Toyo Proxes R888

[exdeath]

Looking at picking some of these up in at least 315. I'm reading a 9 page thread over on SVTP that people are claiming they absolutely smoke Nitto/MT/Hoosier drag radials in a straight line and from a stop and will hook in 1st gear with 600-700 RWHP twin screw cars, and yet they also ride fine in the rain at highway speeds and corner like a roller coaster keeping the rear planted even under full throttle.

Anybody have any experience with these? Sounds too good to be true, but if they are everything people are saying about them, I'm in love. I know they are basically race track tires and will have worse treadlife than drag radials but I have no choice at this point.

 

[zerocool84]

Why wouldn't you get something specific for the track and something specific for the street?

 

[exdeath]

Why wouldn't you get something specific for the track and something specific for the street?

I'm really just exploring any possibility of hooking on the street.

 

[Howard]

I'm really just exploring any possibility of hooking on the street.

L&R please

 

[BassBomb]

my cousin used them for auto-x last season, he liked them but is going for something better this season

you are right they will not last long, especially on the street

given the amount of tread, i doub't they can ride fine in rain... you'd have to be careful

 

[coxmaster]

As others have said, life will be absolutely horrible.

Also, make sure you run the correct camber setting for your setup otherwise they wont hook nearly as well.


Edit: Odds are driving on the street under "standard" conditions wont get enough heat in the tires to actually generate grip. The biggest complaint i've seen is that when cold they're horrible unresponsive when it comes to steering. Since most HPDEs take almost 2 full laps to get enough heat in the R888s you probably will never get them to full temp driving on the street

 

[exdeath]

Yes of course but the same goes for typical drag radials on the street as well. No burnouts, no warming the tire, just hitting it out of the blue under reasonable conditions (eg 80 degs out dry weather). Its under these conditions people are claiming they can dead hook in first gear better than typical drag radials, on these R888 low profile stiff sidewall tires on 17/18" street wheels. I'm seeing a few people on ls1tech running them on Z06s saying the same.

I think I'm going to check them out, found some for $250 ea in 315/35/17, not much more than Nitto 555Rs that I burn through twice a year. If they are really as godly as they sound it will be worth needing new tires every 4 months instead of every 6.

The other consideration is if they grip that well (people with 600-700 hp claiming they can go full throttle in turns without losing the rear end) I'm going to need them on the front too or this nose heavy pig is going to understeer like a Camry.

As for rain, no they aren't all seasons no doubt, but these seem to be the preferred tires for some professional road race circuit, where they love to shave down Proxes R888s and use them for their wet tires. I know better than to screw around in the rain but my car is a driver and not a garage queen so being able to baby it home when a clear day turns Noahs Ark with no warning would be nice, that's not an option on MTs or Hoosiers, which the Toyos are said to out grip dry anyway.

These tires are being made out to be impossibly magical, and I'm squirming in my seat the more I read peoples experiences with them.

 

[Kirby]

How much do you like your neighbors? Just do a quick burnout before you hit the road.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

I know some people that have ran them on FF cars (365BHP), but I don't know how they would compare to drag radials, since we don't really have them over here.

I do know the tyres didn't last long (3500 miles).

Also Advisory on R-1Rs and R888

 

[thedarkwolf]

You would think with the really stiff sidewalls meant for road racing they wouldn't be great at drag.

 

[Imported]

Haven't used the R888s, but I do know a couple spec car (Miata, 914 come to mind) classes went back to RA1s as the official tire last year. Apparently the R888s just drop off in performance after a certain amount of laps.

Though these aren't 6-700WHP beasts either..

 

[Lotheron]

How much do you like your neighbors? Just do a quick burnout before you hit the road.

I had an hilarious image of someone doing a quick burnout to warm up their tires in suit and tie on the way to work each morning.

I almost had soda through the nose on that one, thanks...

 

[Apex]

I had an hilarious image of someone doing a quick burnout to warm up their tires in suit and tie on the way to work each morning.

I almost had soda through the nose on that one, thanks...

 

[Lotheron]

His driveway resurfacing bill must get expensive.

 

[exdeath]

His driveway resurfacing bill must get expensive.

Why? Its included with the price of the tires :awe:

 

[zerocool84]

Honestly though, why do you need to hook up like that on the street? You're not racing all over the place.

 

[speedy2]

With 600HP? You can easily exceed the grip of any street tire, even when you're not racing or even WOT. That's why lol.

 

[helpme]

Haven't used the R888s, but I do know a couple spec car (Miata, 914 come to mind) classes went back to RA1s as the official tire last year. Apparently the R888s just drop off in performance after a certain amount of laps.

Though these aren't 6-700WHP beasts either..

I have heard this as well from spec miata forums.

 

[Elfear]

Some people over on the Vette forum seem to like the Toyos and the NT05Rs but most agree the drag radials hook better. Most of the guys in the 600-700rwhp range are switching to MT drag radials to have any hope of hooking on the street.

Here's a good thread about it.

The problem with drag radials (as you probably know already) is they feel like the rear end is swimming when you corner. Disconcerting until you get used to it. They're great for a straight line but suck for even mild cornering in my experience.

 

[Viperoni]

I use them as racing tires for my Echo. As long as you can warm them up (on a windy-ish track day at 40f, I had a hard time warming them up) they weren't too sticky, but otherwise, they do the job well on a road course IMO.

Can't comment on the straight line when warmed up.