12 replies to this topic

[Tuatha]

The tyres on my track-only Rays (Michelin Pilot Sports) are getting a bit worn, so I need to pick out some new boots. Looking back at the big 2010 tyre poll, the top 4 track tyres were:

• Toyo Proxes T1-R (9) (16.36%)
  
• Michelin Pilot SPORT '2' (8) (14.55%)
  
• Toyo R888 (6) (10.91%)
  
• Bridgestone Potenza RE050 (4) (7.27%)

However, looking at pics of them the only ones that look like semi-slick road legal track tyres are the R888's. The others all just look like road tyres that people voted as being OK on the track. As I have 2 sets of wheels I'd prefer to put the best track tyres on I can afford. There is no requirement for them to be good for normal road use - they're just going to be used to/from the track & on the track itself.

I just checked the price on some 225/45 & 245/45 R888's (seems to be the rarer size, most I found were 225/40 & 245/40) & it was £780!!!!! I thought I saw a post a few days ago about a cheaper alternative semi-slick road legal tyre but I can't find it. Did I dream it? Maybe it was the Dunlop DZ03G or similar?? Only problem I see is that the rear is only in 245/40 so it's 3.6% smaller (see size calcs below)

[

My question is did the people that voted for the R888's have any issues wrt TCS, acceleration, top speed (or anything else) with the smaller tyres? Bob @ RJN said they run the 350Z's with 235 - 640 dia slicks all round with no problems (but TCS off).

[mrsteve]

ive managed to run a few different sizes of tyre, mark at abbey might be able to help you...

Toyo doubled their price last year to match yoko's price of trackday tyres as they realised people wanted to do trackdays and had no choice but to drive there.. i wont say what i think of that company...

Suffice to say on track tyres i can only comment on:

Toyo r888's on the zed, transform the car, awesome grip
Falken 452, good improvement when they heat up but will only last 2 laps before going off and then you will ruin them quick
Dunlop semi slick (not sure if they are road legal, RJN use in the Maxx Cup), good tyre, similar to r888's
Dunlop slicks, :D:D:D:D
Michelin Wets, struggled with these in anything but rain....
Yoko's on an atom, excellent grip

call abbey as they have a few skyline guys that run something similar to a Toyo T1r on track but slightly different..

Better yet, get a trailor and a set of slicks !

[Tuatha]

I have 6 Dunlop slicks (235x640/18, ex RJN, from the practise done before the 2010 Dubai 12hr race) in my tyre rack in the shed. I don't like trailer as am sh1t useless at parking/reversing with them. I actualy want to get a Ford (or similar) cab with an ali flat bed as they get under the 3.5 tonne limit (with car on) for HGV license so I can drive it kinda like a car on my normal license.

That way I could fit the slicks that are rotting away in my shed & drive to tracks in the truck...

Just can't aford it.

[bigtone]

I might give these a go..
http://www.camskill....m12b1522s1756p0

would love a set of dunlop DZ03 but at £1400 I dont think so...
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Product.do?m...aign=Motorsport

[Tuatha]

Hmmm, same sizing problem with the R1R's: 225/40 & 245/40 not 225/45 & 245/45. I can see LOADS of the former but nobody seems to make race tyres that are an exact match for the Z. I wonder why Nissan put on a slightly odd size (small concession toward comfort with slightly more flexible sidewalls maybe??).

Maybe the only option is to run with the TCS off. I know that's what I should be doing on the track anway but I've only been on track twice last year so wanted to keep it on for 1-2 more sessions then take it off. If the 2-5% change on 1 or both ends is enough to upset the TCS then my hand will be forced.

[Paul_S]

Tuatha, on 14 Jan 2011, 21:11, said:

<snip>
If the 2-5% change on 1 or both ends is enough to upset the TCS then my hand will be forced.

I think you might get away with that. There is some flexibility just for the fact that you might have new tyres on one end and nearly worn on the other.

[andymc]

Zmanalex used to have a stash of semi-used track tyres... might be worth a punt in contacting him...

[djtimodj]

Ive got a set of R888's waiting to go on mine at the moment. Ive got a brand new set of 245/40/18's for the front and 275/40/18 rears that are half worn (read nearly gone! lol) I just want to see what a set felt like. Im sure the extra grip will be ace in the dry and great for cars that dont do many miles.

Ill have them on in the next few months so Ill do a good write up when there fitted.

[Tuatha]

djtimodj, on 15 Jan 2011, 15:14, said:

Ive got a set of R888's waiting to go on mine at the moment. Ive got a brand new set of 245/40/18's for the front and 275/40/18 rears <snip>

Is that on stock width rims or wider aftermarket ones?? Sounds too wide for 8" front & 8.5" rear...

[djtimodj]

Tuatha, on 15 Jan 2011, 15:56, said:

Is that on stock width rims or wider aftermarket ones?? Sounds too wide for 8" front & 8.5" rear...

On my 9.5J all round rims mate.

[Tuatha]

djtimodj, on 15 Jan 2011, 18:12, said:

On my 9.5J all round rims mate.

Ah that makes more sense then. The R888 report will be useful for sure but it will likely confirm that a) they're really good street legal track tyres I can't afford them & c) they don't fit my stock rims.

[Stuart_J]

R888's are a great tyre giving fantastic grip in the dry & even very good in the damp but absolutely lethal in standing water to the point where I would be very wary of them as a tyre on a car you may have to use everyday. If its a fun car then you have the option of not using it in torrential rain.
I had them on a previous car which was 4 wheel drive with various electronic traction aids & I got caught in a cloud burst on a French motorway, agreed it was like a monsoon but it was somewhere I never want to be again, I was struggling to keep the car straight at around 40 mph, clouds of spray everywhere & everyone else still managing to fly along at normal motorway speed & as close together as the French do, I was just waiting to be hit from behind.


One obscure thought, can you fix some sort of tow bar on the zed ? If yes a small trailer for the slicks might be an option

[Tuatha]

Stuart_J, on 16 Jan 2011, 16:16, said:

R888's are a great tyre giving fantastic grip in the dry & even very good in the damp but absolutely lethal in standing water to the point where I would be very wary of them as a tyre on a car you may have to use everyday. If its a fun car then you have the option of not using it in torrential rain.
I had them on a previous car which was 4 wheel drive with various electronic traction aids & I got caught in a cloud burst on a French motorway, agreed it was like a monsoon but it was somewhere I never want to be again, I was struggling to keep the car straight at around 40 mph, clouds of spray everywhere & everyone else still managing to fly along at normal motorway speed & as close together as the French do, I was just waiting to be hit from behind.


One obscure thought, can you fix some sort of tow bar on the zed ? If yes a small trailer for the slicks might be an option

They're for my spare set of Rays so are track only. Admittedly I could still get caught in the rain with them but if it gets really bad I'll have to pull over (or stay in a hotel & come back next day).

I had briefly considered a trailer but it just seems so 'wrong' if you know what I mean...