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pinkertonpunk:

With that said, is shaving the way to go with these if I am looking for every last bit of speed?  Or does it not seem to make much of a difference?
 

 I haven't tried a shaved set yet, but I can tell you that a full tread Dunlop is faster than a shaved Hankook.  Going over the datalogs from the last event, we were consistently over 1.1G lateral, often running 1.2+, even found one spike where I hit 1.36, but that was in kind of a wierd switchback section.  Comparing data to two different BS RX-8's running two different sized R compounds, we were only off the faster of the two by about .1 on a consistent basis, often running about the same.  Highest peak I found for the RX-8s was 1.42g.

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IA Region #52 STX WRX

I really hope they were faster than the Hankooks.  I always hated those tires.  I don't consider them in the same league as even Falkens, let alone the Yoks or Dunlops.
 

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Colin Fiedler
07 STI
Milwaukee Region
Bridgestone and Racecomp Engineering
2008 STU National Champion

Our Z1s are at 4/32, Colin...I like them alot that way.  We're still chasing the setup on our car--got a whole 19 runs in it thus far (and 6 of those were on that frigid day that we borrowed your jack to put the 'wrong'  RSB on the car)--so don't let our results fool you into thinking the tires are not good.  They are.

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Erik B.
Wisconsin Autocrossers, Inc
www.waiautox.org ___/\___/\___/\___/\___/\___
2007 Mazda6
2000 "Fozda" ZX2 S/R--STS Anti-Civic

pinkertonpunk:

I really hope they were faster than the Hankooks.  I always hated those tires.  I don't consider them in the same league as even Falkens, let alone the Yoks or Dunlops.
 

 On a good day, when all the planets were aligned just right, they were a good tire.  Unfortunately, they've got such a small sweet spot for setup, and even then they're only marginally fast.  Good tire for an average regional competitor on a tight budget.  Outside of that...

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IA Region #52 STX WRX

Aaron B:

On a good day, when all the planets were aligned just right, they were a good tire.  Unfortunately, they've got such a small sweet spot for setup, and even then they're only marginally fast.  Good tire for an average regional competitor on a tight budget.  Outside of that...

Agreed. I tried them on the miata last year and they were a good STREET tire (crazy for an STS car, I know), but they are no where near a bridgestone or even a falken in all out dry grip. And yeah, if the car wasn't just right and the planets aligned as you said, they were not the tire to beat.  Plus, I was significantly slower as a driver than I am this year, so there is that haha 

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Andrew
STS2 114 - 1992 Miata

Just rotated the tires last night and noted the wear.  I've got two auto-x's on them (10 runs) plus about 3500 miles of street driving.  The rears on the BMW were JUST getting to erasing the first of the depth dashes (I believe it's 1/32 but might a 1/16 indicator).  So they seem to be holding up well in general from a wear standpiont.  The debris at Milwaukee has take a couple little chunks of rubber out in a few spots that you can see where cuts from sharp objects (probably beer bottle caps).  But overall great condition and none of the tread edge chunking or rollover like I saw on F1 GS-D3's back when I had a set of those on one of my cars for a while. 

 Later!

 Steve

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Steve Nackers

R Street index HS. #723R
'98 BMW 318i
www.nsnmotorsports.com

I love my Z1 Star Specs! We are already down from 10/32nds tread depth to 5/32nds with no street miles. :-) They have 103 runs on them and are wearing very evenly. We have flipped them once, after 57 runs.

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00' 328Ci
01' Tahoe LT
98' Camaro Z28 - dead
95' 325is - STX 182

I have a set of 245/45/17 original construction Dunlop Direzza'a, and they are about half gone. I am reading with interest the positive
comments about the new Star Specs. Can anyone comment on the performance differences between the two?
 

I think I know that the Star Specs warm up more quickly; I had noted that my first runs on the older version were pretty much
wasted getting the tires warm. 

Are the newer Star Specs also faster, same car, same tire size? All opinions/experiences appreciated.

 

Thx, 

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Scott Meyers
Glendale AZ

Paxman:

I have a set of 245/45/17 original construction Dunlop Direzza'a, and they are about half gone. I am reading with interest the positive
comments about the new Star Specs. Can anyone comment on the performance differences between the two?
 

I think I know that the Star Specs warm up more quickly; I had noted that my first runs on the older version were pretty much
wasted getting the tires warm. 

Are the newer Star Specs also faster, same car, same tire size? All opinions/experiences appreciated.

 

Thx, 

 

We have found the new Z1 Star Specs to wear better than the original Z1s. Although the Star Specs were shaved and the originals were full tread, the new compound has a finer wear grain pattern.

The new Star Specs are also slightly faster. 

We also tested them yesterday in 90 deg+ heat with 3 drivers and they worked well. 

SS RX7 R2:

Paxman:

I have a set of 245/45/17 original construction Dunlop Direzza'a, and they are about half gone. I am reading with interest the positive
comments about the new Star Specs. Can anyone comment on the performance differences between the two?
 

I think I know that the Star Specs warm up more quickly; I had noted that my first runs on the older version were pretty much
wasted getting the tires warm. 

Are the newer Star Specs also faster, same car, same tire size? All opinions/experiences appreciated.

 

Thx, 

 

We have found the new Z1 Star Specs to wear better than the original Z1s. Although the Star Specs were shaved and the originals were full tread, the new compound has a finer wear grain pattern.

The new Star Specs are also slightly faster. 

We also tested them yesterday in 90 deg+ heat with 3 drivers and they worked well. 

 I can assume you guys were having to spray those tires during testing?

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Colin Fiedler
07 STI
Milwaukee Region
Bridgestone and Racecomp Engineering
2008 STU National Champion

pinkertonpunk:

SS RX7 R2:

Paxman:

 I can assume you guys were having to spray those tires during testing?

 

Yes the tires were sprayed after the second run, but were left hot for a few of the subsequent runs.

SS RX7 R2:

pinkertonpunk:

SS RX7 R2:

Paxman:

 I can assume you guys were having to spray those tires during testing?

 

Yes the tires were sprayed after the second run, but were left hot for a few of the subsequent runs.

How are they hot?  I assume they are like all other street tires and like to be sprayed if they get too hot?

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Colin Fiedler
07 STI
Milwaukee Region
Bridgestone and Racecomp Engineering
2008 STU National Champion

Paxman:

I think I know that the Star Specs warm up more quickly; I had noted that my first runs on the older version were pretty much
wasted getting the tires warm. 

 Maybe you should look into getting a co-driver?

at Devens on both days the tires would fall from max grip of about 1.14g on initial and 2nd run to 1.07g or thereabouts on 3rd run

track temp was 120 degrees - go figger

 

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Charlie Thompson
'04 JCW Cooper [STX]
NER Cannon Fodder

cmt52663:

at Devens on both days the tires would fall from max grip of about 1.14g on initial and 2nd run to 1.07g or thereabouts on 3rd run

track temp was 120 degrees - go figger

 

Were you spraying in between runs? Are these the originals or the *'s?

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John W: 2003 WRX (#7 STX) | 1998 ///M3
Washington, DC Region

I just chorded my azenis, i think star specs are next.  what differences have you guys found b/w shaved and full tread?  

 

I only get one tire for dry/rain, so i'm probably going to leave them full tread, any issues noted so far?

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Rob P.

The new--05' Subaru WRX
The old--04' VW GTI
->the damage: http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/penderperson/WRX/pics005.jpg

no i was not spraying - the only exception being prior to the 3rd run on Sunday

single driver car, running Star Spec tires - full tread

the gentleman that loaned me the sprayer on Sunday also pipped me for the last trophy spot by .06 secs - how can I complain though! 

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Charlie Thompson
'04 JCW Cooper [STX]
NER Cannon Fodder

pinkertonpunk:

For those of you that have run the Dunlops, how many events does it seem to take to get them ready.  I remember the old RT-215s I ran on the Civic took a couple events before they had their peak grip.  I am going to get rid of my Yokohamas on my STI soon I think, but want to make sure the Dunlops will be ready to go for the larger events I have planned soon.  I would be buying them shaved as well if that helps, that will at least get the mold release off of them.

Mine had 30 street miles before the first Chicago Region event. Basically put them on the night before and drove to the event. They worked just fine. They were not shaved...

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Aytinc

So does anyone have a source for 245/40/17s right now or anyone have an extra set they would like to get rid of?  I didn't know they were going to be difficult to get and am going to need tires soon.  Sounds like they are not even being manufactured until Aug. 25th...  Now I don't run a tire company or anything, but if you sell out of product, you might want to make more....like right away.

Thanks! 

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Colin Fiedler
07 STI
Milwaukee Region
Bridgestone and Racecomp Engineering
2008 STU National Champion

Hahaha, that's so funny Colin, I was in the same exact situation today.  I need Direzzas for this weekend (SoCal Divisional) for my S2k so I thought there wouldn't be a problem, but the closest set is in Memphis, so I had to go with the RE-01Rs.  Oh well.  Good luck.