R400 tyres

[sam919]

Hi,

Can anyone reccommend a good track tyre in 235/45/13 and 175/60/13, there for a caterham R400 and for use in the dry. I have 6x13 front and 7x13 back. I use the CR500 for wets.

Thanks

[jimmyslr]

Blatchat is the place for this where it's been done to death, but the summary might be....

- Yoko AO48s favoured as decent grip and similar set ups (camber etc) to your wets
- ACB10s, but work best with less camber than your current ones like. These are usually thought of as stickiest and used to be OE on fast caterhams until they came up with CR500
- slicks if just for dry track days! Same set up issues as for ACB10s

The CR500 is not at all bad in dry I've found. They don't disintegrate and are v close to A048s

James

[sfaulds]

Where have you got those sizes from? You're restricting your options massively, and I'd like to understand why.

[sam919]

Thanks for the replies.Notes taken.

The sizes were derived from using Kumho Ecstas and there manafacture. They do, as you probably know makes others but after a season racing at croft and various other circuits these sizes seemed to be most suitable for the range. The suitability was reflected in the track times in practise, testing and races.

I didnt own the car last year it was a freind who competed in it, i have only managed to get a few test days in it so far.

I have heard mixed reviews about the Kumho Ecsta tyre but a few freinds have used them with considerable success so i have gone on there reccomendation as you would do.

Kumho like them or not dont seem to be making them/ getting them in the uk and by a conversation with them look to be concentrating on Rally stuff, so im doing some research to find an alternative.

Slicks will put the car in the top class and i think due to costs i will try and stick with the class im in.

Thanks.

[sjmmarsh]

On a similar vein, I am looking to find some List 1A rubber suitable for a CSR - the tyres fitted are Avon CR500s 195/45/15 and 245/40/15, but these are list 1B which puts me in the class with slicks.

Unfortunately while the fronts are reasonably standard I can't find anything close to the rears - has anyone done this, or are there any other options I should consider?

Steve

[sam919]

What tyres and sizes would you reccommend faulds?

Thanks

Edited by sam919 on Wednesday 2nd January 18:24

[Gareth135R]

Stick to the CR500s...they're the lightest.
Once I kill my R888s I will go back to them.

[casbar]

If you trailer to the track, buy some used slicks. I run Michelin used Radial slicks on my R300 and they have been great for the last 2 years.

If you don't trailer and need a road/track tyre, then either CR500's, Yoko 42's or ACB10's. (Xplies)

I run CR500's on the road, and also use as a wet tyre for the track, then stick on the slicks if its dry and adjust the ride height and suspension to suit the dry setup and smaller tyre size.

Now going to buy some Michelin wets for wet track use

[sam919]

the car is in the smrc race series so it gets there on a trailer. Slicks would put me in the class A, now in class D. Slicks would be good, still thinking about it!!

I have heard about putting the cr's on the opposite direction for use on the wet?! this was from info from the graduates.

[rubystone]

sam919 said:

I have heard about putting the cr's on the opposite direction for use on the wet?! this was from info from the graduates.

Yes, Hyperion run the fronts this way round, but I don't recall the rears being run the opposite way round though.

[snapper seven]

sam919 said:

I have heard about putting the cr's on the opposite direction for use on the wet?! this was from info from the graduates.

I understand it is actually when used in the dry when its hot as they get too much disproportionate heat build up and have been known to show signs of delamintaing. Putting them on backwards helps prevent this due to the way the tyre is constructed.

SS

[SimonY]

I race in the Roadsports where CR500 is our control tyre. Most people run the fronts the 'wrong' way round, we run them the 'right' way and have never suffered a problem. Having spoken to Avon this year their advice was to use them the 'right' way round and always leave them on the same corners.

Grip levels are identical running either way but they seem to wear quicker/peel when run the 'wrong' way. Has also been suggested that there may be an improvement in braking run the 'wrong' way - I have certainly not noticed this. And of course the tread is designed in such a way to displace water so running them the 'right' way solves the 'will it or won't it rain' conundrum in the build up to a race.

[sam919]

The SMRC series i race in has no limits to tyre sizes in the class im in. ACB10's are coming in at around 560 quid for a set 185/50/13 and 245/45/13s if i remember correctly. I would still use the Cr's for better performance in the wet and change the camber settings.

The thing is i have been quoted by BMTR?! around tenner more for slicks wet and dry. Its a hypothetical question with many variables, what would be the life span of both slicks compared to treaded/ road track tyres?. The cost being around the same. The class i race in would change as well.

Does anyone know of any good tyre suppliers of the above.