The latest European Car Magazine has an article listing maximum gripping tires for performance. The article stated that they were primarily for dry, summer weather, but some were designed to excel in wet performance, because dry grip limits are rarely reached by the average driver. Others were designed for high-speed stability or just sheer cornering grip for the occasional autocross. Many represent the highest technology for street use offered by each company. It also gives a one-paragraph description of each. We already know about all or most of them. Here they are, along with wheel diameters, and reasons as to why they were selected (reasons are those from selected top tuners in the country -- multiple reasons mean multiple tuners chose that tire):

BFGoodrich:
g-force T/A KD (15-18 inches) (good overall max grip tire)

Bridgestone:
Potenza S-03 Pole Position (15-20 inches) (good grip) (alternative to the T1-S) (80% of business, covers most needs) (good balance for applications);
Potenza RE050 (16-19 inches);
Potenza RE040 (15-18 inches)

Continental:
ContiSportContact2 (16-20 inches) (best all-around tire for Southern California, a bit noisy)

Dunlop:
SP 9000 (15-22 inches)

Falken:
Azenis Sport RT-215 (14-17 inches)

Goodyear:
Eagle F1 GS-D3 (large range of sizes) (good tires on VW R32);
Eagle F1 Supercar ("supercar wheel sizes", but some may fit the "merely mortal variety&quot

Hankook:
Ventus Sport K104 (15-20 inches)

Kumho:
ECSTA MX (17-20 inches) (great for the price) (softer compound, often used on older model cars) (budget tire)

Michelin:
Pilot Sport (sizes not stated) (overall lasts longer) (for odd sizes) (harder compound that AVS Sport, lasts longer);
Pilot Sport PS2 (sizes available are usually larger than the Pilot Sport's sizes and extend from 18 in. on up) (good overall) (sizing availability for wide 19 in. applications)

Nitto:
NT 555 Extreme ZR (16-22 inches)

Pirelli:
PZero Nero Max Grip (16-19 inches);
PZero Rosso (17-20 inches);
PZero Yellow (not stated)

Sumitomo:
HTR Z II (16-20 inches)

Toyo:
Proxes T1-S (14-20 inches) (SPEED World Challenge Series Tire) (good grip and balance) (good grip and lasts longer than the Kumho MX) (good grip, comes unbalanced easier than Parada Spec-2; good performance in rain & overall wear)

Yokohama:
AVS Sport (sizes not stated) (great grip, predictable at the limit) (budget, but still has good overall grip) (better overall street tire if wear is an issue)


Many if not all of these tires were also mentioned as being the preferred choice of some of the top tuners in the country, including these additional tires, with reasons given as to why the tuners selected them (but tire sizes were not stated):

BF Goodrich:
g-Force T/A KDW2 (alternative to S-03, used more for wet conditions)

Continental:
ContiSportContact (alternative for odd sizes)

Michelin:
Pilot Sport Cup (available for wide 19 in. applications; phenomenal grip)

Pirelli:
PZero (does not last as long as Michelin on many models) (decent alternative for longer tread life compounds) (alternative);
Corsa (surprisingly good in the rain for an R compound)

Yokohama:
AVS ES 100 (budget) (budget);
Parada Spec-2 (not as much grip as T1-S; not as prone to balance issues)

 

Just bought the GY F1's the other day with my SSR comps in 16". So far no
complaints. Still in my breakin period, will pull harder today.

The tire width of the F1's is comparable to S03's...nice and wide. :smile:
It's a good looking tire...not sure if Dunlop had anything to do with the
design, but it's designed and made in Germany.

The injection itself is not quite good as the S03's.

Weight is 2lbs ligher (i was going for lighter weight) than the S03's
205/50/16 size, so that was good news to me. :smile: If it wasn't for that,
I would've just gotten the S03's especially since Tirerack has a $50rebate
going on the Bridgestones. (F1 = $123, S03 w/rebate = ~$125)

 

Whats a proper break in period? Are you referring to heat cycling? What is the proper way to heat cycle a new tire?

 

Kenchan,

Your Goodyear F1s sound like really great tires!. I've been hearing about them for awhile now. That 2 lbs savings over the S-03s should make a good difference I bet. That combined with the SSR Comps will be really light. Well Done. :smile:

 

>>Whats a proper break in period? Are you referring to heat cycling? What is the proper way to heat cycle a new tire?
Original Post
I scrub mine in every time by driving up the highway about 5 miles, pulling off onto a deserted road, tossing the car side to side, swapping the front to rears, doing it again, then driving home. Pull them off for 48 hours and they're set for the first race.
Ideally, this would be done on a hot day where they can get up to temperature, but either way, it's a good scrub in session (I had do this in 45 degree weather befor I went down to Atlanta this year).

Brian

 

thanks jazmini! :smile: I was pulling pretty hard today on the F1's and they
grip very well. I thought I was on S03's :smile: be progressive... i guess.