THSCC Forums

For what it's worth, I put a set of brand new Toyo RA1s (245/50/16) on my 91 Trans Am (3500 plus lbs with car and driver, and another 180 or so for passenger) for a VIR North Course HPDE event. They were not shaved. I took it easy for my first session and drove pretty hard after that.

This stuff is all relative, but they felt pretty good. The event was in March, not July, but I didn't have any trouble with the tires overheating. You could tell that on initial turn in, there was some give and squirm. In steady state cornering, they grabbed and held on like glue. They did tend to squeal a little like a street tire, but they never chunked at all.

I ran the same tires again at Kershaw and they were perfect. I don't think I lost much tread at all, maybe not even 1/16th on that first event, but they were noticably better on the 2nd event.

It's possible that if you can scrub them in and get some heat cycles into them, that even your first event you will be ok.

But, I would certainly defer to the recommendations of those that have raced on these things and have gone through multiple sets!

Miles

A stock 951 weighs around 3000 lbs. I have race seats but also have a roll bar and harnesses so they probably offset each other.

Mark

Mark,

I have done a lot of research on the RA-1. Everyone I have consulted has given me the same story. The info I collected was from dealers and technicians with experience. Everyone says "shave". I've heard that they will cycle out before the run out of rubber. At full tread I have heard many complaints of tread squirm. Chunking is also a possibility.

As you know, any car over 3000# is heavy in my book, LOL. My car weighs about 2600# with me and 3/4 tank of gas. However, even shaved, I've been told that you can not run these to cord and still have any grip left. If the compound gets like a brick without losing much rubber, there is no reason to carry the extra unsprung weight.

The RA-1 will be my next set of track tires, if I ever get back on the track.

Dave

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Dave Phillips
78 Porsche 911 SC

If you are still reading this for opinions then mine is to get the tires shaved. The reason you do this is to reduce the heat build up in the tire. A full tread depth tire has more heat build up because thosed tall blocks of rubber squirm more than if the tire is shaved. That "squirming" generates A LOT of heat.

As someone else mentioned you will get about, if not a little more, tire life from a shaved tire than not. Seems counter intuitive doesn't it.

Ron

I ended up ordering 5/32 shaved from App Tire. Thanks for all of the help.

Mark

Just got my RA1's in from Vilven 5 mins ago. Ordered them Monday at lunch time and they showed up Wednesday night, shipped via UPS ground. That was quick Shaved 6/32, I had to look twice to tell they were actually shaved, looks just like new tread, only less of it.

just curious Jimmy, did you get better prices from Vilven than Appalachian Race Tire?

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Marvin McBride
Spec Miata #62

I didn't bother to call around. Vilven was $720 (170 ea + 40 shipping) for 4x 255/40/17. It was close enough to most of the other prices I've heard people getting for that size that I didn't worry about calling around.

hmm, 255/40's....wanna let me break them in for you at vir? you can help finish off my street tires for me

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David White
95 M3 - #275 BMWCCA JP, NASA GTS-3
02 M3 - street/track
05 Suburban 8.1L