Hello,
My name is Neal and hopefully my feedback will help make your tire buying experience easier. I've been with Tire Rack since 2002 and have participated in numerous tire testing events, toured suspension/tire plants, owned and used numerous items we carry on a variety of my own vehicles, and participated in track events on products we carry. I've also attended races at 24 Le Mans in France, Petit Le Mans Road America, and the Long Beach Grand Prix where brands such as Michelin, Yokohama, and Bridgestone ran.
Over the years I've owned such cars as Infiniti G35, Lexus IS350, Audi A4 Quattro, and Mazda CX-9. I've also been around the vintage car scene for quite some time and own a 1973 Charger which I restored myself.
If you are online you can also view my vehicle specific recommendations on G35 Driver, EvolutionM, MYG37, and MY350Z automotive forums.
Tire buying can be overwhelming for sure. Hopefully my experience and guidence will take some of the speed bumps out of your search.
The
Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 continues to be one of the top
Ultra High Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car and sports coupe enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in aggressive street driving and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Mazdaspeed3, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Honda Accord and various other applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The
Pilot Exalto PE2 uses Michelin's LMA tread compound to provide predictable handling and higher levels of grip throughout the tire's life. The LMA tread compound is molded into an asymmetrical tread design with large independent outer shoulder tread blocks. A 70% rubber-to-road contact on the outboard portion helps put more rubber on the road during extreme cornering. The asymmetrical tread design also features 62% rubber-to-road contact on the inboard portion helps increase wet traction and reduce hydroplaning.
Get yours today!
The
Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport continues to be one of the top
Ultra High Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car and sports coupe enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, aggressive street driving and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the BMW 3-series, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Honda Civic Si and various other applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The
RE760 Sport includes Bridgestone's UNI-T Technology. This focuses on three primary tire components, the bead area, casing and tread which influences overall performance in comfort, handling and traction. The
Potenza RE760's tread is designed into an asymmetric tread design with a 3D center block to enhance dry traction and cornering ability.
Get yours today!
The
BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW-2 continues to be one of the top
Ultra High Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car and sports coupe enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, aggressive street driving and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Nissan 350Z, Mitsubishi EVO, Lexus IS350 and various other applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The
g-Force T/A KDW-2 features large tread blocks to increase dry stability, handling, and wear under high torque loads. A silica tread compound with wide circumferential and lateral grooves speeds water evacuation to improve wet traction and reduce the risk of hydroplaning. The
g-Force T/A KDW-2 tires also feature g-Control sidewall inserts to resist deflection and generate more cornering force. It also has a rim protector rib to help protect alloy wheels from curb damage.
Get yours today!
The
Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval continues to be one of the top
Ultra High Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car and sports coupe enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, aggressive street driving and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Chevrolet Corvette, Camaro, Ford Mustang and various other applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The
Firehawk Wide Oval features a high performance, silica-enhanced tread compound molded into a directional tread design to blend responsive handling along with wet and dry traction. On the inside, the
Firehawk Wide Oval features twin steel belts reinforced with spirally wrapped nylon ply to provide strength, stability and high-speed capability. The Firehawk Wide Oval should not be driven in near freezing temperatures or in snow or ice.
Get yours today!
The
Bridgestone Potenza RE070 continues to be one of the top
Extreme Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car and sports coupe enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, drifting and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Subaru STi, Honda S2000, and various other applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The
Potenza RE070 features a high-grip compound molded into an asymmetric tread design to combine handling with traction. Many outboard shoulder blocks and several continuous inboard ribs enhance responsiveness and increase lateral stiffness. The tire's internal structure consists of twin steel belts reinforced by nylon to blend high speed durability with uniform ride quality.
Get yours today!
The
Kumho Ecsta XS continues to be one of the top
Extreme Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car and sports coupe enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, drifting and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang, Infiniti, and various other applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The Kumho XS molds a high-grip, synthetic resin-enhanced tread compound into an asymmetric pattern that features wide outboard shoulders to deliver dry road responsiveness and cornering. It includes two steel belts reinforced by spirally wound nylon to provide strength, uniform ride quality, and high speed capability.
Get Yours Today!
The
Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD07 continues to be one of the top
Extreme Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car and sports coupe enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, drifting and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Nissan 370Z, Porsche 911, Aston Martin and various other applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The
ADVAN Neova AD07 molds a micro silica tread compound that provides better road adhesion into a directional tread pattern. Five large circumferential lateral grooves prevent hydroplaning and enhance wet traction. The internal structure includes two wide steel belts reinforced by spirally wound nylon to provide strength and uniform ride quality and high-speed capability.
The Brid
gestone Potenza RE-11 continues to be one of the top
Extreme Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car, sports coupe and performance sedan enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, drifting and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Audi S4, Porsche 911, BMW and various other applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The
RE-11 incorporates Bridgestone's 3D Seamless Stealth technology originally introduced in their Formula 1 and GP2 racing tires. The RE-11 has a continuous intermediate rib and notched shoulder rib separated by wide circumferential grooves that resist hydroplaning and enhance wet traction.
Get yours today!
The
Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec continues to be one of the top
Extreme Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car, sports coupe and performance sedan enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, drifting and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Subaru WRX STI, Mitsubishi EVO, BMW and various other import applications.
Read more about this great tire!
The
Z1 has two circumferential center grooves, wavy shoulder grooves and lateral grooves to provide water evacuation and help with wet traction. Internal structure includes two steel belts reinforced by joint-less band technology to provide strength, ride quality and high-speed handling.
Tire Rack offers a wide selection of
tools to help install your
Tire & Wheel Package.
Gorilla Extendable Power Wrenches and Thin Wall Sockets,, as well as
Tire Rack Adjustable Torque Wrenches,
Aluminum Service Jacks, and more are all available.
Aluminum Service Jack- Lift Range: 3.5" to 19" (for almost any application)
- Saddle Diameter: 4.75"
- Chassis Width: 13"
- Front Wheels: 2.5" x 1.75"
- Rear Caster Width: 1.25" x 1.25"
- Weight: 50 lbs.
Adjustable Torque Wrench (Light Duty for Home Use)- 1/2" drive adjustable torque wrench
- Wrench clicks when the selected torque is reached
- Accurately measures up to 150 ft./lbs. of torque
- Chrome plated hardened steel includes 5" extension bar and 1/2" to 3/8" adapter
Extendable Power Wrench- 1/2" drive extendable power wrench only
- Allows compact storage with a telescoping handle that extends from 14" to 22" for additional power and the leverage to help loosen stubborn lug nuts or bolts
Many of us have multiple sets of tires and wheels -- some for
all-season use, some are dedicated
snow tires, even
competition tires for some. However, where do you put the extra sets when not in use? Tire Rack offers
three storage options:
Seasonal Tire Tote w/Logo•Sold in pairs
•One size fits tires 22" to 31" in overall diameter and up to 295mm section width
•Holds over 80 lbs.
•Machine washable
Tire Storage Rack
• Overhead organization
• Adjustable fit for various tire widths
• 400 lbs. weight capacity
Tire Garage• A seamless look for tire storage
• Protects tires from UV degradation
• Universal fit due to unique buckle and internal skirt system
New product in our line-up is the
Hypertech Max Energy Power Programmer for domestic cars and trucks, and the
Max Energy Sport Power Programmer for import vehicles. Both models are updateable and 50 state legal.
Max Energy offers maximum horsepower and torque, improved fuel economy, raises top speed limiter, raises engine's RPM rev limiter, adjusts individual automatic transmission shift points, re-calibrates speedometer for non-stock tire sizes and gear ratios, and clears trouble codes.
Max Energy Sport for imports shares many of the same Max Energy features plus 0-60 MPH electronic throttle restriction and a VTEC controller for Acura/Honda applications.
Easy plug-and-play install that can be done within 15 minutes with no tools. Safe, easy horsepower.
Having trouble finding that perfect
wheel,
tire,
suspension, or
accessory item for someone special? Purchase a Tire Rack gift certificate and let them choose. Tire Rack offers
gift certificates in any amount, deliverable by mail or as an email, which can be sent directly to the recipient in minutes.
New to our
tire pressure and
accessory line-up is
Intercomp's Deluxe Air Pressure Gauge. Available in two sizes,
2.5" and
4.0".
- Reads 0-60 psi in 1 psi increments
- High quality thumb-operated bleeder for quick adjustments
- Swivel nozzle on a 17" Goodyear hose allows for easy access from any angle
- Glow-in-the-dark face offers high visibility with major and minor graduation marks
Our
Kosei K1 TS has two valve stems and many customers ask why. They are located 180 degrees from each other. In racing, many teams use
nitrogen. Nitrogen has larger molecules than ambient air and is less likely to "seep" through the pores in all tires.
It also is less sensitive to temperature so the psi stays more even as the tire heats and cools with track use.
The two valve stems help in exchanging ambient air for Nitrogen. One stem is used to bleed off the ambient air while nitrogen is put in the opposite stem.
It's a popular look in Japan and was requested by many of Kosei's customers.
You can see the complete list of wheels we have available for your vehicle at:
Tire Rack Wheels. Simply enter the specifics on your vehicle’s make, model and year, and you'll see every option we have available that fits your vehicle properly.
Drag radials we carry such as the
BFGoodrich g-Force T/A Drag Radial, Drag Radial 2, and Hoosier (special order) will benefit from a heat cycle
procedure. Just like with other competition tires, the
drag
tires will have better performance and more consistent run times if properly heat cycled prior to first use.
Tire Rack offers
heat cycling in house for $15 per tire on our equipment. You can also perform the heat cycle yourself at the track. If you do choose the do-it-yourself method, it's best to follow the steps below.
- Make a couple passes at the strip to bring the tire up to operating temperature
- Then allow the tires to rest without running them for at least 24 hours
We recommend removing the tires from the vehicle or lifting it so no weight is on them during the 24 hour rest period
A while back I received a call from a customer who had purchased some Bridgestone Potenza RE960 tires from me with a question about how to clean their tires. There was a sticky substance on the tires that was difficult to clean off. My customer was worried it would cause the tire to collect dirt and look bad. He hesitated to use any solvent on the tires and asked what I recommend to remove it.
Substances such as this can typically be removed from the tire with a standard tire cleaning fluid (commonly called a "pre-buff" cleaner) used to prepare tires for flat repairs.
It is designed to be used on tires to gently dissolve contaminants prior to vulcanizing the patch onto the tire's inner liner and should cause no harm to the tire. The "pre-buff" cleaner should be available in any tire store that repairs flat tires, and should only take a few minutes to remove the adhesive residue.
We also carry a great variety of high quality Griot's Garage tire and wheel cleaning products. Wheel cleaner, detail mitts, and tire dressing are just a few of the products we carry to keep you rolling clean.
Summer is quick upon us and what better time to order your custom OZ wheels for your car.
Tire Rack's fitment specialists work to find the best balance between required brake clearance and maximum outer lip depth for the most aggressive appearance.
Applications are available for many of the world's most exotic cars including Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Porsche. But you don't have to own an exotic car to enjoy the quality and prestige of an O.Z. Racing Tuner System wheel. Wheels are available for a
wide variety of luxury and performance cars, as well.
Read more about the process
here!
We are happy to announce some new members to our aftermarket wheel family. While many choose alloy wheels for their custom look, there are equally important performance benefits including reduced weight compared to steel wheels that result in improved acceleration and braking. Added strength and increased brake cooling are advantages, as well.
And, when you add tires and create a
Tire and Wheel package, your package is precision mounted and balanced at no charge and includes everything you'll need for easy, bolt-on installation at home. TPMS sensors, when purchased as part of a package, are installed free of charge, too. Buy your
tire and wheel package today and beat the spring rush!
Below are new brands for 2010!!
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Focal wheels, Ultra Wheel Company's line of tuner wheels, are designed and engineered specifically for small performance cars. Featuring quality construction via state-of-the-art tooling and the latest manufacturing methods, Focal wheels are backed by a lifetime structural warranty.
Platinum wheels offer enhanced styling for today's passenger cars and SUVs. Quality control standards set by Ultra Wheels ensure durability and improved performance backed by a lifetime structural warranty. Match them to
performance tire of your choice!
Sparco. In 2009, Sparco and O.Z. Racing announced their partnership resulting in an exclusive collection of wheels featuring both companies' Italian design heritage and motorsports background, as well as their commitment to using the highest quality materials and O.E.M construction technologies. O.Z.'s licensed Sparco wheels are TUV certified and tested using the LBF biaxial test. This rigorous testing procedure runs each wheel through a 15,000 km stress test simulating the driving conditions of the Nurburgring circuit to ensure quality and safety is built into every Sparco wheel.
