tire advice...for next set up

[sw20>>s14]

thinking about upgrading my rims/tires...this will be my grip set...yes, i said grip; 240s are good at that too :rawk:...but anyways, im going to be running 17x9 27 offset; 245/40/17 all four corners...

which tires would you get based on your past experiences?...such as wet traction, treadwear, greasing at the track, etc. ive only had limited experiences with a few tire brand/series. this will be my grip set, but im most likely going to use this set the most to commute...so here are the choices:

kumho ecsta supra 712 - 280 A A

kumho ecsta ASX - 420 A A

falken azenis ST115 - 360 A A (my top choice)

falken GR Beta FK-451 - 280 A A

avs es100 - 280 A A (<--- meh)

fuzion ZRi - 320 A A

any sumitomos; theyre all dirt cheap

these are the ones that are in my price range; so far im leaning towards the STs...good grip, nice treadwear (looking for something thatll last), and mediocre to good temp and wet trac... any advice would make this decision much easier... :bigok: thanks mangs...

[TheSparo]

i have the yoko ES100, and i am extremely pleased with them, ESPEcially in the rain, awesome traction i think, and sidewalls are pretty stiff i'd say, and treadwear isn't that bad... just don't do a whole lot of burnouts haha

[OptionZero]

None of those selections are very impressive performance wise, those are like daily-driver types for all weather traction. Good if that's what you're looking for, nothing to talk about if you want to go fast. Depends where you live and if you see a lot of rain, i guess

There is nothing that beats the Falken Azenis Sport RT-215, although I think the closest it comes for you is 245/45/17.

Next best tire for the buck is the Kumho MX. Haven't tried those, but I might look into them if i get 17's.

Nobody at autoX or track that's really interested in performance runs the ES100; drifters run it cuz it's cheap.

if you're willing to pay, the Bridgestone S-03, BF Goodrich G-Foce KD, and new Falken Azenis Rt-615 should be good.

Again...those are summer tires

[Salty_X]

I used to run Sumitomo HTR+s, but at the moment I have Fuzions on the rear and ST115s up front... definitely go with one of the latter if that's what the budget will allow for, otherwise go crazy...

[sw20>>s14]

thanks for the tips, nobody else has had any +/- experiences with these ^ tire brand/series?..anybody else recommend some more tire brand/series in my price range ($115 and under per) that i might have forgotten?

[infinitexsound]

st115's owns.........!

[S14DB]

Beta's own the Azenis. They were made to replace the Azenis. But, people keep buying them. Get the Beta's.

[IGSDann]

I just got Falken GR-Beta FK451's and I must say that these tires are awesome. They cut through the rain and grip like crazy. I cannot wait to take them to autocross. People in STS shave them down because they have the same compound as Azenis. Very good tire. I recomend them highly along with S14DB.

[OptionZero]

s14db...you're referring to the azenis St-115...not the azenis sport (rt-215), right?

[ZK]

Those FK-451s suck for dry grip. Overall (wet and dry) it is better than the RT-215 and RT-615 but in pure dry it is not as grippy. Like mentioned before, all those tires are not exactly known to be grippy.

I'd get a set of the Kumho MX (usually under $120 each), they are grippier than all the ones you mentioned in the 1st post. Otherwise the RT-215 and RT-615 are awesome but I don't know if they come in the size you want and the 615 is pricey. I love my G-force KDs right now but they are super expensive, tire looks ugly and don't last worth crap.

ES100 has stiff sidewalls but overall grip is not that high. The other Kumhos and Falkens really suck. This said, all the ones you listed will last longer than the "grippy" tires I mentioned. So if tire wear is an issue for you, these are not the tires for you.

Out of your list I'd say the ES100 is probably very good because stiff sidewall inspires confidence and good car control at the limit. It is a very forgiving tire. Stay away from any Kumho other than the MX or their R-compounds.

[IGSDann]

I don't know what you're talking about, my FK451's grip great...Have you bought a set of them?

[midnight zenki]

You may want to look into the Dunlop FM901's. I use these for my grip/daily setup (225F/245R) and am suprised at how well they grip given the price of these tires. These tires are definitley up there with the others in your price range and for the money can't be beat. Check the price on tirerack.com and you'll see what I mean.

[citizen]

I don't know what you're talking about, my FK451's grip great...Have you bought a set of them?
maybe you aren't driving hard enough?

[XxJaPxOxNeEs23xX]

hye im running the same settup as u nd i have the same intentions as you. 17 by 9 cept mines +17 offsets all around. also i have 245 45s nd its not in one of your choices but i have the azenis sport nd like someone said will happen to me my car oversteers a lot. i tink u should go staggard. especially on high speed corners it oversteers alot, nd i have ka. i was thinking of otherwise going with 255 40s all around next time.

[citizen]

hye im running the same settup as u nd i have the same intentions as you. 17 by 9 cept mines +17 offsets all around. also i have 245 45s nd its not in one of your choices but i have the azenis sport nd like someone said will happen to me my car oversteers a lot. i tink u should go staggard. especially on high speed corners it oversteers alot, nd i have ka. i was thinking of otherwise going with 255 40s all around next time.

i'm sorry, if you're running 245 azenis alll around, have a stock ka, and are still oversteering you just suck at life.

[OptionZero]

yeah, i dont think a stock KA has enough power to break loose a 245 rear Azenis Sport man...hell...i don't think I could break loose my 205 azenis sports unless i was totally trying too...then again, I have an hlsd, but still...thats alot of tire man.

Other suspension mods probably do affect it, maybe he's running superstiff rear suspension settings (stiffest damper setting, rear sway and strut bar, etc)

[XxJaPxOxNeEs23xX]

yeh i have all the arms. im running -2.5 camber fornt. -2 in rear. its not enough, my sidewalls are still being chewed up. im saving up for coilovers right now too. nd after i do. i might reset the camber to -3.5 degree front nd -3 or -2.5 in the rear. nd it is possible to brake traction with ka.

[tew photy]

but it's not possible to type "and"

[XxJaPxOxNeEs23xX]

im sorry i suck at spelling, And typing. i get that a lot

[S14DB]

yeh i have all the arms. im running -2.5 camber fornt. -2 in rear. its not enough, my sidewalls are still being chewed up. im saving up for coilovers right now too. nd after i do. i might reset the camber to -3.5 degree front nd -3 or -2.5 in the rear. nd it is possible to brake traction with ka.
Which sidewall the inner or outer?
If it's both, increase your tire presure.
Inside, decrease your camber. Chec your toe.
Ouside, With that much camber you are doing something wrong. I think you're running to much for grip driving to begin with.

[XxJaPxOxNeEs23xX]

its outside. i dont have -3.5 yet i was thinking bout it after i get my coilovers in the next couple months. yeh and i do need to check my tire pressure, i could feel my car kinda move sideways but not really breaking traction sometimes or if i am very little.

[orion::S14]

Kumho MX, by far.

Kumho 712s SUCK. Let me repeat...SUCK.

ES100 is only an OK sport tire...good for daily driver, OK for track.

Old Azenis Sport...too slippery when hot. Decent for auto-x, bad for track days.

New Azenis Sport (RT-615)...good all around tire, but PRICEY. My #2 choice...

FM901 is grippy, but has a SOFT sidewall. Little too sloppy for me...

And Kumho MX kill them all (RT-615 excluded)...great tire for the $$$, gets better when hot, lasts a decent amount of miles, etc...I've had 2 sets, been VERY impressed. That's for auto-x, track days, and HARD street driving with ~300rwhp.

...

I've owned all the tires listed except for the RT-615, so that's my real-world experience.

And FYI...lots of guys are actually starting to use the Hankook tires for autocross...so look into those as well.

- Brian

[Angel]

You could give the Dunlop SP Super Sport Race a try. They don't come in that size, but they do have them in 225/45/17 for 119 a tire, check them out on tirerack, stickey and cheap

[OptionZero]

from what i've read and people i've talked to the Azenis Sports owns the Kumho MX at auto X- nearly everyone in my local one was running them. Before runs, they'd spray it down with ice cold water to cool it off, but that seems like a small price to pay (water sprayer = $5, water = free)

Also, some autoX posters on honda-tech (i think it was) concluded that the 205 Azenis provided as much grip or more than the 225 Kumho MX, which was very amazing to me

I will be trying the MX's next time I get wheels, though.

[ZK]

I'll testify that the Azenis Sport RT-215 owns the Kumho MX at autocross and overall more grip. I've had both on my car. The Azenis is way stiffer and more grip. The MX is kinda soft and lots of grip but not as good as the Azenis.

I drove the MX at the track and haven't noticed any difference when heated compared to the Azenis. They both start giving out after a couple of laps. Even if the MX handles heat better I'd get the Azenis over it because I like how the stiff sidewalls feel. You have to keep in mind I have 16" wheels so the tires are pretty tall. With 17" and 18" probably won't notice as big a difference in sidewall stiffness as you have less of it.

[OptionZero]

plus the Azenis Sport RT-215 is quickly becoming extinct in tire places around the country

bastards need to make a 225 width 16inch tire

[TurDz]

seriously, the RT-215's feel like they're melting, it gets so slippery but not necessarily a catastrophic thing. They just squirm a bit in the rear during off throttle or strong steering inputs. For the price they're great.

[sw20>>s14]

thanks for all the suggestions...im leaning more towards the STs or the MXs...lookin for something cheap and durable...even the MXs are a little too low treadwear for me...these are just going to be my for now tires, but eventually i will definitely branch off to higher end tires...btw, someone recommended using federals...like orion said, lots of ppl are starting to use the more "unpopular" tires...has anyone had experiences with such brands as hankook, cooper, nankang, federals, etc.? just wondering if for once, its not "you get what you pay for."

[hellion240sx]

hey what tires did you go with? i had the exact same question too. i tried to find toyo's in that size but only the new one's were in that size. iirc, i WAS looking around for tires at 3 am. so it's all a blur to me.

[SpeedMonkeyInc]

I run Cooper Zeon 2XS. Stupid name, but after trying one set I won't run anything else. Seriously, they are great tires.
This place has prices good enough that I think they are absolutly worth trying out:
https://www.tiresavings.com/tireShop.php?action=findMan2&tirename=ZEON+2XS&season=Regular

[hellion240sx]

are those the same ones that are on the is300 thats in a drifting ad? i thiought about getting those, but i haven't heard anything about them.

[orion::S14]

from what i've read and people i've talked to the Azenis Sports owns the Kumho MX at auto X- nearly everyone in my local one was running them...

I'll testify that the Azenis Sport RT-215 owns the Kumho MX at autocross and overall more grip...

One thing I want to clarify...the MX are NOT the best auto-x tires for cooler days...they need heat to stick.

They are a better track tire than auto-x tire.

The Azenis...either 215 or 615...are better when cold (for autocross), but the MXs ARE a better tire for lapping (again, the 615 may be as good...haven't driven on them yet).

See the tire test (link below)...in an auto-x situation, MXs came in last...but consider the application before deciding.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=4&article_id=10252

- Brian

[OptionZero]

I've heard some say the 615s are a cleeear upgrade (sadly, those are from magazines), and some say that they are only a marginal upgrade.

In either case, the price is pretty prohibitive...

[dct223]

Id go with the ST115's

I bought 4 brand new es100's and i killed them in like 4 months on just daily driving and touge runs here and there... They have good grip, but the tred wear sucks ass

I got a pair of ST115's for my fronts, great grip, I daily drove them for a long time, i think been through 4 or 5 NCDA events and they still got a fair amount of tred left