Hey Guys,
I really wanted sticky tires for the front wheels. I only drive the cavy a few hundred miles a year since 2008. That being said, I did my research and went with the FALKEN RT615K 225/45/17. WOW! Even with tranny mounts, engine mounts, control arm bushings, better shocks etc. my relatively new TOYO FZ4's were still causing me to wheel hop from 1st to second and a chirp going from 2nd to third (doesn't happen often). I remember my first 1st gear PULL on these Falkens...1st gear to 2nd stuck like GLUE, ZERO wheel hop. Love this tire.
For the rear, I am looking for tires with a treadwear (UTQG) around 280 - 320 My Falkens are 200 AA A. I want my rear tires to last longer than the front but I still want the best UHP sticky tire out there (I consider the Falkens to be EXTREME PERFORMANCE - like the VENTUS RS-3, TOYO R888, YOKOHAMA ADVAN AD08, DUNLOP DIREZZA ZII etc.) I want the next class down for the rear, but still the BEST. Help me pick?
These are what I have found. I have rated them according to my preference. ALL THESE TIRES EXCEPT NO. 9 HAVE A MIDDLE RIB DESIGN - The rib is to maintain TOTAL CONTACT with the ROAD, providing the most GRIP. When you get down to the extreme tires, the rib is not important due to the super soft rubber compound I believe. See below:
1. HANKOOK VENTUS EVO 2 (K120) (320 AA A)
2. MICHELIN PILOT SUPER SPORT (300 AA A )
3. CONTINENTAL EXTREMECONTACT DW (340 AA A)
4. BRIDGESTONE POTENZA S-04 POLE POSTION (280 AA A)
5. GOODYEAR EAGLE F1 ASYMMETRIC 2 ( 300 AA A)
6. DUNLOP MAXX RT (240 AA A)
7. BFGOODRICH SPORT COMP-2 (340 AA A)
8. DUNLOP DIREZZA SPORT Z1 STAR SPEC
9. TOYO PROXES T1-R
Number's 2, 8 - 9 have been out a while, but the Star Spec is still an awesome tire but pricey. All other tires are priced from $115 - 145 or so.
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
I ran the dunlops on the front of my turbo car. Only tire that sorta hooked in third and fourth. lol.
"A car just isn't a car without a little blood, sweat, and beers." -- Shadowfire
Nice! I hope to have that problem one day lol
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
Looking at your registry I'm noticing you don't have control arm bushings. They are cheap and a must if your looking to eliminate wheel hop.
Tires may be part of it as well but think of it this way. Maybe your old tires were just spinning and not gripping
Philly D - they are there under Suspension
. My tires were old and as I added more power the wheel hop got worse and the tires got older... However, the wheel hop was no where near as bad when I did NOT have the bushings. What about the tires, any suggestions? Keep in mind they are for the rear, but when I need to put them up front, I want them to be grippy tires.
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
I only run Hankook V12s on my cavalier. For the price you cannot beat them. The only other tire I would consider for it would be Hankook RS-3s. The V12s are my go to summer tire.
I have the continental dw's.....They are a great all around tire but probably not what your looking for. I know I wont be buying them again...if that helps narrow it down..
Explain why you would not buy them again? I am really considering that tire lol. The old Ventus K117 is a good tire. The reviews on the second GEN (K 120 EVO 2) is much better. Braking has significantly improved in the WET, braking distance still superior as before and the new compound on the EVO 2 allows for slightly more traction and longer tread life. I really like the EVO 2 but I don't know if it is real proven performer (yet to find comparison testing of it against the greats).
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
I like my bf Goodrich a/s. Even all worn uneven, bald still sticks and long lasting
ReD RaiN
Don't know of these, but I'll look them up and compare to the Sport Comp - 2. Thanks.
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
They are sticky and quiet and ride great but at a cost. The sidewalls are a little soft.
I've run the k110 v12 evos in the past and they were a decent tire. After running the rs-3, I won't go back to a middle of the road tire. The sheer amount of lateral grip the rs-3 have had me hooked.
I hear they don't last long and then you have trouble in the wet as the tread declines. I just can't go to another 200 tread wear tire for the rear (I don't do any autocross), however I would like sticky tires that grip so I can put them in the front if need be. There isn't much info on the K120 EVO 2. I have been able to find a ton of stuff on the MICHELIN PILOT SUPER SPORT and CONTINENTAL EXTREMECONTACT DW's. These are currently my top two choices. It seems as thought the pilot super sport is hands down the best street tire out there!
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
If the new Evo's are better than the old ones (which knowing hankook, I bet they are) they would be my tire of choice in a high performance, higher than 200 tread wear tire. I ran conti dws on the last wrx I owned and while they had decent grip, they also flat spotted overnight.
Nice! What I have read so far is very good on EVO 2. You can't go wrong and I would be satisfied with them I am sure. I've bend a big fan of the K110 since they cane out. If I could just find a comparison with the two I mentioned above. Lap time differences or driver input of course to help me decide lol. I find the super sport tread to be boring and the DW to be very totally the opposite and the EVO 2 pretty cool.
Quick question: A tire with more "ribs" mean more traction? Most of the tires I look at all have 2 to 4 ribs (super sport, DW, potenza S04 pole, pzero, dunlop sport maxx, eagle f1 symmetric etc). BF comp 2, evo 2 have 1 rib, but look at the star spec direzas, 1 rib and a great sticky tire. More ribs??? I want traction, traction in the dry fellas
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
I always get a fairly cheap tire. They have not let me down in the corners or straight line traction. I'm not making fun or anything either.
Maybe it is my driving, mods I'm not sure but wheel has not been a problem since I did motor and tranny mounts 11 years ago.
FU Tuning
I agree man. I had FALKEN ZIEX 912's on my VR6 twice and I was very happy with them. Good traction, great in the wet! And I researched a lot of tires in that class. This case, its for the cavy and I only buy the best - after the falken RT615K I put in the front, I won't go back to an above average tire. I need the excellent performers out there.
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
Typically traction has more to do with a larger contact patch. Ie the rs-3 have minimal tread pattern with large patches of rubber contacting the pavement vs the k110 v12 Evo that have more grooves. Obviously compound also comes into play...
The ribs would be more for channeling away water than they would handling.
That's true. I do have the Falken RT615K up front, more rubber more traction. I saw somewhere, that the rib design also inherently creates more "contact patch" than regular directional tires such as the TOYO R1R for example - ribs are directional but instead of cross groves (which don't create enough contact patch vs ribs), the ribs do put more rubber down. Does that make sense or did I confuse myself lol
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
Okay some INFO in case anyone wants to know this INFO down the road.
TIRE TRACK'S TOP 20 TIRES as of 06/21/15
1. Michelin Pilot Super Sport
2. Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 (Pilot Super Sport is the replacement of the PS2 and still considered 2nd best)
3. Bridgestonne Potenza S-04 Pole Position
4. Continental ContiSportContact 5P
5. Continental ExtremeContact DW
6. Michelin Pilot Sport 3
7. Hankook Ventus V12 evo 2
8. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT
9. Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2
10. Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric
Low budget minded guys: SUMITOMO HTRZ III rated no. 17
No mention of the BF Goodrich COMP - 2 and should be tire rack top ten tire from what I have read about it.
Pirelli PZERO out of the top 10!
My choice right now are: Pilot Super Sport, Extremecontact DW and the Potenza S-04 Pole Postion. Just not 100 % sure the Ventus EVO 2 is better than these three just mentioned. In fact, It is not better than the PILOT SUPER SPORT for sure. Super Sport is no. 1 because every freakin review I have seen says this is the best street tire in the world.
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
TOP 10 - changed my mind about entering in another 10 tires lol
"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE STOCK"
