Falken Azenis RT660 Coming Soon - RE71R contender?

[Shikari]

It sounds dumb, but have you tried lowering the pressures down to the 20's to try and get it to ride on the outside shoulder more? It's not a perfect solution but it would be a good test. to see if they're bulging in the middle. I mean, the tires are toast anyway. Might as well experiment.

 

[Pablo Pistoffo]

Finally took a pic of mine, with 18 runs over three events.
I didn't want to go much lower, I was wearing past the little arrows on the sidewall.

 

[the duke]

Finally took a pic of mine, with 18 runs over three events.
I didn't want to go much lower, I was wearing past the little arrows on the sidewall.

What the fuck.

 

[Alkoran]

Did the ones of you who made some steps to get an explanation either from the manufacturer or the tire dealer got any answers?

 

[CSM]

This is happening A LOT, especially in the Solo-Spec Coupe community for FRS/BRZ (this is the spec tire for that class).

Consensus seems to be that, if you dont do a few heat cycles/scrub in before competing on these tires, the center tread will pull away pretty easily from the tire.

Haven't seen any responses from Tire Rack or Falken yet.

 

[the duke]

This is happening A LOT, especially in the Solo-Spec Coupe community for FRS/BRZ (this is the spec tire for that class).

Consensus seems to be that, if you dont do a few heat cycles/scrub in before competing on these tires, the center tread will pull away pretty easily from the tire.

Haven't seen any responses from Tire Rack or Falken yet.

If that's the case that is a really bad design from Falken. These aren't competition race tires that need proper scrubbing and heat cycling. These are still a street tire.

 

[Dpro]

If that's the case that is a really bad design from Falken. These aren't competition race tires that need proper scrubbing and heat cycling. These are still a street tire.

That is true but you have to remember something these guys are actually taking the tires to the track for competition. I am not saying its right but your statement is not correct either . On the street under normal use one will probably not see such behavior and in fact will wind up heating the tires and scrubbing them before hitting the Canyons.
Now should the manufacture informed about this? Of course , is their a design issue possibly but the way the guys who are having problems are all in competition settings.

Just saying....

 

[Woods247]

After reading this thread before I went out last weekend, I decided to heat cycle them twice (Sat and Sun) and run my RT615K+ most of the weekend lol. We’ll see how they are next event.

 

[MagnetiseST]

After reading this thread before I went out last weekend, I decided to heat cycle them twice (Sat and Sun) and run my RT615K+ most of the weekend lol. We’ll see how they are next event.

How do you suggest heat cycling them? I was looking at these to replace my 615K+s but might hold off now...

 

[Pablo Pistoffo]

How do you suggest heat cycling them? I was looking at these to replace my 615K+s but might hold off now...

I was able to have Tire Rack heat cycle my Rvals when I bought them, but the option wasn't available for the 660s for some reason.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=66

 

[M-Sport fan]

I was able to have Tire Rack heat cycle my Rvals when I bought them, but the option wasn't available for the 660s for some reason.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=66

That's strange, as these seem to really NEED that process.

They heat cycled on their machine, a set of 275/40-17 615Ks (for my 17x9.5s on my LSI 4th gen) for me many many moons ago.

 

[Woods247]

How do you suggest heat cycling them? I was looking at these to replace my 615K+s but might hold off now...

I went out at the back of a session and gradually brought them up to temp, then came back to the pits and swapped wheels (RT615K+) for the rest of the weekend. After they come up to temp for the first time, they need to totally cool over 24 hours or so before they're cycled again. That's usually what I do if I don't have TireRack or Phil's Tire do it.

 

[the duke]

That is true but you have to remember something these guys are actually taking the tires to the track for competition. I am not saying its right but your statement is not correct either . On the street under normal use one will probably not see such behavior and in fact will wind up heating the tires and scrubbing them before hitting the Canyons.
Now should the manufacture informed about this? Of course , is their a design issue possibly but the way the guys who are having problems are all in competition settings.

Just saying....

I’ve run 2 seasons on RT615K+. I understand the point and use of this type of tire. These are street tires and should not need heat cycling to prevent the rubber separating from the carcass after 1000 miles.

 

[Dpro]

I’ve run 2 seasons on RT615K+. I understand the point and use of this type of tire. These are street tires and should not need heat cycling to prevent the rubber separating from the carcass after 1000 miles.

I think you missed a big point though. While the 660 is considered a street tire its part of a new generation of tires from a lot of the manufacturers that borders on being if not being a track tire adopted to street use design wise. My Federal RS Pro’s are that.
I will point out the point you seemed to miss. These guys took the 660s straight to the track. or Straight to the Autocross course and put them under extreme conditions without heat cycling.
Now if you ran the tire on the street with occasional canyon runs and then maybe took it to a track event would the same thing happen? It possibly wouldn't ( read I said possibly) The tires chunked possibly because of not being heat cycled. Track tires quite often need to be heat cycled to come up to performance not chunking etc. I am not defending them just pointing out facts you managed to dismiss, ignore or not even realize in your condemnation.
615k+ were also a different tire and less track oriented than the new 660‘s so you cannot use them for a basis of comparison of how these should perform according to those.

 

[the duke]

I think you missed a big point though. While the 660 is considered a street tire its part of a new generation of tires from a lot of the manufacturers that borders on being if not being a track tire adopted to street use design wise. My Federal RS Pro’s are that.
I will point out the point you seemed to miss. These guys took the 660s straight to the track. or Straight to the Autocross course and put them under extreme conditions without heat cycling.
Now if you ran the tire on the street with occasional canyon runs and then maybe took it to a track event would the same thing happen? It possibly wouldn't ( read I said possibly) The tires chunked possibly because of not being heat cycled. Track tires quite often need to be heat cycled to come up to performance not chunking etc. I am not defending them just pointing out facts you managed to dismiss, ignore or not even realize in your condemnation.
615k+ were also a different tire and less track oriented than the new 660‘s so you cannot use them for a basis of comparison of how these should perform according to those.

I am not missing the point. My current set of ZIIIs were taken to the track literally mounted the night before with zero miles and I didn't have a single issue with the tire separating. This is after additional autocross on the same tire. I did the same with my previous RT615K+s. This is the same manufacturer (Sumitomo Rubber) which is coincidentally rumored to have the same compound as the RT660s, (Rather, the RT660s likely have the same rubber as ZIIIs. Previous RT615K+ was likely the same Star Spec II compound).

To fail this bad this quickly on cars that are not heavy and realistically reaching high grip levels (Like say a ZL1) is unacceptable. Yes, these are high-performance tires. No, these are not track tires. To require heat cycling on a STREET tire to prevent this level of chunking and de-lamination is not only unacceptable but also a damn safety hazard.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

I Smell a class action.....

 

[Dpro]

I am not missing the point. My current set of ZIIIs were taken to the track literally mounted the night before with zero miles and I didn't have a single issue with the tire separating. This is after additional autocross on the same tire. I did the same with my previous RT615K+s. This is the same manufacturer (Sumitomo Rubber) which is coincidentally rumored to have the same compound as the RT660s, (Rather, the RT660s likely have the same rubber as ZIIIs. Previous RT615K+ was likely the same Star Spec II compound).

To fail this bad this quickly on cars that are not heavy and realistically reaching high grip levels (Like say a ZL1) is unacceptable. Yes, these are high-performance tires. No, these are not track tires. To require heat cycling on a STREET tire to prevent this level of chunking and de-lamination is not only unacceptable but also a damn safety hazard.

Well we will have to see what Falken says I am reserving judgement until then and choose not to let myself get so worked up over as you seem to be. Plus you seem to assume a lot about the tire based on hearsay and are not open to other opinions about it. I am done discussing it with you as you have already passed judgement and you have not even used the tire.

I had people say RS Pro’s chunked I have not had a problem with them yet. So I am looking at all possibilities before just outright dismissing them like you have.

For all we know it could have been a bad batch of tires that shit does happen even in F1. lol

First rule of manufacturing is there is no such thing as 100% perfect. Stuff can and does go wrong from time to time and the trick is QC and handling the stuff that might slip through QC and get out the door it does happen. How Falken handles it will really tell the tale and if they discover it was a bad batch.

 

[M-Sport fan]

For all we know it could have been a bad batch of tires that shit does happen even in F1.

I am suspecting this as well.

Maybe a bad, imbalanced compound mixture on this initial/first run batch?

 

[Plainrt]

Falken never responded to my email. Tirerack said perfectly normal and not to worry pretty much. Here they are after 3 events and 26 or so runs or 26 minutes of runs......

 

[Woods247]

Damn. They’re roached. That’s too bad. I was hopeful they’d give us at least 1/2 season since our cars are lightweight. Looks like they’re good for competition only.