Sticky or hard tyres for novice trackday driver
Discussion
Munter said:
Wh00sher said:
chutley said:
They are shod with some brand new Yokohoma Prada Spec 2 tyres. They are quite cheap tyres, and I don't think they are particularly grippy. I'll try them and see how they go.
Appalling tyres. AVOID !!!Crap in the rain, soft sidewalls and overheat FAR too easily..
I have nothing good to say about them whatsoever I`m afraid
But in my first year of trackdays, I bought a set of Paradas second hand for the price of a tank of fuel, and had a year's fun in a TVR on dry track days.
They wore out pretty quickly, but had reasonable grip in the dry.
I then migrated to Toyo R888s and Federal RSR 595s (two sets of wheels) and found them so much better, both on the road and the track, and in the case of the Federals, not a lot more expensive.
QBee said:
I agree with Whoosher, I wouldn't go out and buy some Parada Spec 2s, especially as I have now got a lot faster on track.
But in my first year of trackdays, I bought a set of Paradas second hand for the price of a tank of fuel, and had a year's fun in a TVR on dry track days.
They wore out pretty quickly, but had reasonable grip in the dry.
I then migrated to Toyo R888s and Federal RSR 595s (two sets of wheels) and found them so much better, both on the road and the track, and in the case of the Federals, not a lot more expensive.
So the PS2's are too crap to use as my crap learning tyre...? Well they are black and round, and came free so I'll give them a go and see how I get on. If I end up in the armco, then I should have listened!But in my first year of trackdays, I bought a set of Paradas second hand for the price of a tank of fuel, and had a year's fun in a TVR on dry track days.
They wore out pretty quickly, but had reasonable grip in the dry.
I then migrated to Toyo R888s and Federal RSR 595s (two sets of wheels) and found them so much better, both on the road and the track, and in the case of the Federals, not a lot more expensive.
Nah those ps2 are ideal for you at the moment, they are woeful on fwd cars as they load up the fronts & then the tyre gets destroyed, on the lighter rwd stuff they are OK, sure I have drifted the hell out if them on an sc mx5 but all tyres get eaten then.
Not sure if they make them anymore but tve old Yoko A539 was the perfect low grip last forever road tyre for track, think I did circa 150 hard 'ring laps at 950kg & with a front to rear swap would have been good for another 150.
I think novices should track on low grip tyres for the 1st 10 trackdays anyway, learn so much more that way, esp if you can get a few wet days in, learn massively then.
Not sure if they make them anymore but tve old Yoko A539 was the perfect low grip last forever road tyre for track, think I did circa 150 hard 'ring laps at 950kg & with a front to rear swap would have been good for another 150.
I think novices should track on low grip tyres for the 1st 10 trackdays anyway, learn so much more that way, esp if you can get a few wet days in, learn massively then.
chutley said:
QBee said:
I agree with Whoosher, I wouldn't go out and buy some Parada Spec 2s, especially as I have now got a lot faster on track.
But in my first year of trackdays, I bought a set of Paradas second hand for the price of a tank of fuel, and had a year's fun in a TVR on dry track days.
They wore out pretty quickly, but had reasonable grip in the dry.
I then migrated to Toyo R888s and Federal RSR 595s (two sets of wheels) and found them so much better, both on the road and the track, and in the case of the Federals, not a lot more expensive.
So the PS2's are too crap to use as my crap learning tyre...? Well they are black and round, and came free so I'll give them a go and see how I get on. If I end up in the armco, then I should have listened!But in my first year of trackdays, I bought a set of Paradas second hand for the price of a tank of fuel, and had a year's fun in a TVR on dry track days.
They wore out pretty quickly, but had reasonable grip in the dry.
I then migrated to Toyo R888s and Federal RSR 595s (two sets of wheels) and found them so much better, both on the road and the track, and in the case of the Federals, not a lot more expensive.
For example, many drivers in their first year on track days take Coppice Corner at Cadwell Park at around 75-80 mph and think they are going pretty fast. I did on my Paradas.
Last year I was taking the same corner at 105 mph on Federals or Toyos, and thus carrying more speed through the next two corners.
Wh00sher said:
Appalling tyres. AVOID !!!
Crap in the rain, soft sidewalls and overheat FAR too easily..
I have nothing good to say about them whatsoever I`m afraid
QBee - don't think I am mis-interpreting that - PS2 is apparently a crap tyre according to Wh00sher.Crap in the rain, soft sidewalls and overheat FAR too easily..
I have nothing good to say about them whatsoever I`m afraid
I think I opened a whole can of worms when asking about tyres... I think I'll just try them and see how it goes. Most people do seem to agree that a crap tyre is a better way to learn the limits than jumping onto a pair of 888s.
chutley said:
QBee - don't think I am mis-interpreting that - PS2 is apparently a crap tyre according to Wh00sher.
I think I opened a whole can of worms when asking about tyres... I think I'll just try them and see how it goes. Most people do seem to agree that a crap tyre is a better way to learn the limits than jumping onto a pair of 888s.
Whoosher is more expert then I am. I think I opened a whole can of worms when asking about tyres... I think I'll just try them and see how it goes. Most people do seem to agree that a crap tyre is a better way to learn the limits than jumping onto a pair of 888s.
I have been doing track days for about 4 years now in a road going TVR. I started on Paradas and migrated to 888s and Federals, ie road legal track tyres.
Whoosher regularly takes his Mark 2, stripped out and track prepared, Golf GTI Turbo around the 'Ring on racing slicks and laps in astonishingly quick times.
He is in a whole different league from me, though I have seen him at Cadwell Park mixing it with us lower mortals.....
You won't be making the same demands on your Paradas as he would - go for it, have fun and see how it goes. As you say, they are free, so why not?
The Prada Spec 2s were just awful on a wet and cold Blyton day. I quickly found the limit of grip (and beyond..!). One spin off, 3 or 4 recovered rear wheel drifts and I didn't go particularly fast.
Going to use them for the car Limits days with Walshy, then off they go to the bin. Going to put the Yokohama AD08 on, and then have the spare wheels shod in something stickier for the Summer.
Going to use them for the car Limits days with Walshy, then off they go to the bin. Going to put the Yokohama AD08 on, and then have the spare wheels shod in something stickier for the Summer.
Edited by chutley on Saturday 16th April 20:45
A little update...
Did the Walshy Car Limits day - great fun and real learning day. Sold the PS2 tyres and now have Yoko AD08s on. Used at Cadwell and had a superb day on them. These will now be my wet/damp tyres.
Just put a set of Federal 595s on my spare wheels and hoping for another dry day at Cadwell tomorrow.
Back to Blyton on 19th July for another Walshy training day. That made me appreciate just how much I have to learn, and how much better it is to spend money on instruction than car performance extras.
See you on track.
Did the Walshy Car Limits day - great fun and real learning day. Sold the PS2 tyres and now have Yoko AD08s on. Used at Cadwell and had a superb day on them. These will now be my wet/damp tyres.
Just put a set of Federal 595s on my spare wheels and hoping for another dry day at Cadwell tomorrow.
Back to Blyton on 19th July for another Walshy training day. That made me appreciate just how much I have to learn, and how much better it is to spend money on instruction than car performance extras.
See you on track.
chutley said:
A little update...
Did the Walshy Car Limits day - great fun and real learning day. Sold the PS2 tyres and now have Yoko AD08s on. Used at Cadwell and had a superb day on them. These will now be my wet/damp tyres.
Just put a set of Federal 595s on my spare wheels and hoping for another dry day at Cadwell tomorrow.
Back to Blyton on 19th July for another Walshy training day. That made me appreciate just how much I have to learn, and how much better it is to spend money on instruction than car performance extras.
See you on track.
Spot on advice, both on tyres and instruction. Did the Walshy Car Limits day - great fun and real learning day. Sold the PS2 tyres and now have Yoko AD08s on. Used at Cadwell and had a superb day on them. These will now be my wet/damp tyres.
Just put a set of Federal 595s on my spare wheels and hoping for another dry day at Cadwell tomorrow.
Back to Blyton on 19th July for another Walshy training day. That made me appreciate just how much I have to learn, and how much better it is to spend money on instruction than car performance extras.
See you on track.
Doubt you will detect much difference between the AD08s and the 595 RSRs (full name for anyone else, as there are three types of 595, and you deffo don't want the other two), but do let us know. I ran a set of 595s last year as my wet/dry tyres and was fine except in the worst monsoon, and as quick on a dry track as on my R888s too.
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