Hoosier Slicks

[steve-v8s]

Have been trying for some time now to track down some soft slicks for sprints and hillclimbs to fit on a TVR Griffith. Avon Dunlop and Yokohama don’t seem to have anything in a size that will fit rims that will also fit the car. Hoosier however do but very few people around the paddock seem to use them. Any body on here got experience of Hoosier Slicks in what they call their “Auto Cross” A6 compound on a fairly heavy car?

[Graham]

steve-v8s said:

Have been trying for some time now to track down some soft slicks for sprints and hillclimbs to fit on a TVR Griffith. Avon Dunlop and Yokohama don’t seem to have anything in a size that will fit rims that will also fit the car. Hoosier however do but very few people around the paddock seem to use them. Any body on here got experience of Hoosier Slicks in what they call their “Auto Cross” A6 compound on a fairly heavy car?

what sizes are you looking for Marc Hockin ran Dunlop slicks on his griff, although he was running bigger wheels .

[Nick_F]

I've not heard anything positive about Hoosiers, and never seen them on anything bigger than a Mini.

Personally I'd bite the bullet and get the wheels you need to fit the Avons in the right width and compound, but then you might continue to be quicker than me...

I'm going to give soft compound Kumhos a go this year.

[steve-v8s]

I want to roughly replicate the original road rubber. Which in terms of Avon crossplies is 7.5/23/16 front on a 7.5 inch rim and 8/24/17 on an 8 inch rim rear. That all looks fine and I can get the rims but they are not available in a soft compound. To get the soft compound I
need 10 inch rims. Dunlop can do a soft 200/580/16 and 210/620/17 but ideally I was looking for closer to 245 for the rear. Also the front diameter is a bit too small.

Hoosier do a soft compound 205/50/15 7.5 rim and a 245/45/16 8 inch rim. Front is slightly too small at 585mm against 606 but is closer than the Dunlops, rear is perfect fit.

Really I would prefer cross plies as they need camber closer to road tyres and Avons.

[eccles]

The biggest Hoosiers i've seen in the paddock are about 13" on either single seaters or mini's.
my mates mini has run on the 10" variety for a couple of years now and he's very impressed with them. they are in the super soft/sticky compound.
as has been said above, just about every one who has them seems to rave about them.

[Nick_F]

Is the exact diameter that important? Are you up against the limiter somewhere, or trying to avoid moving your gear change points?

I think the reason you're short of options is that you're trying to match a road tyre size - most people looking for hillclimb compound slicks are happy to accept shorter gearing as part of the equation, or are actually looking for it intentionally.

I'd start with the widest tyre/wheel combo that will fit under the arches and over the brakes and drive round the gearing consequences. That's what I'd be doing with the Scimitar if I could afford the wheels and a trailer this year.

[steve-v8s]

Hi Nick so you reside here as well. Not so worried abut being quicker than you, but do want to be quicker than a certain red E type.

Gearing is an issue as I am on the rev limiter across the Finish line so don’t want to make it slightly lower. One option is to put the lower ratio Diff back in and make it sufficiently lower to be worth a gear change. Another reason for keeping with the same sizes is I was going to use last years A032s as wets so wanted to keep the set up good for them.

You are right, looking at photos and video clips the only Hoosiers I can see are on Minis and the one comment I have heard was negative. Could be they are superb and all the Avon people are being sheep.

[Nick_F]

steve-v8s said:

Hi Nick so you reside here as well. Not so worried abut being quicker than you, but do want to be quicker than a certain red E type.

Gearing is an issue as I am on the rev limiter across the Finish line so don’t want to make it slightly lower. One option is to put the lower ratio Diff back in and make it sufficiently lower to be worth a gear change. Another reason for keeping with the same sizes is I was going to use last years A032s as wets so wanted to keep the set up good for them.

You are right, looking at photos and video clips the only Hoosiers I can see are on Minis and the one comment I have heard was negative. Could be they are superb and all the Avon people are being sheep.

Yep, 'smee.

You may well be right about the Hoosiers, but the only way to find out for sure is pricey...

Regarding the finish line, don't forget that the object of the slicks is to go faster round the corners, so you'll exit Ashes quicker, which means you may well need to change up before the line anyway, even if you don't lower the gearing.

It might be worth doing some sums to see what the optimum change-up point is for 3rd to 4th - it's a quick change to make, so could be faster overall than ragging it?

[rcarr]

My racing Stiletto had 13s , 10 inches wide, they had perished over time but the previous owner must've trusted them.

I spoke tho the Hoosier guys at Autosport Show and also their base in Lancashire and they seem to be able to help with any queries regarding tyre compounds or sizes.

Darren McWhirter who raced a DB4 Zagato at Knockhill swore by the "highway" tyres that Hoosier make.

Dragsters and short oval cars seem to be the biggest market for Hoosier.

PS I don't work for them, they've been always helpful when I've spoken to them.

[RT/10Dave]

They're using them on the GT Class Viper Competition Coupe... So they can't be all that bad!

[steve-v8s]

Exactly, they may in fact be very well suited to a heavier car like the Griff. I suspect however the rubber on that Viper would be far too hard for my application.

[RT/10Dave]

Probably best bet is to get in contact with them and see what they have to offer, their website is still under construction at www.hoosiertyre.co.uk/ , but there does seem to be a working email address on there, [e-mail]

Good luck! Be interested to hear how you get on...

[winston_no1]

Most of the cars that run in our series use on Hoosiers and they are nearly all ‘big’ cars from V8 Vantages to Camaros so if they work on these they should be fine for you. Providing they do them in your required size of course

look here to get an idea of the cars they run on

[Jon C]

Big enough and fast enough for you?

[steve-v8s]

A little research suggests that the “slicks” that Hoosier are offering are compound A6 tread pattern M which seems to be a grooved slick. It is listed as a D.O.T Radial and appears on lists with things like the Toyo R888 and Yokie A032r. Really have no where to ask other than the salesman and here. Any comments ?

[RT/10Dave]

[e-mail]

[eccles]

try phoning them direct, when my mate bought his tyres off them, there were very helpful over the phone when asking about sizes and compounds.

here's their details off their website....

UK
(England/Scotland/Wales/Ireland)
Netherlands (Holland), Belgium & Germany
Hoosier Tire UK
P.O. Box 380
Horley, Surrey, RH6 0WW
Ph: (0044) 1293 863579
Also: (0044) 1282 864721
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Contact: Andy Postance

[guru_1071]

my bro (winston) has said what i was going to say

we have to use avons on our mini as the hoosiers wont fit our rims (not wide enough)

some of the minis in hgtcc use hoosiers without any problems, as do the big cars - hoosier seem to do a lot of 'funny' sizes that avon dont make.

ive alwasy found the hoosier man a decent approachable bloke, he was even prepared to swop my avons on my rims for nothing (until he discovered that my tiny 4.5 x 10 wheels wouldnt fit his machine!)