Tyres.....Toyo Proxes

General General Lotus Talk
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quote:Originally posted by B7SHY:In the dry… dangerous (if you drive like you are on Yokos).Is this just less grip or do they fall off the top of the grip curve that much faster? Were you comparing the tyre performance in equivalet conditions (e.g. summer compared to winter use)?I know different rubber does make a big difference to the breakaway charcteristic but in general the higher the absolute grip the grip drops off that much faster too. My initial feeling on new Yokos is that they are very very gripy but do let go quite quickly. Now with very little tread left on the rears and the conditions the way they are, I find the rears breaking away far more often but less dramtically. Problem is I’m not sure if this is just because I got used to it and am just getting to cocky (Ohh no it’s all going to end in tears!) quote:Originally posted by B7SHY:In the wet… Its like driving on the Rims! Fun though… but spun it on a very popular island in Leamington without even trying… F**** Dangerous and F***** embarrassing.Losing it without trying sounds more like a diesel/oil spill to me.A back to back test would be really useful to get an answer on this one, but I really feel a bit nervous about someone trying to push the tyre limit in “my precioussss” …hmmmm… Now Tim here’s an offer for you…I’m in Leaminton tomorow (about 300yds from where you are normally parked up) how about I tear some of that unwanted tread off for you? I’m booked into Anglesey for Saturday, so could get some impresion of road and track performance given a quick swop of wheels.If I should find the toyo’s that much a problem that I trash the rims you get to keep a set of perfect set of wheels (never been near a kerb) and slightly less perfect set of Yoko’s.What do you think? I’m sure Kings would oblige at lunch time (they owe me a favour).

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Only just seen this…No trust me… The Toyos… like for like in any condition are bad on the Exige. They are actually very progessive and don’t just suddenly let go (apart from in the wet)… But they start letting go so early its silly. They are NOT grippy! Understeers like a dog around roundabouts.My car is DEAD at the moment. It woke up with a massive misfire last Friday. Not seen it since!Anyway… bottom line. Toyos at your own peril… but I have to admit… I cannot wait to get Yokos back… I’ve not enjoyed the car since I changed - Yes - Its that bad!

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I really can’t believe you have that much trouble with Toyos.I sprint and hillclimb against Tim, in two years he’s only spun twice (IIRC) and once was because his rear brakes locked first.On the Toyo’s with his 190 Exige he can get 1:27.8 around Goodwood. His times at Gurston Down hillclimb on Toyos are almost as quick as on 39Rs (couple of tenths), but we are both much quicker up there on the racing wets.He uses Toyos because of the tyre regs. But there are many other tyres he could have chosen, including S02s. He got a good initial deal from Toyo so tried them. Since he found them so good he stuck with them.Now all the Exiges/Elises that he regularly sprints against all use Toyos with no compaints.I’m just about to fit MotorSport rims (Exige sized) to my Elise and will be using Toyos. I currently have them on my Elise and they are just as good as the S02s that came off. Perhaps a little more initial slide (prolly more that I’m feeling the tyre walls flex a little) but once that is passed they hang on really well, and oversteer is much more controllable.SteveB

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GuysI have Proxes T1S fitted to the rear of my exige - I have never been entirly convinced of the handling of my car especially on wet roads [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]. What I experienced certainly has never completely stacked up with what I read about the car [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/confused.gif[/image]. However, I always thought maybe its just me.Anyhow, On wednesday I was able to do what almost amounts to a back-to-back trial of my car and another similarly specced (but much younger) exige running A039’s - Uldis car actually. We swapped cars for a dozen or so laps at Knockhill on a dry track - We both had the very same opinion… A039’s give far more grip and the cornering speeds are a good bit quicker as a result. My car would get four wheel drifts way before Uldis A039 equipped car. However, it was always progressive but got noticeably worse as the tyres got more heat into them. THey never totally embarrassed me other than letting other cars - mostly elises - which maybe should have been slower catch me up in the twisty bits, so I was letting them past on the starights – on the other hand I’m probably a bit of a slow coach and they would have got past anyway, if they werent so well mannered !!I hope toput A039’s back on when these wear out - however, one of their advantages is that they last a lot bleedin longer. Also I’ve never driven A039’s on normal roads in the wet so, who knows - -cause it rains a lot up here !!

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RoxTeddy,Comparing the 039Rs and Toyos isn’t fair, one is a competition tyre (the 039R) and one is a road tyre (Toyo T1-S).What it does show is that your Exige is just as quick as some Elises once on the same quality of rubber!The point I was trying to get across is that the Toyos are not the dangerous tyre that B7SHY was making them out to be. I’d suspect his geo to be out if the car is spinning as easily as he describes, or he hit some diesel.SteveB

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RoxTeddyIf you think the A039s are good, wait until you try the A048s [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] They’re cheaper too [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]

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SteveBThanks mate I feel better now !! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]PeskyWhat are the 048’s like in the wet on real roads ?? [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/shocked.gif[/image]

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RoxTeddyReal wet roads - no problem, if fact can’t feel any difference to 39s in wet conditions on the road. That said of course, care has always been necessary in these circumstances.Hopefully, RussT, JohnO & Mike Turner will also add their comments.

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Fine in the wet for me - at a soaked Oulton last(?) month, it was possible to oversteer at will + get it back, so at sensible road speeds, you should be OK.

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I’ve been running the Yoyos for a few weeks now and find them excellent. Not as grippy as the Yoko’s but progressive none the less.I pushed them hard at an airfield day, and yes you can get a slide, but a nice controllable one. I won’t be using Yoko’s again unless I get a spare set of rims and can use the semi slick ones I have in the garage since changing.Cheers, DJ

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I tried yoyos for a while, but they kept getting stuck at the bottom of the string [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]

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Doh, hee hee [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]

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Mr ButtsWas in Tim’s garage yesterday picking up some Toyos and saw what you plan to throw on the back of yours, you mad fool!!!

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:wink: the 235/40s look the dogs … don’t they!!?Are we going to see you at Goodwood sprints next year? I hope to get much closer to Tim once I’ve done a track day to learn the course. I beat at Gurston in August ;-)I’ll try and let you know if we do a test or track day there end of this year - if you fancy coming along too.SteveB

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Didn’t get the new Exige to pose in, that’s for sure!!!Am currently working out plan of attack for next year, but will be more than just Goodwood, going to try and compete in 4 Championships, obviously with as many overlapping rounds as possible.Will only be Sprints though, as hillclimbs worry me (big girls blouse!)Will be buying trailer over the winter to get to events that are further afield. Car is likely to stay as is until I get used to it - currently a Lotus 190 upgrade with Motorsport Disks and Pads and Goodrich hoses. Also got Motorsport seats and harnesses.Figure it will take me a while to learn the car properly, so no point spending money yey - if I can get within 2 secs of Tim next year in my first time at many of the venues I will be happy.Will do a couple of tests over winter, but I have been grounded for now as we moved house 4 months ago and are getting married next month (haven’t got any of the money together as I bought an Exige instead!)Mail me offline if you want and we can arrange to get together with Tim for a beer and curry

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All sounds good! If you get within two seconds of Tim then you’ll be doing V well - he’s having his head ported by Dave Andrews, and most likely getting an LSD fitted too !Will mail youSteveB