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malibuguy
malibuguy GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
8/17/21 6:48 p.m.

2nd event on the Falkens back on the home course.  And now that I was back on a surface I am used to I really like these.  Pretty much have grip instantly.  Do definitely like lower pressures.  Ended up at 28F and 30R.  The cars natural driftyness is gone with these tires so I can drive harder.  

Here they are as is from the course and 70~ miles drive home.  Now these are rotated from front to back since the last set of pics after the first event

Left front

 

Right front

 

Left rear

 

Right rear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JTT
JTT New Reader
8/19/21 7:31 p.m.

I've been running RT660s on my 99 Miata.  (205/50-15 on 8" wheels).  They've been quite good, three track days and a slalom.  Had a closer look after this last track day and saw, what I consider unusual wear on the center rib.  Try to ignore the pick up, the last session I let someone else drive my car and he must have picked up every bit or slag left on the track.  

The picks are both front tires.  Track is a tight, technical clockwise circuit that tends to be hardest on left fronts.   2.5 degrees camber, 31-32 psi  hot.  Do these look under inflated?

Pictures

(sorry, can't seem to attach photos?)

malibuguy
malibuguy GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
8/19/21 8:34 p.m.

I dont know...its hard for me to see thru the worms.  It looks like each set of blocks are ramped

dps214
dps214 Dork
8/19/21 8:44 p.m.

Yes, the center blocks are a little bit tapered. Yes, that's totally normal especially for that much use.

JTT
JTT New Reader
8/20/21 5:49 a.m.

Thanks guys.  Yes, the center block is significantly tapered/ramped.  That's what I was wondering about and if it might be indication of a pressure issue, or just normal wear.

I'm going to reverse them and try to get another weekend out this weekend, but near end of life I suppose.frown

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter)
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
8/20/21 7:14 a.m.

My experience with the RT600 convinced me there is an issue with them. On my first set, the fronts lost the center rib after one autocross. Not uneven wear...gone. Say what you want about my driving style, but I never had an issue like that with BFG or Stones or anything else. Luckily, the Tire Rack replaced the fronts for free, calling it a failure.

The replacements went to Toledo for 3 days and 2 drivers. That's a lot of abuse for any tire, but the RTs were toast before the event was over. Center ribs were destroyed, outer edges to the belts. RE71s and Rivals hold up to similar use and keep going the rest of the season.

Oddly, I have friends who love the RTs and report that they wear like iron. YMMV

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter)
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
8/20/21 7:30 a.m.

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks for replying. The more people that share their experience, the better. 
 

Let me suggest that information about what car, possibly even the setup, could also be useful. 

hunter47
hunter47 Reader
8/20/21 9:46 a.m.

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

I wouldn't say they wear like iron, in my experience, but I definitely have not experienced losing the center rib during an autocross. I drive a very fat AWD sedan and I wouldn't call myself lithe either, and while they chunk more than I'm used to they certainly are not at the wear point that you have.

I paid an extra $10/tire at Discount Tire so if they prematurely fail I'll get them replaced relatively painlessly. 

spacecadet (Forum Supporter)
spacecadet (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
8/20/21 10:52 a.m.
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

My experience with the RT600 convinced me there is an issue with them. On my first set, the fronts lost the center rib after one autocross. Not uneven wear...gone. Say what you want about my driving style, but I never had an issue like that with BFG or Stones or anything else. Luckily, the Tire Rack replaced the fronts for free, calling it a failure.

The replacements went to Toledo for 3 days and 2 drivers. That's a lot of abuse for any tire, but the RTs were toast before the event was over. Center ribs were destroyed, outer edges to the belts. RE71s and Rivals hold up to similar use and keep going the rest of the season.

Oddly, I have friends who love the RTs and report that they wear like iron. YMMV

How much camber do you have?

This wear issue you're running into is a combination of your car setup and your driving... not the tire. Yokes and Falkens aren't hiding these flaws like RE71's and BFGs do.

bobzilla
bobzilla MegaDork
8/20/21 11:48 a.m.
spacecadet (Forum Supporter) said:
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

My experience with the RT600 convinced me there is an issue with them. On my first set, the fronts lost the center rib after one autocross. Not uneven wear...gone. Say what you want about my driving style, but I never had an issue like that with BFG or Stones or anything else. Luckily, the Tire Rack replaced the fronts for free, calling it a failure.

The replacements went to Toledo for 3 days and 2 drivers. That's a lot of abuse for any tire, but the RTs were toast before the event was over. Center ribs were destroyed, outer edges to the belts. RE71s and Rivals hold up to similar use and keep going the rest of the season.

Oddly, I have friends who love the RTs and report that they wear like iron. YMMV

How much camber do you have?

This wear issue you're running into is a combination of your car setup and your driving... not the tire. Yokes and Falkens aren't hiding these flaws like RE71's and BFGs do.

agreed. I get away with my hamfisted, poor driving skills because I've stayed with RS4's and the 615K+'s. I've seen too many make lap after lap and no have these issues. I think pinching them on too small a wheel can accentuate the problem. 

dps214
dps214 Dork
8/20/21 3:26 p.m.

I forget if I've posted this before, but I think it's actually the opposite. The "old" tires didn't hide flaws, they made them very apparent in the form of awful driver feedback and handing characteristics. Well...the RE71R anyway, the rival just kind of doesn't care about anything, which is part of the reason we're still running them. Whereas the 660s and A052s are happy to continue gripping though your awful driving on a heavy camber challenged car, but they achieve that by ripping off all the tread in short order. So the new tires can work as well or better and can wear as well or better, but you have to be able to recognize overdriving and bad car setup on your own, rather than by having the tires very clearly telling you about it.

Edit: and part of that is they're more sensitive to being overheated. So yeah, if you run four drivers (or realistically even two) through the car on a 90* day without a tire sprayer...you're going to have a bad time no matter how restrained your driving is.

malibuguy
malibuguy GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
8/21/21 7:41 a.m.

I almost feel like I either need more SR, space up the BS and or more camber...

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