The Tire DB - Posts about Track and AutoX tire brands
Dunlop Star Specs
I'll be doing my first HPDE's this summer and just ordered a set of the Dunlop Star Specs. I did lots of research and these seem to be a favorite.
Super excited thought I'd share. Any feedback?
Super excited thought I'd share. Any feedback?
The Star specs are nice sticky tires but they can and will overheat. For autocross, they are perfect. But my brother and I ran them at a member "fun day" a few months back and noticed after a few back-to-back runs, they started to lose some grip. (Not as bad as the Falken RT 615's though)
I probably would have went with the new Kumho XS's but the Star Specs are not a bad choice. (The XS's will lose some grip when they get too hot also, but they seem to take the heat a little better than the star specs.)
...I don't know anything about the NT05's
I probably would have went with the new Kumho XS's but the Star Specs are not a bad choice. (The XS's will lose some grip when they get too hot also, but they seem to take the heat a little better than the star specs.)
...I don't know anything about the NT05's
I didn't used them, just be sure about checking the hot pressure and keep the wheels torqued to spec.
have fun
I bought some Star Specs before my first HPDE (March of 2009) and I thought they were awesome. I was suprised, when I finished a 20 min run at Texas World Speedway, that when I touched the tire it was literally sticky. I just thought it was a figure of speech. I've got my next HPDE in two weeks and I can't wait to my Dunlops back on the track.
Last edited by crZydave; Apr 30, 2009 at 07:33 PM.
I bought some Star Specs before my first HPDE (March of 2009) and I thought they were awesome. I was suprised, when I finished a 20 min run at Texas World Speedway, that when I touched the tire it was literally sticky. I just thought it was a figure of speech. I've got my next HPDE in two weeks and I can't wait to my Dunlops back on the track.
posts like this get me excited to get back on the track.
The Star Specs are awesome tires, no doubt.
Some of my chief AutoX competitors run these w/ great success. I have a good friend/rival that replaced his worn RE-01Rs with a set Star Specs and got significantly faster in the following events.
As an alternative, I've been running the Kumho Xs tires this AutoX season and am on a 4 event win streak in the Street Tire class. The 2nd place guy (ESP Camaro Z28) in class is also on Kumho Xs followed by the 3rd place guy (993 Porsche 911) on a set of Star Specs.
IMO you can't go wrong on either set of tires... both are sticky enough to pick up the small pebbles in the grid area between runs and they both have very soft compounds that look like they are scrubbing away at the edges after hard runs.
Some of my chief AutoX competitors run these w/ great success. I have a good friend/rival that replaced his worn RE-01Rs with a set Star Specs and got significantly faster in the following events.
As an alternative, I've been running the Kumho Xs tires this AutoX season and am on a 4 event win streak in the Street Tire class. The 2nd place guy (ESP Camaro Z28) in class is also on Kumho Xs followed by the 3rd place guy (993 Porsche 911) on a set of Star Specs.
IMO you can't go wrong on either set of tires... both are sticky enough to pick up the small pebbles in the grid area between runs and they both have very soft compounds that look like they are scrubbing away at the edges after hard runs.
I ran the Star Spec last year for AutoX, I loved them. Great stick, didn't need the warm up time the RT615 did, and the break away at the limits is much more linear and predictable. I'd really like to try some Xs too, sounds like they are a pretty great tire also.
your opinion on KW v3
So I've read a ton of reviews on the KW v3's in the suspension forum. Everyone seems to like them. But, its in the suspension forum. How many of these people actually TRACK them??
Anyone in the Forum have exp. with them? I'm so close to picking a set up...
Anyone in the Forum have exp. with them? I'm so close to picking a set up...
It's a little on the soft side for a true track application. Better suited for street use, and occasional track days. They are very compliant, and noise/rattle free which is important for many that run them on the street. They can be dialed in to be pretty predictable and fast on track, but they are going to be too soft once you move up 100 tread wear tires or under. They would be great with something like an NT-05 or comparable tire.
Last edited by Sharif@Forged; May 26, 2009 at 05:01 PM.
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From: UK
I run the V3's and track my car. As stated above, spring rates are a little on the soft side for all out track driving but i run cusco sway bars and have spent a fair amount of time dialing in the best bump and rebound settings for me and they perform very very well!
Build quality is exelent. ive had them on my car for well over a yaer here in the crapy weathered UK and still not one sign of rust!
On the road the softer spring rates help to load the tires up and grip like hell! Ther ride is very smooth and no noise at all. What you have to think is are you willing to have a car thats rides like a bag of ***** on the road with mega high spring rates just for the odd few trackdays you do a year? If it is just a track car get the club sports with pillow ball upper mounts linar springs.
hope that helps mate!
Build quality is exelent. ive had them on my car for well over a yaer here in the crapy weathered UK and still not one sign of rust!
On the road the softer spring rates help to load the tires up and grip like hell! Ther ride is very smooth and no noise at all. What you have to think is are you willing to have a car thats rides like a bag of ***** on the road with mega high spring rates just for the odd few trackdays you do a year? If it is just a track car get the club sports with pillow ball upper mounts linar springs.
hope that helps mate!