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Anti-Seize the treads but NOT the taper. Just a thin partial coating - a little goes a long way. Some really dry threads need a bit more. Then you can torque a bit less. Do the 50 mile re-torque. Been doing this for 34 years, never a problem of loosening (on 12 ton diesels do a re-torque every week at least*).
* full disclosure caveat.
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* full disclosure caveat.
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Tesla 940
Member
What is the latest thoughts on Michelin tires??? Soon I will need to replace the rear tires (front tires are the original Yoko's) I'm thinking of either the Pilot Sport A/S 3 or the Pilot Super Sport tires. I only drive the car in nice weather so the "all season" doesn't seem to be any advantage. The only difference appears to be the wear rating 500 versus 300. I currently have the Proxes 4 and will get about 12k before they hit the wear bars. All thoughts or comments are appreciated.
The Pilot Super Sports perform better than the Pilot Sport A/S. Better acceleration and handling. Not sure about in the rain. I don't know about the A/S range but the Super Sports have low rolling resistance and get excellent range. They are slightly lighter than the stock Yoko's as well.
strider
Active Member
I got 15k out of my Proxes 4's (not the 4+) and got 10k out of my last set of Pilot SS's. Both were driven to bald but no cords showing. So while they handle really well they do wear fast. Michelin will give you a 15k warranty so you'll get a discount on your next set. I might try the Dunlops next.
I had Pilot Super Sports on my G37. Excellent tires in the rain; in fact some racers use them as their rain tires.
jbadger
TR#506, MXP, ~3#1206~
I just had R888s installed and while I was going from bald AD07 rears to brand new tires, the difference is amazing. The new tires seem grippier than I ever remember and acceleration feels faster as well. At $250 vs $400 installed, they seem to be a better deal.
I have 54k miles right now so i'm curious to see how long these last. My read AD07 only lasted 8k miles.
I have 54k miles right now so i'm curious to see how long these last. My read AD07 only lasted 8k miles.
wiztecy
Active Member
The R888's have a 100 tread wear rating, the AD07 have a 180 tread wear rating.
From the tire rack (Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG) Rating), a grade of 100 would indicate that the tire tread would last as long as the test tire, 200 would indicate the tread would last twice as long. So if you're AD07 tires lasted 8k, your R888's are estimated to last around 4.5k to 5.5k. They're a little better than the Yoko A048 tires which have an 80 tread wear, and those are known to be eaten up fast by the Roadster.
I'm on 17,800 miles so far on my rear Yoko AD08 tires and still going and should make it to 19k. I have a new set of rear AD08 tires which I paid $168 each @ the Tire Rack waiting to be thrown on when the time comes. I don't think there's a better tire than the AD08 for the cost, traction and life. I'm really looking forward and crossing my fingers whenever the front AD08's into stock at the TireRack. My last set of rears which were AD07's lasted 12,500 miles.
Just be careful of the R888's in the rain where it puddles, they'll hydroplane fast since there's no rain channel design built into those tires.
I wasn't sold on the R888 after spending some time researching how they work on both the street and the track. They need to be heated up and driven for a long time before they really begin working, and typical street driving won't bring them up to temp. They're softer and will cost more in the long run. They don't offer safety for an all season California weather tire due to lack of rain grooves. If I was racing on a track where rain wouldn't puddle on the track, I'd say yes. But my own and other's personal safety on the street where I'm running them in the rain, no. Even the A048 tires suck in the Rain for the same reason, no where for the water to channel away so the tire rides up on it and planes (hydro-planes).
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A048's are "cheater" tires, with just barely enough tread grooves to be considered street legal. They're more like slicks, and there isn't really enough tread grooves to channel away the water. The R888's are the same.
In theory they shouldn't last as long due to the lower treadwear rating; however, there are no standards for measuring treadwear and the number will vary in meaning between manufacturers.
In theory they shouldn't last as long due to the lower treadwear rating; however, there are no standards for measuring treadwear and the number will vary in meaning between manufacturers.
jbadger
TR#506, MXP, ~3#1206~
It's a bummer to find this out now. I didn't have time to read through this entire thread and didn't research the tires myself but went purely based off what I was recommended by Rob.
wiztecy
Active Member
I remember talking to Rob about the R888 and the Dunlop Direzza. I think Rob was passing on what the Lotus Elise drivers are using and trying to find the Roadsters another alternative tire that works. On the Lotus fourms there's mixed reviews of the R888. Some who love them, say they're lasting longer than the Yokos and others who don't and get low tread life.
I really do like the Dunlop Dirzza ZII, nice tread pattern, wear rating, and two channels down the middle for water channeling. They come in the Roadster's rear size but nothing for the fronts. Closest I see is only a 205 for the front unfortunately. And that seems like most cases for all the Dunlop summer high performance line of tires.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=Direzza+ZII&partnum=86HR4Z2
I really do like the Dunlop Dirzza ZII, nice tread pattern, wear rating, and two channels down the middle for water channeling. They come in the Roadster's rear size but nothing for the fronts. Closest I see is only a 205 for the front unfortunately. And that seems like most cases for all the Dunlop summer high performance line of tires.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=Direzza+ZII&partnum=86HR4Z2
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I wouldn't worry about it. Based on other reports, the R888 on the rear performs very well. Most people don't have problems in the rain until they get pretty worn. A friend of mine ran the R888 for a season and said they lasted longer than the AD07. The treadware rating is not consistent from one manufacturer to another.
wiztecy
Active Member
On the back tires of the Roadster you have more grace period before it washes out on you due to planting of the battery weight back there. Front not at all and you might as well be on sneakers running across an icy pond where anything goes and when it does it gets ugly fast. When I do run my AD0x tires down on the rears down where they're flat in the middle (no rain grooves) with groves on the sides, I drive with a VERY conscious mind where I slowly learn and know the Roadster's limit in that state. I don't *ever* try to go into a corner with any type of speed for that a water stream across the road can spell disaster. I posted videos I believe in the 1.5 tire thread showing the R888 in rain where the track was puddled, the results are not good. Typically they're cut down and the video the tread was half. Uncontrolled spin-outs and unintentional drifts. When I see that and the tread design that tire is a pass for me. Also people write in forums about that behavior of the tire so its not just a few people, its a rather good sample. There is an up and down thing where some people love them and others say they're dangerous. My point is you can't just throw R888's on the Roadster and expect them to hookup in 3 seasons (4 in california) like the Yoko's AD0x's can on the street. They weren't designed for that. The AD0x's were hence why I've been pushing to get AD08's in the Roadster's front stock tire size.
As for the tread wear rating, I agree there's something odd about it and the metrics. I can't see how I can get 12,500 miles out of a rear AD07 with a 180 tread wear rating. And 19,000+ out of an AD08 rear tire with the identical rating. The compound has changed and obviously the wear limits. My driving style has not. My alignment has which I'm sure I had a way too aggressive negative camber set in the rear from the factory due to the inside tire wear. I now have a nice even wear even at -2.0 camber in the rear. But with that said that's not enough to gobble up 7k miles.
But with physics and chemistry in mind the truth is any tire that is softer will wear faster. Harder will last longer. I have commercial truck tires on my truck, steel belted side walls to handle extreme weight as well as the rims. The tire is very hard and will last 100k +. If I put soft mudders on (which my jeep has), good luck getting 20-30k. Hence the harder/softer comparison. The R888 is a track tire that successfully made by a slim margin the DOT certification of a summer extreme performance street tire. Again stressing summertime. I think in hot 90+ degree Cali weather you can get the tire up to temp on a long drive or corners on sunny stretch of tarmac. I'd be cautious in 75 or below degree weather for that I don't think there's enough heat to make them stick properly and that's where people who review them say they like them when their hot but there's too much of a fluctuation with them. Also I heard they stick good for the first couple thousand miles but after that they don't hook up.
New tires are always good to test out and review. Also with the oddity in the tread wear rating, I could see them going further than what a mathematical comparison of tire wear can do. But getting back, if its a softer tire it will wear faster. And a track tire is typically softer than a street tire. With any new tire, a driver needs to understand their design, strengths, faults and forgiveness in different temps and conditions to fully utilize them in a safe manner on the street.
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wiztecy
Active Member
The Toyo R1R has a more street-able (in the rain) tread design and a 140 tread wear rating. Again no stock "175" sizes for the front of the Roadster but 225's are available for the rears. However, with the 2.x Roadsters you have tire learning so if it was me I'd go to 235's on the rears and 205's on the fronts on the 2.x:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Toyo&tireModel=Proxes+R1R&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=245WR7PR1R&tab=Sizes
Review of them on a Lotus Elise:
Toyo R1R first impression - LotusTalk - The Lotus Cars Community
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Toyo&tireModel=Proxes+R1R&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=245WR7PR1R&tab=Sizes
Review of them on a Lotus Elise:
Toyo R1R first impression - LotusTalk - The Lotus Cars Community
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strider
Active Member
Don't know how I missed this but thanks! I was nervous about going w/ different sizes but from the thread it looks like 205/45-16's in the front will work. I figure I'll stick w/ the stock rear size. Looks like the lowest TPMS threshold is 25/36 which is higher than what the Lotus folks were recommending but can give it a go and see what happens. Won't need tires until the winter but I feel like I have a plan now.
wiztecy
Active Member
I'd really go with the 235's in the rear, I have the find the thread on the Lotus where that works out in the same ratio aspect of the stock front/back tire sizes. Also going wider in the rear will give you more grip up front. If you have too much you can dial out the negative camber up there to help balance it out. Lastly the wider tires will look right, and would possibly look a little silly if you looked close. Front tire will be a little wider than the rim where the rear would be flush with the 225's back there. This would be the way I'd personally go if I had tire learning, so with the 1.5, I'm out of this option's possibility due to the change in revs.
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