast - it seems like the people who run this tire have no choice due to the sizes they need (like 19in & 20in) - same with the SuperCar 3/3R (Porsches, Corvettes, etc)

One of my personal favorites is the V730 because it's cheap and lasts long. I like that it performs like an endurance tire: takes an extra lap to warm up, but never drops off or gets greasy - It's easily 1sec slower than the fast tires though, thats your trade off for better wear. I also like that this tire "talks" to you - it makes noise when you're scrubbing.
(CRS does not make noise and it's why I personally dislike them. They grip until they don't and try to kill you.)

RT600+ is another great option that just came out. Falken improved on the RT660 and made the tire lighter weight - any reduction in tire mass is good since the RT600 was known to be a heavy tire.

If you're still learning, you might be better off going with a tire that has good wear characteristics - otherwise you'll go through tires fast and won't realize full benefits of the fastest tires. (or go with your stock PS4S tires until they fall apart)

tires that wear slowly: V730, N'Fera Sport R, (ExtremeContact Force*, RS4*)=not many ppl I know like these last two tires...

 

[CG13]

to keep it objective: R888R's are an old tire and there are much better options available these days

My hot takes:

in the 200TW: the RE71RS is a top choice if you want to spend the money
A052 is fast, but wears fast.
Cup 2 is great but it's expensive and wears fast - it seems like the people who run this tire have no choice due to the sizes they need (like 19in & 20in) - same with the SuperCar 3/3R (Porsches, Corvettes, etc)

One of my personal favorites is the V730 because it's cheap and lasts long. I like that it performs like an endurance tire: takes an extra lap to warm up, but never drops off or gets greasy - It's easily 1sec slower than the fast tires though, thats your trade off for better wear. I also like that this tire "talks" to you - it makes noise when you're scrubbing.
(CRS does not make noise and it's why I personally dislike them. They grip until they don't and try to kill you.)

RT600+ is another great option that just came out.

If you're still learning, you might be better off going with a tire that has good wear characteristics - otherwise you'll go through tires fast and won't realize full benefits of the fastest tires. (or go with your stock PS4S tires until they fall apart)

tires that wear slowly: V730, N'Fera Sport R, (ExtremeContact Force*, RS4*)=not many ppl I know like these last two tires...

I like the idea of the V730s but they don’t come in 265/30R19 so I’d either have to do the 255/35R19 or 275/35R19. Have you fit them on the OEM wheel size?

I’d rather not go with PS4S again though maybe the camber change will be enough to change my opinion.

I’m not learning, just new to this car.

 

[iforgettopee]

unfortunately, not a lot of good options in the OEM tire size range... they're all very expensive too.

I have not tried using the OEM wheels for track - they're quite heavy and due to the limited tires available, I probably won't even put new tires on them when they wear out.

it's probably not what you want to hear, but there's a lot of benefits going to an 18inch wheel - especially if the car will see a lot of track time.

 

[CG13]

unfortunately, not a lot of good options in the OEM tire size range... they're all very expensive too.

I have not tried using the OEM wheels for track - they're quite heavy and due to the limited tires available, I probably won't even put new tires on them when they wear out.

it's probably not what you want to hear, but there's a lot of benefits going to an 18inch wheel - especially if the car will see a lot of track time.

I had a weak moment and ordered the Honda forged wheels in OEM size so I’m committed at this point.

I’ve read the V730s fit with stock suspension and OEM wheels. The mounted width is listed as only 0.2” wider than PS4S but obviously diameter is quite a bit larger (1.3”).

 

[Club Version]

I like the idea of the V730s but they don’t come in 265/30R19 so I’d either have to do the 255/35R19 or 275/35R19. Have you fit them on the OEM wheel size?

I’d rather not go with PS4S again though maybe the camber change will be enough to change my opinion.

I’m not learning, just new to this car.

255 35 19 works extremely well on a 9.5” wheel.

 

[sackofcheese]

Fill me in. I’ve never run them.

In GRM Testing R888Rs are slower than all of the current 200tws, while being worse in the rain, wear faster, and not legal for any "Street" classing in competition since they're 100tw. Are the Toyo Proxes R888R, RR and Nitto NT01 still competitive? | Articles | Grassroots Motorsports

 

[sackofcheese]

I thought this would be the case as well, but if the sidewall stiffness is a key variable for front wheels with stock camber (-1.5 deg), it could be that certain tire types wear better with that setup.

What surprised me about losing the driver’s front in one day (6 sessions) was that my previous, OEM set of PS4 DT1 spec tires gave me 18 total sessions between the four tires (including rotations).

I’m not sure if the DT1 spec OEM tires are different than the non-DT1 replacements or if it’s simply that the combination of more consistently fast laps with the stock camber and not rotating through so many sessions in one day did the tire in.

I’m going to stick with OEM wheel size, put the fronts at -3 deg, and either go to a PS4 Cup 2 H0, the Toyo R888R, or possibly a 275/35R19 Kumho V730.

I'd personally just bump up to a 265/35/19 since there are a ton of options in that size. I am running that size Vitour P1 on FL5 wheels on my FK8.

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