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Track tires with symmetric tread pattern

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I am considering going to a tire with symmetric tread pattern ( so I can flip the tire on the rim -- pretty much doubling the tire life). I want to use stock BOSS sizes.

Looking at tire rack I only see two that seem to have such a pattern.
1. Hankook ventus v12 ev02
2. BFG g-force sport comp 2

Am I correct about these two?
Are there other choices?
Do any of y'all flip your tires?
What tire do you recommend?
Thanks
- Jim
 
I currently have the evo 2 on my mazdaspeed 3 and they are not symmetrical, there is a clear "Rotation ->" stamped on the side of them. They're also not that good... my friends and i went out and did some back roads driving, and granted we were getting it pretty hard, i was able to make the tires greasy and begin to understeer. This is with a 255 on my ~3200 lb, ~280 whp mazdaspeed3. I cant even imagine trying to push them on track, on a Boss.

FWIW, i started with a cold pressure of about 34, and when the car really started understeering i checked the pressure and it was about 42. They're a good street tire, but i wouldnt track them.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Convention is to cal them 'directional' tires. I like the R-S3, but have only used the older version. Being able to flip them on the rim was nice, and did extend their useful life. I think the new compound has silica in it for better wet traction. Not sure how it compares dry to the old version. Much better dry traction than the other two tires you mention.

EDIT: And they are both superceded by the new R-S4.
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
I used the Dunlop DZ 2, great tire for street and track, and using both sides makes them last a long time. Now it seems the Bridgestone R71R is the fastest TD200 tire. It looks like almost the same pattern as the Dunlop.

bs_potre71r_pdp124trd.jpg


You could go with 285/35-19 in the rear and 275/35-19 in the front on stock rims. I just stuck to 275/35-19 square, so I could flip and rotate. Those sizes fit fine and you get more rubber on the ground.
 
F.D. Sako said:
I've ran the older RS3s backwards when dry; Turn-in wasn't as direct, other than that, no issues.

Does, and / or could, running a tire the wrong way round have a negative impact on wear?
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
On my Dunlop DZ03 semi slicks I often an them "backwords" I contacted Dunlop Racing in the UK and asked about it, they said as long as its not wet then no problems.
 
F.D. Sako said:
The reason I ran it backwards was to even out the wear.

I see what you're saying, and i suppose that is exactly what i asked. What i meant however, was wear "rate?" As in would it accelerate the wear? I figure if they bother to mention it needs to run in "X" direction, there has to be some downside to running it the other way?
 
Thanks all.
OK -- Hankook Evo2 is a negative.
Could not find the others in BOSS sizes. Did I miss something there?
Mad Hatter - I do see Dunlop Direzza DZ102 in the sizes you mention and the diameter of the 275 x 30 is not too different from stock (Dunlop 26.6 vs stock 27. But the tread width is much wider. I prefer to stick with stock sizes so as not to upset the stock balance.
I also forgot to mention that the tires are double duty. I use them on the street, but also with many track miles (close to as many track miles as street miles).
No one mentioned the BFG sport comp-2.
Are they a viable option?
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
I think you need to let us know what your end goals are. Looks like your heading for a fair amount of track time.

If you want to track the car for your own enjoyment and to improve your driving while having fun.... I would go with something like a PSS that takes lots of abuse and is not slow.

If you want to be more competitive and go for a trophys etc then I would check the rules to see what your tire options are. Going to a none OEM tire will not wreck the balance, for me, the 255 fronts are not a good track choice and going to 275/35-19 upfront reduced understear and lap times. The 255 fronts are "grip challenged", and that means a trashed tire in no time at all!!

If you track a lot, you will end up going to a second set of 18" wheels, I tried to say no for a while, but if you want to win, you just have to.

Looking through tirerack, you can get 275/35-19 and 285/35-19
POTENZA RE-71R..... That would be probably the fastest set of tires you can get on your OEM wheels, but they want last long LOL!

If you start tracking the car, you will go down the slippery slope and become addicted to this Vice!!!
 
BFG Sport comp 2 was the tire Ford used on the Boss track attack school.

I ran them once on the front to replace the stock Pirelli. Wasn't too bad but that was when I just started doing HPDE.

For dual purpose the Michelin PSS looks like the better choice but $$$.
 
Mad Hatter said:
I think you need to let us know what your end goals are. Looks like your heading for a fair amount of track time.

If you want to track the car for your own enjoyment and to improve your driving while having fun.... I would go with something like a PSS that takes lots of abuse and is not slow.

If you want to be more competitive and go for a trophys etc then I would check the rules to see what your tire options are. Going to a none OEM tire will not wreck the balance, for me, the 255 fronts are not a good track choice and going to 275/35-19 upfront reduced understear and lap times. The 255 fronts are "grip challenged", and that means a trashed tire in no time at all!!

If you track a lot, you will end up going to a second set of 18" wheels, I tried to say no for a while, but if you want to win, you just have to.

Looking through tirerack, you can get 275/35-19 and 285/35-19
POTENZA RE-71R..... That would be probably the fastest set of tires you can get on your OEM wheels, but they want last long LOL!

If you start tracking the car, you will go down the slippery slope and become addicted to this Vice!!!

Dunno how fast they are (I don't consider myself to be a terribly fast driver), but the Bridgestone RE-11 seems to hold up nicely to track abuse and is also available in 285/35-19. I like them quite a lot, for what little that might be worth.




(Sent with Tapatalk, so apologies for the lackluster formatting)
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
I guess the easiest thing to improve on is sitting between the pedals and the wheel!! Every time I think I reached the limit of the car..... I am proved wrong, turns out it was me that was slowing it down. Its fun to make the corrections and see the results of all the tweeks, mechanical and Biological. As everybody told me a while back, seat time is number 1.

And for that the car has to run!! I saw that the conti DW tires are very reasonably priced tires as well. Remember to get camber plates. You can wreck a tire in a trackday without them.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Best OEM size double-duty tire IMO are the Super Sports. While they aren't directional like you mention in the first post, I think they would be better all around than any of the tires available in stock Boss sizes. Just manage the alignment, camber and track hot pressures. I've had one set since 2012 from the initial release that is still my street and backup rain set.

I only have limited experience with the Sport Comp2, but I would pass on them for track use. I used them at track attack on day 2 in the FR500S when it rained, and I had 275s on the GT for a bit. Worked okay in the rain, but was not impressed with dry grip. I'm sure they would have lasted a long time if I kept using them.

I'd also consider the yet to be released (3/1/17) PS4S, but the 255/40 fronts won't be available on the initial release. These will replace my Super Sports this spring.
 
Thanks for all the input. I do many HPDE days and don't plan on any competition. Currently use PSS and like them -- but they are expensive and the outside edge wears out quickly. So, I'm looking for something I can flip on the rim to double the life. Maybe the PSS can be flipped. Anyone done that with them? I do drive in the rain. (Will probably be raining at Barber this Sunday).

I will consider going to a 275 front. On the stock wheel will they not "roll over" on to the outside edge even worse than the 255s?
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
I think the roll over your talking about is the lack of camber... I have 275/35-19 street tires that I sometime use to get to know a track, They look almost new after many track days but thats because of 2.4 deg of neg camber up front. A set of camber plates will save you a lot of money on tires! Not to mention improve your lap times. With out camber plates you can easily kill any tire!

the 275's are fine on nine inch rims.
 
Mad Hatter said:
I think the roll over your talking about is the lack of camber... I have 275/35-19 street tires that I sometime use to get to know a track, They look almost new after many track days but thats because of 2.4 deg of neg camber up front. A set of camber plates will save you a lot of money on tires! Not to mention improve your lap times. With out camber plates you can easily kill any tire!

the 275's are fine on nine inch rims.
Thanks. I'll seriously consider the 275s. What tire pressure (hot) do you run in them?
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
38 psi hot, and the rears between 37 and 38psi, I ran them square. The PSS are nice until they get too hot then you just have to back off.
 

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