Tires,Tires, Tires, well, tires Options

[J P Stein]

I was looking on the Hoosier web site. Their 9 X 23 X
15 slick's softest compound is R45, while in other sizes, softer compounds are available (R25).

I'm thinkin' that softer is better for AX where wear isn't the problem, but lack of heat build-up is.
So.......I was also looking at their rain tires....humm, no compound listed, nor could I find any futher specs on em'. Anybody used these buggers?....I'll also take SWAGs.

My knowledge of rain tires is limited to the fact that they overheat quickly in the dry.....this could be gud for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[Mike T]

I've been using 23x9-15 sized slicks on 7" wheels on my 914 autocrosser since 1997. But not Hoosiers. I've been using Goodyears in R210 compound, roughly equivelent to Hoosier R35. I've been satisfied witht the stick and they seem to last long enough. Most of my non-Porsche competition is on 13" R25 Hoosiers.

Unfortunately the softest compounds are mostly only available in the 13" diameters, Loads of them, but I never figured a way to mount 13" wheels on the car and clear the calipers without ridiculous offsets. The Hoosier guy at some of the big SCCA tour events assured me that the R45 compound would equal the Goodyear's R210 but I never could bring myself to spend the money for a set of 4 to confirm that.
This coming season I will be using the Hoosier Formula Atlantic tire package 23.5x12.0-15 rears and 22.5x9.0-15 fronts on 14" and 10" wide wheels. It will widen the car though. I had to widen the rear flares 4.5" per side. Oh, yeah, mine is a V8 car.


Mike T