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Fiesta ST - Track and High Performance tire recommendations

rooSTer

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Messages
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Location
Miami
#1
Toyo RA-1


Kumho Victoracer V700


Kumho Ecsta V710


Kumho Ecsta V700


Hoosier A3S05


Hoosier A6


Hoosier R3S05


Hooiser R6


Avon Tech R-A


Pirelli PZero Corsa


Michelin Pilot Sport Cup


Yokohama A048


Yokohama A032R


Nitto NT-01


Hoosier Radial Wet


Falken Azenis RT-615


Kumho Ecsta MX


Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD07


Hankook Ventus RS3


Toyo T1R


BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KD


Feel free to add your favorite.
 


Messages
180
Likes
26
Location
Phoenix
#4
Federal RS-R are every bit as good as any of the other 140-200 Treadware tires. I've driven on the Yoko A-048 r-comps (med comp), Direzza Z1s, Z2s, Kumho Ecsta XS, Hankook RS-3 and Toyo RA-1 and R1R at various track/autox events, and can tell you that the Federal RS-R is the absolute best bang for the buck you can get. Check onlinetires.com
 


Messages
66
Likes
3
Location
Glendale
#5
Love the Hankooks, had a couple sets of RS-2's and driven the RS-3 and they're great tires!!
 


Thor

New Member
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Brandon
#7
Just purchased Federal RS-R tires for my 2014 Fiesta ST ... Hope they work on the Track.. I will let you guys know some results.
 


Messages
32
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12
Location
Long Beach
#8
I like the Toyo R888.




Dave
Dave! Long time! How are things your way? That's a great photo, but I know they aren't so shiny anymore! :) Have you done any track days lately?

I went to Willowsprings SoW a couple weeks ago to test some Nitto NT01s. They were good, and I didn't push the car hard. I was sorting out other suspension and figment stuff, so had to take it easy.

Initial impressions on my 225mm NT01s is that they stick well even cold. My sense is that outright grip isn't as good as my BFG R1s. I'm going to sell my 15" and 16" wheel/tire packages (Direzza DZ2 and the R1s). Neither fit over my bigger brake setup now.
 


Thor

New Member
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Location
Brandon
#10
Terrible experience with the Frderal RSR tires today during an open track event at Nola Motorsports park. They just don't seem wide enough.
Please help I've tried doing the research but need to see if anyone knows personally what the widest track tire is offered for a 17 inch rim that will fit my 2014 st....
I want to find the best track tire for my fiesta out there.
Any help would be much appreciated!
 


Messages
384
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135
Location
Calgary
#11
Best street tire for AutoX is without a doubt the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R

I don't know how great they would be for the track though, they are way too soft

 


RAAMaudio

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#12
More info will help considerably.
1) Wheel width and offset you are running, to wide a tire on a given wheel size is not usually faster and less precise.
2) Tire specs, real specs are far more important as the sidewall markings are not accurate except in wheel diameter.
3) Familiar with checking and adjusting the tire pressure? This is critically important.
4) Camber setting you are running
5) Budget
6) Life expectancy goal
7) Street and track, any autocrossing as well or dedicated track set of wheels and tires?
8) Driving style, all out all the time, late brake, or more mellow driving, TT type where looking for a clear lap to run the best lap time, let it cool down, do it again....
9) Sliding in the turns, if so which end of the car?
10) Consider 15's or 16's to get wider wheels and more tire choices?

There is a lot to consider when picking tires and wider is not always better, the more you let us know the more we can help you decide:)

Rick
 


Messages
384
Likes
135
Location
Calgary
#13
More info will help considerably.
1) Wheel width and offset you are running, to wide a tire on a given wheel size is not usually faster and less precise.
2) Tire specs, real specs are far more important as the sidewall markings are not accurate except in wheel diameter.
3) Familiar with checking and adjusting the tire pressure? This is critically important.
4) Camber setting you are running
5) Budget
6) Life expectancy goal
7) Street and track, any autocrossing as well or dedicated track set of wheels and tires?
8) Driving style, all out all the time, late brake, or more mellow driving, TT type where looking for a clear lap to run the best lap time, let it cool down, do it again....
9) Sliding in the turns, if so which end of the car?
10) Consider 15's or 16's to get wider wheels and more tire choices?

There is a lot to consider when picking tires and wider is not always better, the more you let us know the more we can help you decide:)

Rick
I can certainly offer my reasoning!

1) Wheel width and offset you are running, to wide a tire on a given wheel size is not usually faster and less precise.
In autocross, it isn't possible to get the RE71R's in a size that will work with the OEM 17" rims. Therefore you have to do the (-1") rim diameter (which is allowed by SCCA) and go with either a 205/45R16 or the 205/50R16.

In my case, I've run both sizes. They both have advantages and disadvantages:

The 205/45R16 is beneficial for initial acceleration as it has a smaller diameter, and it is 2lbs lighter per tire than the 205/50.

The 205/50R16 on the other hand actually had a wider profile by around 3/8"~1/2" even though it is still a 205. Being a taller tire, it gives a little more top end speed in each gear, and finally it is significantly cheaper.

Personally I found the two tires to give similar performance, and really the only place I found a noticeable difference was the 205/45's did tend to break away a touch sooner than the 205/50's did. The big thing for me is the cost, it saved nearly 200$ for me... and that is hard to ignore.

2) Tire specs, real specs are far more important as the sidewall markings are not accurate except in wheel diameter.
This is true. Both the 205/45R16 and 205/50R16 are actually just as wide as their 215/45 and 215/50 main competitors. In fact if you stack them beside a set of 215 Dirreza's, they stand the same height. Don't be fooled by the 205 rating, they are wide tires!

3) Familiar with checking and adjusting the tire pressure? This is critically important.
Optimal pressure for autocross was around 50psi in the front and 47psi in the rear

4) Camber setting you are running
Stock

5) Budget
These tires run from around 130$ up to 160$ USD depending on size, dealer, and demand

6) Life expectancy goal
I get between 40-50 runs by flipping them front to back at each event, and after that I get a tire shop to flip them inside out... and another 40-50 runs after that before they cord.

A typical practice event usually get us around 12 runs, and main day events are 8... give or take a few. So usually we do a Saturday practice, and Sunday competition day. That means I burn through a set of tires every 4 to 5 events. I usually have 6 rims, so that I have 2 extra tires ready to go in case I cord them before I expect.

7) Street and track, any autocrossing as well or dedicated track set of wheels and tires?
I was driving between the event and my house with the tires, which was a 2 hour drive each way. Other than that, no driving on my racing tires.

8) Driving style, all out all the time, late brake, or more mellow driving, TT type where looking for a clear lap to run the best lap time, let it cool down, do it again....
I overdrive the crap out of my car. It takes 1 run to get heat into them, and then they get nice and sticky for the next 2 to 3 runs that occur shortly after that. I am not trying to save tires, I am trying to push out tenths of a second from my run.

When it starts to get hot out, these tires basically start melting away, so it is a good idea to keep a spray bottle handy to use between runs

9) Sliding in the turns, if so which end of the car?
I will occasionally induce a rear slide, I never have any plowing issues even when I overdrive it

10) Consider 15's or 16's to get wider wheels and more tire choices?
16" is the only way to go with these tires if you want to do AutoX
 


Messages
27
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0
Location
Fort Lauderdale
#14
I've been tracking Toyota Proxies R888. Can only compare them with stock tires, but they are a huge improvement in the corners. Cannot leave them on for daily driving though, way too noisy. Also dangerous in standing water.
 


RAAMaudio

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#15
Phreak,
Thanks for the great and very informative post:)

As much as I want to help everyone I can I cannot test everything there is, my car is modded to a different level than most others and in one way different than all FiST's, rear camber change.

Your posting is of great value to others running similar setups especially:)

-----------------

I have ran a bunch of R888 tires, up to 305's on a Forester XT, all around great tire that can be driven to events, which I have done as well. Now I run the RA1 and like them better, get them as take off from race teams at a very good price but I want to try the Maxxis tires when my current tires are worn out as the end cost for new versus lightly used race tires is not much.
 


Siestarider

Senior Member
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Location
Stuart
#16
I found the BFG SC-2 in 205/45/16 mounted on Oz Ultras to be very friendly on street, and fast enough and durable enough on track to get 10 total track days plus at least 10,000 street miles. Ok, 9 track days and the tenth, just not enough grip left in them for a new PB. Wear bars mean what they say.

Wheels now have BFG 215/45/16 Rival S mounted, need to scrub them in, then probably use them driving to track, on track, and back. From what I have read here on Forum, I should easily get new PB's on track, but the tires may not last real well. Have no idea how they will street, may go ahead and mount them this weekend and at least get a few miles to see.
 


RAAMaudio

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#17
You may find them getting slippery once they get hot as they were engineered for autocross to get warmed up fast, from what I have read on tests, forums, etc....

For that reason they are also good on the street as grippy soon after you start driving, as long as not to cold out, great for a little canyon run, etc. I have never driven mine hard for a very long distance so cannot say for sure they would overheat to quickly.

Likely would also make a great time trail tire so used as such you should break your records easily:)

One thing that really impresses me is how well they hook up when my big turbo kicks in hard in 2nd gear, good surface, warm weather, no spin, just hauls butt.
 


RAAMaudio

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Carson City
#19
Looking forward to the results:)

When my Rival S are getting pretty worn I will track them to see how they do compared to the RA1, I am hoping pretty well as then I could just buy new ones for the street and when worn use them for track tires making it easier by using one tire for all things as they are great for the few times I will autocross the car as well.

All goes well I could possibly reduce the number of wheels and tires I haul around, right now I have 6 race wheels and tires, 4 summer wheels and tires and will have 4 AS wheels and tires. I have 2 more sets of wheels I need to sell on hand right now as well. If I could get it down to 6 or 8 track and 4 AS that would help a lot!

---------------

I am a bit surprised the well worn SC-2 gave up so much as normally the less tread depth the faster a tire will be so it must of been a heat cycle issue, why I use RA1 for track tires. They are not the fastest but they do not heat cycle out, very linear break away, best bang for the buck I have used so far, especially buying them as take off tires, $400 shipped, very fresh, very cost effective.

I have a feeling the Rival S might make a great time trial tire and not take the points hit of DOT race tires and I am fighting a points issue as it is with all my mods to keep in a class where I am not simply overwhelmed by cars a FWD that is streetable can compete against.
 


Siestarider

Senior Member
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Stuart
#20
I just spent an hour reading everything I could find about heat cycling.

First, most agree that tires should be heated to track temp for 10 minutes or so and then rested a day or two. This is supposed to make tires last longer with good performance on track.

Second, tires get hard with both age and # of heat cycles. In this context, I interpret what the experts say means running five HDPE sessions in one day at a track, assuming you are running hard, resting tires for 45 minutes or more between runs, means five heat cycles.

In that context my faithful BFG SC-2's had more than 30 heat cycles on track, several long heat cycles in mountains, about two years of off and on street use, and 3 months on street between 9th and 10th track days.

Even though I reported they "gave up" on that last day, in reality I recorded my best "virtual lap". Just could not get three sectors in a row for PB. I run as hard as the car and my skill will allow. The wear on that last day looked different than earlier track days. Rubber not as grainy, more smooth wear past wear bars. Braking as good as ever, lateral missing a little. I believe this is what racers call "going off".

My take on all this is that I was not going to get a faster lap out of those tires no matter what I did. Just plain time for a new set.

I did not like what I learned from the serious competition forums: many fast street tires offer fewer than 15 heat cycles before they 'go off'.
 


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