The Hunt for Race Rubber.. [Archive]

WRX_Mundi

11-13-2004, 04:14 AM

My Hoosier A3S04's lasted only slightly more than half as long as the Ecsta V700's, so you might need to factor that into the price somehow. I see you're looking at the R3S04 -- they'd last longer but I don't know how the grip would compare.

I'd be a bit leery of the Avons vs. the others unless you have some good reason for doing it. I've heard people say they're OK and others say they hate them.

If you want decent grip and long life, look into the Toyo RA-1, available in 235/40-17 which ought to fit anything an autocross 225/45-17 would. $165 each at aimtire plus shipping. They wear really well compared to the Ecstas or Hoosiers, are basically immune to heat cycles, and they can take street driving. A Grassroots Motorsports article found them to be a few tenths slower than the Victoracers, but they're still R compound level grip. Obviously regionally dependent, but I've won overall PAX in two regions 5 times on RA-1s this year (vs. 2 each with the Hoosiers and Ecstas), so I don't think they're that bad. Some of those wins are versus people who trophied at nationals and had V710s [caveat -- on grippy concrete they beat me and I'm in no measure a national trophy level driver]. To give you a wear indication, after 59 runs and 15 heat cycles my A3S04's were basically shot -- switching to the 120+ runs + 200 track mile RA-1s resulted in far more grip and lower times.

The V710s seem to be the best gripping autocross tire right now, but I don't know how long of life they have. I'm somewhat in the same boat as you as I need new autocross tires for next year and have decided my budget just cannot handle A3S04s. The other issue for me with V710's is that the right sizes just aren't out there -- I'd have to go to the 275/40-17s which seem too wide for my 8.5" rims and would have serious fitment issues.

In my case I have a 2004 STi running in ESP with SSR Competition 17x8.5 (ET 48) wheels. I've had the fenders cut but not rolled. I assume I'll have to have a body shop do some fender work to get any decent tire to fit, though I'd prefer to minimize the work needed. I'm also probably getting coilovers which will change the fitment issues in unforeseen ways. Some tires I'm looking at:

Victoracer V700, 255/40-17, $158 each.
Ecsta V700, 245/40-17, $161+ each (these fit with no mods, need shaving).
V710, 275/40-17, $191 each (best tire but heck to fit).
Toyo RA-1, 255/40-17, $164 each.

I suspect I will get another set of 235/40-17 Toyos for my extra (Rota 17x7.5) rims and use those as backup / track / rain (while tread lasts) tires. So it's really down to the Victoracers or the Ecstas. It looks like the Victoracers have a non-trivial amount more section width. Also, shaving the Ecstas on such a heavy car seems to be advised, which adds more cost to them, while the Victoracers don't seem to need it. Which adds up to my leaning heavily toward the Victoracers. Lowest cost would be the RA-1s if you count tire wear in. It's kind of frustrating when my main competitors seem to have unlimited tire budgets (one of them sells his tires after 20-30 runs so he's always running new). Admittedly I wore through 3 sets of race tires and one set of street tires this season -- but I can't afford it any more.