Toyo R-888's: New vs Old
 

I heard Toyo completely redid the R-888 at sema this year for a new R-888 compound and set up.




I wanna start this for some feedback on guys who have run the new vs old 888 tires. I know there is a lot of flack for the old 888's.


Hopefully the new 888's fixed the issued the old 888's had. If they are as good as Toyo says these might be my new DD/Track rubber for my Z.


Anyone else head any info or performance results from these?

If Toyo just announced this new compound for the R888 at SEMA, there'll be a lengthy delay before it gets into wide circulation.

Yea but I just wanted to get the ball rolling and see if anyone has any tech talk or around the pits info on these. Maybe some R&D leaks.


This was my first time hearing about any of this.

That ball could be rolling for some time. After using R888s in SCCA racing almost nine years ago, I haven't seen many Toyo campaigners since that time. The original R888 was not in the same league with the R-compound tires from BFGoodrich, Goodyear or Hoosier during that time period and it's a bit surprising to hear Toyo is still trying.

Yea I've seen MANY reports of SCCA and other clubs dropping R-888's for safety and other reasons due to their limited grip life for some classes. One event host was saying they issued a stop all use mid season for one club because so many crashed started to happen once they started using and requiring r-888 to run the class. Initiatory after they stopped using them they said the crashes and spins almost fell off over night.

That one post alone (with a few others) is why I unselected r-888's from my shopping cart and went back on the search for track/weekend warrior tires. But apparently toyo said these new tires are major improvements over the old 8's and also have shown significantly lower track times. I'm assuming due to them holding cycles better.

Bridgestone Potenza RE71-R

Done deal

Its not a new tire, its just a new tire to the US market. the r888r has been in circulation here in Europe for the past 2 years.

Are they quicker than a r888? Yes, by about 6/10th's a second on a 1.64 mile track.

How do they match up to other semi's? In my opinion not great. Both the Pilot Sport cup 2's and the hankook TD's were both faster tires.

When referenced against the old r888, the new r888r's displayed a consistent feeling under hard braking and improved turn in feel. Mid corner the tires felt like they were folding over but that could possibly be tuned out with tire pressure (I ran 34psi Hot). The greatest improvement was that the tires no longer became "greasy" with heat like the old r888's did. They do not communicate the limit of grip well and would step out without much warning. It was not a snap oversteer type release though and was controllable, but it didn't let you know it was about to happen as well as some of the other tires.

Oh so the new trip 8's are just the r's?

I've known about the R's the way they described them at the SEMA booth made it sound like it was a revamp of the standard 8's.

Thanks for posting that. I never even crossed those until now. Going to compare them to the RA1's I was looking at.

Last I heard the Re71-R are the fastest semi slick tires for the street at least.


I run the 595RS-RR cause cost is so cheap and they are supposed to be good on track but they are so damn loud! its like i'm driving a Z with 35s on it. ugh


I want the REs but $500 vs $1300 lol