Toyo RA1 vs. Michelin PS Cup.

[jpachard]

Does anyone have any useful data comparing these two tires? laptimes etc. I'm looking for some tires that come in better sizes for 17" wheels.

Cheers, James

[Craig 930 RS]

Useful data? No. But the Proxes RA/1 is hands down a better tire
from the many, many cars I have seen at the track.

Craig
RS

[jpachard]

Originally posted by Craig911
Useful data? No. But the Proxes RA/1 is hands down a better tire
from the many, many cars I have seen at the track.

Craig
RS

Could you elaborate? Most Club Racers out here run Hoosiers or Michelin PS Cups. The pro guys run the Toyo's only because they *have* to for the Speed GT series(at least a few seasons ago).

[cstreit]

The Michelins work well on stock and/or heavier cars. If your car is under 2300# you may have a lot of trouble getting heat in the tires. I had this problem, several others confirmed it with me.

PCA cars often do well with the Michelin because the harder compound holds up better to these stock weight cars and is still able to generate heat.

Take a look at the life ratings, you'll see that the MPSC's are significantly harder a rubber than RA1's, Kumho's, Hoosiers, etc..

[jpachard]

Chris, I ran the Michelin's all last season(7 races) but have a problem with understeering. Now that I have an LSD in the car I'm afraid this problem will only get worse. Michelin only offers a 225 in 17 and frankly it's more like a 205. As far as life ratings go, you have to take those with a grain of salt when you compare tires from different companies( just like tire sizes). Are the RA-1's as quick as a Hoosier? Around here, that is the tire of choice if you have the $$$$ and want to go fast.

[rattlsnak]

>>But the Proxes RA/1 is hands down a better tire<<

Interesting,. I have heard nothing but very bad things from people running Proxes.

[Craig 930 RS]

First off - some ed-um-a-cation; the Speed spec Toyos, up until this year, were the Ts-1 or something of the like - NOT a good track tire but they were the spec tire for the entire Speedvision series.

This past year the Speedvision *GT* cars (heavier, much more power) run the RA/1, a HUGE improvement, while the Touring cars still run the previous tire TS-type tire (think SO2 style).

The RA/1s are not as quick as a Hoosier - but right in the ballpark.
They *can* be driven on the road (unlike the Hoosier), they last longer,
and are quite frankly (here it comes...) the best non-Hoosier track tire available. They are the choice for a rain tire (the A032R used to be) when used with a Hoosier type setup.

I wouldn't run any other Toyo tire other than the RA/1 at the track

Craig
RS

[jpachard]

Originally posted by Craig911


The RA/1s are not as quick as a Hoosier - but right in the ballpark.
They *can* be driven on the road (unlike the Hoosier), they last longer,
and are quite frankly (here it comes...) the best non-Hoosier track tire available.
Craig
RS

OK, How close to a Hoosier .5 sec, 2 sec.? The Michelins are excellent tires( the best F car at Limerock was running 1.00.4 on Michelins). THey just have size challenges.

Cheers, James

[Craig 930 RS]

Stay tuned and I'll have some numbers....objectivity rather than paper racing. I must add that, subjectively, the RA/1s are the best available.
Just harder to find (you like buying your tires at Les Schwab?)

Craig
RS

[Craig 930 RS]

Here ya go - info from Steve Haywood PCA racer ('88 911):

"Probably 1 to 1.5 seconds. That's if you are using shaved Toyos. Full
tread depth is probably at least 2 seconds different if not more. The
Toyo is a really nice tire - I use it for my rains now. It's really
predictable, isn't hard to get heat into and lasts a LONG time. I'd
bet you could get 4 times the number of heat cycles from a Toyo that you
can from a Hoosier. For DE's, I think that the Toyo or the Michelin
Cup tire is the way to go. Hoosiers don't last long, but they are
FAST. :-) "

Craig
RS

[don911]

Anyone using RA1s everyday? I'm thinking of going to RA1s for track and everyday use so I only have one set of wheels.
I'd like to sell my two sets of 7/8x16 Fuchs and get a set of 17" Fikses.

[Craig 930 RS]

They will be my next tire choice - after I use up the supply of the A032Rs.......

Craig
RS

[Tyson Schmidt]

Do the Toyo's come in a 275/40/17?????

[Emission]

I have a set of wheels with RA-1's for DE use. I like them because I can drive to/from the track on them, and keep them on for street driving if I am too lazy to pull them off when I get home.

[Craig 930 RS]

Tyson/others (Yes Ty they do come in your size):

http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire_specsheet.cfm?id=1

Craig
RS

[Tyson Schmidt]

Originally posted by Craig911
Tyson/others (Yes Ty they do come in your size):

http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire_specsheet.cfm?id=1

Craig
RS

Thanks Craig!

So how do the Toyo's compare to Victoracers as far as laptimes?

[Jim Richards]

Anyone using RA1s everyday?

I am planning on installing RA-1's on the 73E before the DE season starts, based on my tire guy's suggestion for street/track use. From what I read here, that's probably not a bad way to go.

[alf]

I have been using RA1s daily since October. Over the last year, i have had the following tires, opinions are subjective...

-SO3s on 6&7s, great all around tire even in driving rain.
-R1s on 7&9s, super sticky, very responsiveand stiff in the dry, not so good in standing water. OK in light rain.
-RA1s on 7&9s (unshaved) just as good as S03 in the rain, MUCH stickier in the dry than S03 but not as responsive as the R1s.

Of the 3, I like the RA1s best. The plan is to use them full tread daily for the fall and winter to get them "naturally shaved" for DEs in the Spring and Summer. Repeat next Fall.

I did take the RA1s to a skills day and they got a little squishy after about 5 laps on the cone track. I think they need to be shaved to be driven hard.

alf

[Bill Verburg]

Have you looked into the new compound Hoosiers?

[avi8torny]

The RA-1's have been a great tire for driving to the track and running them hard once I get there. They stick like glue and wear like iron. I bought them from Appalachian tire and didn't have them shaved. They are great people to deal with and shipping is only $ 4 per tire.