Anyone run Toyo RA1s? Do you have to shave them to avoid chunking?
11-13-2007, 02:31 PM
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
5 Posts
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
Anyone run Toyo RA1s? Do you have to shave them to avoid chunking?
Help... deciding between Nitto R2s or Toyo RA1s... I though these were pretty much the same tire?
My buddy who races w/ SCCA and is an instructor says RA1s are great, but:
Opinions?
My buddy who races w/ SCCA and is an instructor says RA1s are great, but:
If you dont shave a RA1 they will chunk and wear very fast. If you ask the guys at Toyo they will ask you how much the car weighs and try to say that if the car is < 2800lbs or so that it wont chunk...thats bull****. I know Spec Miata guys that have ruined a set of non-shaved RA1s. A good 4/32nd shaved RA1 will outlast a non-shaved anyday of the week.
Also, I'm a firm believer that a shaved RA1 will still provide more traction in the rain then any other tire unless there is standing water. I've never, ever had "rain tires" and the only time I went off due to no traction and conditions was Feb 06 when it was ****ing snowing and I took a late pass into roller coaster and just plain ****ed up. I loss traction under braking.
Toyo also just came out with that 888 that I'd like to try, but again, I'm scared to venture away from my tested RA1s.
Give me some feedback on those tires if you try them though. I may....may...buy NT01s or 888's next.
Also, I'm a firm believer that a shaved RA1 will still provide more traction in the rain then any other tire unless there is standing water. I've never, ever had "rain tires" and the only time I went off due to no traction and conditions was Feb 06 when it was ****ing snowing and I took a late pass into roller coaster and just plain ****ed up. I loss traction under braking.
Toyo also just came out with that 888 that I'd like to try, but again, I'm scared to venture away from my tested RA1s.
Give me some feedback on those tires if you try them though. I may....may...buy NT01s or 888's next.
11-13-2007, 03:03 PM
#3
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
5 Posts
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
FWIW the Panoz is 2500 lbs... I've been reading a bunch, I'm leaning toward tryin them at full depth and going from there. The Evo boards have a nice writeup: http://features.evolutionm.net/article.php?id=46
11-13-2007, 05:25 PM
#5
"AlohaC5" Senior Member
Brian, I highly recommend you shave the RA1s when tracking on dry surfaces; otherwise, you'll be "dancing" with the car in every corner. Unshaved RA1s make great rain tires, which is what I use mine for now. Mike
11-13-2007, 06:01 PM
#6
Drifting
Different car, class, speeds and weight, but in my Spec Miata race car, I shave the RA1s to 3/32's. If you don't shave them and are running them hard in the dry, they will chunk. As Red Gump and AlohaC5 said, full thread is great in the wet.
The RA1s are a excellent tire. They will take a lot of heat cycles. They won't drop off nearly as much like some other tires after 4-8 heat cycles.
Tom
The RA1s are a excellent tire. They will take a lot of heat cycles. They won't drop off nearly as much like some other tires after 4-8 heat cycles.
Tom
Last edited by Z Fast; 11-13-2007 at 06:52 PM. Reason: spell
11-13-2007, 06:05 PM
#7
Instructor
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: ga
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Shaved except for street use and/or as race rains! Full tread on a dry track equals crappy handling(squirmy) and will ruin the tire due to heat buildup and/or chunking portions of tread.
11-13-2007, 06:34 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
11-14-2007, 01:01 AM
#10
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
5 Posts
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
Dude you need to come check out the car 
I wish I could drive it around some 
I need to see the system you made for taking the Viper hood off yourself... the Panoz has a big one piece front clip.Guys... thanks for the input... I'll order them slightly shaved then.
11-14-2007, 10:17 AM
#12
Former Vendor
They will chunk. In a 45 minute WC race, with 20 minutes in a drying track, the chunked on the 87 car. The 28 car had shaved during that drying rain race.
They are the fastest on the mold release
( first 3 laps) They do, however, keep their grip until almost no wear indicators are visible provided they have less than 10-15 heatcycles.
The tread pattern is lacking for rain performance, in more than one way. Its not a rain tire, its a dry "DOT tire" that people are forced to run in the rain.
They are the fastest on the mold release
( first 3 laps) They do, however, keep their grip until almost no wear indicators are visible provided they have less than 10-15 heatcycles.The tread pattern is lacking for rain performance, in more than one way. Its not a rain tire, its a dry "DOT tire" that people are forced to run in the rain.
11-14-2007, 11:14 AM
#13
Instructor
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: ga
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Guys... thanks for the input... I'll order them slightly shaved then."
5 or 4/32's is the way to go--then run them one heat cycle, come in and remove for a day or so and they will be ready to go.
5 or 4/32's is the way to go--then run them one heat cycle, come in and remove for a day or so and they will be ready to go.
11-14-2007, 05:30 PM
#14
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Dec 2003
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 3,141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
11-14-2007, 07:30 PM
#16
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Apr 2005
Location: Cincinnati Ohio
Posts: 901
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
11-15-2007, 06:28 PM
#17
Safety Car
I've talked to a lot of locals who run them full depth without chunking issues (looks like others have had issues though). The main thing I hear is that they squirm at full depth. I ran NT-01's at full depth and didn't feel like they squirmed much, and they definitely didn't chunk. That's just one case of course. I believe L98terror also ran NT-01's without shaving...not 100% sure what his report is.
Last edited by BQuicksilver; 11-15-2007 at 06:47 PM.
