As this is your first track event, I highly recommend you DO NOT flush or bleed your brakes. If they are working adequately, you do not want to add another failure point by potentially bleeding your brakes incorrectly.
Bleed them after the event. They'll probably need it.
The likelihood that you will use your brakes at a level that might introduce failure is extremely low.

R1Rs DO NOT like low pressures. Start at 30 PSI all the way around and put a dab of shoe polish on the sidewalls right where it meets the tread. Since you are only doing 5 or less laps per session, you will NOT get up to operating temp on those tires, so you just want to see how much squirm you've got going on and the polish will show that.

 

Have you used these? How did you like them?

 

They are essentially a "street" version of the R888.
Were I to buy another "street" race tire, I'd stick with the NT-05s. Even though they are a bit harder (and a genuine street tire because of it), they stay grippy across a wider range of temperatures. They are also cheaper.

The R888 are much grippier, so why settle on a 140 UTQG R1R?

EDIT: I forgot the rest of the world has to deal with rain. I guess that might be a factor if you really drive on the street on those things.

 

Well, I know I wouldn't go with the NT-05's because they are a drag radial, not a road race type tire. Maybe that's just me.

I know all the specs, that doesn't always tell the tale.

I've got R6's sitting here.

Just contemplating running another season on street tires before going to R-comps and if so, which ones to run. Kumho XS's, R1R's, etc, etc.

 

I wouldn't recommend anyone use R-comps on the street. Lot's of potential issues, but out your way I know many many that get away with it because of just that issue - no rain.

Mine is a dedicated track/race car so I don't have to worry too much about that myself either.

 

Wrong tire.
The NT-05 is a road race tire like the NT-01, but with a UTQG of 200 instead of 100.
Nitto and Toyo use the same compounds, IIRC.
The NT-05 is comparable to the Star Specs.

You are thinking of the 555s.

That is essentially what you are doing with the R1Rs.

 

I was actually thinking you were talking about the NT-05R, which is a drag radial. Either way, wrong tire.

Not exactly. Just because it's sticky and low treadwear doesn't mean it's "basically a race tire". There are several things that make it a streetable/daily tire much moreso than a like-compound race tire. I wouldn't hesitate to run the nt-05 or the star specs, or the r1rs all summer, but wouldn't use the nt-01, or the r888's. As similar as they may seem, they are not made for daily/street use. They are track tires that are given a DOT tread rating because of the way race governing bodies deal with tires like this.

 

The R1R and the R888 are the same compound.

 

but not the same sidewall stiffness, nor the same tread pattern, nor the same pressure operating range - which has to do with sidewall stiffness and ply composition.

I wouldn't run the r888 on the street and re-reading what you originally posted i thought you concluded that too?

 

I wouldn't run the R888 on the street.
But using your DOT rationale, I wouldn't run the R1Rs, either.

Their pressure op range and carcass is the same, BTW.

 

so then it's exactly the same tire. which, just by deductive logic, fails.

 

No.

Different tread pattern and different sidewall stiffness.

 

Hahaha - Just man-up and get some slicks :p

I did that on one of my past cars, and it was amazing.

Cheers,
Hymee.

 

Slicks are extremely dangerous for those that dont know where the grip threshold is, once you exceed it you might as well sign up for some ice racing,,,

 

Wow-- lots of response!
Good discussion all.

Some rational i used in mentioning what I did relavant to the discussion going on
.
Additional tire pressure is needed. Short session---really tight turns---he is going to need all the sidewall support he can get without overheating/over pressurization. No matter what you go out with always check them asap when you pit and then go from there as I mentioned. May need increasing, may need decreasing. Lot has to do with drivers style/track temps etc. I am afraid he is going to chunk that left front. 5 laps is not a lot, but there again I dont know how close the sessions are together.
R1's have a operating range from about 170 to a little over 200F when they are shaved. I dont know if his are shaved or not.
I and several others in our club have ran the R1's (always shaved, by the way the R 888 suck!) and they are a workhorse of a tire, we like them. They run better for us with a hot pressure of around 41-42.
I disagree about bleeding the brakes. Since i am assuming he doesnt have high temp track fluid now--it will be a good idea to go ahead and change. Will he absoulutly need it for this short session---maybe not. But I alway say, better safe than sorry, when it comes to brakes. Anyone here ever had a dead pedal?---- scary as hell. As yall know brake fluid also collects water over time and I dont know when was the last time he changed it out. Remember also this is on stock pads and they will not handle the heat as well.
He knows his way around cars and has autocrossed a good bit--i think he can handle a fluid swap out ok
And with that in mind I thought I would mention trail braking. This car handles that tech very well and this is a low speed turning track on non r compound tires. He can handle this with caution. he just has to remember smooth and with the nanny on(below) it will make it even easier.
I forgot to mention you probably want to do the 1st session with full nanny on, then progress to off if you find that it is not activating and you are ok with your speed.
Remember also if you are not activating the ABS then you are not using all your brake.. But to start with dont worry about using absoulutly all of your brakes.
Remember SMOOTH.
OD

 

Thanks everyone for their candid replies.

I’m used to running autocross and now venturing into road courses do in part because most of the Central Florida autox courses are very busy, very short in order to accommodate Miatas/Coopers and the amount of participants. Also, they make the courses busy in order to control the speed due to the limited amount of track running area. Not much joy of running a 23 to 47 second lap and trying to squeeze an RX8 thru a gate where Miata/Cooper can barely fit.

Anyway, thanks again and will let you know Sunday I bad I sucked on the road course.

 

go Juan! fingers crossed.
PS Yokohama have a new tyre out now I believe a semi slick to compete with the 888 which will be a lot cheaper than their old AO48 or whatever it was called. It should be really good.

 

lol. To each their own.
I found it to be the best r-comp money can buy.


The only time I've seen an RX-8 have a brake failure in HPDE is because of improper bleeding.

 

Other matter :

My pettit's intercooler pump just died !
It still do some noise (awfull sometimes) but I tested it and it do not pump a sh*t !

 

Lost prime?

 

80% you lost prime.....It make a god awfull noise when it looses prime.

 

hey
sorry have not been around much..

check every fuse in the efi block in your fuse panel.. that was the issue at my last track day.

oldragger was there.. but it was an abscure issue..

beers

 

juan,
you might give me a pm or a call before that..


i have done it. i think i got a third in a time attack.. just saying..

fool and money..

just saying..

i think you have my phone #

beers

 

Yes an awfull noise !
and it do not pump anything !

what to do now ?
What do you call prime ?! Can I fix it ?
Have a hard time finding an other one ...

 

force water thru it from the (full) reservoir. and make sure that there is no air in the pump at all. Cam has extras and I even have a spare but these pumps seem to last quite a while but do lose prime occasionally. Maybe some one else can be more technical with the way to do it but this is all I do.