Federal FZ-201 semi slicks

Discussion in 'Non Technical' started by AZA, Mar 23, 2015.

  1. AZA

    AZA Active Member

    Has anyone run these on a Z32? I have been doing some looking into new semi slicks and these seem good bang for buck, Ive run RE55s in the past but their new tyre RE11s are alot more expensive at around $570 for 17's. The FZ-201's are around the $330 in 17, other brands are around the $400-450 mark just wondering if these federals might do the job.
     
  2. MagicMike

    MagicMike Moderator Staff Member

  3. Fists

    Fists Well-Known Member

    I don't have any useful info on the Federals but I'd be interested to see how they compare to the AD08r which can be a similar price depending on what width and profile you were chasing although they aren't true R-compound tyres.
     
  4. AZA

    AZA Active Member

    they only really had hankook and another brand in 17in, I might have to give the federals a go as I want to get 18in wheels sometime later in the year but need some new semi slicks for the nationals.
     
  5. QLDZDR

    QLDZDR ID=David

    Option1,
    Yes I went there for 245r17 and 265r17
    When I got there they could only supply 255r17
    So I end up with 235 and 255.

    The 255 Achilles sport has been a pretty good every day tyre for NA rear wheels.
    don't know if it would suit a TT with a leadfoot driver, not saying that is you, just saying it.
     
  6. AZA

    AZA Active Member

    I ended up getting a set of Federal FZ-202's 235/45/17 for $275each They are a little different to the FZ-201 but have the same wear rating for mediums. They look fairly similar to the Hankook Z221 so hopefully they will preform ok for the Nationals in Warwick next weekend.
     
  7. ross79

    ross79 Member

    Interested to hear how they go. My brother is running Federal RSRs in his car and can't find the limit but it weighs 500kg less than a Z32.
     
  8. Fists

    Fists Well-Known Member

    From what I've seen the biggest downside to the RSRs is the lifespan, only get a couple of casual trackdays out of them before they're low on tread.
     
  9. AZA

    AZA Active Member

    So after not being very happy with these tyres when I attended the Nissan Datsun Nationals, and had at least one guy who Ive met at a previous track day confirm he thought they were way too hard also I decided to contact the supplier of these tyres and find out how they compared to the FZ-201 which I orginially looked at. He was telling me they were of the same compound so would perform the same to which I told him how unhappy I was with there performance. He said we should be able to help you out and try and get you onto a set of soft to which I thought ok has to be better than these crap things. So after going back and forth with him for over 2 weeks where he was saying he was trying to get info from the R&D back in taiwan I gave up talking to him and decided to go back to the tyre shop I got them from. Told one of the managers there and he was abit surprised at how the distributor has been dealing with this far, he had a look at one of the tyres and told me he would sort it out. So 2 days later and I will be dropping the wheels back to them and they will be doing a refund and they will also be getting refunded and the guy I was orgininally dealt with he been reprimanded for how this has been dealt with. I did have an interesting conversation with one of the guys at option1garage who said the first 2 batches of the tyres were great but 3rd and 4th were nowhere near the same as the first batches. So back to deciding on a new semi slick might be giving the Nitto NT01 a go or the Hancook Z214. Anyone that needs tyres around the Wacol area would recommend seeing the guys at Noels Tyres seen they were wanting to help me out. Sorry for the long story but thought I would share this experience.
     
  10. Fists

    Fists Well-Known Member

    Thanks for sharing, I still haven't heard anything bad about the AD08r ;) About $50 more expensive per tyre in your size though.
     
  11. AZA

    AZA Active Member

    AD08R are still a road tyre not a semi slick thou. rubber compound would be alot different.
     
  12. Fists

    Fists Well-Known Member

    True, I forgot you were looking for proper track compound. Do you have any comparison between the AD08 and the 202s, do the federals win despite being poor in their bracket?
     
  13. BGTV8

    BGTV8 Member

    I have NT01 275/35R18 on 9.5 wide wheels on the rear of my Z34 and they have done 6 track days and 2 Philip Island 6-hour relays and still have tread (but are getting shagged thru heat cycling).

    I now run a pair of A048 Yoki's on the front (265/35R18) on 9.5 wheels having destroyed the NT01 245/40R18 (on 8.5" wheels) in 2 track days - the nose of the Z34 is too heavy for the tyre so I went square but could not get 275 NT01's at the time and went A048 because they were on run-out and a good buy (all gone now though).

    International Tyre Trader online (www.tyretrader.com.au) has V70A Kumho's at reasonable prices as well.

    If money is no object, find some A050 Yoki's - IPRA guys swear by them.
     
  14. AZA

    AZA Active Member

    I can get NT01 for about $240 in 255/40/17 so im seriously thinking about them. I will be getting new rims in the future so if I got 6-8 track days I'd be happy. Were you running any camber on the front when you only got 2 track days from the 245/40/18 ?

     
  15. BGTV8

    BGTV8 Member

    I was running 2.5 degrees neg and it was not enough - I had to junk the Eibach FUCA and go SPL FUCA to get 3.5 neg or more ... can get a bit more but that but never felt the need as tyre temps (and life) were pretty good and I only use the Z34 as an occasional track-day car - I have something else for proper race stuff.
     

Share This Page