65 Fastback............Two things.......... A.) Obviously those tires are suppose to be good tires, but they are not safe in the rain....
I am well aware of the wet performance capabilities of the Azenis. I am, also, well aware of the wet performance capabilities of my 3 previous sets of BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KD's - they are both dry performance street tires. My criteria for my latest purchase was to find an affordable dry performance street tire that was suitable for weekend fair weather use, autocross and open track events. My car does not see the rain. The Azenis was easily the best choice for my application.
... As such, they are strictly performance tires. Now, in the ultra-performance street tire sector there are two kinds of tires. Tires that slip and tires that grip. There IS after all a reason why the D1 drift series primarily runs these tires. They are in the "slip" category. They possess great tractability and predictability, but lack grip at he edge....
I don't know who is classifying the Azenis as "slip" tire vs. a "grip" tire. I do know that GrassRoots Motorsports has rated the Falken Azenis as the top rated autocross / opentrack street tire for the past 6 years. Here is a quote from the May '07 issue of GRM -
"The Falken Azenis RT-615 is a frustrating tire from an editorial standpoint. Not because it's tough to write about; it's just that we're getting bored with it winning every street tire autocross comparo. Let's face it, "Falken Wins Again" is a pretty dull headline.
Of course, we're not seriously complaining. Why would we? From an enthusiast's standpoint, we love the Falkens. They're inexpensive - Edge Racing has our 17-inch size bargain-priced at $119 each - and they grip like glue. These tires make every car feel like a Lotus Elise."
While, I will admit they are never going to make a '65 Mustang feel like a Lotus Elise, on this point I will defer to GRM's expertise and real world testing. I would post a link to the GRM quote, but an online subscription is required; I am sure that you could find a May '07 issue if you looked around.
... THIS is where the Nitto NT-01 tire comes in, the NT-01 is the contender to the RT-615. the NT-01 belongs in the "grip" category....
Jon, this is comparing apples to oranges. The Falken Azenis RT-615 is a true street tire, the Nitto NT-01 is a track specific race radial. I wouldn't even venture to compare the grip of a street tire to the grip of a R-compound race tire. The Nitto was not even in consideration, as I would never run these on the street.
... typically cost less that RT-615's....
Falken Azenis RT-615 - 225/45/17 - $108 each X 2 = $216
Falken Azenis RT-615 - 245/45/17 - $114 each X2 = $228
Total tire package from VulcanTire - $444 -
http://www.vulcantire.com/azenis_rt615_t.htm
Nitto NT-01 - 225/45/17 - $164 each X 2 = $328
Nitto NT-01 - 245/45/17 - $174 each X 2 = $348
Total tire package from Discount Tire - $676 -
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/d...false&cs=245&fcpr=&rd=17&ar=45&fcs=false&fcb=
The bang for the buck is pretty hard to beat with the Azenis'.
...and wears much slower than the Azenis....
Referring to the manufacturer's websites, the Nitto NT-01 has a treadwear rating of 100 -
http://www.nittotire.com/#index.tire.nt01
The Falken Azenis RT-615 has a treadwear rating of 200 -
http://www.falkentire.com/main.htm
Based on the standardized Treadwear Rating Guide, the Azenis would have twice the usable tread life of the Nitto. Here I will defer to the manufactures' guidelines.
Also, keep in mind that the Nitto's are a race compound rubber and susceptible to heat cycles. If you drive these on the street for any length of time, you are sure to heat cycle them, thus limiting their useful track life.
B.) ...Avoid grinding or cutting the fender lips if at all possible. Especially the front. The preferred method is to roll the front fender lips, this retains the structural integrity of the front fenders WHICH they need. Cutting and or grinding away at that fender lip kills the structural integrity of the fender....
Again, I have to disagree with you. While I am aware that the front fenders are single panel stamped steel and the wheel well lip helps to provide rigidity, grinding away up to 1/2 of the lip has no impact on the structural integrity of the fender. Keeping the lip at a 90* bend (even with 1/2 the material removed) is probably preferable to lips that are rolled flat.
Also, I am not about to risk damage to my finished paint job by rolling the lips.
By the way, the car in your signature looks great! And nice to see you out dodging cones!
Tim
