BFG g-Force Rival Track Use Info

[suprmn]

Sorry for the delay on responding to feedback on the BFG G-Force Rivals.

I had a partial track day. I got in one 20-minute session and a 30-minute session during this time. We were with a club that rented out the track and was trying to get members certified to race on the road course......so it was not an open day like a "Fast Friday"

My review of the Rivals are only compared to the OEM tires. I can definitely say they are 10 times better than the Pirelli's. What I noticed was it gave me more of a bite into and around the corners. It also gave me great feedback as they heated up.

The weather on Saturday was in the low 90's and they never really got "greasy" or "loose." The only time I noticed some movement was near the end of my 30-minute session.....then they would slide a little.

Changing to the MGW shifter, and Eibach Pro Springs was also an improvement to the stock set up. I only wish I had a lap timer to see the lowered lap times as I know it improved from the last time I was at the track.

I am fully satisfied with the BFgoodrich G-force Rivals and would recommend them if your looking for something that is not a R-compound tire. My next attempt at tires will be the used Conti's and see how they run in comparison to these. I've never ran a R-compound tire so who knows.

 

[DEye]

Yes that's normal and why most install an adjustable panhard bar to recenter the axle. I look forward to reading your impressions of the tires. I'll also use the exact tire/wheel combo as you.

Fully understand a deliberate rational approach....although my wife has her doubts!! ;D

A PHB is about the only way to center up the rear diff unless you jump to a Watts Link system. Having a stock bar will do no harm. This is definitely an item which could be added later. Several sources often run sales on suspension items. Could be a way to save a few bucks.

Not being an engineer, but I'm thinking if the rear axel is now shifted one way that means the body shifted the other way, resulting in shift in the cars "center" or pivot point, shouldn't this result in a significant change in the way the car handles ?

 

[cosm3os]

How many track days are guys getting out of these? Are they susceptible to heat cycling (I don't care about lap times, but it'd be nice if they don't become undrivable after x number of cyles). Thanks.

 

[HackBoss2901]

How many track days are guys getting out of these? Are they susceptible to heat cycling (I don't care about lap times, but it'd be nice if they don't become undrivable after x number of cyles). Thanks.

From my experience all tires lose grip as they are heat cycled. Some more than others, but for the most part after the first track day, each additional day/cycle results in less grip. With that said the Rival was developed for Autocross so they should hold up well to heat cycles, but every tire has a limit.

 

[loco pantelonez]

Here is my BFG rival review. I have stock suspension minus the rear sway bar and -2.0 degrees of camber in the front. I just got some 18x9.5 Enkei NT03's and I am running 275/35-18 at all four corners.

Street
The rivals are surprisingly compliant on the street, there is not that much noise when driving on the highway. The sidewalls feel a little softer than AD08's and about the same as NT05's. I have driven the car less than 1000 miles on the car so I don't know how long they will last. The tires grip harder than any other tires that I have had (NT05, RT 615, AD08) and they are more linear at the limits than any of the other tires. You can get away with quite a lot with out them making noise.


Track
I have only done one autox and a few mountain passes with these tires. Again they grip much better than any tire I have had before, but I have yet to sample r comp or slicks yet. I really like these tires at the limit. They make plenty of noise yet they are very forgiving in going beyond the limits. It is hard to feel them gripping less when you go beyond the limits. I ran my last autox with ABS disabled (this is my first car with ABS so I'm used to it somewhat) and these tires impressed me quite a lot. I was finally able to haul ass without the traction control killing my fun and turning back on to kill my fast runs. My only complaint with the tire is it sticks too much when you are sliding. In other words it was hard to tell when I was locking up the front tires as it felt like I was slowing down almost just the same as when they didn't lock up. I ran the tires around 36 psi hot during the autox.

Here is a video of the autocross I went to.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=IzcFjPFTWW8[/youtube]

Here was my competition (Blu Balz).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF9LWs8tpX8

I got the fastest time of the day 3 times (48.6, 48.000, 47.5) then Blu Balz got a 47.1 during practice. They haven't released the official timed runs, but I got a 47.6 and I don't think that Blu Balz got a good time during the two official timed runs. He did get a 46.5 later in the day during fun runs.

Another video of the autox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZLM5RE9DtQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[VoodooBoss]

Thanks for the review and nice driving.

 

[loco pantelonez]

Here are some more pictures...

 

[boro92]

WOW
That is a crazy amount of grip.
It hangs on hard even when it begins to wash out. And I'm astonished at how much steering angle you can give it at that velocity, and the front end still listens!
These rubbers look to be reallllllllllllly good stuff.

 

[Grant 302]

Hey Loco- Thanks for the update and review. Would love to see how they're wearing in...if you can make it out to Cars n Coffee again.

 

[Swiss Boss]

Here's my review of the BFG Rival.

I have the 295/35R18 all around on team dynamic wheel with Strano sway bars to compensate for going square. I'm also on P spring with KB panhard bar, LCA and relo bracket.
I'm running at Putnam Park with 5x 30min a day.

The setting were rear bar full soft, front bar medium, damper rear 4 and damper front 5. Advance track completely off

First thing first, let me tell you that I dropped 3 second around the the track by going with this tire and the sway bars.
There is no comparison possible with the Pirelli. None.

There is so much more grip that's impressive. Now coming out off a turn I can just slam the throttle to the floor and it will hook.
If it's too much just back a little bit and it's fine. If I was doing that before I would just spin around and go off track.

The feedback from the tires is also great. It's easy to tell when you are approaching the limit off the tire and if you step over the limit there is still a lot of grip to get back on track, unless you are doing something crazy of course

It's still a street tire so they do get greasy after 15-20min but even then, they still have more grip than the Pirelli.

They also wear like iron. I only got some shoulder wear but the rest look fine. I will try to get 5-6 day out of a set.

This is my best mod so far and if I have to do it ever again that will be my very first mod before everything else

 

[VoodooBoss]

Thanks for the update. I'll get one more track day out of my Hankook RS3's in a week and will mount a set of the Rival's for next year's track season.

 

[Fat Boss]

Has anyone mounted a set of the 295/35/18's on the SVE Drifts yet? I'm curious about clearance with the brake ducts.

 

[forcefedcobra]

Has anyone mounted a set of the 295/35/18's on the SVE Drifts yet? I'm curious about clearance with the brake ducts.

I've got a full set of 18x10 drifts sitting in the garage and I'm waiting on steve's brake cooling kit to show up. my buddy who owns a tire place is supposed to order me a full set of these tires. he was told they discontinued 295/35/18. he was going to look into it more and hopefully get me some info mon/tues so I can get something headed this way.

 

[VoodooBoss]

I've got a full set of 18x10 drifts sitting in the garage and I'm waiting on steve's brake cooling kit to show up. my buddy who owns a tire place is supposed to order me a full set of these tires. he was told they discontinued 295/35/18. he was going to look into it more and hopefully get me some info mon/tues so I can get something headed this way.

I don't think that's correct. The BFG website shows them as available and Tire Rack has them in stock. The 19" sizes for our cars are showing as unavailable.

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/category/sports-performance-tires/g-force-rival/tire-details#techspecs

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+Rival&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=935WR8GFR&tab=Specs

 

[forcefedcobra]

I don't think that's correct. The BFG website shows them as available and Tire Rack has them in stock. The 19" sizes for our cars are showing as unavailable.

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tire-selector/category/sports-performance-tires/g-force-rival/tire-details#techspecs

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+Rival&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=935WR8GFR&tab=Specs

that's exactly what I told him. He figured their rep probably just got confused and was going to do some more digging. I'll text him later and see if he found anything out. I need to order tpm sensors and some other things before I'll be able to mount the tires anyway but still want to get everything headed this way since snow has finally melted.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Many of us have ordered sensors from this seller with good luck. You DO NOT need a programming device.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171100861211?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[forcefedcobra]

Many of us have ordered sensors from this seller with good luck. You DO NOT need a programming device.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171100861211?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

WOW! That's cheap. even cheaper than my dealer pricing on them. Thanks!

 

[forcefedcobra]

talked to my friend today. he found out that these are exclusive to tire rack so he is getting me a set through them. should be here soon. ordered the tpms from the link thanks to nfsboss.