Techno Duck

Just curious as to roughly how many laps i can get out of either the VictoRacer V700's or the RA-1's before they are unusable? From previous posts most say the RA-1 will last longer than the V700, but is the extra cost warranted here?

I know every lap is a bit different, but figure a 60-second course.

I was hoping to hold off on this purchase until next season but looking at the condition of my current track tires... 3-year old discontinued Yokohama A-008P's, i think i may need to look sooner than later.



I was originally going to go with a more street oritented auto-x tire like the Falken Azenis 615's or the Kumho MX.. but i dont think i would ever be happy still 1-3 seconds instead of 3-5 behind the top-3! But then again the Kumho MX is half the cost of the V700's.. but is it worth 3/4 to 1/2 the performance...

mickf

Dunno about Victoracers but I got over 200 autox runs and 7500 miles on RA1s with my Boxster. The more they were worn down the better they got. YMMV.

Jim Michaels

There may be an even more important consideration in your thinking about these two tires for autocross. I could never get the RA-1s warm enough to stick doing autocross. Thus, the VictoRacers provided much better grip "cold", whether at autocross or on track. The Kumho V710s are even better for autocross, but they are not appropriate for driving on to and from events, they have a tendancy to overheat on track, and they wear quicker (softer compound). I'm now using Michelin Cups on 18" wheels, and their autocross stick is somewhere between the VRs and the RA-1s. I wish they made VRs in 18" sizes.

For me, the VRs lasted a whole season; about 10 autocrosses, 3 or 4 track events, and driving on to and from those events. Your mileage may vary.

Rick964

I've always heard the Michelin PSC's were even harder to get up to temp than the RA-1's. In PCA San Diego I see many people running the RA-1's (and I am going to move to those from the street tires I've been running) still many on the VR's but noody running the Michelins. BTW, our typical AX layout is about 75-90 seconds per lap and can reach speeds of 90mph on one or two straights so a pretty fast and long layout compared to many other clubs locations.

BGLeduc

Right now, my VRacers look like slicks. The two circumfrential grooves are just barely visible, yet they still seem to stick great.

They are closing in on 2 Years old (purchased just before the 2004 Solo II Nats, unshaved, un-heat cycled), and I keep expecting them to cord, yet they seem to keep on going.

Not sure I have an accurate lap count, but I would say 200 would be close, as some of our events involve mutiple practice laps on top of the timed runs.

Brian

Techno Duck

Thank you all for the great info.

Are you guys running the VictorRacers running any major camber to even out the wear? I run about 1.25 degrees front and 1.5 degree rear roughly, this is primarily a street car and my daily driver.

multi21

The Kumho V710's are probably going to be your fastest AutoX tire, but will not last long. I had the MPSC on my M3 and they were great at first, but after a number of heat cycles, they no longer provided the same level of grip eventhough there was plenty of tread left. I would drive to and from events, but did not use them as an everyday tire. It was a shame to dump them with the tread still on it, but it was just too slippery.

If your going to go to the RA-1's they will last a long time, but you they may feel squirrmy on a tight course. You have a lighter car, but still a front engine design. Minor chunking may result when the tire tread is full (I'm assuming your not going to shave them, if you do, then this is a moot point).

What I do now is use the tires as an everyday tire providing great grip on the street, drive them to track events and then when used in an autoX setting, they're already worn down from the other driving and provide a great level of grip on track.

Bottom line is they cost a little more, but they're worth it. The level of grip is consistant throughout the life of the tire which is more than I can say about the MPSC.

racer

I've run both. I get more "mileage" out of the RA-1s but I don't think they are any better than the Khumos for grip. In fact, I think the Khumos are stickier quicker.

All R compound tires work better with copious amounts of negative camber (figure at least -2.0 deg to really improve wear and performance). Run as much as you can. Remember that more often than not it is TOE that causes a tire to wear out quickly rather than camber.

TrackDays247.com

My V710s lasted a lot longer than the V700s. IMO, too much tread on the V700 - they 'tore' a bit at the tread blocks whereas the V710s were flawless.

The RA/1 will last approx 2X as long from my experience of running all three tires.

M758

if you were talking about track use go for the RA-1.

For autocross only use the victoracer works better. While the RA-1 will last longer the victoracer gives better grip cold and will last you plenty long. In this case the extra life of the RA-1 will not get you anything since you will probably replace them due to pure age rather than miles in about the same time that Victoracers wear out. In my experiece the RA-1 last for 2 to 2 1/2 years from the time first run. After that the rubber gets old and not very sticky. You probably can get 2 seasons from a set of Victoracers in autocross use.

For track use the RA-1 is typucally used for 1/2 to 2 seasons depending on how much and hard you drive. In that similar use Victoracer last 1/2 to 2/3 as long.

Btw I when through 5 sets of victoracers and 5 set of RA-1's since 2000 in my 944. First few years were al victoracers and lots of autocross. Last few have been hardcore racing and on Toyo's.

va122

What RA-1 size should I go for in my GT3? Grand am cup uses 305 rear and 265 f I can't remember the heights 30 35 someone help me out.

Scootin159

Not to steal the thread...but how do the 710's compare to the 700's? I know the 710's are grippier and probably last less...but how much so?

Best I can tell the 710's are worth about 1 season (1.5 before cording, but they fall off long before that), and the 700's are worth 2 seasons, but have about the same amount of grip as a set of old 710's. Can anyone verify this?

Techno Duck

Scott, that is similar to what ive been told and have read before. The 710's will only last you about one season before they no longer are very competitive.

Ive read the Victoracers can get you up to a season and maybe a season and a half depending on the amount of camber you run.

If your interested in the 710's, consider looking into the Hoosier A6 also. Thats supposed to be similar in grip and life expectancy.