arbeitm

I posted this in the Wheels/Tires Area, but I'm not sure how much traffic it gets in there. Plus, since I used to own a 944, I think I'm still allowed to post here:

I'm getting a new set of tires and was thinking about having them shaved.

Where do you go to get this done. The place I'm buying the tires from tells me there is no one in NY with this equipment.

Also, any idea on what it costs?

Z-man

Why do you want to have your tires shaved? Unless you are racing and want that extra 1/10 of a second gain, it's really not necessary with today's tires.

I run Toyo Proxes RA-1's on the track and at AX. Granted, they are a bit 'greasy' when they are brand new and unshaven. But after a couple of heat cycles and a day or two on the track, they are just fine. Some say that shaving will increase the life of a tire, but given that I've run 18/19 track days and a dozen AX's on a set of RA-1's, I doubt that shaving would help extend the life of the tire.

THAT said, give a call to Bill Bloomfield at Eurotire in Fairfield, NJ. (973) 575-0080 He can shave the tires for you. Tell him Zoltan sent ya!

-Z-man.

arbeitm

I've got a set of RS-2's on order. They are pretty much the Hankook version of what Toyo makes. Probably not as good as the Toyos...but within my budget if you know what I mean.

The tread depth new is about 8/32's (which is the same as the Toyo's). Toyo and (I think) Hankook recommend shaving them for better dry traction. So I was thinking of shaving them to 5/32 or maybe even 4/32.

What do you think?

Z-man

What application are you using the tires?

If you primarily do DE's, then I wouldn't shave them.

If you primarily do AX, and if you really want to get that extra 1/10 of a second, then get different tires, like the Hoosier AX tire, or the Kumho 710's. Shaving the Hankook's won't give you as much of an edge as a tire better suited for the sport does, IMHO.

If you run both DE's and AX, then again, I wouldn't shave them, especially if the competition isn't super tight in your class/venue in AX.

If you club race, those at the head of the pack typically run with Hoosiers in the dry, and full tread Toyo RA-1's in the rain.

-Z-man.

M758

I shave my Toyo RA-1's from 8/32 to 4/32. However they are my race tires so I have desire to be fast asap.

If I ran DE I would not shave them. It is not that the tire life is any better/worse, but then I can save the shaving costs.

xsboost90

dont shave them unless your racing and you need the immediate best grip possible.

JonH

Hope this is related to your original question Arbeitm -
is the consensus that if I run 2-3 DE's this year and maybe 1-2 auto-x I could get a new set of non-shaved 16" tires to last as well/better than shaving a set, and shaving would be the way for the best performance?

xsboost90

the taller your tread, the less grip you have w/ them basically because the tread twists and mushes so to speak. The shorter the tread the less roll they have and the better they grip- BUT- they have less tread to them so they last not as long. Some say that full tread is only good for rain on the track, and leaving full tread will kill the tire quicker due to the roll of the rubber, but from MY experience, full tread is fine and lasts along time compared to a shaved tire. You WILL notice that as the tires wear down, the grip will become better on the track, so i would at least drive them alittle to heat cycle them a few times before going to the track, as they would be slippery.

M758

Yep,
New RA-1 stickers are a bit slick. Still better than street tires, but not as good as old ones. Now really old cycled out tires get VERY slick and it becomes quite easy to throw the car away with them. The tires are really fast before this so when are worn down alot be ready for them to great on session and diabolical the next. If you remember to slow down a bit you can finsih the session oe even finish the day/weekend. New toyo's are easy to handle and control and you don't need to really "slow down" to use them. They are not quite as "sharp and chisp" as worn tires, but are just "slow" if you were comparing lap times.

If you are running DE only why waste money trying to get faster sooner. Really put the full treads on and drive them. In a weekend or two they will be the same as if you had shaved them. So what if you are 2-3 seconds off your normal lap times for a weekend? For racer being 1 second off sucks even shaved tires take 5-6 heat cycles to "break in". Full tread that is more like 12. 6 heat cycles is few days practice sessions and that is what I tend to do. Run the new ones in pratice to wear them in and the used older ones in qualifying and race time. I just reciently had set that I ran full tread since I used them in rain a couple times. They are still great tires, but it took me more pratice sessions break them in. If was not running vs the clock I would never consider shaving.

JonH

Thanks, and hey congrats Joe on your spec championship last year, just over at the NASA site today.

M758

Thanks

jeeper31

Where did you get the RS-2's from? Is Hankook a subsidiary for Toyo?

I have a couple of disposable razors i'm not using. i could come over and help.

hockeydude

why pay someone to shave them when they can easily be taken down a couple mm's with a good, smoky, burnout?




(LOL!)

ryoji

Call PhilsTireService at 845-429-8943. He is at Haverstraw, NY so closer to you. He serves EMRA, NASA, SCCA and other events. He is also an Authorized Toyo dealer and accepts Toyo bucks.