VettesRule

Hey Guys,

I'm back to a C5Z for daily use and autoX. I live in an apartment and don't have a way to store extra tires and wheels.

What is the best tire for the double duty on the OEM wheels?

Thanks,

sholzer

If you're not too worried about being competitive, I'd just run MPSS or the new pilot sport 4s. If you want to be more competitive you can go with Rival-S's but you'll heat cycle and wear them faster by DD'ing on them

MX621

i would say the new hankook rs-4 255/45/17 fronts 285/35/18 rears.. they run wide for their size. the 285 hankook is wider then the 295 nitto nt05 and the 255 hankooks are barley narrower then the 275 nitto nt05.

the hankooks will be my next tire, currently on NT05's

JLZ06TR

I agree with this if the new RS4 are like the outgoing RS3. A buddy of mine runs RS3v2 on his FRS and he daily drives it. On his last set he got about 15000 miles out of them and did several autox events.

I personally am running the RS3v2 now and find them to be very good performance wise and wearing really well. But I do not daily my C5Z. However you wont be as fast as RE-71R or the Rival S, but those do not last at all.

01badvette

Take a look at the New Falken RT615+, should be a solid DD and autoX Competitive tire with the sizes you need.

63Corvette

I agree......PSS

VettesRule

Thanks!

I like the idea Pilot Super Sports but couldn't find them in the original size for the front on Tire Rack. Both the Michelin SS and Bridgestone RE71 have a smaller width tire for the front 255/40-17.

Only two tires on the Tire Rack website fit the C5Z - Goodyear F1 Supercar and Bridgestone RE760 Sport and both don't seem to have much grip for the monthly autoX.

VettesRule

Thanks 1BV. You're right, these are available in the correct sizes. Anyone have experience on these?

01badvette

I've heard some feedback from falken sponsored drivers so take it for what you will, but its suppose to be as good or better then the Rival S and Re71r's. Street manners should be good as it's the same tread design as the original 615 and if it's at all better then the originals it should be more then enough to be confident and competitive for regional AutoX.

nickb45502

I am running them in AS in 275 18 front and 315 18 rear. First event is next weekend. I will let you know how they do.

I ran 4 events and 80+ runs last year on Conti DW. Don't overlook them. They will not be competitive in the dry but if it is damp or wet they are not bad.

VettesRule

Thanks Nick! I look forward to your report. What car and wheel size do you have these new tires on?

wtb-z

Continental has replaced the DW with the Sport, which also looks like it has good C5 Z06 sizing (275/17F 295/18R)

01badvette

Please let us know how the RT615+ perform I may go to 275/315s mid season.

SouthernSon

Don't forget the age of the tire is really important, too. Sometimes we tend to leave tires on our vehicles a little longer than we really should. I know years back when I was autocrossing that some of the new tires I used would chafe badly on the outside edges and begin to look like mud tires. I found the firestone wide ovals to work fairly well and would keep the edges nice and uniform, even when brand new and full tread. They, also, held nicely in rain conditions while competing. The tires mentioned above may serve you even better but just keep in mind the type tread on the edge (to prevent scalloping out) and the age.

nickb45502

03 Z06. 18x9.5 front and 18x10.5 rear. Stock offsets. Johnny O front sway and dampers. Looking forward to the changes!

nickb45502

Will do!

VettesRule

Hey Nick,

Did you run them?

The RT615K+ rears are on backorder for 90 days. Any problem running the +s on the front and non plus on the rear?

nickb45502

Ok guys, here we go. I ran them this weekend. In no particular order........

Car: 2003 Z06, all stock EXCEPT Stage 1 Johnny O package. 4 dampers and front sway. Stock alignment, no other mods. 28k miles on car. Stock ride height, not lowered.

Weather: COLD. Morning was in the 30s. FCO was 11 on group A (me, I was actual first car off. Temp was 38-40 ambient. 6 runs. 45-48 degrees when finished. All morning runs. B and C groups ran afternoon.

Track: Springfield Ohio mall parking lot. First event and very dirty. Consensus from drivers was track was set up tight. First gear for 1st 1/4 or so then 2nd rest of way.

Tires: Ran 4 events last year on Conti DW, 275/17 front and 295/18 rear.
Falkens: 275/18 front and 315/18 rear. Fit no problem. Had no idea where to start pressures so set at 38 psi R and 36psi front. Tires were NEW. Scrubbed in on 10 mi drive to track, that's it. Chalked up, rock on!

Driver: Me! 53 yrs old, ran 4 events last year. Novice.

First run no idea what to expect. Completely different than the Contis!
First off car sticks. Car seems to turn a bit slower. As runs progressed I pushed harder. Brake way deeper into corner. 1st third of corner car sticks and turns, 2nd third of corner a bit of push neutral to gas. Corner exit back into gas here is where I had some problems......

All runs with TC and AH OFF.

On the Contis I could hit the gas and the rear would step out a bit....helping to turn and get back into gas. Too much and tires would spin. On the 315 it STICKS....causing me to push on exit or the car to run wide on the corner. During the day I tried harder to push into the corner, brake later and turn. On the higher speed slaloms and the chicago boxes the car sticks compared to the old setup. I could throttle steer last year and power slide the cones....no dice on the Falkens. The car would stick, I would turn in hard, enter too tight still, and clipped some inside cones....which I NEVER did last year.

Started at 56.0 sec and worked down to 51.9 ish. Fastest car of the day was a national champ (Crissy Weaver) on a completely prepped WRX STI at about 48.8 or 9. Kent was not there with his Z. Let a bit of air out and ended with 36psi cold rear and 34 front. Rear looked perfect and front looked a tiny bit rolled. 34.5 or 35 front seemed like it would have been perfect. Tires never seemed like they fully warmed up though.

So.... compared to what I was used to these Falkens stuck much harder, turned in harder for sure (causing me to cut the corners too tight) and on power out the rear seemed to bite much harder. I rarely spun the rears.

Any and all critical analysis is welcome.

FWIW there was 1 other Vette in AS. It was an 09 Z51 coupe with Koni single adj, Strano front bar and RE71 in stick sizes. A bit more experienced driver who ran a highly modified Miata last year and was at his first event in the Vette. He ran same times within .5 sec but kept clipping cones.

TheProsecutor

There is nothing that needs to be said, Potenza RE-71R.

nickb45502

Cant do them on stock wheels.