Need a little help, anyone know what the compounds are for front and rear of the LTS 48s? Tried a search but just brings up every time 48s are mentioned
Fronts are medium, rears are medium hard.
cheers ed
Compounds?
There are three differnet A048 compounds available in Exige Sizes.
M
MH
and
LTS
Lotus are absolutely categorical that the LTS compound is different in terms of both rubber and more importantly sidewall stiffnes to both M and MH.
From experience of all three, I am inclined to agree with them. The best tyres are LTS, without doubt. We race on LTS even though M and MH are available and may even be a little cheaper.
We can supply all three compounds, but for lots of reasons (not only the fact that technically - albeit highly unlikely - and insurance company can claim that you had the incorrect tyres on your car if you run M or MH) we sell about ten times more LTS than any other.
im not surprised lotus say they are different. IMHO I dont think the extra cost justifies getting the LTS spec tyres. Ive currently got a set of MH rears and i cant tell the difference, but saying that its not surprising…
My 2 rears cost me a hell of a lot less than lotus prices fitted and when my fronts die ill be getting M for them too but of course its each to their own.
If the issue is cost, why not change to the Toyo 888s? Know a couple of people who are running them and they say they can’t tell the difference.
I had a set of 48’s for my Audi some time ago which were A048 E , dont know what if any difference ( harder possibly?)
Also, the last time I was up at my local tyre dealer they mentioned a A048 RS (soft?)
AO48’s are available as S, M & MH (from the yoko brochure I have on my desk). As a matched set you can only buy M in Exige sizes, but MH are available as rears. S1 Elise sizes are available as Front S & M, rear M & MH.
The compound difference has no effect on insurance, it’s only speed rating that does, and for the Exige M, MH & LTS are all W rated. If it did all us S1 Exige owners would only be allowed to use AO39’s.
Compounds?
There are three different A048 compounds available in Exige Sizes.
M
MH
and
LTSLotus are absolutely categorical that the LTS compound is different in terms of both rubber and more importantly sidewall stiffnes to both M and MH.
From experience of all three, I am inclined to agree with them. The best tyres are LTS, without doubt. We race on LTS even though M and MH are available and may even be a little cheaper.
We can supply all three compounds, but for lots of reasons (not only the fact that technically - albeit highly unlikely - and insurance company can claim that you had the incorrect tyres on your car if you run M or MH) we sell about ten times more LTS than any other.
I was sent a set of MH in error and looking inside the tire you can see that the construction is different. The pattern inside the tyre is different.
I then put them on a scale and the MH are each 1 pound heavier than the LTS.
4 extra pounds of unsprung weight almost 2 kg!
Fronts are medium, rears are medium hard.
cheers ed
Hmmm… Yokohama US said MH all around with a different sidewall stiffness.
I was sent a set of MH in error and looking inside the tire you can see that the construction is different. The pattern inside the tyre is different.
I then put them on a scale and the MH are each 1 pound heavier than the LTS.
4 extra pounds of unsprung weight almost 2 kg!
I haven’t seen a MH so can’t comment on the actual construntion, but wouldn’t be surprised if it’s different, that’s why people like Lotus develop tyres, and also why buying a tyre from an aftermarket place isn’t the same as from a dealer.
As for the weight comments, again construction will have an effect, but which did you compare (and how many), was it fronts or rears, as due to size differences, if construction was causing a weight difference I’d expect the fronts to be different to the rears.
Also on unsprung weight, it isn’t almost 4 pounds, it’s 1 pound. You don’t add it all up as the weight is only affecting one spring on one corner (although on the front both have a slight effect due to the ARB).
I compared about 4 MH and 4 LTS all the same stock Lotus sizes, all new.
It came out at about 1 pound more for the MH over the LTS in the same size for a new tyre.