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Falken Azenis RT-615K anyone run these?

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Boomerstoys

Keep the shiny side up & the rubber side down!
Been doing a bunch of reading on this any other forums and received helpful information from a couple of forum members, Thanks Bill.

I came across this tire when looking for rubber that will fit the Forgestar 18x10 wheel. The size that I'm really interested in is the 295/40/18. These will fit on a 10" rim and the O.D. is 27.2 with 763 rotations per mile. This is dam close to the stock fronts and a little under the stock rears. My concern here is braking & ABS not speedo.

Don't want to do Hoosers since I don't get the opportunity to track often enough to justify their cost.

I've never run Falkens and know nothing about this tire but their site has an interesting video that show these new tires on a Mustang GT: http://www.falkentire.com/Tires/Azenis-RT-615K-14

They don't say what wheel/tire sizes were used for their test but they gained a full second on their lap time.

Anyone have personal knowledge of these tires?

Cheers!
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
They're OK, if you want a track tire you'd be better off with a Nitto NT01 or Hoosier R6. However if they are primarily for street, they could be good for you. Other tires you may want to check out for street use and occasional track days would be the Dunlop Star Spec, Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, or Hankook Ventus V12.
 

JScheier

Too Hot for the Boss!
Honestly, I wouldn't put them on my worst enemies car. They don't handle heat well, they couldn't take the weight of my E36 M3, they were terrible in the rain and noisy.

Many better options out there competing for your $$$.
 
I autocross a 2010 GT with Hankook RS3. They seem to handle heat well, which can be a problem on cars of our weight class. I co-drive the car, so we put a lot of heat in RS3s and they have held up well. I'm considering them for my track/street tire on my Boss.
 

JScheier

Too Hot for the Boss!
HackBoss302 said:
I autocross a 2010 GT with Hankook RS3. They seem to handle heat well, which can be a problem on cars of our weight class. I co-drive the car, so we put a lot of heat in RS3s and they have held up well. I'm considering them for my track/street tire on my Boss.

^^^I run these on the track (285/35/18) and they have finally heat-cycled out. Still lots of tread left, so I'll run them on the street now.
 

zzyzx

Steve
299
0
JScheier - So, what are you running now?

The 615s supposedly take heat better than the original Azenis. However, this was experience on a much lighter car...

Direzzas are out, as the largest width on those is 275.

It's really too bad 295/40/18 isn't offered in the Direzzas, as that's an almost ideal diameter.

R-S3s are good tires and take heat well as mentioned previously, but if I ran them, I'd try to go 305 on all four corners. I really wouldn't want the even shorter gearing of a 285/35/18 over stock.

It's looking more and more like something from Bridgestone or Michelin might be the best choice.
 
JScheier said:
Honestly, I wouldn't put them on my worst enemies car. They don't handle heat well, they couldn't take the weight of my E36 M3, they were terrible in the rain and noisy.

Many better options out there competing for your $$$.
Good summary. I bought a set for my GT500 and was told they were a great street/track tire. I looped the car the first time I tried to push them and on the track they were like running in the rain. I was completely underwhelmed.
 
JScheier said:
HackBoss302 said:
I autocross a 2010 GT with Hankook RS3. They seem to handle heat well, which can be a problem on cars of our weight class. I co-drive the car, so we put a lot of heat in RS3s and they have held up well. I'm considering them for my track/street tire on my Boss.

^^^I run these on the track (285/35/18) and they have finally heat-cycled out. Still lots of tread left, so I'll run them on the street now.

Might as well have them shaved when you install them then. My 888s on my track car heat cycled to the point of splitting and starting to delaminate and still had some tread left, since I started unshaved. That was 3 years of track days and many spirited mountain runs, but on a much lighter car. Shaving also stops a lot of the chunking issues that track tires have the first dozen sessions. Just don't use them in the rain.
 

JScheier

Too Hot for the Boss!
zzyzx said:
JScheier - So, what are you running now?

Hmmm... what am I running now:

1. Hankook RS-3s on 18x9.5 SVT wheels in a 285x35x18
2. Continental GTOs on 18x10 Vorshlag D-Force wheels in a 305/650/18
3. OEM Pirellis on OEM wheels (the suck)

Hankooks made it through many, many track days. They were sticky enough to take second in the auto-x at the first annual Mustang Roundup in Hastings. If someone on Hoosiers hadn't made more runs, they probably were good enough for first ;). The 285 is pretty short, so gearing is affected.

The Continentals are just a touch pinched on the 18x10s. In a 650 they are right at OEM revolutions / height. No fitment issues (and no spacers needed) with this setup on OEM suspension. I have even more room now with my AST coil-over setup (60mm springs).

OEM Pirellis were OK for a single lapping day, but give up MANY seconds a lap to the Hankooks and at least a week to the Continentals.
 

OLOABoss

AKA OLOABoss
Except for the fact they are short the 295/30 18 Yokohama AD08 is also a very good tire, likes heat like the RS-3 and is better in the wet. Michelin PSS in 285/35 18 is also a good choice, awesome wet tire and very good in the dry. There is a reason 90% of the One Lap of America run the PSS. ;)

Peter
 

JScheier

Too Hot for the Boss!
If any of those 3 manufacturers would make a 40 series I would be flat-broke!

FWIW, I love the AD08 (and it's predecessor AD07). Awesome tires and can REALLY take abuse!
 
JScheier said:
FWIW, I love the AD08 (and it's predecessor AD07). Awesome tires and can REALLY take abuse!

+1,

JScheier do you know how many heat cycles you put on the RS3s before they went south? For autocross they seem to need 5 or so events before they reach peak grip (12 to 15 runs per event) and seem to hold that level of grip for the remainder of the season.
 

JScheier

Too Hot for the Boss!
HackBoss302 said:
JScheier do you know how many heat cycles you put on the RS3s before they went south? For autocross they seem to need 5 or so events before they reach peak grip (12 to 15 runs per event) and seem to hold that level of grip for the remainder of the season.

Not 100% sure on the number of cycles. I picked them up about a year ago, and they are just now dead. Probably put 5-6 hard weekends of track on them... with some commute as well (to / from the track). Weekend = 8+ 20 minute sessions so probably 40 sessions?

The RS3 does take some time to get the mold release off. Usually can get them scrubbed in on a one-day track event (4-20 minute sessions). You'll feel them start coming in with each successive session.
 

Boomerstoys

Keep the shiny side up & the rubber side down!
Lot's of good info here and I really appreciate it. Just believe I have to get the OD and RPM as close as possible to stock and it seems the 275/35/18's don't quite meet that spec.

Has anyone used the Nitto NT 05 in 275/40/18. Seems this is a good intermediate tire and the Nitto NT 01 and Toyo 888's (R-comps) also come in the 275/40/18 size. I'm trying to get a tire that I can drive on to Laguna from Seattle and don't want to put up with the noise & wear on the R-comps.

Thought about trying to load wheels & tires in the Boss, but I doubt that I could get 4 wheels & tires, plus jack, stands, track box, tools, and other stuff in the car for the trip. Has anyone loaded track wheels & tires in their car for track days? This is the time I wish I had a truck & trailer, then this wouldn't be an issue.

Thoughts?

Cheers!
 

JScheier

Too Hot for the Boss!
Are you only wanting a street tire or dual purpose?

Finding an 18" tire that meets the OEM height requirement and is 'decent' on the track is darn-near impossible. the 275x40x18 comes the closest to OEM revolutions.... but is more narrow than the rear OEM tire.

Most of the 'track-able' street tires only come in a 35 series, which makes their height difference vs. OEM almost an inch. I ran the 285x35s without issue. I had to shift to 5th on some longer tracks and my MPH was off, but other than that, no issues. Well, I do think the 35s look stupid at OEM ride-height... but if you are passing everyone, who cares what you look like :)
 
Boomerstoys said:
Has anyone used the Nitto NT 05 in 275/40/18. Thoughts?

Cheers!
There are a few members running those tires either in a square or staggered setup with the 295/35/18 rears. They seem like a viable option for street/track tires.
 

Boomerstoys

Keep the shiny side up & the rubber side down!
JScheier, for now a dual purpose. I'm keeping my stock wheels & tires but would like to avoid running these again or trying to get "track tires" on 18" wheels since I don't like driving on the street with these tires, particularly in the wet. This wouldn't be a problem if I knew for sure that I could get everything in the car. Then I could drive on my stock wheels & just switch out to the track wheels & tires at the track.

If I knew I could remove the back seats and strap 3 wheels in the back seat area & put the remaining wheel/tire in the spare area and stack the rest of the stuff around it, I'd be fine. I may just have to buy the wheels & tires then start seeing if everything will fit.

I've pretty much made up my mind on the Forgestar wheels, 18x10, but can't seem to find a tire that I'm really confortable with that I can drive to & from a track with. With local tracks I'm fine with but I'm heading to Laguna in Sept. and I don't want to drive there on Nitto NT 01's. I'll also face this again in Oct. when I'll head over to Oregon Raceway Park, about 4 hours from Seattle. Portland is another track that is 2.5 hours away. Pacific & The Ridge are a piece of cake, 40 mins & 1.5 hours.

With my previous car, (MCS R56) this was never an issue. 4 wheels & tires could fit right across the rear seat area with the back seats removed and you could strap them down so they were nice and secure while still have room for all the other usual track equipment.

If I could find out if others have been successfull in loading their car my problem would be solved! I'd get the Forgestar's and the Nitto NT 01 and be done with it.

Thanks for you help!

Cheers!
 

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