Track day tyres only on the rear a bad idea?

[firewallguy]

I bought a set of NS-2Rs earlier in the summer for the Cerb but the fronts wouldn't fit due to an increase in profile.
I haven't managed to offload the tyres yet but was wondering if I could at least use the rears as it's always the rears that overheat for me on trackdays, usually within 2 or 3 laps.
I suppose the risks are spinning off backwards in cold/wet conditions or going straight on if I do manage to overheat the fronts.
I don't suppose anyone's been crazy enough to try this?

[300bhp/ton]

Well it's going to be about balance. I'm sure there will be many nay sayers. And they might be right. But honestly you won't know unless you try.

[harry henderson]

Are you still interested in selling the tyres? If so what sizes are they etc, cheers.

[mk1fan]

Suck it and see. Can't see it being any more of an issue than fitting new 'road' tyres to one end and retaining old ones at the other.

My NS-2R fitted alround performed fine on the recent S-Club Tour which set off 2-days after the Snetterton trackday.

[magpies]

as said suck and see - start off slow(ish) and build up confidence - the stickier rear tyres will promote understeer

- a few years ago I competed on a rally on an old airfield and due to punctures I ran out of tarmac rally tyres so had to use a pair of road legel tyres. Oh my what a handfull, with the sticky tyres on the front, the car just wagged its rear and eventually spun. Changed an put the sticky ones on the rear and had terminal understeer.

Edited by magpies on Friday 25th September 13:13

[ukkid35]

I used to run my 928 with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup on the rear and standard ContiSports on the front when going to track days. Gave me more confidence in the rear, but I did have a serious issue with aquaplaning on the way home from Le Mans Bugatti once, such that I couldn't exceed 30mph.

I did manage to experience understeer for the first time with that setup, and I would have put Cups on the front as well if I could have afforded them at the time.

[Hoover.]

I had a TVR specialist change my rear Kumho V70a (road legal track day tyre) on my griff to get it through an the MOT a few years ago now, and had the most frightening drive of my life driving back from Crawley, they had put normal road tyres on the rear....... felt like the back was constantly wanting to over take the front on bends etc...... I even got a "spotted" which commented that they had never seen my car being driven so slowly.

Got home and immediately got my tyres changed over to a set of Toyo I had in the garage, and normal service was resumed

I would say not a good idea

[MPoxon]

I had the same experience as Hoover. I purchased a pair of Toyo T1Rs to replace the original Birdgestone S01 tyres on my Griff, I only replaced the rears and the car was bloody awful until I also replaced the fronts Toyos.

I have recently swapped to Yoko AD08Rs, only the rears needed replacing but I made sure I replaced the fronts as well as it was not an experience I wanted to repeat.

I wouldn't risk it to be honest.

[red griff roger]

As Hoover and Matt said above. I put some Toyo 888 on the back (the fronts still had some life in them). God it was awful! I ditched the fronts as soon as I got back from Snetterton.

[firewallguy]

Yeah, I don't fancy the thought of terminal understeer, and end up spoiling one of my few track outings so I'll stick to the road tyres all round.

Harry, yes I am still interested in selling, they are 225/40 R18 & 255/35 R18 in the medium compound.

[harry henderson]

Unfortunately I'd have the same problem as you with the front tyres on my sp12 rims. I was hoping they were gonna be 17s so I'd have a spare set for me rl7s.

[TV8]

mk1fan said:

My NS-2R fitted alround performed fine on the recent S-Club Tour which set off 2-days after the Snetterton trackday.

Hi Stewart, I meant to tell you how well the tyres cleared the water when the heavy stuff came down - I was impressed with the lines in the standing water you were leaving.

[firewallguy]

harry henderson said:

Unfortunately I'd have the same problem as you with the front tyres on my sp12 rims. I was hoping they were gonna be 17s so I'd have a spare set for me rl7s.

No worries, I'm thinking of getting a set of 17's for trackdays, although there still aren't that many options for the correct size fronts, TVR just decided on a strange diameter for the front wheel/tyre combination.

[phazed]

On a chim with RL7s, I use 265/35/18 & 235/40/17s for TDs

And I defo wouldn't mix tyres as you suggested.

[mk1fan]

TV8 said:

Hi Stewart, I meant to tell you how well the tyres cleared the water when the heavy stuff came down - I was impressed with the lines in the standing water you were leaving.

That was the exhaust scrapping on the ground clearing the water like a plough!

I'm pretty impressed with the tyres on the road. They still grip very well with little heat in them.