Road tyre options for track?

Road tyre options for track?

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Discussion

boxsey

Original Poster:

3,574 posts

209 months

Wednesday 29th July 2015
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I've been using Toyo R888s for quite a few years now and have always been happy with how they work on dry and to a certain extent, damp tracks. I can put up with the noise they make on the road and just drive to the road conditions when it rains. However, I've become increasingly frustrated at them being useless on a very wet track. I've had to sit out a couple of wet days recently because the tyres simply wouldn't cope with the conditions. Most notably at Castle Combe last Friday (did half dozen low speed sideways laps).

As I have to drive to and from the track on the tyres because I can't carry spare wheels, I'm thinking of changing to a more road biased tyre. I accept that I'll miss the dry grip of the 888s but I'd rather sacrifice some grip for the ability to still make it out on track when it's wet (and stay on the black stuff biggrin ).

So, what road biased tyres have you used on track that work in both wet and dry?

Track car is a Porsche 964C2 and the usual tyre sizes are 225/45/17 at the front and 255/40/17 at the rear if that matters?

SonicShadow

2,452 posts

153 months

Wednesday 29th July 2015
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AD08R's are supposed to cope quite well in the wet. They won't handle standing water as well as a 'proper' road tyre though.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 29th July 2015
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Another vote for the AD08R, copes very well with everything other than standing water over a cm or so.

Pilot SuperSports would be another option albeit slightly less track focused.

MOTK

308 posts

133 months

Wednesday 29th July 2015
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I was there Friday and had to sit out for the exact same reasons as you. I think to cope with those conditions you'd really need a road based tyre that can deal with water that deep. I had another set of rims with Michelin Pilot Super Sports ready to go which would have been IMO ideal (they perform really well in the dry and should have been fine with that amount of water), however on inspection the night before I could see the tread depth of the rears was on the wear markers. Bad tyre preparation once again ruining my day rolleyes

captainsl0w

69 posts

122 months

Wednesday 29th July 2015
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As said you ideally want a higher-end road tyre that can stand up in the dry and still offer some wet grip, something like a Bridgestone RE050A?

braddo

10,399 posts

187 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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If the Michelin SuperSport is not available in the right size, perhaps take a look at the Conti Sportcontact 5. They seem to do well in the comparative tyre tests.

I had to put a pair on the back of my GT3 as an urgent stop-gap after a tyre-killing puncture. They have held up surprisingly well on a couple of track days including a wet Donington morning. It's looking like several more track days are needed to wear the damn things out!

boxsey

Original Poster:

3,574 posts

209 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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AD08Rs could indeed be worth looking at. From the promo stuff I've read they seem to fall right between a track tyre and a road tyre.

I really like what I've heard about the Michelin supersports but as with many of the newly developed tyres they only appear to be available in 18 inch size and upwards. grumpy

braddo

10,399 posts

187 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
quotequote all
A list of some (summarised) tyre tests including the sportcontact 5P here:

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Continental/Cont...



LaSource

2,622 posts

207 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s...everytime.

Great for both dry and wet...and great wear rates too...

OliilO

198 posts

136 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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Toyo R1Rs - similar (slightly harder) compound compared to R888s but with a decent tread pattern for wet conditions. Although I think they are stopping making them due to EU regulations, you should still be able to get hold of some. Plus, they're about half the price of R888s...

SonicShadow

2,452 posts

153 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
quotequote all
braddo said:
If the Michelin SuperSport is not available in the right size, perhaps take a look at the Conti Sportcontact 5. They seem to do well in the comparative tyre tests.

I had to put a pair on the back of my GT3 as an urgent stop-gap after a tyre-killing puncture. They have held up surprisingly well on a couple of track days including a wet Donington morning. It's looking like several more track days are needed to wear the damn things out!
Road tyres like the SportContact will hold up OK on a wet track day, but you'll kill them quite easily on a dry one - they'll just overheat especially on a heavier car. It sounds like OP wants something that can take the strain on a dry day, but isn't hopeless in the wet - something like an AD08R should be the right compromise.

boxsey

Original Poster:

3,574 posts

209 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
quotequote all
LaSource said:
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s...everytime.

Great for both dry and wet...and great wear rates too...
I hear they are a huge step forward over the original cup but unfortunately yet another newly developed tyre that they only make in 18 inch and upwards (mine are 17 inch). frown

There was a 991 GT3 there on Friday which was presumably on cup 2s.....he looked to be struggling in the conditions too. Although I will admit that the conditions were very extreme that day!


phazed

21,844 posts

203 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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I was there in my TVR running my road R1Rs, (usually run R888s in the dry).

It was an awful day and I should have stayed at home and burnt a couple of £50 notes!

R1Rs are good but under the conditions, 2nd time out after pussyfooting around in 4th at a whisper throttle I eased into 5th at about 70 on the pit straight. Tyres broke traction and I slid sideways forever ending up in the middle of the cornfield, no damage!

Combe is a treacherous track in the wet and I had no chance of saving it even though I backed off a split second after it broke free so don't blame the tyres completely!

By comparison on the M40 a couple of months ago, got wheelspin at 90 on a drizzly road in 5th, backed off and it snapped back into line.

Combe takes no prisoners!

Just remembered, I did Bedford a couple of years ago in the wet on R1Rs and I had a ball, one of the best TDs ever. Plenty of grip, predictable and fun.
So much grip that I remember braking hard with the front squirming and rears locked but all under control. No chance at Combe.

Good news is that I am back at Combe tomorrow and should be dry all day smile

Dakkon

7,826 posts

252 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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Another vote for the AD08R for an 8mm road tyre that performs well on track wet or dry.

braddo

10,399 posts

187 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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SonicShadow said:
Road tyres like the SportContact will hold up OK on a wet track day, but you'll kill them quite easily on a dry one - they'll just overheat especially on a heavier car. It sounds like OP wants something that can take the strain on a dry day, but isn't hopeless in the wet - something like an AD08R should be the right compromise.
Like I said, I was surprised how well the Contis held up in the dry, and they were very effective on a sodden track. But it's probably a moot point when it appears that the AD08R is available in the sizes Boxsey wants. smile

boxsey

Original Poster:

3,574 posts

209 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
quotequote all
braddo said:
Like I said, I was surprised how well the Contis held up in the dry, and they were very effective on a sodden track. But it's probably a moot point when it appears that the AD08R is available in the sizes Boxsey wants. smile
All suggestions welcome smile . I use conti SC2 tyres on my road wheels so was interested to hear your thoughts on the new SC5 but a quick search showed that the 255 40 17 rears are not available. frown

eldavo

543 posts

169 months

Friday 31st July 2015
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I run a tweaked 944 Turbo with the same tyre sizes and am currently on Federal RSR-595s which seem to be lasting very well and giving near enough the grip of my Cups on my spare wheels.

I've run them in very wet conditions and they aren't great so have eyed up the 120 tread wear Nankang NS2Rs or AD08Rs as my next tyre set. As you've found, I'd love to go for SuperSports but the only 17s they do aren't suitable.

andyiley

9,105 posts

151 months

Friday 31st July 2015
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SonicShadow said:
Road tyres like the SportContact will hold up OK on a wet track day, but you'll kill them quite easily on a dry one - they'll just overheat especially on a heavier car.
They last pretty well on my e36 328 in both wet & dry over the last 2 years with well over 1/2 tread left & around a dozen dry & 2 wet days under their belt.

Oilchange

8,421 posts

259 months

Friday 31st July 2015
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You probably aren't driving hard enough then.

Maybe that's a bit harsh, you may simply be driving within the tyres performance levels and not pushing on. If you are comfortable with that then fine, it's a track day not a race.

Edited by Oilchange on Friday 31st July 21:14

bromers2

1,867 posts

249 months

Friday 31st July 2015
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I'd really look at ways of carrying an extra set wheels and invest in a set of race wets (used on eBay) - they are brilliant. Best of both worlds then.