mdrums

Himself I would love to run R6 but I drive to Sebring. 98 miles each way. I have thought about getting a small trailer to pull behind my car

RonCT

I saw what you were thinking about and offered maybe 255/335 to keep the diameter bigger in the rear and add almost an inch of rubber at the back. Just don't know if either is really going to be good. There are those that find wider doesn't necessarily mean faster. If the really wide rubber can't get up to optimal operating temperature, you might not really gain. Me, I always wish for another inch of rubber front and rear. I want to drive faster than my tires will let me. I don't want to go Hoosier - no good on the street to get to the track, wear too quickly, not good in the wet, etc.

I had 19 Volks, but sold them because I really wanted to run RA1s again after trying the R888. The two are similar, but I find the RA1 is faster and much quieter on the street getting to the track. Pricing is close, might be a little more for the RA1s because you need them shaved. I go 5/32 instead of the typical 4/32.

mdrums

Thanks for the feedback, Ron. The 1st R-Comp tire I ever ran was the RA1. Then the R888 came out so I have been through a few sets of those. I have heard on these forums some people liked the RA1 better. I can not really say because I am faster and a better driver now than when I had my RA1's.

So you now have 18" Volks? You like the 18" over 19's at the track? Does the car handle better ith the 18's.

RonCT

Here's the thing - I can't really compare 18 vs 19 adequately because they had different tires on them. I still like the added sidewall of the 18" profile. Smooths out the imperfect track surface, such as at Watkins Glen. At Lime Rock, the 19" R888 were fine because it's a newly re-paved track. As to lap times, same car, same set up, different day and going from 19" Volks w/ R888 to 18", I was significantly quicker with the RA1 package. Both at LRP and WGI. Having run RA1, R888, PSCup in 18 and 19, I'll be sticking with 18" RA1s as long as they make them.

mdrums

*UPDATE*

I went with RA1 245/35/18 and 305/35/18 have them shaved to 5/32. They performed perfectly. However I only got 6 DE days out of them....one of those 6 days was not even a 1/2 day due to rain. The tires are about to cord and are worn down to slicks and that was 2 DE's ago. I drive the car to and from the track, 98 miles each way and on the way home last weekend I hit a little rain and it was scary and dangerous.

I am going to go with R888's because I can run them at full tread and they seem to last me 10-12 DE days until they heat cycle out and still have some tread left on them. If I am a second or 2 slower on R888 so be it.

I am back to trying to decide between these 2 combo's:
245/40
305/35

or

255/35
315/30

The 315/30 does not have the load rating the 305/35 has.

Stock load rating for my 19" 295/30/19 street tires is is 101Y 1714lbs....
R888 305 is 100Y 1819lbs
R888 315 is down to 98Y 1653lbs.

Bob Woodman Tires told me to be careful with the 315 load rating on my car...especially if I run Daytona. He said wider is not always better because other things with the tire come into play.

kush07

drums, here's your answer:
https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-a...atherlite.html

Buying a trailer was the best decision I've made in a long time. Adds a bit of time to your coming/going to the track, but it's worth it. I arrive at the track way more comfortable than I did when I drove my GT3 there. 5-6 hours is a breeze. Drive home in comfort. Less worry about weather. I've got tires for rain and dry and have a canopy to stay dry in the rain. Lastly, I can always get home no matter what happens to my car

Just a thought.

mdrums

Kush...that is the ultimate but I do not have space to put a trailer or the truck to pull the trailer. My wife has a Cayenne that could pullit but we are not sure how long we will keep the Cayenne. I have been thinking of trying to find one of those little tire hauler trailers and tow it behind my Porsche.

cello

That is surprising. I have the same tires and sizes and have run to and from the track and 13 days so far this year. I expect to get the year from them. Did you flip the RA1s on the rim? That helped greatly re equaling out the wear. Every 2 or 3 events for me. If not, you might reconsider the RA1s if wear is the only issue.

mdrums

Oh yeah I flipped the tires. Shaved them to 5/32 and with in 3 DE days they have 2 lines running around them and they looked like Hoosier R6's. The rears are right at the cords now.

cello

Mine (also shaved, same depth) look like that too, actually, but I still have the 'holes' just inside of the shoulders. I take it yours are gone.

Well, NJMP is new asphalt and smooth and Sebring, I understand, is (partly or all?) concrete and rough, so... GL w/ the new ones!

Also agreed that in this condition they should not be used anywhere in the wet..

BlueJay73

Thread resurrection.

I just did the same tire research for 9x18, 12x18 wheels for a 997 C2S.
RA-1's not available in these sizes anymore.
Sizes and overall diameters eliminate almost everything except R888's.
Anybody ever find out if the Nitto 01's 245, 315 (no 305 available) with their OD Fr:Rr at 25.55inch: 25.35inch (rears .2 inch smaller OD) will work without causing ABS or any other issues? 245/40/18 OD=25.55
315/30/18 OD=25.35 (no 305 available)

Same question with Kumho EcstaXs (website lists them as race/competition tires). 245/40/18 OD=25.7
245/35/18 OD= 24.8
315/30/18 OD= 25.5 (no 305 available) Anyone ever try out any combo of these Kumho's on a 997?

Thanks for any advice.

J.G. Rausa

BlueJay:
I recently mounted Kumho XS in 245/35 18 and 315/30 18 sizes (9 and 11.5 wheels) on my 997 GTS. No issues with ABS. However, I cut one of the 315s and they are on National backorder with no delivery schedule established. I cannot run R comps at DE as we are being required to have 5 point harnesses (when running R comps), meaning replacing those expensive addaptive sport seats I ordered (that is not going to happen). So I am VERY limited in tire selection. I will likely have to run my 19" with street rubber if I can't get a 315 Kumho replacement. FWIW, availabilty was a criteria I never thought would be an issue on the Kumhos. BTW, they really give audible feedback.

Regrds,
Joe