best 18" tire for hpde?

[Sky Render]

Federal RS-RR. Cheap and effective.

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Link to available sizes and prices?

 

[Strengthrehab]

Link to available sizes and prices?

http://superbuytires.com/tires/model/Federal/595+RS-RR/?show_sizes=Y

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[Juice]

Read some reviews on the RS-RRs. At $128 per tire, 140 treadwear, I think I MUST try these. Amazon has them, just need my tax return to arrive on my Amazon gift card.

Thank you for the tip.

I will post a full review after my next WGI event with lap times. And possibly video too. My NT01 set still has some life in it, so I will be doing back to back comparisons.

Cheers!

 

[Bad Horsie]

My tire guy got me Toyo T1 sports 275/40/18 for 215.00 each Mounted and Balanced. will see how they work in May @ NJMP. they were a little greasy on test drive today but it was chilly out

 

[Juice]

Won't be reviewing the Federals. I found a killer deal on Hankook Ventus Z214s.

 

[Strengthrehab]

Not comparable. Federals are a bit more tire in every way. Not even in the same class of performance.

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[Juice]

Not comparable. Federals are a bit more tire in every way. Not even in the same class of performance.

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Federals are better than these? https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Hankook&tireModel=Ventus+Z214

Somehow I doubt that. The event will probably be raining now that I got those.... lol

 

[Strengthrehab]

My fault. In was mistaken. May still be faster though.

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[Juice]

My fault. In was mistaken. May still be faster though.

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It's cool. I was all set to get a set of RS-SSs but stumbled on a deal on those I just could not pass up.

I will get the Federals next time I need tires.

 

[Strengthrehab]

I've never known anyone use them with a mustang.

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[Vorshlag-Fair]

It is really hard to recommend the "best HPDE tire for 18 inch" when there are really a lot of other variables the OP and others have thrown in:

• The ability to daily drive AND do track days on the same tire (huge compromise)
  
• The attractiveness of SUPER CHEAP pricing (for the "off" brands like Federal, Nexen, etc - which are cheap for a reason)
• The ability to keep close to the stock tire diameter (which isn't a big deal, but some people get hung up on it.

I stand by my recommendations from Dec 27th: Hankook RS-4 for a proper dual purpose tire, and RE-71R for a tire you can drive to the track on and GO FAST with, but not daily driven on. So to prove that I "practice what I preach" I have included our latest wide tire test - which we have done hundreds of times on our previous cars and customer cars...

I bought a 2018 GT a few weeks ago and it came with 18x8" wheels and 235mm all seasons. Total crap. The 4 piston 14" brakes easily fit within an 18" wheel but we are moving to a 380mm brake (these S550 14" brakes aren't good), so that means we should only look at a 19" wheel....

Our 11" wide wheel prices aren't much different in 18" vs 19", and because there are SO many more wide choices in 19", and we need the extra brake clearance, we went with a 19x11" wheel. We built them with offsets that allow them to bolt on without spacers, long wheel studs, etc. That seems to be a rarity right now, but we've been squeezing 11" wide wheels on Mustangs since our first set of Forgestars in 2012.

For the track specific set tires we wanted to run a 305/30/19, which is 26.2" tall. As you can see it is shorter than the 27" tall stock tires, but that's not the end of the world. Width matters more... but going with a short 24.8" tall (285/30/18) or even a 25.5" tall (315/30/18) tire is a significant change. The car will .... look weird without lowering, and it will definitely lower ground clearance with either of those two 18" sizes.

These S197 and S550 Mustangs are heavy cars and they need as much tire width as you can possibly fit under the fenders (and then some!) The 305mm tire will help deal with much of the added weight and heat generated in the tiny stock 235-255mm tires.

As you can see these 11" wide wheels fit under the stock fenders with just camber on the S550 (S197 also needs adj panhard or watts). Its tight so you have to make every millimeter count.

Our baseline lap was a 1:31 and change on the stock suspension and tires. I went back a week later and ran a 1:21 at the same track. It had a soft coilover setup and camber plates, but the majority of this TEN SECOND lap time drop was in the 305 Bridgestone RE-71R tires. Yes tires do make that much of a difference some times... this is why we preach GO WIDE when you upgrade.

Now the bargain wheels are often only 10" wide and many times only 18". I get that - everyone has a budget - but if you are looking at lap times you cannot spend money in a more productive way than in getting the widest wheels and tires possible to fit your Mustang. And right now, for both the S197 and S550, there are more choices in 305/30R19. Don't take my word for it - look it up on TireRack.

I have a set of 18x11" wheels on order to test a few other tires on this car, too. I will post up more about this in our S550 build thread - which is here on S197forum in our "Vorshlag" section. See my sig...

Cheers,

 

[OX1]

I just bought a pair of MPSS in 305-35-19. What I wanted was the NT-555 G2 in the exact same size, but they were not available. For DD use from May to Oct, either would suffice. The MPSS had better work, they were expensive.

I didn't think the PS2 in stock 235/18 size on my 14 were all that great.
But I now have the PS4S's on my Fusion Sport and I think they are
phenomenal. I can't tell any difference between extreme steady state cornering,
dry or wet (not large puddles, just wet). As mentioned, only downside I can find
is noisy on old pavement.

I also think those tires are the most exacting constructed tires I have ever seen.
Even the inside looks like it was "machined" flat. I have my own balancer, so I get to see
how "round" every tire I've ever owned is (including how much variance even tread grooves
move back and forth during rotation).

Mich seems to put a lot of effort into making a dimensionally, close to perfect a tire as they can.
Not sure how much that matters if you are going to tear the crap out of them in a couple track days,
but they are 100% vibration free, and I'm real picky about that. Many have taken zero weight (beyond what
the rims take, I always balance my rims bare to see were they are at first).

 

[OX1]

(these S550 14" brakes aren't good),

They are bigger (calipers size/pistons) than stock S197 Brembos, so I am surprised to hear that.

 

[Sky Render]

They are bigger (calipers size/pistons) than stock S197 Brembos, so I am surprised to hear that.

Re-read the post. It has nothing to do with the caliper; the rotors are the issue.

 

[Strengthrehab]

Re-read the post. It has nothing to do with the caliper; the rotors are the issue.

Yet, many, many people drive the shit out of base GT's and eco PP's on track. Without brake issues.

There is good information out there, but watch for confirmation bias on both sides.

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[Norm Peterson]

↑↑↑ Granted that Terry is unusually hard on brakes, but I'm skeptical about how hard those people consider "driving the shit out of" to really be with respect to braking needs.


Norm

 

[Strengthrehab]

I have no skin in the game since I have 6 pistons, cooling, SRF fluid and will be running Gloc R16/R12 combo.

Hopefully he will be able to make his system work just fine.

 

[OX1]

Re-read the post. It has nothing to do with the caliper; the rotors are the issue.

I found the thread after I replied. Wonder how they would hold up
with normal venting on rotors.

I got take-offs from Roush when the 15's first came out. Tried to make
them fit, but I would have needed upwards of a 3/4 inch spacer to use them
with my 18" Bullit knockoffs. Still think they would be a huge upgrade over
S197 stock GT brakes (2 piston).

 

[Norm Peterson]

I found the thread after I replied. Wonder how they would hold up with normal venting on rotors.

I would expect something comparable to the S197's SVT/GT500 14" 4-piston Brembo setup. Which is adequate or better for most drivers and a significant step up from the 2-piston "regular GT" brakes (in either diameter).


Norm

 

[syberspace]

I run RE11's on mine. 275/40/18 on 18x9.5 wheels. I wanted the RE71, but couldn't find a size I liked. I ran the RE71 on my last track car (E36 M3). Loved them. Great in the wet too.
The RE11 is close, and does last longer.
I just bought a set of Hankook RS4 (285/35/18) for my other set of wheels (18x10). Looking forward to trying them out.