Straight line traction

asmazda · 03-22-2017, 11:21 AM

Do you get any noticeable straight traction benefits by going with 295 vs. 285 tires on the rear of E9X M3?

kawasaki00 · 03-22-2017, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asmazda

Do you get any noticeable straight traction benefits by going with 295 vs. 285 tires on the rear of E9X M3?

You will if you have the correct width wheel for it.

Dave07997S · 03-22-2017, 01:26 PM

I currently have a 19X11 wheel with Mich PSS 295/30/19. When the tires were fresh the acceleration off the line was adequate. Now that the tires have 8k miles on them but still with 6/32nds tread left, not so much. Having cold weather hasn't helped the situation. My car is just a FBO and traction is an issue.

Dave

asmazda · 03-22-2017, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave07997S

I currently have a 19X11 wheel with Mich PSS 295/30/19. When the tires were fresh the acceleration off the line was adequate. Now that the tires have 8k miles on them but still with 6/32nds tread left, not so much. Having cold weather hasn't helped the situation. My car is just a FBO and traction is an issue.

Dave

I have your same issue but I'm not on 19x11 wheels! LOL

I'm trying to figure out if 285 to 295 makes any noticeable difference.

I kind of like the idea of a shorter 285 to get the feeling of a a little more torque at low RPMs.

pbonsalb · 03-22-2017, 03:54 PM

Go to stickier tires like RE71 or other 140-200 Treadwell tires or go to R compound like RA1 or 888 for better straight line traction. Comes at the cost of wear due to softer rubber. Can't really have it both ways.

SonnyJack · 03-23-2017, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave07997S

I currently have a 19X11 wheel with Mich PSS 295/30/19. When the tires were fresh the acceleration off the line was adequate. Now that the tires have 8k miles on them but still with 6/32nds tread left, not so much. Having cold weather hasn't helped the situation. My car is just a FBO and traction is an issue.

Dave

Glad to know I'm not crazy!

This was my exact complaint about these tires. Even when new I was just not impressed with the grip. I was running my 295/30/19 PSS on 10.5 inch wheels (pre-SC) and traction was always an issue. Got so bad after my SC install that I went back to stock 19in wheels w/stock sized rubber and S-04's and they were noticeably better. Running 305/30/19 RE-11's now and again the traction is much better than the PSS, even with cold temps.

Impatiently waiting for summer.

pbonsalb · 03-23-2017, 03:20 PM

PSS is 300 treadwear and RE11 is 200 treadwear. Might be a correlation there to what you say you experienced in grip differences.

SonnyJack · 03-23-2017, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

PSS is 300 treadwear and RE11 is 200 treadwear. Might be a correlation there to what you say you experienced in grip differences.

No doubt about that.

The S-04 is a 280 tire, and SC'd with 265/35/19 I had much better traction than I ever had pre-SC in my 295/30/19 PSS. They were always hard as a rock, even in the summer. Played with air pressure, checked my alignment. Nothing seemed to help. I guess my expectations were unrealistic.

Richbot · 03-23-2017, 04:18 PM

Tire diameter and sidewall height matter. A 285/35-19 is going to be better than an otherwise identical 295/30-19 from a low-speed straight-line traction perspective because the final gearing is a little taller and the sidewall has an extra half-inch of material in it to flex. Neither is going to be ideal for getting a high powered car off the line though, short sidewalls suck for straight line traction.

pbonsalb · 03-23-2017, 08:51 PM

Plus age can be a factor. Old hard tires don't have great traction.

The point about sidewalls is good. A little flex helps. Drag tires tend to have larger sidewalls.

I have 285/35/18 PSS on 18x10.5 and I can light them up off the line in my modded NA E90M3. I doubt many street tires would eliminate wheel spin. Something like Toyota R888 or RA1 would stick but the tread wear is 100.

Temperature plays a roll also. Tires are stickier in hot weather.

GeorgeA · 03-24-2017, 06:18 AM

Too many people rely on the treadwear rating. Every manufacturer has its own rating first off, but within the same brand it doesn't mean it's necessarily grippier if the rating is lower, although there is a correlation. For example, Bridgestone re050a's are 140 rated but don't have the grip of the re71r which is rated at 200 or even the PSS which is rated at 300.

But if you want the best (from what I've tested) straight line grip for street, run some R888s.

03-22-2017, 11:21 AM	#1
asmazda Private First Class 106 Rep 191 Posts Drives: F90 M5 CS Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: San Francisco, CA iTrader: (0)	Straight line traction Do you get any noticeable straight traction benefits by going with 295 vs. 285 tires on the rear of E9X M3?
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03-22-2017, 01:26 PM	#3
Dave07997S Brigadier General 721 Rep 3,964 Posts Drives: 2020 Ford Mustang GT Join Date: May 2009 Location: El Segundo, CA iTrader: (1)	I currently have a 19X11 wheel with Mich PSS 295/30/19. When the tires were fresh the acceleration off the line was adequate. Now that the tires have 8k miles on them but still with 6/32nds tread left, not so much. Having cold weather hasn't helped the situation. My car is just a FBO and traction is an issue. Dave __________________ 2020 Ford Mustang GT 6MT PP1 444rwhp (Sold)2013 M3 Coupe-MR/BLK ZCP, 2011 M3 Coupe-MR/Blk 2007 Porsche 997C2S Speed Yellow/Blk sport seats 2004 BMW M3 Imola/Blk
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03-22-2017, 03:54 PM	#5
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5234 Rep 10,616 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	Go to stickier tires like RE71 or other 140-200 Treadwell tires or go to R compound like RA1 or 888 for better straight line traction. Comes at the cost of wear due to softer rubber. Can't really have it both ways.
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03-23-2017, 03:20 PM	#7
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5234 Rep 10,616 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	PSS is 300 treadwear and RE11 is 200 treadwear. Might be a correlation there to what you say you experienced in grip differences.
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03-23-2017, 04:18 PM	#9
Richbot Major General 2760 Rep 5,483 Posts Drives: Jerez Black E90 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: STL iTrader: (5)	Tire diameter and sidewall height matter. A 285/35-19 is going to be better than an otherwise identical 295/30-19 from a low-speed straight-line traction perspective because the final gearing is a little taller and the sidewall has an extra half-inch of material in it to flex. Neither is going to be ideal for getting a high powered car off the line though, short sidewalls suck for straight line traction. __________________
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03-23-2017, 08:51 PM	#10
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5234 Rep 10,616 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	Plus age can be a factor. Old hard tires don't have great traction. The point about sidewalls is good. A little flex helps. Drag tires tend to have larger sidewalls. I have 285/35/18 PSS on 18x10.5 and I can light them up off the line in my modded NA E90M3. I doubt many street tires would eliminate wheel spin. Something like Toyota R888 or RA1 would stick but the tread wear is 100. Temperature plays a roll also. Tires are stickier in hot weather.
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03-24-2017, 06:18 AM	#11
GeorgeA Major 758 Rep 1,408 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (3)	Too many people rely on the treadwear rating. Every manufacturer has its own rating first off, but within the same brand it doesn't mean it's necessarily grippier if the rating is lower, although there is a correlation. For example, Bridgestone re050a's are 140 rated but don't have the grip of the re71r which is rated at 200 or even the PSS which is rated at 300. But if you want the best (from what I've tested) straight line grip for street, run some R888s.
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