DigitalWidgets

Thanks for the comments for me so far. Yes to be clear I have the Direzza II SS's on the front and some soon to be scrapped PSS's on the rear. So the mismatch is a problem that I've created for myself.

It took me a number of runs to figure out that the spins weren't a result of too much power through the turns. The spinning issue was solved once I figured that I needed to be done braking before starting turn in. Of course much of the problem is purely lack of skill on my part. As Sam said, "fronts writing a check the rears couldn't cash"...perfect analogy.

dhowdy: Yeah, I'll be running this setup for PCA this weekend (are you coming out?). Beyond that I'm thinking I've got to do something different on the rear before next SCCA event (I see you're coming to that!). I'll make the phone calls on the RS3's again, but Tire Rack says end of April, so I doubt that will be an option.

Until a solution for my circumstance surfaces...I'll be monitoring this thread closely!

talon95

Does TR still have the 325/19 RE11?

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...needed-as.html

Or maybe you want to wait to see if that guy starts writing bad checks too?

Xian

I *suspect* that the Z2SS will be a better match to the RE11 than it is to the PSS. Still, they'll drive differently and may require driver/setup changes to accommodate their differences. Only one way to find out though...

dhowdy

No, this weekend is actually the phase 1 evo school in AZ so I'll be there. Hoping to get over this cold I just picked up before this weekend. I'm trying to get into that March 7 practice since I'll be back for the pro. Signed up for March 8 but considering ditching and spending the day in SD.

Like talon said, RE-11 does appear to be available in your size on TR (I was just browsing to see available options). Didn't see any other real option, unless you wait for Rival S perhaps (except then you'd need to pick up 18" rears too based on current preliminary sizing).

speedwaywhite

Tire Rack was showing the 325/19 RE-11 in stock a couple days ago. I am currently on my 2nd set of RE-11's.(C-6 GS) I run mostly at Sebring and tires are delivering good wear and grip. When I heard that Bridgestone was dropping the front size for the GS, (Tire Rack was out last fall and didn't expect to have any). I bought 2 of the last three in the Bridgestone Tampa whse.
I don't understand the logic of dropping the front size and keeping the rear. Any thoughts on that out there?

Xian

Just a WAG but the size they're keeping sold in sufficient quantities for continued production to make economic sense. Now, why did it sell in higher quantities? I'd say it's likely that something else runs them (some 911's, M3's, possibly Mustangs) and most Vette's also go through rears faster than fronts so they sell in decent quantities. The fronts probably aren't shared with as many other cars and therefore sell in lower #'s. It's not like Bridgestone would have set out to intentionally "drop the front size for the C6"; just that it didn't make sales #'s.

talon95

You're talking about a 275/35/18? What about the 265/35/18? It's still listed. The C5Z came with a 265/40/17 with the same width wheel, so a 265 still probably makes ok sense (I know you don't really want to go down a size, but it would probably work about as good).

They are making the 275/35/18 in the RE-71R, but who knows how well that would work with the RE-11.

jking32

It may not look good for RS3's. I found this on the S2000 forum.

I think Tire Rack list the V2's in 285/35/18's out of stock until 4/30/15, as previously stated. I hope the Rival S is available in the right sizes before mid April...Anyone have feedback on using the new Star Spec on a C5?

theseal

I have to say, I mounted up the rs3's and I am very impressed as an all around tire.

Xian

I'm running a 255/40 17, 275/35 18 setup with the Z2 SS on a C5Z. This far, I've been impressed with the drivability and drip levels. Wear seems plenty acceptable too.

I wanted the RS3 but the Z2 is a little wider (275 Z2 vs 285 RS3) and since the Hankook is out of stock anyway. I've run them at 2 local events with a codriver and like them so far. They were pretty temp stable initially but we were able to get them to fall off a little at the last event after about 7 or 8 runs. It wasn't terrible but we're going to start spraying them from now one. I think it'll be a bigger deal once we get into the summer months.

The Rival may not be out by mid-April though it HAS to be out by the end of April in order to be legal for this year. I really, really want to try their big 18" size at the rear.

0SpeedFreaksUSA

We have plenty of 285/35R18 R-S3 V2 in stock and ready to ship for anyone interested

-Matt M.

talon95

One of the Tirerack guys posted on the sandbox forum mid to late April for the Rival S a few days ago. And that doesn't mean they will have sizes for us. Only need 6 by the end of April.

jking32

Thanks for the heads up, that will be helpful.

Yeah, I saw it. I am just going to be a little pressed for time as event #1 for KC is April 11th and 12th(with the test and tune) and event #2 is April 19th(if HPT stays afloat).

My Rivals last year were toast by the end of the season and I threw the Goodyear's back on until spring, but they are old and very scary, lots of tread left just hards as rocks, might as well be bricks...I will have to have something on before that first event or miss it, which I really would rather not do.

I guess it won't really matter, I will probably get the R-S3 V2's and make a decision before the divisional at Lincoln as to what is the right tire. There is slim to no chance they will have the S's out by then and nobody would have any idea if they are worth it or not yet anyway...

talon95

Well I plan to buy a set of Rival S's and test them against my 50-60 run RS3V2's whenever BFG finally gets around to making some tires.

BTW, although I'll very likely buy the 315/18's for my C5Z, just out of curiosity, has anyone tried jamming the 335/18 on to the stock 18x10.5 wheels? I wouldn't think this would be a good idea, but Sam's comment about going wider in the rear to soften the sidewall got me to wondering.

Xian

Which sizes are you going to use?

talon95

275/315 most likely

Xian

Cool deal.

IMO, the tough thing we're going to struggle with when comparing tires is the apples to oranges sizing options and then, even when it's the same size on paper, it's not necessarily the same size in the real world. For cars running a commonly available size, it'll be a way easier solution. This being said, my "plan" is to try running the 275/35 18 Z2SS on the front of the car. The tire is a little stretched on an 18x10.5 so I think it'll still be right at home on the front 18x9.5's. Then I'll shove the Rival-S onto the rear... probably in 315/30 18. I think 335/30 may be at the point of diminishing returns in overtiring and, though it may help the rear in getting power down, I'd be concerned that it would get squishy and imprecise.

Edit & PS:
I still wonder about the 305/30 19 RS3v2 on the rear but I'm not buying 19's just to test them.

dhowdy

I know a guy locally that did this with the old Rivals. I don't really remember how much they buldged and he hasn't been out recently, but they will fit.

I don't see why this matters. We're not trying to find the best tire compound, just the best available tire options for our car. Pick the best available size(s) of the best available tires and make your determination based on that. Saying for example that tire X would be better than tire Y if I could order it in the same size is irrelevant.

Xian

It matters because it makes it tougher to extrapolate from other folks testing. i.e. It's cool if the 275/35 RS3 is faster than the same size Rival-S but it's not conclusive since there are wider Rival-S sizes available.

jking32

But why does it matter if you can't buy the same size because they don't make it? I mean it would be great if all the tire companies made all the same sizes to do the kind of comparison you seem to be referring to, but since they don't, it seems pointless.

My goal is to find the tire that lets me go the quickest, as is the point of this discussion. It does not amount to a hill of beans to contemplate what would happen if the R-S3 came in a 315/35/18, because it doesn't. Is the wider Rival faster than the thinner Hankook? The answer, I think most would agree, is no. With the new tire compound, if the Rival is quicker than the Hankook regardless of what size it is, that is what I would choose.