Nope not at all. If thats what people think then that would surely be a reason why you don't ever hear about them lol. Not sure why anyone would think this though

 

Hard to argue with the Maxxis RC-1 as a value R-comp option.

 

Everyone thank you for the input. Looks like I'll be running RS3 or Z2 on my OEM wheels for now, then try the slicks when I become a bit more experienced with tracking!


Wow this R-compound thing is new to me. It sounds like Hoosier R6 has some great great responses from members on this forum! I will certainly check 'em out. Can't wait...


So what would happen if I were to put a full-on racing slack and drive to the track? other than waste tread on street.. Since it doesn't rain or ever reach anywhere near freezing point, I don't have to worry about losing traction, right?
Is it just that they're not street legal tires?

 

Slicks are not street legal. Look at the Toyo R888, racing compound AND street legal.

 

Unless you're going to trailer your vehicle, I would strongly advice you against looking at anything beyond NT-01, RC-1, R888, R1Rs.

Going to Hoosier R6/A6 or similar racing slicks is unsafe even in the slightest bit of water. If you get caught in even a slight sprinkling driving through the grape vine on the way to Buttonwillow or on the 14 on the way to WSIR/SOWS, you're in big trouble. A 5-10 minute shower is more than enough to make for dangerous conditions with those tires.

Safety aside, those tires also heat cycle out very fast. Even if you're not getting them fully up to operating temp like you would in "race" conditions, regular street driving will (even if just to and from events) kill your tires in quick order. They'll have a lot of rubber left, but that rubber will be cycled out and not as grippy as brand new rubber.

The same is true of even high level extreme performance Street Tires. RS3s are notorious for heat cycling out very fast. You might still have 5/32 of tread left and be 0.5 to 1.0 seconds off pace from a brand new set of RS3s. This is why it's preferable to have two sets of wheels/tires even if you're only using "Street" tires.

 

Wow thanks! I underestimated the lack of safety a full slicks would put me in on a regular road. So a NT-01, R1R, R888's are still r-compound, but still somewhat drivable on the street?




Another newbie question..
I plan to buy Wedssport TC105N 17x9 +49 square set up. I may buy a BNIB set since one of the vendors on this forum was able to hook up a good deal. I'm sorta afraid to use these on the track in case the wide wheels may rub on the front fenders when driven hard on track. Not to mention the chips and rashes that I may pick up on the wheels, decreasing resale value. Eh, if aftermarket wheels have a significant advantage over OEM wheels, I don't mind a little cosmetic damage.

That said, if it were up to you guys, would you rather...
a. use OEM wheels for track tires (Do you guys prefer staggered setup for track?)
b. use aftermarket wheels for track tires with square set up
c. use aftermarket wheels for track tires with staggered set up

Thanks!!!

 

I like keeping the stagger but many run square setups. The Wedsports are significantly lighter than any OEM wheel and they should be just a strong of stronger. I would have no worries about running them on the track. As for rash ans stuff I see that happen more on the street as there is more debris and curbs to hit (I guess if you go off track it can mess up the wheels it just depends where you go off). If you are worried about resale I would look for used wheels. Even if they have a few chips and scraps you can probably get them for a good deal less than a new set and then you don't have much depreciation.

 

Yeah I agree, not worth investing in new shiny wheels for the track if you’re worried about them. This is where function outshines cosmetic appeal, especially when you can easily unbolt them and put your nice wheels back on. Look in the used market. The Racing forum on this site even has one. Might even get lucky and find some R comps mounted on them already, with some life left.

 

Setup will depend on any other supporting mods that you plan on doing. If you're going to run a big GT-style wing, then definitely a square wheel/tire setup. If you're going to run without aero, then maybe slight stagger will benefit you (17x9/10 with 245/255 F/R).

If you have very little tracking experience, track the car stock for at least 5-6 sessions before doing anything - more if you can hold off the mod bug - you'll be thankful that you did once you finally do start modding (I tracked mine 2 years stock before doing anything beyond camber joints).

As for the Wedssport TC105N 17x9 +49, it's a very good setup. You'll need to roll your fenders and relocate bumper tabs if you want to run 245 or 255 square, but it provides quite a bit more mechanical grip. It also gives you really good clearance to run a BBK (stoptech or AP), which if you get serious about tracking, you'll want to do. You'll find that your number one consumable (even over tires), will become front brake pads and rotors. A BBK will pay for itself after approximately 15 track days.

And finally, if you're concerned about resale/curb rash - you might want to reconsider tracking your car. If you track your car, you need to be ready to write it off. I've seen countless cars crashed at the track, most are totaled. For whatever reason, my first 5 days tracking, every single day I saw a car totaled (either flipped over or crashed into a wall). A friend of mine totaled his Evo X with only 10,200 miles on it - stuffed it into a wall going 80+mph, the car shrank and got shorter by about 1.5 feet...

Consider visiting the Racing and Competition sub forum if you want to get more serious about tracking.

My recommendation for you if you're really a complete noob, is this:
-Upgrade to stainless steel brake lines
-Change brake pads to Project Mu Club Racers (or similar track compound)
-Flush fluids to DOT-4 brake fluid
-Put track rubber on the stock AP2 wheels 17x7/8.5 with 225/255 rubber (either RS3, ZII, RE-11a) - keep it as a dedicated track setup for the life of those tires ~ 7-10 track days (they'll probably heat cycle out at 5 days, but they're still good for hooning around in and getting experience)
-Get a fresh track oriented alignment (max out front camber)
-Buy some some offset camber ball joints up front (if you get this first, obviously swap with the above and perform alignment AFTER)
-Buy the Wedssport TC105N 17x9 +49 (and keep them as STREET only wheels/tires for your first year) - you can swap around and use these as track wheels/tires once you understand the car and tracking more. initially, a square setup is not recommended for a noob.

Do the above specifically in that order. Once you finish off your first set of track tires, you should have a much better idea of what you want to do. Good luck.

 

Bullwings shares great information

aint nothing wrong running the 225/255 combo on stock wheels. Extra stock wheels are cheap. I wouldn't make a large investment into a staggered setup, especially since you are just getting into tracking.

I have RE11As on my E36M3. they have stiffer sidewalls than the RS3 but I still consider them a better daily driver tire. damn good double duty tire.

I think I have around 6,000 miles and over 100 Autocrosses on them and still have some life left but the edges are wearing down faster than the insides which will happen on your car too, even if you max out the camber settings at stock height.

After you demolish your first set of track tires, then it might be worth looking into non-stagger.