Top tires for the F80 - 2021 Edition

[MaX PL]

Trying to get a consensus on the best 2 or 3 tires for this platform as of this year which last at least 4 or 5 track days.

I think our options are limited and most have been tried by people here, but I'd like everyones input as I've only had success with one very popular tire, the NT01. Speed, consistency, and wear are most important in that order for me.

I was just on day 3 of a new tire for 2021 and it was nothing but disaster, so I'd like some opinions before ordering NT01s again as I have to get rid of these current tires.

[Suds]

I am running NT01’s and RE71’s, biggest thing I have found is keeping tire pressures about 33psi hot. I can run a full 20-30 minute session when the tires don’t go above 34 psi. A bunch of tires don’t like higher pressures, they get greasy quick.

[MaX PL]

I agree about greasy tires. I experienced that today so I dropped pressures to 25.5 cold but then I had that rumble noise (is that thread roll?) and had to bring the pressures back up to 26.5/27 cold to eliminate it.

I probably should have tried targeting a 38 hot to see what happens as some claim they have success in the high 30s with many tires.

[Suds]

My experience is:
First session 27 cold pre session, raised to 35-36 hot maybe more.
As soon as I am off track after the session, while still wearing my helmet and gloves i grab my pressure gauge and drop pressures to 34.0 psi. Then work from there to achieve 33 psi hot.

I should add most tires don’t like more than 34 psi hot.

[MaX PL]

Another question.

If I was to try A052 for 18x10 and 18x11 wheels, what sizes should I get to maintain the oem stagger ratio?

I'd like to fall back on using MDM when I need it and I found it doesn't work well when using off ratio sizes.

[NYG]

Originally Posted by MaX PL

Another question.

If I was to try A052 for 18x10 and 18x11 wheels, what sizes should I get to maintain the oem stagger ratio?

I'd like to fall back on using MDM when I need it and I found it doesn't work well when using off ratio sizes.

I think the goal would be to match the diameter but the aspect ratios are nominal values - for most brands they will be within the same ballpark.

Find your stock tires and get the exact "Tire Diameter" spec on them.

You can use https://tiresize.com/calculator/ to help you eliminate most of the process and narrow down the tire you want to use. This site will give you the nominal increase and decrease.

Example of where it wasn't in the same ballpark initially (My Z06):
Stock
Front: 285/30R19 (Nominal Diameter = 25.7")
Front: Actual Tire Spec Diameter = 25.8"
Rear: 335/25R20 (Nominal Diameter = 26.6")
Rear: Actual Tire Spec Diameter = 26.6"

Track (Hoosier A7)
Front: 315/30R18 (Nominal Diameter = 25.4")
Front: Actual Tire Spec Diameter = 25.6"
Rear: 345/35R18 (Nominal Diameter = 27.5")
Rear:Actual Tire Spec Diameter = 26.8"

So you can see if you compare nominal dimensions: Front A7 is 1.2% smaller and Rear is 3.4% larger. At first glance this isn't too great especially because the rear is >= 3%.

But the actual tire specs are: Front A7 is 1% smaller and Rear A7 is 1% larger which is about as good as it gets.

Ignore the stagger ratio - if you do above you'll still be on that track. If you're really OCD about it you can corner balance it. If I managed to get a little more forward rake out of my F8x, I was ok with it.

[MaX PL]

Thanks. If I go by what you say and match diameters and not ratios, the 275/305 NT01 setup is the only thing I've found thats close to OEM diameters; which makes sense considering the car ran the best with that setup in MDM.

For anyone running an A052 or AR1, what setups are you running and are you using MDM or DSC off?

I really want to have a faster tire than the NT01, but the Nankang CR1 that I'm currently running felt great at WGI in 65-70 degree weather day 2 on the tire with DSC off, but felt awful at LRP in 80-85 degree weather day 3 on the tire with DSC off; zero confidence at LRP yet had amazing grip and confidence at WGI.
My issue is that I don't want to try other tires if they all show performance issues in warmer weather after just a few days of use.

Maybe I'm approaching the whole thing wrong, maybe I'm running the wrong pressures, or maybe this tire was just done, but it's a headache going to the track and wasting time experimenting with new tires when the NT01 was reliable for me.

[NYG]

Originally Posted by MaX PL

Thanks. If I go by what you say and match diameters and not ratios, the 275/305 NT01 setup is the only thing I've found thats close to OEM diameters; which makes sense considering the car ran the best with that setup in MDM.

For anyone running an A052 or AR1, what setups are you running and are you using MDM or DSC off?

I really want to have a faster tire than the NT01, but the Nankang CR1 that I'm currently running felt great at WGI in 65-70 degree weather day 2 on the tire with DSC off, but felt awful at LRP in 80-85 degree weather day 3 on the tire with DSC off; zero confidence at LRP yet had amazing grip and confidence at WGI.
My issue is that I don't want to try other tires if they all show performance issues in warmer weather after just a few days of use.

Maybe I'm approaching the whole thing wrong, maybe I'm running the wrong pressures, or maybe this tire was just done, but it's a headache going to the track and wasting time experimenting with new tires when the NT01 was reliable for me.

This is exactly how I felt when I switched from NT01 to Toyo RRs.

It just wasn't worth it - I was looking for more when the NT01 did everything I wanted it to and lasted a long time doing it. I understand the love for this tire.

Remember you don't have to match the diameter perfectly but try to stay under 3% of increase/decrease. I don't think slip will be affected as much as ABS.

[sly1types]

Originally Posted by Suds

I am running NT01’s and RE71’s, biggest thing I have found is keeping tire pressures about 33psi hot. I can run a full 20-30 minute session when the tires don’t go above 34 psi. A bunch of tires don’t like higher pressures, they get greasy quick.

Same, i run the RE71r at 32-33 hot and they are solid.

[jfritz27]

Originally Posted by NYG

This is exactly how I felt when I switched from NT01 to Toyo RRs.

It just wasn't worth it - I was looking for more when the NT01 did everything I wanted it to and lasted a long time doing it. I understand the love for this tire.

Remember you don't have to match the diameter perfectly but try to stay under 3% of increase/decrease. I don't think slip will be affected as much as ABS.

Definitely similar feelings on the NT01 -- I am tempted though to try the AR-1 next....

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by NYG

I think the goal would be to match the diameter but the aspect ratios are nominal values - for most brands they will be within the same ballpark.

Find your stock tires and get the exact "Tire Diameter" spec on them.

You can use https://tiresize.com/calculator/ to help you eliminate most of the process and narrow down the tire you want to use. This site will give you the nominal increase and decrease.

Example of where it wasn't in the same ballpark initially (My Z06):
Stock
Front: 285/30R19 (Nominal Diameter = 25.7")
Front: Actual Tire Spec Diameter = 25.8"
Rear: 335/25R20 (Nominal Diameter = 26.6")
Rear: Actual Tire Spec Diameter = 26.6"

Track (Hoosier A7)
Front: 315/30R18 (Nominal Diameter = 25.4")
Front: Actual Tire Spec Diameter = 25.6"
Rear: 345/35R18 (Nominal Diameter = 27.5")
Rear:Actual Tire Spec Diameter = 26.8"

So you can see if you compare nominal dimensions: Front A7 is 1.2% smaller and Rear is 3.4% larger. At first glance this isn't too great especially because the rear is >= 3%.

But the actual tire specs are: Front A7 is 1% smaller and Rear A7 is 1% larger which is about as good as it gets.

Ignore the stagger ratio - if you do above you'll still be on that track. If you're really OCD about it you can corner balance it. If I managed to get a little more forward rake out of my F8x, I was ok with it.

Those fat A7 must make your eyeballs pop out under hard braking!

[RSXDC5]

305/325 AR-1 user here, 26.3 & 26.7 OD, DCS off always. Phenomenal setup, highly highly recommend.

[JustJames]

Anyone try the Conti Extreme Contact Force yet?

[m4forum]

I am running Toyo RR and very help with it. They are very consistent and great grip. Can run (depends on track) 1.3g constant g force.
They definitely wears faster than NT01 due higher grip but that is the balance between performance and durability.
What is very important specially because the weight of our cars is to flip the tires every event and rotate them left / right.

[melanthius]

Interesting note, I am running NT01s and at my last track day at Sonoma, there was a rep from Toyo tires. Very cool guy, he was helping people measure hot pressures and recording temps with a pyrometer. It both helped the track goers as well as provides valuable data to Toyo so they can learn what is popular. Very smart move by Toyo.

I told him I had heard not so great things about R888s and he said yeah, basically that's not a good tire. He agreed NT01s were amazing. He said straight up, Toyo is trying to make something that will beat NT01. Good for the consumer, I look forward to what they come up with.

[adc]

Best tire I've had on the car so far is Hoosier R7, 275/315. Grippy, very easy to drive, comes up to pressure quickly, can be cooled off to some extent. It's the first tire I truly understand. But very expensive.

For next season I'll try to switch to a 295 (Hoosier) or 305 (something else) square setup.

[bimmerboyE92]

Try 295/30 and 315/30. Completely transforms the front grip!

Toyo RR for everyday... have gone through 3 sets this year
Hoosier R7 for showing off
Nankang AR-1 to try something in between
Continental Force to be the new NT-01.

[sly1types]

Originally Posted by bimmerboyE92

Try 295/30 and 315/30. Completely transforms the front grip!

Toyo RR for everyday... have gone through 3 sets this year
Hoosier R7 for showing off
Nankang AR-1 to try something in between
Continental Force to be the new NT-01.

Do you have avg laptime differences between these? How much quicker are the RR compared to the AR1s? also dont you run Pirelli DHs sometimes?

[bimmerboyE92]

Originally Posted by sly1types

Do you have avg laptime differences between these? How much quicker are the RR compared to the AR1s? also dont you run Pirelli DHs sometimes?

All the tires I’ve listed are within 3-3.5sec of each other including the DH. And I haven't tried the Contis yet.

But they all feel different. The RRs get better through the session (because they like a lot of heat). The AR1s feel grippier but get worse through the session. DHs need a lot of heat to work but once hot are the fastest tire and can be abused the most even in traffic where one might be doing more pinching and sliding.

You’ve gotta try yourself as they are just tires. And this car eats them on track.

[MaX PL]

Originally Posted by Suds

My experience is:
First session 27 cold pre session, raised to 35-36 hot maybe more.
As soon as I am off track after the session, while still wearing my helmet and gloves i grab my pressure gauge and drop pressures to 34.0 psi. Then work from there to achieve 33 psi hot.

I should add most tires don’t like more than 34 psi hot.

Suds,

I just want to say thank you. Your recommendation of running the NT01 at 33 is spot on, and your last statement about not running most tires over 34 is also correct based on my experience.