Track day Rubber Choices for a C63
Discussion
I've been doing some (not a lot of) research on the interweb regarding track rubber. I'm off to the Ring in July to do a track day in the 507 and I'm going to take a spare set of 19s over with some virgin rubber in the hope it'll last me a few tourist drives and a decent day of open pit.
I've just bought a set of ad08R for day to day use but I have a set of Michelin Cup tyres on the spare wheels that have seen half a dry day at Silverstone from new.
Question is, will the Cups last the trip as it's a heavy car and relies a LOT on the tyre grip to keep it on the black stuff? If not should I go with another set of Cups, r888s or maybe even get some slicks?
There isn't much tread on the Cups new and I don't want to have to buy new out there if I can help it. Slicks have entered the conversation as I've never run a road car on these before due to concerns over stress on drivetrain components..
Any thoughts from other C63 racers? Wheels are 19" as I've said and I run 235/35/19 front and 265/30/19 rear.
I've just bought a set of ad08R for day to day use but I have a set of Michelin Cup tyres on the spare wheels that have seen half a dry day at Silverstone from new.
Question is, will the Cups last the trip as it's a heavy car and relies a LOT on the tyre grip to keep it on the black stuff? If not should I go with another set of Cups, r888s or maybe even get some slicks?
There isn't much tread on the Cups new and I don't want to have to buy new out there if I can help it. Slicks have entered the conversation as I've never run a road car on these before due to concerns over stress on drivetrain components..
Any thoughts from other C63 racers? Wheels are 19" as I've said and I run 235/35/19 front and 265/30/19 rear.
To elaborate Clarky...
It's been on 2 days so far in the 8 months I've owned it (it's only 1 year old). In that time it's destroyed and I mean properly destroyed a full set of Conti's, it's eating its way through the Cup tyres now (hence my post) and it's also turned a full set of pads to dust at a cost of £861 to replace at MB World Brooklands.
I've ordered Castrol SRF brake fluid (£90) and a set of race spec Porterfield pads (£540) to go with whatever tyres for the Ring trip. The discs will need replacing before the year is out aswell but I'll reach that nut crunching bridge when I come to it
Now back to tyre choices!
It's been on 2 days so far in the 8 months I've owned it (it's only 1 year old). In that time it's destroyed and I mean properly destroyed a full set of Conti's, it's eating its way through the Cup tyres now (hence my post) and it's also turned a full set of pads to dust at a cost of £861 to replace at MB World Brooklands.
I've ordered Castrol SRF brake fluid (£90) and a set of race spec Porterfield pads (£540) to go with whatever tyres for the Ring trip. The discs will need replacing before the year is out aswell but I'll reach that nut crunching bridge when I come to it
Now back to tyre choices!
I'm not a Caterham fan, much more fun hustling a big German barge round I used to have track cars but decided to consolidate...may reconsider that at some point!
Brakes are fine, it runs the Black Series setup as it's the 507 so 6 pots front and 4 pots rear with 380mm discs if I recall. With a set of race pads and SRF fluid in there it'll be fine.
Trofeo R, not heard or seen them before? Anybody think slicks are a good idea on a big heavy road car?
I used to have track cars but decided to consolidate...may reconsider that at some point!Brakes are fine, it runs the Black Series setup as it's the 507 so 6 pots front and 4 pots rear with 380mm discs if I recall. With a set of race pads and SRF fluid in there it'll be fine.
Trofeo R, not heard or seen them before? Anybody think slicks are a good idea on a big heavy road car?
Baryonyx said:
I'd look at getting some brake upgrades first as that is a big old tank to sling round a track.
The brake discs and calipers are absolutely huge as standard on a C63! A pad and fluid change is probably all that us required. Furthermore, compared to most circuits the ring is pretty light on brakes.I've just been to the ring and I had a brand new set of P Zero Corsas fitted to mine.
It was a bit scary on corners the day it rained but in the dry once hot they were amazing.
I'd have gone for the newer Trofeo Rs, but its also my daily driver and I drove it there and back, so the Corsas offer excellent performance on track and make the car driveable in the wet as well.
Still loads of tread left as well.
It was a bit scary on corners the day it rained but in the dry once hot they were amazing.
I'd have gone for the newer Trofeo Rs, but its also my daily driver and I drove it there and back, so the Corsas offer excellent performance on track and make the car driveable in the wet as well.
Still loads of tread left as well.
nightSpirit said:
Anybody think slicks are a good idea on a big heavy road car?
No, slicks will put so much more stress through the chassis, drivetrain and suspension, that you will probably break something!Better to spin away excess power through wheelspin, than break the drivetrain!
DavidY said:
No, slicks will put so much more stress through the chassis, drivetrain and suspension, that you will probably break something!
Better to spin away excess power through wheelspin, than break the drivetrain!
Thanks David, that was my thinking/fear. I mean I have warranty on the thing but I'd rather not use it Better to spin away excess power through wheelspin, than break the drivetrain!
Joeguard1990 said:
I've just been to the ring and I had a brand new set of P Zero Corsas fitted to mine.
It was a bit scary on corners the day it rained but in the dry once hot they were amazing.
I'd have gone for the newer Trofeo Rs, but its also my daily driver and I drove it there and back, so the Corsas offer excellent performance on track and make the car driveable in the wet as well.
Still loads of tread left as well.
I'll check out the Trofeo R then...maybe the AD08R that are going on this afternoon (for the road) could be another choice as they're cheap.It was a bit scary on corners the day it rained but in the dry once hot they were amazing.
I'd have gone for the newer Trofeo Rs, but its also my daily driver and I drove it there and back, so the Corsas offer excellent performance on track and make the car driveable in the wet as well.
Still loads of tread left as well.
aww999 said:
Am I missing something? If you are taking a spare set of wheels for track-only use, run them until they're bald, then swap back to your road tyres for the drive home.
Also: full marks for commitment tracking that beast seriously!
That's the plan indeed...but I just want something that will last a full open pit day and maybe 6-8 laps of tourist driving the day before.Also: full marks for commitment tracking that beast seriously!
And thankyou on the commitment. It's not exactly at home on track but the tyres make it behave to a point!
Olivera said:
The brake discs and calipers are absolutely huge as standard on a C63! A pad and fluid change is probably all that us required. Furthermore, compared to most circuits the ring is pretty light on brakes.
That's what I meant, as a starter for ten. Whilst the 'Ring flows nicely and has some good cooling sections where you're off the brakes for a good while, the C63 is still a lot of weight to haul down to a stop. Some brakes that can match the might of the engine under hard use would be a good bet, and pads and fluid would be first port of call.nightSpirit said:
Joeguard1990 said:
I've just been to the ring and I had a brand new set of P Zero Corsas fitted to mine.
It was a bit scary on corners the day it rained but in the dry once hot they were amazing.
I'd have gone for the newer Trofeo Rs, but its also my daily driver and I drove it there and back, so the Corsas offer excellent performance on track and make the car driveable in the wet as well.
Still loads of tread left as well.
I'll check out the Trofeo R then...maybe the AD08R that are going on this afternoon (for the road) could be another choice as they're cheap.It was a bit scary on corners the day it rained but in the dry once hot they were amazing.
I'd have gone for the newer Trofeo Rs, but its also my daily driver and I drove it there and back, so the Corsas offer excellent performance on track and make the car driveable in the wet as well.
Still loads of tread left as well.
They're designed for the track day user with one set of wheels in mind - drive there with reasonable wear, storm round the track, then home.
Ok...so the question is are the AD08R comparable to the Cup tyres? I want to be able to lean on them pretty hard on track. The Trofeo R or R888 are almost twice the price I can get the AD08R for...are they going to be that much better? I have to admit the Cup tyres at Silverstone really held the car in shape, even with me at the wheel! You could feel the back end flexing and wanting to step out but the tyres were having none of it and I didn't even get the fronts squealing really.
So today I answered my own question at Goodwood (if anyone cares).
I went out on the AD08R's for around 30 minutes and although they're definitely better than normal road tyres (Conti's in my case), the traction control light was still coming on out of most corners and the car definitely felt loose in the twisties. I put the Cup tyres on in the afternoon and the difference was instant...no traction light at all and the car just held on no matter what I did. Lap times on the AD08R's were around 1.45, with the Cups, 1.35 dead.
So there you have it folks, for me at least in the C63...the Cup tyres rule.
I went out on the AD08R's for around 30 minutes and although they're definitely better than normal road tyres (Conti's in my case), the traction control light was still coming on out of most corners and the car definitely felt loose in the twisties. I put the Cup tyres on in the afternoon and the difference was instant...no traction light at all and the car just held on no matter what I did. Lap times on the AD08R's were around 1.45, with the Cups, 1.35 dead.
So there you have it folks, for me at least in the C63...the Cup tyres rule.
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