ninety4formula

Hey guys I am looking to purchase some autocross tires. I have my stock 90 wheels that I am going to be using unless there is a killer deal on a wheel and tire combo, but mostly looking for some sticky sticky tires to use to get the times down and keep my street tires for more than a season. Size I'm looking for is 275/40R17 or something that will fit on a 17x9.5" rim.

ninety4formula

still looking....

c4cruiser

There are a number of good sticky tires available but are there any limitations concerning the class you run in?

Check out the Kumho Ecsta XS, Nitto NT05, Toyo's R888 or Proxes RA1, BFG g-Force Sport COMP-2, Hankook Ventus R-S3 are some that are street tires that will work for weekend autocross events and track days.

If you can run slicks, look at Hoosier A6, Kumho V710, or Hankook Ventus Z214 in the C71 compound.

ninety4formula

I run with the local SCCA club in BSP and can run whatever tire I want. I believe the NCCC is the same way for group 2. I want to get some used A6's or 710's. I want the stickiest tire I can get used. I'm looking to get the times down and tires are the best mod for the money.

Carolina C4 Racer

Try looking for some 295's. They fit well on a 9.5" wheel. Lots of people run them on the front of C5 Z06's

SteveC68

How fast do you want to spend? Hoosier A6 is hard to beat.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

Second would be the Kuhmo Ecsta V710
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

or the Hankook Ventus Z214 Soft
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

ninety4formula

I am looking for a set of used tires because I can't justify the price of new ones if I can get them at half price with a few heat cycles on them. I don't think I would really notice that much of a difference between the new tires and the used ones anyways.

kimmer

I use the Kumho XS and like them. I still have a set of street tires but with the Kumho I can drive on them to the events.

ninety4formula

How much is the difference in time between the XS and regular street tires?

shakedown067

I have a friend that runs the Nitto 555R II's for autocrossing and HPDE events in his '96 vette. He gets around 10,000 miles on them and they really stick. Great for driving to track, race, and drive home. He also just KILLS the competition when it rains for autocross events with these tires. This IS the tire I would run if I wasn't in a street tire class. The A6 will still beat it out if it's an open tire class, but if you don't want to trailer tires and swap out at events...the 555R II is the only way to go.

c4cruiser

That's a very hard question to answer. The Kumho XS is a street tire. "Street tires" can vary widely in terms of tread compound, sidewall stiffness, and even the tread design. If you go to the Tire Rack website and look at tires that are in the "Ultra high Performance" category, you will see a wide variety of tires. These tires will have a much higher level of grip compared to tires made for general highway use.

Some tires in this Ultra High Performance groups will have traction levels that are not too far below some competition tires. As long as you can run any tire, then a true autocross slick in a soft compound will work over a tire designed for street use.

But then you have to get the slicks to the site. Some people say they can drive to an event on slicks, but IMHO, that's a tricky and possibly dangerous thing to do. Competition tires aren't really designed for street use and the various tire manufacturer's websites will state their race tires are not designed for street use even though they are DOT-approved.

kimmer

World of diff from normal street tires, you can really push it through the sweepers on the xs. The time diff is extreme for me because if I went with my d/d street tires they would never hold and I know that from first hand experience.

ninety4formula

Well my first race is a month away so I am starting to think of some options. Say I have $600 to spend for tires and mount and balance. Would I be better to get some 295/35 R17's for 4 Kumho XS tires, or 2 hankook Z214 C71 slicks for the front and just run my street tires in the back? Which one would you do and why?

shakedown067

I've done it, and it's nerve racking at best, even in bright sunny florida weather. What's worse, caught caught in a down pour the next morning going to the shop. Luckily everyone was doing 30mph cause at 31, I was hydroplaning (Kumho 710s).

Rob31

XS tires are hard as a rock in the cold ,great when its warmout . Great HPDE tire .

Californiapch

Just don't buy 2 or 3 year old tires ( A6's or V710 ) with 30-50% gone..... losing control and whacking a curb or something could be more expensive then new tires.

Unless you are on a big open lot with no curbs or whatever.


I would rather toss ( throw away ) my tires with 25-40% of the runs/life left then chance anything.

Brian