CCA

Any body know if these tires benefit from a heat cycle or not? I have an event at VIR coming up and I'm trying to figure whether I need to run them for a session and then put the old RA1s back and let 8s rest for a day.

M758

Well,
I have 3 sets of R888 and have heat cycled each set. I have no definitive proof that it helps, but have made it a prority. I always heat cycle RA-1's because it was easy for me to do, but these tires never needed it.

fc-racer

I haven't found much difference in wear by heat cycling, but I have found a big difference in feel from a new set to a slightly used set. The new set is very squirmy and tough to manage. I'd recommend shaving the set to avoid the initial squirm.

todinlaw

There is no requirement or suggestion by Toyo, i have looked and cannot fine that they recommend it. Many people have opinions that go both ways. All I can tell you on the topic is I just broke in a new set and if they are full tread hang on to your hat for the first 6 to 8 HC as they are bad *** slippery, new.

CCA

I had them shaved to 3/32, hopefully most of the squirm and slippiness won't be present.

purplehaze.

Oh, that's good to know! Thanks for posting.

I just installed a set of 888's and scuffed them up around town. Didn't quite have the turn in precision I'd expect. I'll now be more careful on the track for the first few HC's.

Thanks!

mark kibort

They dont need it, but I always get mine used so in effect, they have been heat cycled.

brucegre

I think that will be enough. At full tread I wanted a refund, they were so squirmy I couldn't settle the car under braking, never mind get them around a corner. Then, at about half tread they became a wonderfully predictable tire, I'll use them again, but I'll shave them. Usually use Sport Cups or slicks, I haven't done lap times but I know from the tach that I'm exiting most corners at about the same speed as the Sport Cups.

todinlaw

I would have to agree on shaving, Normally for a DE i am not to concerned about getting 100% out of a tire but when I put the R888's on new full tread the the car was 3 seconds slower than my Corsa's and it was bad *** loose on the way into the apex was ok under power coming out of a turn, also loose under heavy braking. It was just uncomfortable at first and slow. I am about at 10 12 hc and things are fine. i am hoping when I get down to 2 or 3/32 that it will be fast and fun.

IcemanG17

I bought a set at full tread 6/32"s and did NOT heat cycle them...I just mounted them and took the car out for a DE....however I was still learning the car and not really getting them very hot..since I wasn't pushing a very fast pace..... Right now I'm at 25 heat cycles and the tires are still above 50%

mooty

unshaved R888 for me is not driveable.
shaved, great tires.

M758

For a different take... on a 944 spec car we always shaved RA-1 to 4/32 to remove the squirm. Even then it took 5-6 heat cycles to break them in. Then they would last 20 more heat cycles.

The R888 is fast right out of the box. The rubber is grippy and the tread does not squirm even at 6/32 tread. We have found the first 2-3 heat cycles seem to be the best, but that is really a guess right now as we need more data to be really sure. Once they get to 12+ they are either dead (cycled out) or are on borrowed time. My first set went 13 heat cycles before they gave out on the 14th. My second set I believe I have managed life better with reduced camber and they have been ok to 16 heat cycles. I might have lost a couple tenths after heat cycle 15, but track conditions made it hard to be 100% sure. My next event is a test day only so I probably will push these to 20 heat cycles, but I don't know how the grip will be.

todinlaw

It must be a weight thing becuase I know I scared the crap out of my self. I was taking a student for a ride really not pushing the car it would just bust loose where I would never expect it to. ended up doing a tank slapper, I am thinking to myself, NOT COOL for the instructor to spin on a student ride. It has settled down.
Speaking of those toyo's I was spinning the hell out of them on the rim and had to keep flipping the rear left to right so I could spin them back to balance. I have them in the shop as we speak getting the Aquanet treatment.

Barfly

Consistent with Toyo's recommendations for Spec Miata.

Starting page 14 of Fastrack: http://www.scca.com/documents/Fastra...k-may-club.pdf

______
Jason

Mike Buck

Unshaved R888 is great right out of the box. I was surprised when I first started using a set last March. An unshaved RA1 is a scary tire. No comparison between the two on a dry track. ymmv