Tire reviews
 

Why don't we have a thread about this...?

I guess this would be off topic...but I don't know it still has to do with our cars right?

Anyways I was wondering if anyone has used Yokohama S-Drives?

I'm gonna use them in the front of my car primarily for drifting.

Do they grip well? OK? If not I'll just get new RT615s.

Well, since your title is tire reviews I'm going to say what I have even though its not the tire your asking about.
I have been driving on Kuhmo ASX stock size for 2.5 yrs now and they are a great everday tire. They are Z rated but Asymmetrical so they still last good for a high performance tire. Wears evenly and not terribly noisy. Excellent dry/wet traction. Does hydroplane but not as much as the old Kuhmo Supra 712's did.

John @ City Tire uses those personally on his own cars. I overheard him recommend them to a guy with an Evo when I was at the shop. He said they grip well in wet and dry. I'm sure he will chime in soon enough.

Yah but for drifting purposes...id stick with the RT615s up front.

I just ordered a pair of Dunlop Star Spec Z1 for the front. These tires were tested by tire rack and they liked it better than the infamous Neova AD07s.

Yea I forgot to mention that the s-drives were a recommendation for a daily driver.

Also, I've been hearing really good things about the Maxxis Victra Z1. Something about them being on par with Neovas as well...

John at City Tire recommended the S. Drives to me as well, for primarily a daily driver that will see some track usage. He said he likes the S. Drives better than FK452s, and I know Simba aka Kidynamite (Grip Gambler) uses FK452s up front and he likes them. So if S. Drives are better than FK452s, then they must be pretty awesome.

Although, I am seriously thinking about going with Z1 Star Specs up front... but again, I need some feedback on how S. Drives are in the back of the car, since I don't want to end up picking a tire that will put me in understeer city when I go to drift...

I've got rt-615 azenis on mine, they are really nice tires, great price too, however, they are more something I'd use for autox/daily than track days as they overheat/grease after a while...

I am looking forward to testing Dunlop Direzza Star Specs but not until I use up my set of azenis.

ive used the s.drives for drifting and grip. for fronts and rears.

they're awesome. come in a whole shit ton of sizes. never used rt615s though, so cant compare.

kumho ecsta asx - very good daily driving/spirit driving.. great grip on dry as well as wet and holds up well in 1-2 inches of snow..

I've seen some pics of folks with DZ101 up front on their cars for drift. How are those?

I'm looking to do 215/40/17 / 235/40/18 stagger, looking for something up front that will not promote understeer and something in the rear that will last awhile (like the FK452 supposedly).

Probably do something like S. Drive all around FK452 rear w/ S. Drive up front. Maybe even Z1 Star Spec up front.

Right now I'm running Hankook RS-II's up front for daily, and track. They work really well, better than the RT-615 IMO.

I also like the Federal 595, but then, who doesn't? lol.

i havent tested TONS of tires, but i've tested a few. All my review's will be for drifting no grip/daily/wet reviews.

http://www.citytireonline.com/images...drich_KDW2.gif
BFG KDW-my fav of all the tires i've used so far, grip is excellent, treadwear is even and smooth, they can deal with high temps, dont chunk, and smoke like mothers. great on front or rear.

http://www.citytireonline.com/images...PROXEST1-R.gif
Toyo proxes T1-R, 2nd fav, used them on fronts they gripped like hell, wore evenly, rears were just as nice, nice smoke, even wear, great grip, and heat didn't phase em. My sig pic is using these

http://www.citytireonline.com/images...alkenFK452.gif
Falken FK452's, 3rd fav (of tires i've used so far) good smoke, good grip, even wear, wears faster than KDW's though. overall i liked them alot for rears, never used on fronts

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires...port_ci2_s.jpg
Michelin Pilot sports (not PS2's) these tires suck for fronts or rears, chunk like hell, chord really bad, for grip they might be okay but i didnt like them for drift. next to no smoke. if you run the rears backwards (directionally but pointing to the rear) they wear more evenly for some reason. wierd i know, but its just what i've tested.

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires...050a_ci2_s.jpg
Bridgestone Potenza RE050a- These tires are a great street tire but once they get a good bit of heat in them they chunk and strip off pretty bad. very little smoke, uneven wear, overall i hate them for drift rear, never used them on front but probably worse.

http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:...3000_TREAD.jpg
Nexan N3000- decent tire, cheap price, decent smoke, decent grip, decent tread wear, but get greasy as hell with alot of heat in them. okay for budget drifting or for KA powered cars IMO.

http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:...m901_ci2_l.jpg
Dunlop FM901 -tried them on fronts only and liked them alot, good grip, not as much as KDW but nice. wore evenly, dont know about smoke and heat etc.

really looking forward to trying out Dunlop Z1 Star specs and/or Nitto NT01's for fronts.

i know nexens have no smoke or grip, but im ka so whatever. i want some cheap 17's to slide on.

where do you guys get yours? do any localish shops carry them or do you order them online?

ive used 595ss's on both my fc and s13. i ran them all around on the fc and up front on the s13. i like them. great grip for how much they cost. dont do too bad in rain or snow either.

^^^ I use 595's as well.. they are cheap and pretty good tire for everyone!

595s suck a dick
i fucking hate those tires
delamenate, chunk, grip for piss.


for tires ill stick with RS-R federal. Dunlop Direzza, Advan Neova, Bridgestone RE01r, Maxxis Z1 drift

all those tires: have a lot of grip. come in variety of sizes, dont chunk, dont get greasy, and last quite a while (mostly teh AD07 and the Z1 Drift)

I have the Nexen N3000 A.A. and as far as Grip, there is none, I have 235's out in the back and My Near stock KA w/ I/H/E can make them give w/a quick clutch kick in 2nd. Also Wet grip just sucks ass, I would never buy them for anything more then drifting...
They do last pretty long though...

yeah rock solid tire... literally i barely press on my brake pedal and the fronts lock up and slide when hard stopping. I want to get rid of these tires ASAP!!!

FALKEN ST-115

http://www.southimagewheels.com/imag...enis_st115.bmp


one of my favorite all the time

awesome grip !!!

use them on front and rear both

I wish they still made thoese!!!! :-/

You can try to order some thru DTD.

They still have them up for sale.

I thought they still do? I bought some late last year from discount tire. Maybe they were just selling off their old stock.

ST115 - best drift tire ever! By far my favorite that I've used on the rears for drift. I run RT-615 on the fronts pretty much exclusively.

I've also had good luck with Fuzion ZRi. They don't grip for shit but with a KA they were great and lasted forever. I usually get one event out of a pair and those lasted me two long events. Not sure how they'd do with a lot more power though... probably spinout city.

ZE-512 - bleh. Wear out fast and don't grip well.

595 - lasted a total of 3 runs; delaminated like crazy. Will not buy.

Does anyone have experiences with Kumho 711?

I hear the sidewalls are soft and they generally suck... But I'm picking up some new ones for $20 a pop so it's worth a shot I guess.

last pair i got was last week...

tire shop in K town still carry them...

never knew they discontinued them

People with Federal 595 problems...

Are you only experiencing this with 18s?

I have had tons of pairs on my car as far as 17s are concerned and NEVER had a bad thing happen to them. ever.

All on 17s

Fuzions = Fail

595SS > Fuzion ZR1

595SS is ok...... Best bang for the low end buck...

Ran RT's at AutoX and Track, they were good....

Kumho MX > ASX
RT's > Kumho MX (Don't know how they charge so much for a crappy tire)
D1 StarSpec > RT's
RE01R = D1 StarSpec, RE turn in better but I think D1 StarSpecs grip better.
Hankook RS II's pretty close to D1 StarSpecs
T1R > Above
RA1 > than T1R for sure...

Thats what I say on the track.... I daily the car, but I don't notice any differences...

you are on a stock KA
if a tire delamates on a stock KA, there is an issue
make some power first.
on a KA you can run any tire and w/ proper pressure and size pretty much have enough grip!

Ok, so the tire will be perfect for me, forever!

yes
id probably run them when i pick up the beater s13 w/ ka
in 15s
haha

haha. The 595 I'm talking about were 17's on a ~220whp FC. Friend's car. The tires didn't last long at all, but I've heard that they do better if you heat cycle them first. One of them even exploded on the 3rd run....

All other tires I reviewed were on a mostly stock KA, so yes they worked great for me but probably won't do very well with higher HP levels.

i recall jack going thru..3 pairs of SS595 before noon at balcony
haha
what a waste of a day.
stock SR.