Let's talk tires

[vtluu]

Is everyone here still on their original Yoko A046s? (Some of us shouldn't have been, right Jan? :wink:)

I just noticed the Tire Rack price for these just went up, from $208 to $212 apiece (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=A046&vehicleSearch=true&partnum=345WR7046&fromCompare1=yes). Ouch!

I'm probably going to be through mine halfway through next autocross season (i.e. by this summer), and I'm pondering my options. Specifically I'm considering the Kumho Ecsta MX (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+MX&vehicleSearch=true&partnum=345YR7EMX&fromCompare1=yes). Much cheaper at $121 each at Tire Rack. Does anyone here have any experience with those?

[JanSolo]

I was going to buy the Falken Azenis (or however you spell it). Most people I know love them and use them for both autocross and track exclusively (that means they are good!). Have you considered checking those tires out? BTW, those are not on Tirerack.com.

[vtluu]

Yes, lots of these (the Falken Azenis Sport (http://www.falkentire.com/html/products/azenis/azenis.htm)) at autocross.

Just one precautionary note from a friend of mine: do not drive them in the rain (or wet, really) unless your goal is suicide. Those tread blocks are huge and you'll hydroplane way too easily.

[JanSolo]

You mean I can drift in the rain with these?? SWEET!!

[vtluu]

Here's a tread comparison of three tires mentioned so far:

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/yokohama/yo_a046d_ci2_l.jpg http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/kumho/ku_ecsta_mx_ci2_l.jpg

Yokohama A046 (left) and Kumho Ecsta MX (right). Fairly similar tread patterns. Large tread blocks for stiffness, but enough tread to get you through in the rain.

http://www.falkentire.com/images/nonflash/products/azenis/tirepic.gif

Falken Azenis Sport. Huge tread blocks mean less flexing under tight cornering (notably autocross). But also very low ability to channel water so extremely subject to hydroplaning.

[vtluu]

You mean I can drift in the rain with these?? SWEET!!

I think you've done quite enough drifting in the rain. I'm sure your wife would agree. :P

[wilson1]

Tam,

I have the Kumho Ecsta MX on my BMW, sticks like crazy, however, pretty noisy, and have some balancing problems with the rims which did not happen with the original tires.

[vtluu]

One other problem. The Azenis does not come in 235/45/17. Closest match is 245/45/17 which should fit just fine on the stock Enkeis but the overall diameter is 25.7" compared to 25.3" for the A046. So your speedometer will read a bit (1.5%) low (e.g. 98.5 mph when you're doing 100) and your top speed will be about 1.5% higher. :lol:

[JanSolo]

One other problem. The Azenis does not come in 235/45/17. Closest match is 245/45/17 which should fit just fine on the stock Enkeis but the overall diameter is 25.7" compared to 25.3" for the A046. So your speedometer will read a bit (1.5%) low (e.g. 98.5 mph when you're doing 100) and your top speed will be about 1.5% higher. :lol:

Oh, so they're perfect then!

[howiEVO8]

are the cum ho's all that noisey?

[vtluu]

I wouldn't worry about it... It's not like your Evo is quiet to begin with.

If the tire noise bothers you, get a loud BOV, intake and/or exhaust to drown it out. :P

[howiEVO8]

true, but i got dynamat installed...its pretty quiet...hehe

[blitzkrgCT9A]

I still like the S02s and S03s.. :)

[leif]

my next tires are gunna a032r's...helllla grip.

[ob4]

the falken are very good non-r tires, very stiff sidewall, but they are very heavy, close to 30lb per tire for 245/45/17. the so3s are good in the rain, but try traction is not as good as the s02s and sidewall is not as stiff as the s02s. toyo ts1 are also very good non-r tires very light, but traction is not as good as our a046. it would be nice to have the a048... i read that the a048 will be the oem tire for the 911 gt3, but then it will only be available in 911 sizes.

[Shiv@Vishnu]

My favorite tires for the EVO are Toyo RA1s. They are the only streetable tire I've tried that is actually stickier than the stock rubber. Sidewall is a little bit softer so you may loose a bit of steering sharpness. You'll also find that the car will roll a bit more with them (due to the extra grip). This will make an otherwise stock EVO understeer more at the limit since the front tires will no longe maintain good contact patch when cornering at the adhesion limit. These issues might make the RA1 a better choice for when one does additional suspension upgrades (anti-roll bars, coilovers, etc,.)

Just my 2c,
Shiv

[cagefreak]

My list goes:

1. Falken Azenis
2. Kumho Victo Racers
3. Bridgestone Potenza S03's

Just naming a few I like, not for any application in particular.

[leif]

hey its shiv!

[JanSolo]

hey its shiv!

Quick! Everyone act natural.

[Shiv@Vishnu]

:lol:

[xchoirboy]

Hey what's this?

Coming soon: The XFlash Challenge

anyone know?

[JanSolo]

Maybe we'll find out after the SCC shootout?

[howiEVO8]

My list goes:

1. Falken Azenis
2. Kumho Victo Racers
3. Bridgestone Potenza S03's

Just naming a few I like, not for any application in particular.

would you happend to know all the specs of those 3 tires? I'm kinda curious and I'm sure a lot of us evo owners that are looking for new tires
are interested in some useful information such as that :)

Bridgestones have always been my favorite brand overall...the stock yoko/advans are awesome but, i've never driven them in extremely wet conditions...i remember my bridgestones were awesome in the wet...
and some of my other yoko's were great in the wet as well...however,
the stock rubbers wear out extremely fast...bah

Tam and I were looking at some from Kuhmo's and they seems very reasonably priced around $107 bucks or something like that...

[wilson1]

Maybe we can get the Works guys to chimed in as they were running with the Kumho Victo Racers .

About the stock advans, they stick really well even in the wet during the last thunderhill meet, surprised the heck out of me as what i read on the forum was that they are really a dry weather tire and sucks in the wet. On the long straights we were hitting over 120 , braking hard for the tight corners and just totally awesome in their grip and breakaway characteristics.

I did have experience with the Kuhmos mx's, and to me, that are a very reasonably priced tires, very good grip, noisy, but doen't particularly fit my fancy, even my wife does not like it , go figured!
Won't be buying those again.

[howiEVO8]

Maybe we can get the Works guys to chimed in as they were running with the Kumho Victo Racers .

About the stock advans, they stick really well even in the wet during the last thunderhill meet, surprised the heck out of me as what i read on the forum was that they are really a dry weather tire and sucks in the wet. On the long straights we were hitting over 120 , braking hard for the tight corners and just totally awesome in their grip and breakaway characteristics.

I did have experience with the Kuhmos mx's, and to me, that are a very reasonably priced tires, very good grip, noisy, but doen't particularly fit my fancy, even my wife does not like it , go figured!
Won't be buying those again.


that's what i've read and heard too that the kuhmo's are a very reasonably priced good tire but they're really noisy...I personally don't mind the extra noise...but were they really that loud?

[wilson1]

[quote="howiEVO8

that's what i've read and heard too that the kuhmo's are a very reasonably priced good tire but they're really noisy...I personally don't mind the extra noise...but were they really that loud?[/quote]

In the Evo, probably not too bad.
But you also have dynamat on your evo, right?

[howiEVO8]

just the front doors for now, however, i might be getting something instead of dynamat...cuz its much cheaper, Rob gave me the link for it and i have it saved somewhere...

hmmm....i forgot what it was called...