Tired of tyre search! Please help!!!

PeterPan

PeterPan

Torque Junkie
Points
172
Location
Northwich Uk
Car
SECMA QT-R1000
Greetings one and all and happy new 2015!

Remember tiny little project car?
(Picture in my avatar)

Well I'm pleased to say that things are still on schedule and March debut (weather permitting) is looking like a realistic goal to see it back on the road! Hurrah!

During the cold winter evenings I have been trying to learn about tyres and what might be best choice for my little car but therein lies the problem, very few cars are so small or so light!

What's the best tyre choice, based on the following details:
  • 2400mm x 1400mm x 1100mm (no really! It really is tiny)
  • 375kg curb weight
  • Mid engined
  • RWD
  • 140bhp (ish) at the rear wheels
  • 0-60 >4seconds (approx)
  • Top speed 125mph (ish)
  • 13" wheels
  • Ideal tyre sizes: 185/60/13 or 185/55/13
  • Must be road legal
Primarily the car will only be used on nice dry sunny days, however with our somewhat changeable climate wet weather performance has to be at least a consideration.

Lastly, it is a road car not a racing car and as such I don't want to go the route of ultra low profile tyres and bigger rims because I want to retain what little ride comfort there is.

I do have a few choices but I'm keen to read other's opinions, especially if you have relevant first hand experience
 
Last edited:
Replace the > with a < to denote sub 4 seconds.

Looking at overall weight we need to find something sticky and soft compound wise. You would very probably get away with a 165 on a car that is this light in weight. Obviously with a higher sidewall percentage
 
Yes I should have just said "sub" 4 seconds...
DOH!!!

i would agree that it needs to be a soft sticky compound.
Any thoughts on what tyres might fit the bill?
 
What about the gearing and speedo? Final diameters and profile will need to be within at least 2.5% to keep the accuracy. Do you have power steering as this will play into the choice due to muscle power ;)

Toyo R888 in 185/60x13 are available, next best would be T1R if available for a soft compound road tyre.
 
stamford said:
What about the gearing and speedo? Final diameters and profile will need to be within at least 2.5% to keep the accuracy. Do you have power steering as this will play into the choice due to muscle power ;)

Toyo R888 in 185/60x13 are available, next best would be T1R if available for a soft compound road tyre.
Click to expand...

Hi Stamford,

Speedo can be recalibrate accordongly, the OEM instruments are being raced with Smiths Telemetrix gauges.
No power steering.
 
Falken Ziex ZE912's are great value and give quite a lot of wet and dry grip.

Yoko A539's would be my dry weather recommendation - not sure if they come in these sizes though but I think they will have a 185/60 option.
 
obi_waynne said:
Falken Ziex ZE912's are great value and give quite a lot of wet and dry grip.
Click to expand...

Given the car will primarily be used on nice/dry sunny days... Does he really need an All-Season tyre? I'm familiar with the ZE912, I had them on my Passat W8 4motion and they where a great balance of a summer and winter tyre. When the snow came down they where not much worse than proper winter... just not sure its a requirement for this guy?
 
Hi guys,

Really appreciate the input thank you.
Just to clarify intended use, I absolutley love love love driving this car, I've had allsorts of cars of the years and this is without exception the most 'fun' car to drive I've ever driven!

It will be back on the road end of March/beginning of April and will stay on the road until it get properly cold, mainly because the heating system is utterly crap! I might end up putting a better heating system in to allow year round use, but probably more likely that it will go into hibernation again come November.

Realistically 6-8 months of the year the car will be used as much as possible, there is a stowable roof so could use it in the wet but being so lightweight it aquaplaned at 40mph (not a typo) in standing water or heavy downpour! So wet weather will be avoided but that said our changable British climate means that sooner or later I will get caught out, so wet conditions do need to be a consideration.

Perhaps something like this might clarify things further, priorities...
  1. Dry weather handling
  2. Dry weather stopping distance
  3. Dry weather acceleration off the line
  4. Cost £......?
  5. Wet handling
  6. Wet braking
  7. Longevity


I would also be curious to hear opinions on going with wider wheels and a 225 section tyre?
This option would mean getting some wider mudguards fabricated too though.
 
205 60 R13's would work really well, are still pretty cheap and will give you more choice. It's a good compromise and you might just get away with the current arches!
 
Wow!
Those TB5's are pretty badass!

But they are more than twice the price of the R888, are they worth the price?
Anybody use them on their own car?
 
obi_waynne said:
205 60 R13's would work really well, are still pretty cheap and will give you more choice. It's a good compromise and you might just get away with the current arches!
Click to expand...

It's not arches so much as caterham style mudguards, when I spoke to the supplier he said that a 185/55/13 will be a perfect fit, I suppose the answer would be to offer up one of the mudguards before they are fitted to see if you could get away with a 205, that said if those TB5's are available in a 245 section tyre... I reckon the grip would be phenomenal! But would DEFINATELY require custom mudguards!
 
PeterPan said:
Wow!
Those TB5's are pretty badass!

But they are more than twice the price of the R888, are they worth the price?
Anybody use them on their own car?
Click to expand...

Performance doesn't come cheap but you did ask the question without a price caveat :) Probably best to go with the tried and trusted R888 if cost is an issue.

I am planning to use their 15" F versions on my project car.

PS. I have a letter from the DVSA confirming that these tyres are road legal in the UK. They don't, technically, conform to the MOT rule book as the tread doesn't cover at least 75% of the width of the tyre in contact with the road. However, Michelin state that the slick section of tyre is actually part of the sidewall and the DVSA has accepted that :)
 
The best performing tyre ive had was Kumho V70 A (v700), dry grip was incredible and can honestly say they never broke traction in the dry, never had a tyre like it and gave bags of confidence, not that great in the wet but not terrible either. Only problem was they were the wrong load rating for my Saab (90 instead of 94) and both tyres blew within 6/7 miles of eachother after less than 2k miles! Just really lucky I was taking it easy or it would have been curtains for sure! Still! Dry grip was something else!

If they did these in a 94 load rating for my size Id get another set tomorow :(
 
Thankmyou all for your input.

Regarding price, I simply meant to say that the TB5's are more than twice the price of anything else, do they justify the price tag?

From the input here and from other stuff I've been reading now I think favourites are:
  1. TB5's
  2. R888's
  3. AO48
  4. CR500
Love the TB5's but I'm beginning to think that the way forward might be t go with two sets of wheels and tyres!
 
PeterPan said:
Thankmyou all for your input.

Regarding price, I simply meant to say that the TB5's are more than twice the price of anything else, do they justify the price tag?

From the input here and from other stuff I've been reading now I think favourites are:
  1. TB5's
  2. R888's
  3. AO48
  4. CR500
Love the TB5's but I'm beginning to think that the way forward might be t go with two sets of wheels and tyres!
Click to expand...

The TB5s won't be long lasting, the 888s will last longer and are cheaper so the better bet for the road as ultimate performance isn't required there. The best tyre for track use can only be determined by trial and error as each car/tyre/driver combination is different.
 
Yes, guilty as charged ocifer!
I wanted to see (still waiting) if anybody has any first hand experience of using those TB5's

Might end up with two set of wheels and tyres; R888's on one set and TB5's on the other.
Thinking about it, I could then post a difference in average lap times for each tyre.
 
I might end up with a third set at this rate!

After watching James may with the Caterham 160 and the fun he was having drifting it on their track it got me thinking...
I found on eBay I could buy another set of wheels 5x13 and fit super skinny 155 tyres and have what looked to be a whale of a time playing with the ragged edge of what those tyres were capable of and I found that 155/65/13 tyres can be bought for as little as £20 a corner!!!!

Certainly one to think about!
 
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