Recommendations for Performance Summer Tires2022 Subaru Legacy XT Limited (GT Limited In Canada)

[Suby1901]

18 minutes ago, tysparks81 said:

I should have mentioned I had a slightly modded legacy running slipperilies, as well as some Bridgestone sport comp2's, and now currently on the pilot sport 4s in a highly modified legacy now. 

I daily drive my car, and will hit up a track 2 or 3 times a year when I can.  Which means driving to the track and back on the same tires.

You have had the Pirelli's so I won't speak to those.

The Sports comp 2's were a budget tire - wore very quickly even with the higher treadwear rating, and were not confidence inspiring in the rain. Even though they have the same wet weather rating as the Pilot sport4's.

I only have 7-10k on my Pilot sport 4's and this will be my first complete summer on them.  After picking them up late in the season last year.  IMO these are the best tires you can get before going to a dedicated track tire but I don't think you need anything like that for what you are looking for. 

Other tires I looked at were the Continental Extreme contact, Falken Azenis, Firestone Indy500's as well as the bridgestone Potenza's.  2 of these tires have a higher treadwear rating, 1 equal and one lower.  But when reading reviews the Indy500's & Potenza they both seemed to wear much quicker than expected, which resulted in less grip sooner in the life of the tire.  The Falken & Continental were either more expensive at the time or not in stock when I went to buy my tires last year but they also had good reviews.

I have used these tires Continental Extreme contact, on another Subaru and were fantastic. I have had really good luck wit Continental tires. thanks for the insight.

 

[blusubado]

you guys are funny. a car doesn't need to be modded to throw it around a corner. especially with the 7th gen being so stiff already. and a pure summer tire like the bridgestone potenza definitely make a world of difference...if you're like me and don't wanna slow down for any corners. and then once October hits they get swapped for a set of blizzaks since I live in maine. and since they're only used for 5 months, they'll last a good 3+ years. 

[MoleMan]

9 hours ago, blusubado said:

you guys are funny. a car doesn't need to be modded to throw it around a corner. especially with the 7th gen being so stiff already. and a pure summer tire like the bridgestone potenza definitely make a world of difference...if you're like me and don't wanna slow down for any corners. and then once October hits they get swapped for a set of blizzaks since I live in maine. and since they're only used for 5 months, they'll last a good 3+ years. 

Thats funny.

 

However no point to wasting money on summer tires for a mid-size car with under 300 HP and tons of body roll.  The 7th gen is not stiff at all.  Its like saying my 6th Gen 3.6 corners like my 4th Gen 3.0 with a Cusco Brace and a mix of larger sways by Cusco/Whiteline.

The 7th Gen was made to be midsize family hauler/Commuter not a canyon carver.  You can't just put the 7th gen into a corner at 70 even with Summers and expect it will not lose traction.  I see this every winter time where I live.  Every Audi and Subaru Driver thinks they can do 80 after 4 inches of snow has fallen.  What they do not get is that thin layer of ice underneath won't stop them any quicker.  

On a side note swapping to Snows in October is a bit early.  I generally do mine after Thankgiving.  everytime I have swapped out early I have been driving the WS90's in 60 degree temps and wearing them down.  Not to mention the soft handling always gets me.  I love the WS90 Blizzack's.  However this year I need to opt for studded Snows.  Probably will just throw the cheap GT radial ones on.  Just saying unless you like near the Canadian border I may opt to wait until Thanksgiving to swap.  On a side note we had one of the worst winters on record here.  900 inches was recorded.  Still have Snow in the higher elevations.  Just a tip however.  A good set of Winter tires maybe lasts two years.  Anytime a tire gets to 4/32 I generally get my proration and get a new set.  However with Winters only company will give you a warranty and its Michelin for 40K.

 

[BoozeRS05]

You sound lost buddy. Tires are 1a mod anyone should consider when wanting to improve vehicle performance. They’re right beside seat time at the track. They come before sway bars and springs, before steering and braking. This is 101 stuff.

[blusubado]

ya these potenza's make a world of difference on the road. theres even less roll since the side walls have less squish. I will say that swapping the 60lb battery for a 16lb gravity battery made a noticeable difference on the front end. and swapping out the rims for a set of Volk CE28SL that only weight about 16lbs each made a huge difference as well. next will be the rear sway bar

[MoleMan]

12 hours ago, BoozeRS05 said:

You sound lost buddy. Tires are 1a mod anyone should consider when wanting to improve vehicle performance. They’re right beside seat time at the track. They come before sway bars and springs, before steering and braking. This is 101 stuff.

Tires don't mean jack when you are running with the big boys at a track. At hat point its who has the best and fastest car. This discussion was not about a track car.  This is about a stock Gen 7.  Most of the time people that are track racing have mods.  In fact most tracks will require you to have some safety mods.  However to your point step one would be getting new tires.  Yes W or Z rated tires will be a bit stiffer in the corners.  But the limitations of the car also come into play.  

If you get into a corner with your unmodded car with "summers" only yeah you may be able to take it at a certain speed.  Put bigger sways, better endlinks, a strut tower brace, and more bracing on the car you can take that same corner at least 10 MPH faster.  I am living proof of that statement.  My 4th Gen 3.0R was bone stock when I got it.  Added all those upgrades and car can go through S-Turns at 10-15 MPH better then stock.  However that being said 4th Gens are a bit stiffer then the 6th or 7th Gens stock.

 

[MoleMan]

41 minutes ago, blusubado said:

ya these potenza's make a world of difference on the road. theres even less roll since the side walls have less squish. I will say that swapping the 60lb battery for a 16lb gravity battery made a noticeable difference on the front end. and swapping out the rims for a set of Volk CE28SL that only weight about 16lbs each made a huge difference as well. next will be the rear sway bar

60 LB Battery?  I have a Odessey 24 in my 6th gen and it is 51 Lbs.  That is one of the heaviest batteries that I have seen that will fit a 6th or 7th Gen.  If you are using a 16 LB battery I would be looking at how it can hold up to -10 and for how long.  But once again Weight honestly is the King MOD as weight is not your friend.

Yes.  The wheel weight makes a huge difference as well.  For me I generally will add the upgrades after the tires and last is the wheels.  As far as the sways always do those in pairs.  Car will drive alot better then just doing the rear.  I would also recommend  new Whiteline etc endlinks.  Sometimes the new sways are to much for stock endlinks.

[BoozeRS05]

15 minutes ago, MoleMan said:

Tires don't mean jack when you are running with the big boys at a track.

 

Yes! I’m not even mad, this is gold

I might add this to my signature and of course I’ll quote you.

[blusubado]

I'm might be exaggerating a bit on the stock 22 legacy battery weight but it definitely weighed a crap load. I'll be keeping the car in a heated garage during the winter so I'm not too worried about that. I prefer a little more oversteer which is why I was more focused on the rear sway bar. I like to rotate the car a little to make it aim where I want to go. 

[MoleMan]

22 hours ago, BoozeRS05 said:

Yes! I’m not even mad, this is gold

I might add this to my signature and of course I’ll quote you.

C'Mon Booze,

 

You know what I mean by that statement 

Nobody is going to take an unmodded car to a track with just tires and run laps.  in in this case to add insult a CVT Trans vehicle. 

Tires can only do so much before the limits of the car are reached especially on a track.  That is where suspension mods come in.  

 

 

[MoleMan]

21 hours ago, blusubado said:

I'm might be exaggerating a bit on the stock 22 legacy battery weight but it definitely weighed a crap load. I'll be keeping the car in a heated garage during the winter so I'm not too worried about that. I prefer a little more oversteer which is why I was more focused on the rear sway bar. I like to rotate the car a little to make it aim where I want to go. 

The huge issue is the CVT trans.  That is the problem with the 7th Gen.  For me and no offense on this. People who just replace the rear sway and leave the stock front sway are missing out and doing it cheap.  Have you tried to see what the handling would be like with a matched set?  Generally speaking you can't get a matched set as the R and the F are off by 1MM or so +- each.  On my G37 I have a set of Hotchkis F and R Sways.  The car literally has no body roll coming out of a tight S-Curve at 65 where the speed limit is 45.  Do I think my Cusco front brace helps?  A little.  Do I think Summer tires would make things more grippy? Sure.  As far as you wanting Oversteer.  Heres my main issue and that goes for any car with electric steering.  You will never get the same feel as you would from a normal steering box.  me personally I like heavy steering with understeer.  The Subarus after the 4th gen really did not have the same feel.

As for the stock battery I think its maybe 40 LBS or something like that.  my Odessey is 51 LBS and when looking it seemed like one of the heaviest battery's available.  

Just saying to me I would not start modding a Gen 7 with a CVT very heavy.  Just like my 6th Gen 3.6.  Really no point to modding as that CVT will kill any fun you try to have with the car.  Thats just my opinion.  Now if Suabru decided to put a manual Trans in the 7th Gen XT's well thats another story.

 

[blusubado]

is the cvt really that bad on the track? I know they can't handle much more than 300hp but I didn't think they would be completely useless. I was wondering if the JB4 Tuner would even be worth it