Okay, just to give some background...this is my 4th year AutoXing. I raced my ITR for much of the first 3 yrs, then went to my hybrid ('92 CX hatch, B18C1, GC's with Integra spring rates, ITR shocks). I ran on my Rota Slipstreams (15") with 195/50/15 Pirelli P7000's this year up until this past event on Sunday.

I mounted up the 205/50/15 Toyo RA-1's (got them with about 3/4 tread cheap from a friend) in place of my Pirellis. I AutoX'd the car this Sunday and I just didn't feel comfortable.

The lack of power steering and the sticky tires weren't a good mix. My steering response was much slower than before. I've been on a set of 205/50/15 Kumho V700 Victoracers before and they felt much stickier than the RA-1. Part of this probably has to do with the RA-1's being a harder tire which is more suited for the roadcourse.

I used to think that a wider tire/wheel combo was going to work for me. Now I'm starting to think that an ideal setup would be 14" wheel/race tire setup. I'm thinking a Victoracer on 14" will be sticky and have a better steering response.

Thoughts, concerns? I'm getting very discouraged here. I got beat pretty good in SM, when I was hoping to get close to FTD this past weekend.

-Todd

 

yup, wider tire will def. make the sterring a bit harder. I've used 205's on my 87 prelude w/ no powersteering and had no probs. I also drove it daily on the street so i was used to it. Maybe once u get used to it your thoughts may change.
Good luck!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">got them with about 3/4 tread cheap from a friend</TD></TR></TABLE>

are you perhaps discounting this too much? (the 3/4 part)

 

RA-1s need quite a bit of heat to reach their ultimate adhesion - I doubt you're getting them hot enough on a 2 minute autocross course.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Phat R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">RA-1s need quite a bit of heat to reach their ultimate adhesion - I doubt you're getting them hot enough on a 2 minute autocross course.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Phat R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">RA-1s need quite a bit of heat to reach their ultimate adhesion - I doubt you're getting them hot enough on a 2 minute autocross course.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep, yep.

If the 1/4 tread was used up doing auto-x, those tires could be heatcycled to death. They will still be good once up to temp. The problem is that it take a bit longer to get there.

 

Sooooo, you want to sell them?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by litlekikr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yup, wider tire will def. make the sterring a bit harder. I've used 205's on my 87 prelude w/ no powersteering and had no probs. I also drove it daily on the street so i was used to it. Maybe once u get used to it your thoughts may change.
Good luck!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

You know you're probably right. I stopped daily driving my hybrid and I've been driving my WRX since Sept '02 daily. That could be it right there.

Hopefully I'm not just making excuses for my poor performance.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Phat R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">RA-1s need quite a bit of heat to reach their ultimate adhesion - I doubt you're getting them hot enough on a 2 minute autocross course.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not even...try a 60 sec course.

Hmm, so I take it that these RA-1's aren't my best choice for AutoX. Part of the problem could be our region doesn't run heats like other regions I've been to. That means I'll never get them warmed up to stay warm. Grr.

Any other suggestions? Should I go to a 14" wheel/race tire combo? Victoracers?

 

My gut feeling is that Kumho Ecstas will be a bit stickier a bit faster than the Victoracers....and they're cheaper to boot.

Where'd the Toyos come from? I could pick 'em up on the way to MAM in June.....

EDIT: If you can get into 14" wheels and tires at a price you're comfortable with, you can have a favorable impact on the overall gearing of your car....so it might be a very good idea.

Jarrod

 

Running 205/50/15 Victoracers on slipstreams. They work great for SM2, the car is capable of a top 3
finish, now I've got to get the driver there. It sucks when someone else goes 2 seconds faster than you in your own car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by siisgood00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sooooo, you want to sell them? </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

The other perspective is that for autocross RA-1s are pretty slow when they're relatively new. By about half tread-depth they start working better, and get faster and faster until you cord them.

Or, as mentioned above, they could be heat-cycled badly enough to loose grip. Are they blue on the corners?

 

I believe your ideal setup would probably be some 13x8 wheels with 225/45-13 Hoosiers.

 

Todd-

Your pressures seemed kinda low this last weekend, I would try running higher pressures before you decide to get new tires. They were plenty heated with your warm up laps in the pits, I don't think that would be the cause. I'm guessing you'll be back on the 8th, I'm gonna try to make it there again. That's just my two cents worth... you were squeeling quiet a bit all around the track.

-Brian

 

I am running the exact same set-up as you, except with Azenis and I recently added an LS rear swaybar.

Anyway, ADD PS TO YOUR CAR. Having no power steering for autocrosses sucks. I recently put mine back on and it feels so much better. It's like driving a totally different car. For road racing, no p/s might not be so bad due to higher speeds, but in low speed tight cornering situations, having no power steering is super annoying.