First off, what class are you running in? There are really 3 different tire
clases. The ST classes use a DOT approved treaded tire with a tire wear
rating of 140 being the lowest. The Stock and Street-Prepared classes allow
any DOT approved tire. The Prepared and Mod classes allow for a cantilever
slick.
I wouldn't turn down a set of R888's. You'll probably be fine on the
regional level, but if you are in a very competitive division or want to run
Nationals and you want to win, you'll need either V710's or the A6's.
R-DOTS are basically DOT approved tires that barely meet all the minimum
requirements. They're radial designs, and feature at least one groove of
4/32" tread depth. Some come with full tread (Toyos are molded at 6/32", but
when shaved to 4/32", they lose most of their tread and just have two
grooves). Wear ratings are LOW.. usually in the 40-100 range and they have
very stiff sidewalls.
Tires like the Hoosier R and A6's , Kumho V710's, and Goodyear GS's are
typically molded with a single groove around their circumference. These are
sometimes referred to as "cheater R-DOTs". Not sure about autocrossing, but
in roadracing, you can only expect 10-12 heat cycles if you're a fast guy
with these tires, before they start to cord. They're fast as s**t while they
last, but still slower than a full cantilever slick.
The next batch: Toyo R888, RA1, Kumho V700, and Yokohama A048 are molded
with a wet weather tread pattern, but they're molded pretty shallow. Most
racers will shave the tires from 6/32" to 4/32" or more for dry use. 1) it
removes most of the tread, making it more slick like , 2) it actually
extends the life of the tire as it is less likely to chunk and build up
excessive amounts of heat from tread squirm, 3) less rolling mass. These
tires are slightly harder and slightly slower than the "cheater R-DOTS".
They do last longer, are less finicky to set up, and are cheaper to buy.
They're still plenty fast.
Bob
_______________________________________________
fot@autox.team.net
Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
|