getting bored waiting for the AO48’s to come in stock at B&C…
i dont do trackdays, but do do a lot of motorway miles
any recommendations for alternatives?
i liked the grip offered by the yoko’s, but would prefer something that is better in the pouring rain and lasts longer than 6k miles!
Toyo T1R’s then.
They will last forever, have deep channels and clear water well and are comfy on the motorway, as the sidewalls are not as stiff.
If you don’t ask the best track performance from them they’re Ok.
AO39’s are the best Exige road tyre by far but they last not much longer than a 48 and are ���.
Otherwise there are Toyo’s which are cheap and shite or BF Goodridge using a 45 profile front although not sure if anyone has tried this yet?
Uldis how much are T1R’s and will they fit an S2
oh and and i’m only swapping the rears as the fronts still have a lot of life left in them
and should i inform the insurance company?
exigeboy
In your circumstance, i would try Goodyear F1’s
Uldis how much are T1R’s and will they fit an S2
oh and and i’m only swapping the rears as the fronts still have a lot of life left in them
and should i inform the insurance company?
DON’T mix tyres. Especially 48’s with road tyres. The ensuing accident will by far outweigh any savings�
why would there be an accident?
i’m mixing rear with front, not left with right… plus AO48’s are road tyres (admittedly only just)
As Randy says, don’t mix.
Different tyres have different behaviours, not only overall grip, but the way the grip is delivered, and at the different temps found.
When one tyre is warming up and exhibiting certain grip characteristics, the other one might/will be different.
End result: confused human being and car going backwards into a hedge.
OTOH, you might drive like a nanny and be perfectly ok, but you woudn’t be driving an Exige, right?
A set of Toyo T1R’s would set you back about �360 to �400 depending on the place, and yes, they come in S2 sizes.
why would there be an accident?
i’m mixing rear with front, not left with right… plus AO48’s are road tyres (admittedly only just)
48’s are the nearest thing to a slick you can get and behave VERY differently to a road tyre. On most understeery euroboxes mixing tyres is possible but a mid-engined Lotus is a very different proposition. Even on a eurobox I wouldn’t mix 48’s with a road tyre.
Having driven a car with a mix of 48’s on the front and Toyo’s on the back I can tell you first hand that it’s bloody dangerous.
Having driven a car with a mix of 48’s on the front and Toyo’s on the back I can tell you first hand that it’s bloody dangerous.
eek… embarrassed but that’s exactly what i’m running at the moment
I certainly won’t be doing anything spirited but for commuting (which is all i’m doing) without any real ‘playtime’ and as long as you realise the car is very compromised it’s okay… at least the front sticks better than the rear in the dry … in the wet… well… that’s another story but its good enough to go from a-to-b
Like I said earlier… I thinkn exigeboy should put a FULL set of Goodyear F1’s on and keep his part worn A048’s for later
Having driven a car with a mix of 48’s on the front and Toyo’s on the back I can tell you first hand that it’s bloody dangerous.
eek… embarrassed but that’s exactly what i’m running at the moment
I certainly won’t be doing anything spirited but for commuting (which is all i’m doing) without any real ‘playtime’ and as long as you realise the car is very compromised it’s okay… at least the front sticks better than the front in the dry … in the wet… well… that’s another story but its good enough to go from a-to-b
Like I said earlier… I thinkn exigeboy should put a FULL set of Goodyear F1’s on and keep his part worn A048’s for later
The one I drove had an SC Honda in the back too!!
Never tried the Goodyears so couldn’t comment but would have the usual concerns about them being designed for a heavier car. Would be interested to try them though.
What about Toyo R888s? Aren’t they now available in the right sizes and didn’t somebody post they’d got a set for under 400?
Their treadwear rating is slightly higher than the Yokos, so should last a bit longer, but still be soft enough to warm-up.
Ian
Toyo T1R’s then.
They will last forever, have deep channels and clear water well and are comfy on the motorway, as the sidewalls are not as stiff.If you don’t ask the best track performance from them they’re Ok.
Bit surprised you recommending them Uldis, didn’t they reduce your grip so much they caught you out?
Ian
That would have been SteveJ, not sure he and Fi have got them on the car yet though to be able to give a rating of them.
IIRC they got them from a group buy deal recently on SELOC which also included a cash-back deal from Toyo, which was partly why they were such a good price.
At that price, they’ve gotta be worth considering, especially if you need all 4.
Yep got them through the Hangar111 group buy deal (organised through SELOC).
Wouldn’t recommend them as a daily tyre if you’re currently worried about AO48s, as they’re very similar.
Bit surprised you recommending them Uldis, didn’t they reduce your grip so much they caught you out?
Ian
Yes, but he says no trackdays, mostly motorway driving and for that, they have enough grip.
Beside, you know the way I drive and what I require…
I’m Running Proxes T1 R’s all round on my S1. They cost nothing for a full set fitted (mine were �310 for the set!!!) still going strong. The fronts look like they will last till the next ice age. The rears are well worn and have done about 6k. All hard road use.
BUT
They are a mega compromise. I took A048’s off and was gutted at first - it was pants. Prob to do with wearing off the relase compound and having big bendy squirmy tread blocks. Improved with time.
FWIW I took two perfectly fine 048 fronts off so i didn’t mix types. I still have them to re fit when my pikeyness subsides and I can get a new pair of rears - this summer me thinks. I kept the old rears in case I stop being gay and start doing track days.
Based on how four new proxes feel I would not mix used 048’s and proxes if they were the last pair of tyres on earth!
I was very surprised how good the 048’s were in the damp. I even tried them on a mega cold greasy/salty winter day and they were very good. Not sure about standing water though
I find AO48’s great in the wet, but would like to try something a little cheaper, I hate having to buy the LTS ones at a ridiculous price…
What are Toyo R888’s like? Are they better than T1R/T1S’s?
If it helps matters, I am running Kumho Ecsta V70 on my track wheels (the Speedlines).
Same idea than you, and am always curious and trying different things.
I found out that they work better than A048’s in the wet and about the same grip in the dry.
But oddly, they don’t squeal when sliding.
Lows are that the front tyre is a 205 but both profiles 9205 and 225) are wider than the Yoko ones because of the square profile.
They put more rubber in the ground and the more solid walls mean they tramline a bit more. Not an issue at the track but for some on the road.
You could try those for about �400 a set.
My view? I’ll continue happily using those, unless I have to use Yokos, like on a race series
AO39’s are the best Exige road tyre by far but they last not much longer than a 48 and are ���.
Hi Randy,
Any chance you can qualify that comment a little please? My new-to-me S1 has Toyos (T1S) at present and I was thinking of changing to A048s in the spring. Are you saying 39’s be a better bet?
TIA
-= mike =-