Help with a tire plan

[02wrxRally]

That's right, plan...this is not a tire options and what to get thread....kind of...well it is, but I know what I want already.

I'm looking to replace the star specs (edit - they're 225/45 17) on 17" prodrive P1's. They came mounted on the wheels pretty much ready to be replaced. These are the first good summer tire I've driven on and I was extremely impressed for the month or so I've been driving them now. I was on the stock Fuzion ZRI before and with nothing to compare them to, had no complaints. The star specs were... :shock: :eek::headbang:and then once I unclenched :rofl:

So, this makes me really want to put on a fresh set, but I like to take road trips and get as far off the path as I can. I'm thinking the star spec is not the best back road dirt tire. The 17's are going to be my daily use tire in the summer, when I plan on taking these trips (yellowstone is the next one we're thinking of...)

This is where the plan part comes in. I have 3 sets of wheels now; 1 set for daily driving in the winter with snow tires (these still have the fuzions mounted, buying fresh rubber this winter); 1 set with my old worn out snow tires that are now for rallyx and TSD; and the new (to me) prodrives. Do I really need to care about having a more multi-use tire on the prodrives? If I go to an event, I'll take the off-road set. The only time I'll want a more universal tire is on a road trip where I'll want to explore every dirt road I see going off who-knows-where, and I won't have my dirt set with me. Should I prep for tarmac and just slide on the dirt and gravel?

[02wrxRally]

Would it help if I gave a CN?



Have good tires&wheels for dirt.



Need good DD tires for summer.



Got addicted to the sticky icky and want a fresh set



Wondering if I will be disappointed in that choice when I go off road on a road trip where 60-70% of the trip will be on-road, but I will be looking for every opportunity to explore back dirt roads for the other 30-40% of the time.


/CN
recommencing with wall of text :):

I'm grappling with the decision thinking of it like that "I want 400 hp" thread on n00bioc. Sure, sounds great...but not ideal or worth it, or why I have this car.

I want the stickiest summer tires...or do I? I've only bought tires once (not including what came on the car) and it was snow tires for winter driving. Easy decision. This I'm a bit less educated about and if you can't tell...indecisive. Should I sacrifice a bit of on road performance on my summer set, or sacrifice a bit of off road performance?

The reason I started a new thread for this question is because I'm not looking for a rallyx tire I can DD. I'm wondering if a top end autox tire will suit my needs and the threads about those don't focus on DD and certainly no discussion of dirt, only rain. At this point, like I indicated, I'm pretty much ready to get another set of star specs...I was afraid of how they'd feel in the cold and wet, and since mounting the prodrives it's dipped down into the mid-low 50's and I drove in that temp during a downpour with no complaints from the dunlops. That gave me confidence to stick with them, but I don't have much gravel nearby to go test them on...IL sucks.

[cszink]

I've driven on Dirt and gravel with the following summer tires:
Toyo Proxes (not the a/s)
Hankook Ventus VSII
Summer tires just won't grip that stuff like a dedicated tire, but if you can realize where the slip is going to happen, it shouldn't matter. I had pretty good control with both of them personally.

That is all I have to add. I just ordered a set of the Hankook R-S3's.

[02wrxRally]

ooh, curious to hear how you like them. The price difference wasn't so much that their wet reviews keep me from wanting them more than the dunlops.

Do me a favor and go play in the wet and dirt and report back? :)

[jaded seconds]

Bump for this thread, I'm also interested in learning about a DD tires that provide excellent traction in the dirt. Here in FL, we have hard and loose sand, clay, and puddles after it rains.

I'm also looking for an all-season tire recommendation that will perform excellent in DD, auto-x, off-road, and the once a year rally-x.

[ShadowImg]

I'm also looking for an all-season tire recommendation that will perform excellent in DD, auto-x, off-road, and the once a year rally-x.

You will more likely find the fountain of youth. There are no tires that perform "excellent" in all of these conditions. There are tires that perform excellent in 1 of those, and won't kill you in the rest, but you can't push the car hard in all those scenarios on the same set of tires and expect to come out of it.

[cszink]

For an all season, I like the Toyo Proxes 4 a/s. Same tire, essentially, as the regular high perormance summer proxes, but a/s.

Gabe, I've already owned essentially the R-S2's, and they were awesome. Strong sidewall that didn't allow as much rollover, great grip, especially in the rain. I drove back from Valpo on those tires through a monsoon at 85mph with absolutely no issues.
Then again, the Kumho Ecsta SPT that I have on here now worked great through a monsoon we had earlier this year on the way to Valpo.
I'm putting the R-S3's on this weekend. I'll see what I can do!

[02wrxRally]

Bump for this thread, I'm also interested in learning about a DD tires that provide excellent traction in the dirt. Here in FL, we have hard and loose sand, clay, and puddles after it rains.

I'm also looking for an all-season tire recommendation that will perform excellent in DD, auto-x, off-road, and the once a year rally-x.

This is exactly why I'm asking what I'm asking. I'm not looking for a DD all season. I'm wondering if an auto-x tire that I know I like for DD and having fun on road won't, as ShadowImg said, kill me in other conditions. I know they won't have excellent dirt properties, I just want to know if I'll survive...maybe even enjoy the slippyness in the right situations.

For an all season, I like the Toyo Proxes 4 a/s. Same tire, essentially, as the regular high perormance summer proxes, but a/s.

Gabe, I've already owned essentially the R-S2's, and they were awesome. Strong sidewall that didn't allow as much rollover, great grip, especially in the rain. I drove back from Valpo on those tires through a monsoon at 85mph with absolutely no issues.
Then again, the Kumho Ecsta SPT that I have on here now worked great through a monsoon we had earlier this year on the way to Valpo.
I'm putting the R-S3's on this weekend. I'll see what I can do!

Thanks again Casey, If you're getting anywhere as much rain as we are you'll have a good testing ground. I did a couple fully flooded water crossings this morning on my way to work. The bald star specs kept me straight and I never locked up so, :thumbsup:

[LPXLTT]

When I got my WRX it had some dunlop summer tires on it (forget the actual tire). They were sticky as hell and I loved them in the dry. The problem is that they rain killed me and they lasted all of 8 months (18k miles). Dirt was scary to drive on if I was being even the slightest bit spirited. That being said I loved them in the dry. I wanted to get a new set so bad but they were around $145 a tire at the time.

I went with BFG traction TAs and they were ok but thats its. Ok in the rain, OK in the dry, OK in the dirt and OK in the snow (actually they were a fun tire in the snow)

The tires I have now on my OBS are Hankook h727 and I love them for what they are. They are a standard touring tire with Good dry traction, ok Wet, Good dirt and Great snow(almost as good as a dedicated snow tire) and With 20k already on them and still having around 9/32 on them they are going to last me forever. That being said they are not the dunlops by any means. The sidewall is a lot softer then even the BFGs. The soft feel has a lot to do with suspension as well though.

So basically it all comes down to cost/usability/duribily type of factors.

If you AutoX a lot and already have a dedicated set of snows and you are smart about driving in the dirt and rain then I would say go with the didicated summer. Also how much you drive needs to be taken into consideration.

If you want something that is a good all around then go with a "proformance all season"

And if you want longevity and still ok proformance and can deal with sidewall flex/roll then go with a touring tire.

Personally, I am going to be getting another set of Kooks when this set dies. I love how they have not worn at all for the amout of miles I have put on them. They still look pretty new and I plan on getting atleast 55k out of them. But I also drive at least 1100 miles a week so a summer tire just wouldn't cut it for me at this point becase I would be replacing them once every few months.

[bigcale]

I have a similar set up but +1 set of 15's with rally tires. My 17s have some hankook v12 evo k110 at less than $400 for a set:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Hankook&tireModel=Ventus+V12+evo+K110&partnum=245YR7K110XL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Subaru&autoYear=2005&autoModel=Impreza%20WRX%20Wagon&autoModClar=

I like them ok in the dirt, not as good as all seasons, but you just drive accordingly. I drove them up to Redwoods National Park a week and a half ago. I took them down and back a 12 mile long dirt road with conditions ranging from slick mud to sandy gravel and even a few water crossings with no real surprises, I even passed a few suv's in the process. While I was there the weather was wet at the lower elevations and there was even snowed on the drive back in the higher passes. On tarmac they are wonderful, they grip very well in the wet and dry, and they are pretty good even in the cold. I have autocrossed them twice and done some serious back road driving, and for the price, the communicativeness of the sidewall and the grip I will buy another set when these wear out.

[cszink]

I have a similar set up but +1 set of 15's with rally tires. My 17s have some hankook v12 evo k110 at less than $400 for a set:
I think that is what I had. I was told they were R-S2's, but the tire said otherwise. They are very similar to the R-S2, just a little less sticky. I loved them!

[Snowgodccr]

A tire that's great on the road won't be a bad on the dirt as a good dirt tire that's bad on the road.

That overly difficult to read sentence says that road tires are better in the dirt than dirt tires are on the road.

I RallyX, AutoX, and DD my Yokohama S.Drives. They're only REALLY good as a DD tire. They're ok at AutoX, fine for RallyX, and good in the rain.

That said, I'm not buying them again. One rallyX, two AutoX's, and about 2000 miles of DD duty have cooked the shoulders to the point that I'm actually worried about the next AutoX. I'm going to go with an even more dedicated summer tire: Hankook RS3's. They'll still be fine for me to learn RallyX on, be an awesome AutoX tire, and should be fine for DD (I can't hear any road noise over my exhaust anyway).

Just sit back and think about what you want and what you (realistically) need.
I like driving my S.Drives on gravel because lets face it, it's more fun to be sideways anyway. You just need to be more aware of changes in the surface.

[WAGONLOVE]

i had the star specs and loooved them! amazing street summer tire! i had them on gravel a few times and they were fun and if you came off of pavement and they were warm they pick up gravel like crazy! they also are way soft so they get sliced and get chunks taken out of them very easy in the gravel. amazing street tire though.

[02wrxRally]

A tire that's great on the road won't be a bad on the dirt as a good dirt tire that's bad on the road.

That overly difficult to read sentence says that road tires are better in the dirt than dirt tires are on the road.


Just sit back and think about what you want and what you (realistically) need.


Thanks, that hard to read sentence was what I was trying to get at and being very long-winded about. And, maybe you can tell, I'm free to sit back and think and think and think....:lol2:

Right now I think it's time to start having serious fun with this car. I've had it a long time and I've been pretty conservative with it. Now I'm leaning towards the Hankook R-S3 in 225/45-17. Cheaper than the Donlup by about $100, and I'll be able to say I ran both those and the dunlops (if only briefly and bald) to compare :)

[cszink]

Are you running these on the stock 16's?

[02wrxRally]

Are you running these on the stock 16's?

no, 17x7 prodrive P1

tirerack says that size fits 7-8.5", 7.5" measured, rim width

the 215s are for a 7-8" width, 7"measured, but are more expensive...and narrower, right?

[cszink]

On a 17x7, 225 (depending on the tire) will sit square on the wheel...the Hankoook's you can get a 235 and still be pretty square. I ran the 235 Hankook myself, and am ordering 235 again.

[02wrxRally]

Hmmm, guess I have to think about size and pricing then.

The 225 are available, $75 less for all four than 235, and only $45 to ship.

The 235 aren't available, unless I want to pay $100 shipping.

I think that makes the size question easier, lol

[eage8]

I ran my summer tires (Bridgestone RE760 sports) at a rally-x test and tune last weekend back to back with my snows (winterforces) on hard packed clay...

I found lateral grip to be about the same, but the summer tires were more responsive (because of the stiffer sidewall) but they were lacking in directional grip... on a fast sweeping reducing radius turn when I took it at the same speed as I took it with my snows I would slide off the side of it backwards... because they just weren't pulling me through the turn as well.

RS3s are great, and will work for a heavier car like your subaru very well. as far as tires on a 7" rim, 205 is normal... 225 is oversized, anything more than that is pushing it. but if you're not running it at an autocross it won't really matter, but even a 225 you're going to have to run a lot of pressure on a 7" wheel on an autocross car to keep off the sidewall.

[02wrxRally]

Thanks eage8, a comparison like that helps a lot. I don't see a 205 listed for this tire though and I checked what's on the car now - they're 225/45. Gonna stay with that.

[lovelessissimo]

I just bought a set of hankook ventus v12 for my 09 wrx. I just got a rock puncture in my right rear tire in the shoulder in my stock dunlops. They were looking pretty bad after just 17k miles I got a sweet deal on the kooks, so I am pretty excited. Good post! I was looking for the same mythical tire, but it is my dd, so I am willing to settle for a good performer that lasts a little longer ( insert "that's what she said" here).