AutoX Tires

[low_psi]

i'm looking at getting stickier tires for autoxing/daily driving and i'd liek to hear opinions. i'm trying to keep it under $400 for the set/ ~80 per tire. i have 15" steelies(stock) that run 195's but i think i can squeeze 205's on there. they only have to last 8 months, one autox each month, and i don't take corners very hard on the streets most of the time.

i'm looking at some dunlops and yok avs100's. shoudl i consider some kumho's?

 

[rowan]

The only street tire really worthy of running competitively is the Falken Azenis Sport. Maybe the new Hankook Ventus as well? Weren't some people using those at Nationals last year?

Actually, you should try and track down some local motorsports clubs or message boards and see if anyone is selling slightly used tires. Sometimes tires that people don't want to use on the track any more will work fine for a season of autox.

 

[low_psi]

but i need them as daily tires also. i hear azenis aren't good for DD and track b/c the heat cycles will wear out on the road and you'll be sol at the race.

i'm looking at kumho ectsa supra 712's right now....

 

[rx7gslse]

ok, none of teh good autoX tires will be decent street tires... (i.e long lasting)

there is a tradeoff you get, sticky, or long lasting... Which do you want?

I ran A3S03 Hoosiers for awhile at autocross, I'd say I got maybe 75 miles out of each tire? I switched over to Kuhmo V700's and will get about 5x the mileage on those track tires... I run AVS ES100's on teh street and they'll probably last about 12-15k.

and the 712 aren't autoX tires.. they're cheap, kinda sticky, but HEAVY. straight up street tires my friend....

 

[AutoXer]

Yeah, you can't really have the best of both worlds. If you want to be competitive at autox, you need a soft, sticky tire, and they just don't last that long.

The Kumho Ecsta's are a great all-round summer tire, but they will not perform well at autox in comparison to the Azenis, or of course some R-compounds. The Ecsta's do last very long, though.

Bite the bullet, get some autox specific tires, and you'll be happier for it. Autox on R-compounds is a blast.

 

[low_psi]

ugh, another idea in the wind....
i only need the tires to last 8 months, b/c i will be leaving for college then. i'm not taking te DX to school, so i was looking at getting something to just hold me over... how much is another set of steelies gonna run me? if i can get a second set w/ azenis for under 400 i'd be all for it. maybe i'll look at some junkyards for some mazda steelies.

thanks for the help guys.

 

[rowan]

Well .. the Yokohama Advan 032R should last you long enough.
It is not the stickiest of the current r-compound tires but it is good in the wet, and lower temps .. so should hold up better to daily driving than others.

That's strange what you mentioned about the Azenis and daily driving, because it is a street compound so repetitive heating and normal would hopefully not affect it. ?

 

[low_psi]

hmm.....

yea the fact that DD and azenis not working well was just something i heard. i'm gonna go with you since you seem to know more about the tire. i'm not too informed on azenis as you can tell. any thoughts on the tread life of them? my friend has them on a 2.5rs but he just got them and we're all waiting to see how long they last.

 

[rowan]

Well I haven't actually driven the Azenis because they don't make a size that would fit the wheels I had last Summer.
I do know that about 10 guys in the Toronto Subaru Club bought them for Autocross and normal summer driving and they were all pretty fast, and I don't think they had problems with daily driving.

As far as Treadwear they should last at least two full years of autocross since they're not shaved or anything to start with and are still above 100 treadwear.

 

[low_psi]

two years of autoXing? i'm guessing that's not with DD. i don't have a set of rims to mount them on for just racing, so i'll be riding on them all the time. 8 months...that's all i ask of them...

 

[rowan]

Yokohama A032R -- 205/50R15 85V -- treadwear = 60 -- r-compound tire. should do you for the 8 months.
http://www.yokohamatire.com/TireIntro.asp?TireID=2

Falken Azenis Sport -- 205/50R15 85V -- treadwear = ?? -- street tire. should last way longer than 8 months.

I guess it comes down to price, availability, and what class you are competing in.

 

[low_psi]

Azenis:
205/50 50VR15 $62
205/55 VR16 $77

i'm guessing i can fit 205's on my stock 15" steelies(195/55?/ZR15?)

is a 50 gonna wear quicker/grip better than a 55?

 

[low_psi]

also, i'll be competeing in STF. i believe a protege sedan with a sturt bar and tires will be moved into STF. i can't imagine i'd stay in HS.

 

[AutoXer]

He means two years of autox and summer daily driving. Oh wait, you're in Texas. You guys get snow down there?

I've known r-compounds (kumho victoracers) to last 2 seasons of autox, so I don't see why the azenis wouldn't last that AND street driving...

 

[low_psi]

cool, i'll use em and sell em if i can. i'm sure a friend will wanna pick em up.

oh yes, here in south TX, we get about 50 inches of snow a day

i just found out i can't compete in STF with azenis since they have a treadwear rating of under 140, so i'll just be running in X. oh well, i'm not there for points, i'm there for the fun!

 

[PhyschoMP3]

I want to auto cross my MP3 this year how do i do it? I'm in california. And I went and saw a event at castle air force base. What are all the classes? And any pointers?

 

[rowan]

Wha? Azenis are under 140? But the website says they qualify as street tires class for SSCA... hmm.

For info about how to participate in an autocross, check the Motorsports forum .. and check http://www.scca.org/ under Solo II.

 

[low_psi]

i know its weird. the houston region has STA,B, C, D, E, F, U, S etc. i sent an email to the head of novices and he said that if they are under 140, they do not qualify. wtf? all the best tires are excluded..s*** my potenzas are 160's...azenis are 100. oh well, i just autox for the fun, so i'll just be entering X class all the time.

seems liek i'd be able to run in atleast STS since its a street compound but i dunno. i'm not too familar with all the classes yet, so we'll see. i should have them on by feb.

 

[low_psi]

NEVERMIND, yea i was confused as to why it said azenis are SCCA ok, but that the treadwear was ineligible. turns out, i was looking at some sites with bad info, they are actaully 200 and not 100. i was freaking out at the autox today until i asked this guy about them and looked saw the 200...needless tosay, i felt really dumb.

 

[rowan]

*doh* .. you should have just looked at your friend's 2.5RS to check what they said