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Hankook RS4's

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Bill Pemberton

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Cornerz.............RS4s were the darling of " Endurance Racers " and HPDEs , but they are offered in very few sizes now and are not on the radar for the future since nothing is really in the proper Mustang sizes. The new Continental Extreme Force was designed by Conti/ Hoosier to be a fast , solid replacement and some folks seem are also getting decent results from the RT660 Falken. I know the rules for tires is specific to AMP, so you would want to check there , but depending on your specifics there are a lot of choices in the 200 TWR category. With your Province's weather some are decent in the rain and others are similar to ice skating against you most hated Hockey Team.
 
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What size and wheel fitment are you running? I'm on the hunt for a track day setup for my 07 GT.
18x9 255/35F & 18x10 295/35R these tires like the heat which is fine living in Tx. When I ran them back in Jan they never could get up to full grip. I don't think any of the 200 tw tires really could perform that well when it's cold & wet. Still did better than my Falken 615's did in similar conditions.
 
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Bill Pemberton

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The RS4s had a solid reputation, but I would not suggest anyone on TMO to move towards them anymore, as the sizes available ( according to TireRack ) are three sizes in 19s , with a 275 width the largest. This tire has essentially been phased out so trying to replace them will be impossible very soon. Keep in mind the shipping situation Worldwide and even though this has been proven to be a solid endurance tire, buying them now has huge issues and it even appears it will not be sold back in the US for the immediate future. There are solid choices that are similar with the Continental Extreme Force , the Falken RT660 and possibly the BFG Rival S 1.5 ( not very good in the rain ).

Just a quick advisement ,because shortages are more common than in the past, and tires have always had a bit of this problem in the performance arena, since Trackrats are astute and gravitate to the newest hot ticket faster than the normal consumer --- yes, we be astute , intelligent, and much more aware than normal humans!!
 
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I was not able to find the RS4's in Arizona but Hankookmotorsports.com has quite a few sizes available. They have the 305 in the 19s and up to 295 in the 18s. They had them to my door within a few days.
 
I'm struggling to find any track day tire for my 2012 Boss 302 with the stock 19" staggered width wheels. I'm still running Potenza S04's because while I'm very experienced on track, I was pretty happy with my cornering ability and wanted to limit cornering speed with a passenger in the car, which is typical for me. I wasn't so happy with my brakes.
Then I went and upgraded the brakes to crazy powerful: Running the AP Racing Radi-Cal 6-piston along with magical Ferodo DS3.12 pads. Now I can finally haul this thing down but only by giving the ABS fits. No ABS upgrade available anymore so I must do something about tire grip. Old posts on TMO usually point to tires that are no longer available. Any functional suggestion would be welcome.
 

Bill Pemberton

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Hankooks seem to be back in decent numbers and sizes after shortages and you can check them out through TireRack ( link on TMO). Other choices are the Continental Extreme Force which Hoosier/Continental came out with for the HPDE and Endurance racing drivers that the RS-4 seemed to have it's market based on. The Falken RT660 is another place you can try and it is also a solid autocross tire.
 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
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Not what you want to hear but. 18” wheels square with spacers up front will get you into better tires and allow you to rotate saving bucks when tracking your ride. Takeoff are available in the $125-150 range plus shipping. A great cheap alternative if you have a set of track wheels.
If you are running stock width tires with those high end brakes, expect to live in ABS hell. You need some meat up front to get any return on your brake upgrade investment.
 

Bill Pemberton

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Supercar 3s are one of the hot tickets now, though if you want longevity for HPDEs that is the way to go, and not the 3Rs which are really fast, solid choice for Time Trials ( but they wear quickly ).
 
Sorry for the stupid question here. I do HPDE, no autocross. I hear that a tire that's good for autocross may not be the best for HPDE and vice versa. Does this statement sound true and which 200 TW tire is recommended for HPDE?

I am stuck with staggered 19's with no chance of going to 18. Currently I use Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, 275/35 (f) and 305/30(r).
 

Bill Pemberton

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There are tires that are reasonable for both, and though it is not always the case, many tires are more dedicated to one type of automotive event than others.

For HPDEs I would view the Continental Extreme Force, Hankook RS-4, Goodyear F1 Supercar 3 ( not the R ), and the Falken RT660. Some folks even run the 615K, but it is not as responsive as the RT660 and quite a few drivers I know are not fond of it's transition and feedback. There are other options as TMS noted, but they involve another set of wheels.

Surprisingly the PS4Ss are quicker or equal to quite a few track oriented tires and to start you may just want to keep those rubber donuts on the car, as I am assuming the wheels they are on are the only set you have?
 
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Sorry for the stupid question here. I do HPDE, no autocross. I hear that a tire that's good for autocross may not be the best for HPDE and vice versa. Does this statement sound true and which 200 TW tire is recommended for HPDE?

I am stuck with staggered 19's with no chance of going to 18. Currently I use Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, 275/35 (f) and 305/30(r).
I would recommend the Continental Extreme Contact Force. They appear a bit high priced on initial comparison, but they pay off in the long run with really good wear and solid pace through the life of the tire. Good selection in 19’s as well. The only drawback that I can think of is the directional tread pattern with a staggered setup eliminates any rotation. That’s where the Goodyear SuperCar 3’s may be a bit better option.
 
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