7
New Firestone Indy 500 tire.
- Thread starter Sandman GTI
- Start date
psychonosspaz
Go Kart Champion
- Location
- PNW
Curious how grip is in wet....I can't get any traction with the stock tires when I get in boost in rain
Sandman GTI
Drag Race Newbie
- Location
- Tennessee USA
I have a set to install but not on yet.
I have a coworker who has them on a Focus ST and he loves them.
Ran them all winter.
Summer tires do well in wet. I would not have believed but better compound grips well in wet. The Firestone tire is also designed with sipes to better handle water. Wish I had first hand info but I think they will do well, reason I purchased.
They do awesome in the rain! Second day installed I had to drive up island in heavy rain and they performed very well!!
Travis9935
Ready to race!
- Location
- Usa
Which would be best.. Continental Extreme contact DW or 500's? Last summer I purchased 245/35 Dw's... They still spin pretty easily.. I'm debating on if 500's in a 255/35 would grip any better.
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The Conti Extreme Contact Sport is a better match to compare to the 500s. That's what I have now and they are great, but I don't have a way to compare to the 500s. I think the 500s are a bit less money, but you can find deals on the Contis as well.
Edit: I incorrectly thought the 500s were a Max Summer Tire, not a UHP Summer Tire, minor difference and same tread wear all around, but my recommendation for the Conti ECS is still the same. If you don't deal with a lot of weather the ECS's should be a bit more aggressive.
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Travis9935
Ready to race!
- Location
- Usa
I have the last gen Dw's... Just wondering if anyone has had both and had a preference
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GLoBaLReBeL
Ready to race!
- Location
- South Bend, IN
I love my 500's, and I actually run them a little lower then some on here. in CA weather (about 68 - 73 F right now) in the morning I set them to about 34 front and 33-33.5 rear. They get to be about 36 - 37 hot which is great for all around driving. When I do canyon carving I drop them to 35.5 after a few minutes of driving, and they are PERFECT!!
erikweber321
Ready to race!
They are amazing in wet. Hitting puddles is another story but if ur in a straight line then the ECS does an outstanding job of compensating and keeping you safe. Mind your manners in the rain, but you definitely will not break them lose!!
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bullitt2655
Ready to race!
- Location
- Nova Scotia
I just put my 500's on today and set them at 36. Initial reaction is I really like them. The grip is so much better than the winters that the brakes seem much more responsive. Going for a 400km road trip on Friday so will get a better feel.
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7umberjackZac
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Car(s)
- Gti
Using these tires. I was spinning a little in 2nd with my tune. Better than spinning in 1st 2nd 3rd on my contis.
I vote against Continentals
Pulled .53Gs from a 25mph rolling take off. Not bad. Im not a tire guy but my understanding is for a FWD car that is approaching the limit for grip
I vote against Continentals
Pulled .53Gs from a 25mph rolling take off. Not bad. Im not a tire guy but my understanding is for a FWD car that is approaching the limit for grip
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I have the Conti ECS and the Indy 500's in my driveway and have driven both on street and on track days. On the street they're both excellent although the Conti's sidewalls are a little softer and more willing to soak up small road imperfections. The Indy 500's definitely feel like a harder compound and therefore transfer more NVH into the cabin in comparison.
The turn-in on the Indy 500's is razor-sharp, and they're pretty even with the ECS in the rain with regards to grip and hydroplaning resistance. Both tires have excellent response. The Indy 500's are slightly louder at cruising speeds.
However, on track the ECS starts to pull away from the Firestone pretty dramatically. The Indy 500's dry grip is predictable and comes with excellent initial response which makes setting your slip angle into turns very easy, but compared to the ECS the overall mechanical grip is a noticeable level down. The ECS has the slightest delay in initial steering response, but once it bites it sticks almost like an extreme performance tire. Those coming from a Michelin PSS know what I'm talking about. Same thing here.
The ECS was also a bit more linear when pushed past its limit than the Indy 500. Both tires are excellent in that regard. The ECS also had a bigger temperature sweet-spot than the Indy 500's and could be pushed to the limit of grip for longer without getting overheated and greasy feeling. Although the Indy 500 is an excellent tire (especially for the money), the ECS just feels at home on circuit in comparison. The Indy 500's are an excellent street tire that can be a great intro for track days / auto x. IMO at the novice level or above you're going to want more ...
YMMV.
That's a great review, and I'd mirror what you said about the ECS. I've used PSS in the past and while they blow the budget most of the time, the ECS holds their own. For me with a daily driver I appreciate a bit of comfort without too many compromises as well.
For pricing comparison, as of today for a 235/40-18 size:
500 - $120 ea, TireRack
ECS- $159 ea, TireRack
PSS- $187 ea CLOSEOUT, TireRack
PS4S - $212 ea with a ~$10 ea discount from TireRack now
I'm sure if you shopped you could save a little on each tire. I paid $620 out the door including shipping for my ECS, PLUS a $100 gift card through Discount Tire Direct earlier this year. When you can find a promo, there is money to be saved, maybe even on the Indys.
Travis9935
Ready to race!
- Location
- Usa
Plus they just had a $50 off promo.. Tirerack sucks because they charge for shipping. I normally go with discounttiredirect.com..they usually have the rebates and more rebates if you use their card. They don't carry 500's though.
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