Hoosier Tires

[Dangerous Doug]

I've had my Firestone Firehawks on my ERA 289 FIA since I first built it, and though there is remaining tread I am figuring it'll soon be time to replace them.

I saw that Hoosier just released a new DOT tire series, namely, the A7/R7. Anyone familiar with these tires?

Also, when I look at the Hoosier tire web site and catalog it's plastered with "Not for Highway Use". Isn't the point of DOT marking to make them legal for highway use? Is this just a disclaimer to keep the lawyers at bay?

Incidentally, I know there are other tire choices: Goodyear Billboards (preferred by purists...), Avons, and others. I think the Hoosiers look pretty cool and have that "racing" image, but would I be heading in a bad direction with these?

DD

[DAVID GAGNARD]

I ran the Hoosier A6 radials on my race car and took an older set and ran on my street car from time to time and they were a lot better than I though on the street long as it is not raining.......

The older A6 tires were DOT legal,required for my Vintage class,but did not say "Not For Highway Use"...

David

[LoBelly]

I have run the R6's at most of my tack days and they're great.

The descriptions on the R6 & R7 tyres are trying to make clear that they are 'technically' a DOT tyre, while essentially being a race tyre. The tyres have things like tread-wear indicators and (probably) other features that legal road tyres must have to meet the DOT standard.

Hoosier is making it plain that they're not intended to actually be used on the road (you've seen the tread patterns?)

I think there are better options from Hoosier for road use - currently I'm contemplating the TD series

https://www.hoosiertire.com/pb40510.htm

(or Avon)
good luck with your selection

LoBelly

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Originally Posted by LoBelly

I have run the R6's at most of my tack days and they're great.

The descriptions on the R6 & R7 tyres are trying to make clear that they are 'technically' a DOT tyre, while essentially being a race tyre. The tyres have things like tread-wear indicators and (probably) other features that legal road tyres must have to meet the DOT standard.

Hoosier is making it plain that they're not intended to actually be used on the road (you've seen the tread patterns?)

I think there are better options from Hoosier for road use - currently I'm contemplating the TD series

https://www.hoosiertire.com/pb40510.htm

(or Avon)
good luck with your selection

LoBelly

The first 2 or 3 years I Vintage Road Raced, I ran the Hoosier Street TDs....they were good and I liked them, the only reason I switched to the R6 radials was for better tire wear/life.....My lap times were a tad better with the R6 tires,but not enough to talk about, the R6 tires did last longer though.....

On the street you will not like Street TDs, they "hunt" and will follow every little crack in the road, you'll find yourself switching lanes and without ever turning the steering wheel, I would advise not to run them on the street......
Been there,done that........

David

[scottj]

I've run A3S03, A3S04, and currently the A6. I like the A compound for the street as it has better grip at lower tire temp than the R compound. I'd imagine you could get into trouble very easily in the rain, hence the disclaimer, but I don't drive the car in the rain. I've never had any other type of tire on the car.

[Pete Munroe]

What David said...

The first set of tires on my car were STREET T/D's...on the track they were great!!!...on the STREET a total nightmare!

Any pavement crack or joint would upset them...the car could almost change lanes and it was always a fight to keep it going straight.

They were replaced with Dunlop G/T Qualiers...not very sticky compared to the Street T/D's, but the car felt like it was on rails in comparison.

Also, the Hoosiers were seriously "weather checked" in just a few months...cracks all over the sidewalls. Perhaps no ozone protection in the race rubber.

Got the impression they were meant for a few track weekends and then throw away...which I did.

Before they were mounted I picked one up...like with one finger...a regular street radial is much more robust, LOTS of material. IMHO race type tires aren't meant to deal with the nasty road hazards a street radial takes without damage.

[legenmetals]

I used to use the r6 tires on my Mustang racer. I would get two race events from one set. The tires are soft and get sticky with heat. A good racing tire but they won't last long. I run more camber in the front and get most of the wear on the inside of the fronts. I was told that the r6 is being fazed out and that the a7 and r7 Will replace them. The competition has forced them to build a tire that will last. Longer. I am using my first set of r7s this weekend at buttonwillow. These tires would not last long on the street in my opinion.

[scottj]

The longest I've run a set on the street is 2000 miles. Based on wear I could probably go 8000 miles. I put a new set on for every track event so I'll probably never know. I'm only providing my experiences from 15 years of running them, I'm not saying that I recommend them. I would ask what is the perceived advantage over a street tire? One thing about these tire is that they don't give much warning near the limit of grip; all the feedback comes through feel. They don't squeal like a street tire near the limit and the limit it very high. One second your on a rail and the next you could be traveling backwards. Because of the high power to weight ratio with many of these cars, many would say that they are "safer" with higher grip. I don't really buy that. I run track events so I have these tires coming out of my ears, otherwise I'd run a performance street tire.

[*13*]

Have TD's on my car. Damn good grip. Wear pretty fast & they do like to hunt. I don't drive it in the rain. The sizing isn't perfect with them, according to the ERA recommendations. I will go bigger on the rears, next time. But, they size a little bigger than recommended.

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by scottj

The longest I've run a set on the street is 2000 miles. Based on wear I could probably go 8000 miles. I put a new set on for every track event so I'll probably never know. I'm only providing my experiences from 15 years of running them, I'm not saying that I recommend them. I would ask what is the perceived advantage over a street tire? One thing about these tire is that they don't give much warning near the limit of grip; all the feedback comes through feel. They don't squeal like a street tire near the limit and the limit it very high. One second your on a rail and the next you could be traveling backwards. Because of the high power to weight ratio with many of these cars, many would say that they are "safer" with higher grip. I don't really buy that. I run track events so I have these tires coming out of my ears, otherwise I'd run a performance street tire.

I agree completely, especially the part about little warning before loss of grip. These are not tires you want to take to the limit unless there is a very safe place to go after you start spinning.

[Dangerous Doug]

Great feedback. Never even considered the "wandering" effect on street pavement with cracks and such. I figured the high risk would be driving my Cobra in the rain, which I never do.

So, what's a good tire for the street? I've been running Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's and I really haven't had any complaints. 15's are hard to find in any tire, or so it seemed to me back then.

Hoosiers would provide a nice finishing "look" to my Cobra, but so would Billboards or Avons (aside from the inevitable cosmetics inquiries...).

Any suggestions?

DD

[*13*]

Everyone says how amazing Avon's are & that they are a lot like Hoosiers. Acorns are pricey. In regular street tires, I don't really know.

[Got the Bug]

Any ideas regarding MTs new ET Street S/S? They bill it as a "A street tire that can be driven on the track...."

https://www.mickeythompsontires.com/...tem=ETStreetSS

They don't offer a 295 in the right size, so the 275/60/15 would have to work for the back.