[MooMooM2]

Have a track day coming up this Saturday and as of right now seems like it will rain all day, says light rain but rain none the less and 70-100% raining depending on the app. I was planning to using the RE71s for the firs time ever but now that is raining I am thinking of just rolling in on my street tires.

What yall think? I heard the REs are actually decent in the rain but probably not as good as the PS4s?

[///MPhatic]

No way the 71RS beats the PS4S in the rain, impossible.

[jwr9152]

Actually I've run both in the rain and if it's not standing water the RE71RS is much better than the 4S. Standing water I prefer the 4S

[ZM2]

Originally Posted by jwr9152

Actually I've run both in the rain and if it's not standing water the RE71RS is much better than the 4S. Standing water I prefer the 4S

Yup, 71RS smokes the 4S in the wet, until there’s puddles or rivers across the track that you have to cut thru.

It’s amazing how much faster the tire in transition conditions compared to others on slicker tires or more street tires.

[Brokenbones]

guy in re71rs w full tread did great on pretty wet track without standing water. He had much more traction than my PSS on braking, mid corner and on exit.

[MooMooM2]

Decisions decisions. Its now confirmed 100% rain. Never been to this track so not really sure what to expect.
New track, new tires so I am leaning to just sticking with the ps4s. (They are already on the car too lol so maybe also being lazy)

[ThreeStripes]

Easiest option wins. Great work. Go get yourself a beer.

[OG Shark]

4S would be my pick in this case - new track being the biggest key. Not sure if/where standing water might accumulate has more of a chance of catching you out on the RE71RS. If you were familiar with the track and knew if/where standing water would be then the RE71RS should be faster. But on a new track a little more forgiving tire is really nice giving you a bit more margin for error. With 100% chance of rain sacrificing a bit of pace for the increase in reduced hydroplaning risk to me would be worth it.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by jwr9152

Actually I've run both in the rain and if it's not standing water the RE71RS is much better than the 4S. Standing water I prefer the 4S

Perfect flat wet doesn't exist, there will always be dips, and therefore puddles, and it's these puddles that cause the tire to lose its party piece.

Originally Posted by ZM2

Yup, 71RS smokes the 4S in the wet, until there’s puddles or rivers across the track that you have to cut thru.

Same thing, there is no perfect wet road surface where you're not going to hit some sort of standing water, even on a track. To choose the 71RS over the PS4S for an unknown quantity of rain at an HPDE is just, well, stupid. Unless, of course, you're there to hoon and catch all of your snap-drifts before they put you in the grass.

I think this video outlines it perfectly. The Cup2 is a 240tw tire, but everyone knows it grips like a 200tw tire, and is close to the 71RS in general terms.

[ZM2]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

Perfect flat wet doesn't exist, there will always be dips, and therefore puddles, and it's these puddles that cause the tire to lose its party piece.




Same thing, there is no perfect wet road surface where you're not going to hit some sort of standing water, even on a track. To choose the 71RS over the PS4S for an unknown quantity of rain at an HPDE is just, well, stupid. Unless, of course, you're there to hoon and catch all of your snap-drifts before they put you in the grass.

I think this video outlines it perfectly. The Cup2 is a 240tw tire, but everyone knows it grips like a 200tw tire, and is close to the 71RS in general terms.

The 71RS is much better in the wet than the Cup2, so I don’t understand the value of the comparison.

When you’ve actually ran as many sets of 4S and RE71RS in the wet on track as I and some of the other guys here have, come back with actual impressions for us.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by ZM2

The 71RS is much better in the wet than the Cup2, so I don’t understand the value of the comparison.

When you’ve actually ran as many sets of 4S and RE71RS in the wet on track as I and some of the other guys here have, come back with actual impressions for us.

It's true, I've not run the 71RS in the wet, but I've put many miles on the 71R and PS4S.

To each their own.

[OG Shark]

The Cup2 are a big no go in the wet for me. Actually they are a no go in general unless I have a difficult fit (the GT3 RS for example on its street wheels being a 20/21 stagger and pretty wide in the rear) and want a bit more dry grip than the MP4S offers and do not plan any wet driving.

On a wet track under most circumstances you should be able to find a line around that avoids standing water. I have only been on one track where that was not the case and that was due to a retaining pond being flooded over and the water spilling over crossing the track (so abnormal). Tracks are generally designed to drain - and not being perfectly flat is a good thing that helps with this (its actually the flatter tracks where I would be more concerned about surprise puddling). The general move is to push out from the apex for a faster line that typically helps avoid standing water too. You change your driving and line to adjust to this. Now in this case with a new track to me it is risk/reward. The RE71RS is faster in the wet - that is not an argument - but do come with the higher risk of hydroplaning in standing water. For someone new to a track that doesn't know where the standing water likes to hide then having a little more safety margin can be pretty nice. Typically you will have a pretty good idea where it will be but there are often surprises - i.e. on the back straight of COTA a bit past 1/2 way on the left side of the track there often forms a puddle that has caught quite a few cars out with bad results. The Cup2 happens to be on quite a few of these... Point being that a bit more hydroplaning resistance might be worth the tradeoff for a bit of pace.

On a track I know I would boot up the RE71RS without hesitation. Or if you are pretty comfortable with car control and learning tracks quickly would still choose them. Otherwise that extra bit of hydroplaning resistance might be nice to have to help you enjoy the weekend a bit more. Not saying that MooMooM2 is not good at either of those - but the only information being that he has not been there before and 100% chance of rain then the MP4S could be pretty helpful in this case (assuming the rain chance is all weekend).

Cup2s are an 180TW tire that is slower than the faster 200TW tires and worse in the wet. Really their only benefit is a bit of dry grip in hard fitment cases. And they are overpriced.

[jwr9152]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

The Cup2 are a big no go in the wet for me. Actually they are a no go in general unless I have a difficult fit (the GT3 RS for example on its street wheels being a 20/21 stagger and pretty wide in the rear) and want a bit more dry grip than the MP4S offers and do not plan any wet driving.

On a wet track under most circumstances you should be able to find a line around that avoids standing water. I have only been on one track where that was not the case and that was due to a retaining pond being flooded over and the water spilling over crossing the track (so abnormal). Tracks are generally designed to drain - and not being perfectly flat is a good thing that helps with this (its actually the flatter tracks where I would be more concerned about surprise puddling). The general move is to push out from the apex for a faster line that typically helps avoid standing water too. You change your driving and line to adjust to this. Now in this case with a new track to me it is risk/reward. The RE71RS is faster in the wet - that is not an argument - but do come with the higher risk of hydroplaning in standing water. For someone new to a track that doesn't know where the standing water likes to hide then having a little more safety margin can be pretty nice. Typically you will have a pretty good idea where it will be but there are often surprises - i.e. on the back straight of COTA a bit past 1/2 way on the left side of the track there often forms a puddle that has caught quite a few cars out with bad results. The Cup2 happens to be on quite a few of these... Point being that a bit more hydroplaning resistance might be worth the tradeoff for a bit of pace.

On a track I know I would boot up the RE71RS without hesitation. Or if you are pretty comfortable with car control and learning tracks quickly would still choose them. Otherwise that extra bit of hydroplaning resistance might be nice to have to help you enjoy the weekend a bit more. Not saying that MooMooM2 is not good at either of those - but the only information being that he has not been there before and 100% chance of rain then the MP4S could be pretty helpful in this case (assuming the rain chance is all weekend).

Cup2s are an 180TW tire that is slower than the faster 200TW tires and worse in the wet. Really their only benefit is a bit of dry grip in hard fitment cases. And they are overpriced.

100%

[MooMooM2]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

The Cup2 are a big no go in the wet for me. Actually they are a no go in general unless I have a difficult fit (the GT3 RS for example on its street wheels being a 20/21 stagger and pretty wide in the rear) and want a bit more dry grip than the MP4S offers and do not plan any wet driving.

On a wet track under most circumstances you should be able to find a line around that avoids standing water. I have only been on one track where that was not the case and that was due to a retaining pond being flooded over and the water spilling over crossing the track (so abnormal). Tracks are generally designed to drain - and not being perfectly flat is a good thing that helps with this (its actually the flatter tracks where I would be more concerned about surprise puddling). The general move is to push out from the apex for a faster line that typically helps avoid standing water too. You change your driving and line to adjust to this. Now in this case with a new track to me it is risk/reward. The RE71RS is faster in the wet - that is not an argument - but do come with the higher risk of hydroplaning in standing water. For someone new to a track that doesn't know where the standing water likes to hide then having a little more safety margin can be pretty nice. Typically you will have a pretty good idea where it will be but there are often surprises - i.e. on the back straight of COTA a bit past 1/2 way on the left side of the track there often forms a puddle that has caught quite a few cars out with bad results. The Cup2 happens to be on quite a few of these... Point being that a bit more hydroplaning resistance might be worth the tradeoff for a bit of pace.

On a track I know I would boot up the RE71RS without hesitation. Or if you are pretty comfortable with car control and learning tracks quickly would still choose them. Otherwise that extra bit of hydroplaning resistance might be nice to have to help you enjoy the weekend a bit more. Not saying that MooMooM2 is not good at either of those - but the only information being that he has not been there before and 100% chance of rain then the MP4S could be pretty helpful in this case (assuming the rain chance is all weekend).

Cup2s are an 180TW tire that is slower than the faster 200TW tires and worse in the wet. Really their only benefit is a bit of dry grip in hard fitment cases. And they are overpriced.

I have played the track on the Sim a few times so at least that will speed up the learning and decent car control. The ps4S are my daily tires and just did a skid pad with them like a month ago so their grip in the rain is decently fresh in my head. The REs I just never used once, I had them mounted on to the track wheels and have not yet even put them in the car. I am hopping to have another track day towards the end of the year to actually use them or they will just sit unused till next season.

I am going to wait till Friday afternoon to make the call but if they are calling for 70-100% rain and its now 3 days before the event I don't think they will be wrong. A bummer but hey I am still going to go and have a good time. might cut the day short though, its 7 sessions and I might for 4 or so and call it a day.

Track is NY safety track which is know to be super sketchy which is another reason why I am not trying to bring equipment I never used before and certainly not going to try to break any records, just want to have some fun

[smmmurf]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

4S would be my pick in this case - new track being the biggest key. Not sure if/where standing water might accumulate has more of a chance of catching you out on the RE71RS. If you were familiar with the track and knew if/where standing water would be then the RE71RS should be faster. But on a new track a little more forgiving tire is really nice giving you a bit more margin for error. With 100% chance of rain sacrificing a bit of pace for the increase in reduced hydroplaning risk to me would be worth it.

Totally agree, RE-71RS are poor in standing water but have excellent grip on damp surfaces. It was actually scarier to drive to the track than to drive on the track.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by smmmurf

Totally agree, RE-71RS are poor in standing water but have excellent grip on damp surfaces. It was actually scarier to drive to the track than to drive on the track.

Been there!

[MooMooM2]

Well track day was cancelled. I am good with it, rather do this track on a nice dry day

[dvas]

Originally Posted by MooMooM2

Well track day was cancelled. I am good with it, rather do this track on a nice dry day

Rain days offer a good opportunity to learn or enhance your car dynamic skills.
But I agree that I prefer a dry day. No one's paying me to to drive my non-caged, non-track day insured M2 on a knife edge in the rain...But I do wish someone would Hopefully, you got a full refund.

Anyways, SCDA is a LRP on Monday. Looks like it's going to be a dry day. Maybe consider it as a replacement.

[MooMooM2]

Originally Posted by dvas

Rain days offer a good opportunity to learn or enhance your car dynamic skills.
But I agree that I prefer a dry day. No one's paying me to to drive my non-caged, non-track day insured M2 on a knife edge in the rain...But I do wish someone would Hopefully, you got a full refund.

Anyways, SCDA is a LRP on Monday. Looks like it's going to be a dry day. Maybe consider it as a replacement.

I wish I could do that but working that day but I might go do Palmer on the 17th as a replacement. This was with Mass Tuning and they gave everyone credit that works for a full year so its all good.

I don't mind wet days, actually all day rain I am not a fan but when it rains half the day its pretty nice because you get to experience the track both ways. However since this is NY safety track and I have only heard how sketchy this track can be I think I rather do it in the dry, at least for the first time.

Have fun at LRP monday!

[Brokenbones]

Ok so have my first experience with re-71rs in mild to moderate rain with some streaming water in 50-60 degree day in norcal. Seems like the water mixes with fine dirt for a very slick surface, see top gear Iraq. Track was slick enough for a g80 to spin and slide backwards 50 yards off track after just touching a curb.

Until the tires warmed up to 80-90, throttling out of corners resulted in immediate snap oversteer. Once warm was able to catch and pass decent driver in gr86 with track alignment on ps4s. Decent grip braking and in corners if I slowed enough, just couldn’t get on the power.
My car has brand new camber plates and aggressive alignment and really likes to oversteer… pretty much all the time, so the oversteer might just be my alignment.

Would probably go with the re71rs again in rain unless it was much colder where my OG supersports might work better

[///MPhatic]

I think the problem I have with the 71RS in the rain, vs the PS4S has less to do with the tire and more to do with how I drive. I'm a flow driver, super smooth, easy inputs, carry speed, etc. The 71RS is just a fight in the rain vs the PS4S, it totally gets me off my game.

[Brokenbones]

Yep makes sense. The tires didn’t telegraphed their traction level really well and broke loose suddenly. My supersports in similar weather were more progressive and smoother. I’m a more ham fisted driver right now, straighten the curves and get the front pointed in the rightish direction to mash the loud pedal.