Proxes RA1

***TitaniumTT*** · 05-23-2009, 12:50 PM

So here's the situation, many years ago I was pretty big into auto-x, then I bowed out for a while and now want to get into it with a vengence. There have been some changes to my car.... only a few

and the local club put me in SMA - Street Mod ALL and while I didn't get my ass kicked, I didn't finish where I normally would've previously, or more accurately, would've liked. I was also the only car in that class on "street" tires. Once I get the engine dialed in I'll place better I'm sure but the tires I was running (RT615's) while grippy enough to puke oil out of the filler cap left me wanting after getting a few rides in an original Shelby Cobra equipped with R888's.

So my quest for race rubber began. I came across a set of rims and shaved RA1's. Now, I had previously inquired about the NT-01's and the general consensus was that they weren't worth the extra $150 over the RT615's. The RA1 and the NT-01's share the same wear rating so I would imagine that thier grip would be similar, though I really don't know enough about tires to speak intelligently. Is it really worth the coin for a dedicated set of rims and tires? Are we talking about seconds of a difference here in a 40second to minute long course? Are the RA1's going to be rather noticably grippier than the RT615's? I know this sounds rather noobish, but I have never driven back to back cars with street rubber vs race rubber. The SC with the R888's layed it down through the curves, I have to imagine most of that was due to the tires, the lateral g's that thing put out were insane.

jecr · 05-23-2009, 06:30 PM

Hoosier A6 or Kumho V710 is a better tire for autoX, but can NOT be driven on the street.

RA1 takes sometime to heat up and is better suited for road course then autoX. The Bridgestone RE-01R was the tire to have last year in street tire class.

josh18_2k · 05-24-2009, 01:30 AM

any race tire other than A6 or v710 is a waste of time (for autocross).

everything else is designed for lapping, and will not build enough heat. even if they do, they are harder compound tires.
either of those two will dust r888's

SPICcnmFD · 05-24-2009, 06:40 AM

I agree with what the others have said. RA-1s, etc. will be better than normal street tires, but you will never get them warm enough to work right on an AutoX course. The only truely good choices for AutoX are A6s or V710s and you can tell a huge difference compared to other tires.

NT-01s and RA-1s are the exact same compound from what I've been told. NT-01s can be run without being shaved due to the tread pattern where RA-1s will chunk up some if they aren't shaved. I personally like the NT01s better from my experience, they seem to last longer.

***TitaniumTT*** · 05-24-2009, 09:19 AM

Thanks for the resonses and experience guys..... Well, here's the problem/concern. I've heard about the RT615's heating up too quickly and getting greasy and I plan to do @ least two track days this year, this causes me some concern. Plus I can get such a great deal on them, it's almost worth it ...... UNLESS the RA1's will actually stick less than the RT615's at auto-x temps, then it's a step backwards.

The good thing about the club that I race with is that it's small. Meaning the runs are pretty close to one another so I'd imagine that once hot, keeping them up to temp wouldn't be too hard of a chore.

Temp for temp at an auto-x - RT615 vs RA1's, would the RA1's be stickier?

Thanks for the input. I'm a tire newb.

AmviciousRav · 05-25-2009, 08:27 PM

if it's in the long run and not at a auto-cross event you'll like the RA1's but if you wanna stand a chance (well in the region I'm from) your better off with Hoosier A6 or Kumho V710

I got smoked by a freakin focus running V710's but I was using some stock crappy Yoko 420's haha (either it would understeer like mad or go intro a wanna be drift)

But this year I had a plan I got a set of used RA1's and shaved em down for a quick heat up during auto cross...I think the tires are ruined for a track event

(I hardly goto the track anyways and I got a good deal on the RA1's)

05-23-2009, 12:50 PM	#1
*TitaniumTT* Test Whore - Admin Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Right Behind you son iTrader: (4) Posts: 4,581 Rep Power: 10	Proxes RA1 So here's the situation, many years ago I was pretty big into auto-x, then I bowed out for a while and now want to get into it with a vengence. There have been some changes to my car.... only a few and the local club put me in SMA - Street Mod ALL and while I didn't get my ass kicked, I didn't finish where I normally would've previously, or more accurately, would've liked. I was also the only car in that class on "street" tires. Once I get the engine dialed in I'll place better I'm sure but the tires I was running (RT615's) while grippy enough to puke oil out of the filler cap left me wanting after getting a few rides in an original Shelby Cobra equipped with R888's. So my quest for race rubber began. I came across a set of rims and shaved RA1's. Now, I had previously inquired about the NT-01's and the general consensus was that they weren't worth the extra $150 over the RT615's. The RA1 and the NT-01's share the same wear rating so I would imagine that thier grip would be similar, though I really don't know enough about tires to speak intelligently. Is it really worth the coin for a dedicated set of rims and tires? Are we talking about seconds of a difference here in a 40second to minute long course? Are the RA1's going to be rather noticably grippier than the RT615's? I know this sounds rather noobish, but I have never driven back to back cars with street rubber vs race rubber. The SC with the R888's layed it down through the curves, I have to imagine most of that was due to the tires, the lateral g's that thing put out were insane. __________________ -The Angry Stig- DGRR 2009, 2011, 2012 & 2013 - Best FC DEALS GAP!! WOOHOOOO!!!!! 2015 Audi S4 - Samantha - Zero Brap S4 2004 RX8 - Jocelyn - 196rwhp, 19mpg fuel to noise converter 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport - Wifey mobile - Now with 2.5" OME lift and 30" BFG AT KO's! So it begins 1998 Jeep Cherokee - 5 spd, 4" lift, 33" BFG's - Rotary Tow Vehicle 1988 'Vert - In progress 1988 FC Coupe - Gretchen -The attention whore BEAST! I'm a sick individual, what's wrong with you? I'm pure Evil I'm still insane, in the best possible way. I think Brian's idea of romance is using lube. Your rage caused the meteor strike in Russia. The Antichrist would be proud of his minion. You win with your thread. Most everything It's a truck with a steel gate on the back. Just a statement of fact Motec M820, AIM dash, ported 13B-RE Cosmo, 6-spd trans, 4.3 Torsen, custom twin wg fully divided mani, Custom 4" split into 2x 3" exhaust, Custom HMIC, Custom custom custom custom I like to welder stuff.... No Bolt-ons allowed. Dyno'ed @ Speed1 Tuned by me - 405rwhp on WG.... WM50 cuming soon. *-Angry Motherfcker Mode ENGAGED-**

05-23-2009, 06:30 PM	#2
jecr The Newbie Join Date: Sep 2008 iTrader: (0) Posts: 22 Rep Power: 0	Hoosier A6 or Kumho V710 is a better tire for autoX, but can NOT be driven on the street. RA1 takes sometime to heat up and is better suited for road course then autoX. The Bridgestone RE-01R was the tire to have last year in street tire class. __________________ 93 VR RX-7 (277rwhp @10psi) 86 Diesel (Isuzu) powered RX-7 Last edited by jecr; 05-24-2009 at 09:31 PM..

05-24-2009, 01:30 AM	#3
josh18_2k Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gresham, OR iTrader: (0) Posts: 473 Rep Power: 17	any race tire other than A6 or v710 is a waste of time (for autocross). everything else is designed for lapping, and will not build enough heat. even if they do, they are harder compound tires. either of those two will dust r888's __________________

05-24-2009, 06:40 AM	#4
SPICcnmFD Rotary Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: B'ham, AL iTrader: (0) Posts: 329 Rep Power: 17	I agree with what the others have said. RA-1s, etc. will be better than normal street tires, but you will never get them warm enough to work right on an AutoX course. The only truely good choices for AutoX are A6s or V710s and you can tell a huge difference compared to other tires. NT-01s and RA-1s are the exact same compound from what I've been told. NT-01s can be run without being shaved due to the tread pattern where RA-1s will chunk up some if they aren't shaved. I personally like the NT01s better from my experience, they seem to last longer. __________________ 1993 Rx-7 SM2 #11 At the local AutoX: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VOSQkkSLQs Speed for Sale shootout 2007: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiqlyAkGmpg A few laps at Barbers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_h5q...x=0&playnext=1

05-24-2009, 09:19 AM	#5
*TitaniumTT* Test Whore - Admin Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Right Behind you son iTrader: (4) Posts: 4,581 Rep Power: 10	Thanks for the resonses and experience guys..... Well, here's the problem/concern. I've heard about the RT615's heating up too quickly and getting greasy and I plan to do @ least two track days this year, this causes me some concern. Plus I can get such a great deal on them, it's almost worth it ...... UNLESS the RA1's will actually stick less than the RT615's at auto-x temps, then it's a step backwards. The good thing about the club that I race with is that it's small. Meaning the runs are pretty close to one another so I'd imagine that once hot, keeping them up to temp wouldn't be too hard of a chore. Temp for temp at an auto-x - RT615 vs RA1's, would the RA1's be stickier? Thanks for the input. I'm a tire newb. __________________ -The Angry Stig- DGRR 2009, 2011, 2012 & 2013 - Best FC DEALS GAP!! WOOHOOOO!!!!! 2015 Audi S4 - Samantha - Zero Brap S4 2004 RX8 - Jocelyn - 196rwhp, 19mpg fuel to noise converter 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport - Wifey mobile - Now with 2.5" OME lift and 30" BFG AT KO's! So it begins 1998 Jeep Cherokee - 5 spd, 4" lift, 33" BFG's - Rotary Tow Vehicle 1988 'Vert - In progress 1988 FC Coupe - Gretchen -The attention whore BEAST! I'm a sick individual, what's wrong with you? I'm pure Evil I'm still insane, in the best possible way. I think Brian's idea of romance is using lube. Your rage caused the meteor strike in Russia. The Antichrist would be proud of his minion. You win with your thread. Most everything It's a truck with a steel gate on the back. Just a statement of fact Motec M820, AIM dash, ported 13B-RE Cosmo, 6-spd trans, 4.3 Torsen, custom twin wg fully divided mani, Custom 4" split into 2x 3" exhaust, Custom HMIC, Custom custom custom custom I like to welder stuff.... No Bolt-ons allowed. Dyno'ed @ Speed1 Tuned by me - 405rwhp on WG.... WM50 cuming soon. *-Angry Motherfcker Mode ENGAGED-**

05-25-2009, 08:27 PM	#6
AmviciousRav The Newbie Join Date: May 2008 iTrader: (0) Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	if it's in the long run and not at a auto-cross event you'll like the RA1's but if you wanna stand a chance (well in the region I'm from) your better off with Hoosier A6 or Kumho V710 I got smoked by a freakin focus running V710's but I was using some stock crappy Yoko 420's haha (either it would understeer like mad or go intro a wanna be drift) But this year I had a plan I got a set of used RA1's and shaved em down for a quick heat up during auto cross...I think the tires are ruined for a track event (I hardly goto the track anyways and I got a good deal on the RA1's)