STANG KILLA SS

Been running 200TW tires (RS3, and Star Specs) and recently purchased Continental slicks (made by Hoosier i was told) from JB race tires.

anything i should know or be aware of with slicks thats differnet from 200TW tires?

also what about pressures? i typically found myself settling in at 37/36 lbs on the 200TW (3600lb car) should these be about the same or different?

i ran them at an autocross saturday, and other than response i wasnt that impressed with them.

but they will primarily be used for road course.

VGLNTE1

enjoy the new found grip, and watch the oil pressure.

C5 Hardtop

Let the tires heat up good on the first lap(s). Then you should be impressed or there is something wrong with them. An autocross course may not give you the opportunity to heat up the rubber.

FASTFATBOY

Start at around 24-25 psi and you want 31 hot. Take the first lap to 1.5 laps not slow but not fast either, put some heat in them and let them build pressure.

You probably won't reach any limits with them the first weekend, but when they do slip act quickly.

Entry speed and grip is way higher than you think so...less brake and more entry speed.

LOOK AHEAD!

Put as much camber in the front as you can, -2.3 to -2.8 if you can.

fmcokc

I agree with FASTFATBOY.

I would add that you are probably use to slip angles with the 200TW tires that you won't see with the slicks. They don't like a whole lot of slip angle.

Be ready to make some sway bar and shock adjustments.

froggy47

I would have been surprised if you liked them for autox, they are terrible autox tires. I use them for autox practice days or playing around with bmwcca when I am feeling "drifty".

Follow the other recommendations or talk to guys who use them at your track on heavy cars. For pressures.

Dan H.

I also just tried Hoosiers for the first time. My first timer notes would be:

1. Starting pressures were lower than with my previous 200 tw tires, want to say I was at 27psi cold on a6's.
2. My street tire track alignment was nowhere near enough negative camber. I'm running -1.8 degrees and corded the outside edge after 16 heat cycles.
3. Get ready to not go back, I had to run conti dw's at the glen after cording my hoosiers and I was bummed. I understand now why its called purple crack.
4. They pick up a ton of sclag in the pits, they will feel out of balance for half a lap or so.

Please note that I've only run one set, I'm a total newb. I bought scrubs from Pheonix and love these tires. I look forward to running them again in the future.
Enjoy, they are a ton of fun!!!!

c5racr1

Hoosiers are a r comp not a true slick.

Supercharged111

I thought the Contis were a meh slick, am I wrong? Why didn't you just go with a DOT legal R compound?

STANG KILLA SS

ill be honest im decently well versed on the 200TW tires, but dont really know jack about R compounds or slicks or even the difference in the two.

i was told to contact JB and tell them my rim size, tire size, and purpose and he would recomend me something. the Contis are what i got. (used)
i did mention i didnt need the stickiest slick as i assumed they would all be stickier than my 200TWs and wear life was a concern.

school me

Supercharged111

The way I understand it, slicks break loose a bit more violently and suck more when they've lost traction. DOT R comps act like a sticky street tire and tolerate shenanigans quite well. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here. I'll tell you from experience I can regain traction very smoothly with the Toyo RA1/RR and they're easy to deal with when they break loose too which, in a stick axle Camaro, is more than I'd prefer. If I'm smooth though, I can just mat the gas before the apex and it hunkers down, hooks, rotates, and shoots out the corner. When they're cycled out the car takes a bit more countersteering to negotiate the course.

FASTFATBOY

When those Conti's cord they will still be 2 seconds a lap faster than the 200TW tires.

I was 5 seconds a lap quicker on slicks vs a 200TW in my Z28.

After 2 weekends in the Z06 I am already at 6 seconds faster, with more seat time I see 8 seconds.

JeremyGSU

My suspension setup was as follows:

4 x 10.5" C5 Z rear wheels
Johnny O'Connell stage 1 sways
DRM shocks
track alignment
Continental GTI slick take offs

Prior to that I ran Nitto NT555 RII tires. Similiar to NT-01's.

I found the grip of the slicks to be better once warm, but after a few days of use they would be more back at the grip level of new R-comps. I chased a guy with brand new R888's at the track in a C6 Z and could hang but not catch him in the corners and he was on stock suspension.

I ran 21 front cold pressure and 20 rear. They liked low pressures. Anything higher than that when warm and they wouldn't stick well. I think it was around 28 hot.

Slicks can break easier and give little verbally warning but with enough experience and a good race seat you can feel when they start to break. Of course, I've got around 100 DE's under my belt and push the car pretty hard.

Slicks are definitely harder on your brakes. If you're on the stock brakes you might be happy with them with street tires or R-comps but once you go to slicks I went to an AP T1 kit and still wanted more brake. I ran XP20/XP10 or 12 setup with ducting, cooling, etc.

I always did near a full lap at Sebring before getting on it. They were definitely slippery when cold.

I would get used to them before going ***** to the wall. Build up lap for lap. If you're familiar with a corner in particular maybe push it in that one so you know how it responds compared to what you're used to.

Remember, there are a lot of variants of slicks so just because you went slick doesn't mean they are the most sticky. My buddy had two levels above me from Todd at GT Racing Tire and his were definitely more sticky but he also had a better suspension.

You'll notice the car roll more in the corners and dive more in the braking with slicks. I wanted coilovers but never went that direction once I went with slicks. When I just had R-comps I thought it stayed pretty flat. Noticeable difference.

At the end of the day it's hard to go wrong with take off slicks. I think they used to be about $550 per set and I would get 3-4 days with them. When I ran RII's I would get around 5 days on the rear and maybe 7 in the front. Not too much longer on the rears really and those were like $300 a piece.

Jeremy

STANG KILLA SS

thanks for taking the time! big help!
yeah the 200TW i was getting 5 weekends at $1100 to $1200 (6th weekend they werent holding anymore)

ill be curious what the $500 take off slicks get me. if i can get 2.5 weekends ill still be coming out ahead. he did mention these were near full tread.

ill try the lower psi. i do like the audible warning of at the limit of the 200TW, especially the RS3s
and ill have to make myself warm them up now. the 200TW were awesome on the first lap.

JeremyGSU

No problem. Just remember, the stickier the tire, the harder it will be on your car and the wear components. I also went through a lot of suspension bushings, tie rod ends, etc.

Good luck

STANG KILLA SS

thats a great point. ive heard horror stories that our hubs are notorious for breaking and your front wheel goes flying off.

Supercharged111

I don't know about all that. I mean they're garbage, but for me I just get a ton of knockback and a long pedal when a hub dies. I press my ARP studs out of that hub and into another junkyard hub and keep racing. Works for CMC, but the AI guys with big aero have to go aftermarket. You have 2 $1200 options. First is an adapter plate that allows you to run the good Corvette hubs and keep your ABS. Second is a spindle conversion with actual bearings that you set the preload on. The advantage here is its ability to be rebuilt with 1LE 3rd gen bearings. The downside is you lose ABS.

FASTFATBOY

Never heard this, not once really.

I buy the Oreilly's store Precision brand bearings. I buy one front and one rear. They have a 3 year warranty and I swap them out as needed.

Did this on the Camaro and the Z06.

PS: Make SURE you torque the front lower control arm adjuster bolts to 100ft lbs.

Hi Volts Z06

There are several different flavor Contis but all made by Hoosier. Some (most) of the compounds are actually pretty hard but hold grip well into a session as a pro sprint race is more like an amateur enduro (Time wise).

Most important things to note:

You need about (3) laps to fully up to temp and pressure.

On car as heavy as a Corvette you need to see about 36 lbs hot.

STANG KILLA SS

Hmm maybe ill start at 33 or so hot.

what are you guys using as tell tales to lower or increase psi?