new tires....toyo t1-r'z review (long)
03-17-2006, 01:40 PM
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new tires....toyo t1-r'z review (long) Well, finally got rid of the runflats.
Mine, after 9800 miles, where showing cords and had to go. Looked around and got a set of toyo'z latest tires, t1-r.
A little history, originally, i wanted to upgrade to a stickier tire, specifically a set of the rt-615. I have these tires on my camaro and since i really dont drive her alot anymore, especially in the rain, i really haven't had a first hand experience with wet traction capabilities. Especially in miami, it gets soaked down here, i didn't really want to put myself in a tricky situation.
So, got the tires about 900.00 and change. Mounted, balanced, and had to have the old locks broken becuz the dealer had "misplaced my lock-key" with a new set of locks as well.
The fronts are a stock size while on the rear is a 275/40/18. Thread looks really sweet and have a deep v-groove down the middle, while the side blocks aren't an extension of the middle groove, they are seperated; this gives the side blocks a strong structure and evenly distibutes heat around the tires thread. I choose this tire becuz i wanted to make sure i can have a fun tire that wont disappoint me, not overly expensive so a replacement wont hurt me so much and wont make driving in the rain a hairy experience.
So, to the review: Wheelhop, Ride, Grip, Overall
Wheelhop:
This is a topic that is well known and i wont touch to much on it. It is known or stated that as soon as you move away from the runflats, the wheelhop will be cured or at least remedied. I was a bit skeptical but within the limits of our rear symmetry, very much possible.
The times that i've let flow throw the gears, i've had wheelhop in 1-2 gear change only once. This was at night, when cold, TC on. This was a powershift manuever. The following shifts, 2-3, 3-4, had NO wheelhop, just a small skip of the tires or a screech. That was a few days ago. Today, on the way to work, i went at it again, powershifted 1-2 and got a screech, no wheelhop. Honestly, im very, very pleased with this and it just makes me that much more happier knowing i can slam the gears and not torcher the rear diff/half-shafts. So is it cured, almost 90% positive that yes it is, but more testing in my part, for my own sack that is, is required for me to be 100% happy and even then i probably wont be!!
Launching from a stop, i haven't gotten a chance yet to really let her have it, but the few times that i did try, i launch from 1300-1500 and i got a "smooth" launch with wheel screech and NO hop. I have tried from a higher rpm drop and i did get some hop so i stopped. This again, the latter, was when i first got the tires, TC on, when i had the initial hop i mentoned earlier, so i guess it has to be contected with the tires not fully breaking in yet. OR not breaking in but warming up enough...
To get a respectful launch however, i believe a solid cradle mount like the KARS is necesary to obtain a really smooth, worry free launch, though im confident that i can kill a 2.0 or even 1.9 60ft with these tires... maybe!!! a consistent 2.02 is probably the average.
Side note: Apparently, whenever i have left the TC engaged, i encountered more wheelhop or so i believe. I will test this out and get back to ya'll.
Ride:
What can i say, when switching over to the toyo'z, the ride feels as if i went from riding on bricks to riding on air. Its that much of a difference. It feels like a brand new car again, really. Its really amazing, the runflats have such a hard tire stucture its as if i dropped a 100lbs or more of spring rate on all for corners. Now she rides like a caddi!!! However, she is still very sharp and not docile, just less annoying when i traffic or just cuising around.
Grip:
Well, as i mentioned before, the ride with these tires is absolutely amazing, very smooth. However, whenever you switch from a hard sidewalled tire, like the F1'z, to a softer ply tire, you will loose a bit of the transition speed when cornering. Yes, when transitioning, i have lost a little, LITTLE bit of the snapiness that the f1'z had. However, its not like the car has lost its handling capabilities, far from it.
The turn-in only requires about half sec more of effort and when regrouping or coming back into line, you only are required to watch the transition speed and adjust. The change is not drastic at all. You'll get used to it. But fear not, the car still handles, turns, transitions just as sweet as it did before. Still the autobahn monster, well, for a sedan. Furthermore, i believe i like this feel better than the runflats. Yes, with the f1'z, you experience more road "messages", however, these tires don't get upset as easily as the f1'z. Before, when changing lanes, for example, the car would skip around or shoot both left and right when ever i would hit acutally anything that wasn't leveled with the road surface; including those little reflectors. Now, with the toyo's, she tracks straight and is VERY stable over any road surface. Very pleased!!
As for grip, these tires haven't failed me yet on any high load applications. Thy screech when gunning it instead of hopping and grip well in the corners. Complaint and telegraph quite well. Have gone as high as .89 left, .81, not nearly as hard as i know this car can go but this was obtain without loosing the rear unpredicatably or at all for that matter. Just a small audible chirp telling you that you are in autobahn mode!!!
No wet traction yet, still to early for the miami, horrible draineage monsoon season, but Im almost 100% confident they will do well. Thread is very well designed, soft for grip and tappered and reenforced for dry and wet grip applications.
Overall:
Will i buy this tire again? Definitely!! Great price, good handling and driving characteristics, and a mean looking thread. The 275 in the rear do balloon a bit but not enough to cause an repro-wear. However, she feels and looks "WAY" more planted than before. I experimenting with the tire pressure, now running 32-33 with cold, so we'll see what they like best.
She rides caddi-smooth, a great contender for the f1'z grip factor but without the side-effects. Only thing is that a spare is necesary. For now, i have a runflat but with no rim in the spare well. The lid didn't close all the way but not to bad, the sealed dual 12 box keeps here hidden a bit.
thanks for the read.....
Mine, after 9800 miles, where showing cords and had to go. Looked around and got a set of toyo'z latest tires, t1-r.
A little history, originally, i wanted to upgrade to a stickier tire, specifically a set of the rt-615. I have these tires on my camaro and since i really dont drive her alot anymore, especially in the rain, i really haven't had a first hand experience with wet traction capabilities. Especially in miami, it gets soaked down here, i didn't really want to put myself in a tricky situation.
So, got the tires about 900.00 and change. Mounted, balanced, and had to have the old locks broken becuz the dealer had "misplaced my lock-key" with a new set of locks as well.
The fronts are a stock size while on the rear is a 275/40/18. Thread looks really sweet and have a deep v-groove down the middle, while the side blocks aren't an extension of the middle groove, they are seperated; this gives the side blocks a strong structure and evenly distibutes heat around the tires thread. I choose this tire becuz i wanted to make sure i can have a fun tire that wont disappoint me, not overly expensive so a replacement wont hurt me so much and wont make driving in the rain a hairy experience.
So, to the review: Wheelhop, Ride, Grip, Overall
Wheelhop:
This is a topic that is well known and i wont touch to much on it. It is known or stated that as soon as you move away from the runflats, the wheelhop will be cured or at least remedied. I was a bit skeptical but within the limits of our rear symmetry, very much possible.
The times that i've let flow throw the gears, i've had wheelhop in 1-2 gear change only once. This was at night, when cold, TC on. This was a powershift manuever. The following shifts, 2-3, 3-4, had NO wheelhop, just a small skip of the tires or a screech. That was a few days ago. Today, on the way to work, i went at it again, powershifted 1-2 and got a screech, no wheelhop. Honestly, im very, very pleased with this and it just makes me that much more happier knowing i can slam the gears and not torcher the rear diff/half-shafts. So is it cured, almost 90% positive that yes it is, but more testing in my part, for my own sack that is, is required for me to be 100% happy and even then i probably wont be!!
Launching from a stop, i haven't gotten a chance yet to really let her have it, but the few times that i did try, i launch from 1300-1500 and i got a "smooth" launch with wheel screech and NO hop. I have tried from a higher rpm drop and i did get some hop so i stopped. This again, the latter, was when i first got the tires, TC on, when i had the initial hop i mentoned earlier, so i guess it has to be contected with the tires not fully breaking in yet. OR not breaking in but warming up enough...
To get a respectful launch however, i believe a solid cradle mount like the KARS is necesary to obtain a really smooth, worry free launch, though im confident that i can kill a 2.0 or even 1.9 60ft with these tires... maybe!!! a consistent 2.02 is probably the average.
Side note: Apparently, whenever i have left the TC engaged, i encountered more wheelhop or so i believe. I will test this out and get back to ya'll.
Ride:
What can i say, when switching over to the toyo'z, the ride feels as if i went from riding on bricks to riding on air. Its that much of a difference. It feels like a brand new car again, really. Its really amazing, the runflats have such a hard tire stucture its as if i dropped a 100lbs or more of spring rate on all for corners. Now she rides like a caddi!!! However, she is still very sharp and not docile, just less annoying when i traffic or just cuising around.
Grip:
Well, as i mentioned before, the ride with these tires is absolutely amazing, very smooth. However, whenever you switch from a hard sidewalled tire, like the F1'z, to a softer ply tire, you will loose a bit of the transition speed when cornering. Yes, when transitioning, i have lost a little, LITTLE bit of the snapiness that the f1'z had. However, its not like the car has lost its handling capabilities, far from it.
The turn-in only requires about half sec more of effort and when regrouping or coming back into line, you only are required to watch the transition speed and adjust. The change is not drastic at all. You'll get used to it. But fear not, the car still handles, turns, transitions just as sweet as it did before. Still the autobahn monster, well, for a sedan. Furthermore, i believe i like this feel better than the runflats. Yes, with the f1'z, you experience more road "messages", however, these tires don't get upset as easily as the f1'z. Before, when changing lanes, for example, the car would skip around or shoot both left and right when ever i would hit acutally anything that wasn't leveled with the road surface; including those little reflectors. Now, with the toyo's, she tracks straight and is VERY stable over any road surface. Very pleased!!
As for grip, these tires haven't failed me yet on any high load applications. Thy screech when gunning it instead of hopping and grip well in the corners. Complaint and telegraph quite well. Have gone as high as .89 left, .81, not nearly as hard as i know this car can go but this was obtain without loosing the rear unpredicatably or at all for that matter. Just a small audible chirp telling you that you are in autobahn mode!!!
No wet traction yet, still to early for the miami, horrible draineage monsoon season, but Im almost 100% confident they will do well. Thread is very well designed, soft for grip and tappered and reenforced for dry and wet grip applications.
Overall:
Will i buy this tire again? Definitely!! Great price, good handling and driving characteristics, and a mean looking thread. The 275 in the rear do balloon a bit but not enough to cause an repro-wear. However, she feels and looks "WAY" more planted than before. I experimenting with the tire pressure, now running 32-33 with cold, so we'll see what they like best.
She rides caddi-smooth, a great contender for the f1'z grip factor but without the side-effects. Only thing is that a spare is necesary. For now, i have a runflat but with no rim in the spare well. The lid didn't close all the way but not to bad, the sealed dual 12 box keeps here hidden a bit.
thanks for the read.....
03-22-2006, 05:44 PM
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so you did go with the T1-R. Let me tell something, i have NO wheel hop and i can launch from 3000-4000. I have the 285/30/20 in the rear with the full bmr rear end. I used to have horrible Wheel hop these t1-r's combined with ANTI-wheel hop bar are the way to go for sure....
03-22-2006, 10:45 PM
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yep, i haven't done anything about the wheelhop, YET, but yeah, these t1'z are SOO sweet!!!
I have no complains at all.... this is how the car should of can from factory....
TO bad GM decide to "de-tune" these V'z so the german boys dont get to upset!!!!
I have no complains at all.... this is how the car should of can from factory....
TO bad GM decide to "de-tune" these V'z so the german boys dont get to upset!!!!
03-22-2006, 11:07 PM
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i have the t1-s on my 00 Ws6 and man was it night and day, the difference between my yokohoma (sucked) and the t1-s , but i want to try the t1-r see how much of a diff it makes
