After reading good early reports on the new BFG Rivals, I am looking at getting a set for my track wheels. The wheels are staggered 18x9/10. I'm thinking 295/35ZR18 rear and 275/35ZR18 for the front. Do you think these would fit and would they be close enough in diameter to not mess up the ABS. The car is stock height and suspension. I would really like to go with these 315/30ZR18 for the rear but they recommend a 10.5 wheel for them.

Any opinions?

 

Call with Terry Fair @ Vorshlag in Plano, he knows track tires and was at BFG Rival event. 972-422-7170

There's a bunch of us going to Five Star Ford, Plano car show this Saturday @ 8am
come by and find us...including Terry Fair

Jerry Cecco
2012 Kona/black

 

Terry Video, setting NOLA track record:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

 

While I have not had Rivals I compete with a few guys that do. In short they really like these tires. Apparently they are very consistent and communicative. Plus you get the same rubber all the way to the cords so they should last a while. I plan to get a set once I kill my current street tires.

 

I'm familiar with Terry and I knew about his testing of them. I'll get in touch with him but last time I spoke with him, he was only running square setups and did not believe anyone should run staggered.

 

I'm currently running Hankook RS3's and they are a lot stickier than the stock Pirelli's. I hope they wear out fast so I can get a set of the Rival's. I'm running mine staggered and my car is driven on the street and track. If my car was purely a track car I'd run squared. I'm using Enkei PF01 wheels in 18x9.5 and 18x10.5.

 

I just ordered the exact same sized BFG's only problem is tirerack says they are backordered and won't ship till first week of July. From everything I have read they should be good tires.

 

Friend of mine runs Nitto 555R's with good success. I'm looking at those or NT01's after driving in a GT3 RS with NT01's last year. It stuck like glue

 

The 555R is listed as a Drag Radial so I don't know how well it would work for road racing. Not saying it won't work, I'm literally saying I have no idea about it.

 

It seems like the NT01 is a fairly popular choice among enthusiasts who want a decent track day tire that is cheap and expendable. But there is a reason why Nitto tires never make it into Tire compare tests...it would be equivalent to comparing a GT500 to a Base model V6.

 

So what would you consider to be a GT with track pack tire?

 

Everyone up here runs Nitto's and swears by them.

 

Are you referring to NT555R II's which are specifically designed for our type of cars? They are supposed to be NT01's with stiffer sidewalls for the heavy weight of "muscle cars". Guys that run them at the track love them but they don't last long.

http://www.nittotire.com/Tire/nt555r2#overview

 

But the 555RII's are reccommended for 9.5 and wider wheels and I have 9's up front.

 

Not sure what your asking...Are you asking what I think about the Pirelli PZERO or what tire I would consider is between the Nitto and the Rival?

 

Wow, those are pretty spendy...or at least they were at the place I found online. Have the folks in your area ever tried the Michelin Pilot Sport cup? It doesn't cost much more and it is a awesome tire by all accounts

 

I drove a Z06 Carbon with cup tires on track at speed...WOW
its in a different universe
...of course the sticker on it was $97k

 

If you think the 555R II's are expensive have you looked up the price of the Cup tires??? I have a set of Pilot Super Sports but the Cup tires are something else all together from what I've read.

Here's a good thread on the Hankook RS3's.

http://bossmustangsonline.com/index....c=4220.new#new

 

You said that Nitto tires vs good tires are like comparing a V6 Mustang to a GT 500. I was asking what you thought would be more of a middle ground, ie. like a Mustang GT with track pack compared to a GT500. I'm not racing, I'm running track days. I don't want to spend the money to gain 1/4 sec per lap but I don't want to have to be giving point bys all day either.

 

Ya, I was talking about the Pilot Cup Vs. 555R II...but after a little more digging I found the the 555R for $297/ea for a 295/18...which is nearly $100 less per tire than the Pilot Cup.

The RS3 could be a good middle of the road tire. But I hear they do better on lighter cars. I drove them in an S2000 and they seems to work great as opposed to on an EVO 9 on which they sucked...or at least sucked compared to the Dunlop Dirrezza star spec I drove on the same car.

Honestly though for the Money the Rival is still the tire I would pick. Maybe if I had to spend less I would get a BFG G-Force comp-2. It's cheaper, available in wide variety of sizes and make a decent performance tire and still good for DD.