Tires

[DLWEI]

Have 91 NSX. Running Std size dunlop sp sport 8050's front and back. After 15,000 miles, wear strips on rear showed and replaced rear with same size dunlop sp sport 9000's since I couldn't find any 8050's. Lot of tread on front so I left the 8050's on front for now. Handling really changed and seems squirrely. Thought it might settle down after couple hundred miles but that that hasn't happened. Wondering if I screwed up with tire selection. Alternately wondering if handling would improve if I also put new SP Sport 9000's on front. Any suggestions?

 

[Lud]

Most people I know who have tried SP9000s on an NSX find them more "squirly" than OEM-class tires. I don't think there is much to do about that other than replace them or hope it goes away as the tread wears down.

BTW the SP9000s have less dry grip than the 8050s. Having tires with less grip in the rear increases the propensity of the car to over-steer (which increases it's propensity to spin).

 

[ChopsJazz]

DLWEI, may I ask why, if you have standard-sized rims, you wouldn't run the OEM tires? Your handling will improve GREATLY with the tires that were designed for each corner of the car. I have aftermarket rims with SP9000's and I HATE the new feel of the car. I am doing all I can to burn of the tores and go back to OEM Yok's.

 

[DLWEI]

Originally posted by ChopsJazz:
DLWEI, may I ask why, if you have standard-sized rims, you wouldn't run the OEM tires? Your handling will improve GREATLY with the tires that were designed for each corner of the car. I have aftermarket rims with SP9000's and I HATE the new feel of the car. I am doing all I can to burn of the tores and go back to OEM Yok's.

Well ChopsJazz, I was very happy with the handling from the dunlop sp8050's that I had been running. They were NSX specific tires and I got good life out of the tires, around 16,000 miles on the rear. I set out to replace with sp8050's but could not find them. I'm afraid I let myself be too influenced by the issue of tire wear and didn't appreciate how much I would give up in handling. I dropped the pressure on the sp9000's a couple pounds and that helped some but the handling is just not the same. In my mind I compare it to the feeling of running a motorcycle on a rain grooved highway---not really as bad as that but it reminds me of that feel.

 

[ScienceofSpeed]

The SP9000's don't grip as well as the stock tires. Your car is most likely more prone to oversteer than your previous configuration.

If you're running stock wheels, then go with stock tires.

I personally really like the Bridgestone S02 Pole Position tire. It is, IMO, the best non-stock tire out there.

-- Chris

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Chris Willson
www.ScienceofSpeed.com
www.NSXClassifieds.com