Avon ZZR longevity on road

Avon ZZR longevity on road

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Discussion

S366

Original Poster:

1,036 posts

142 months

Saturday 27th January
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Evening all, following on from my previous post:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Thank you to everyone who shared their inputs, it’s greatly appreciated.

I have another question, to those who use ZZR’s for road use, do you possibly know how many miles you can get out of them? It’s what I run on my 7 but as over 90% of their use is on track, I’m not sure how long a set will last with road use.
I’m assuming, with how light the Caterham is and without hammering them on track at full operating temp, that a half worn set could do 2500 miles of mainly motorway driving without becoming illegal, but thought it best to check.

Any input is much appreciated!

agatebox

93 posts

134 months

Sunday 28th January
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It’s not so much the tyre compound but how much an aggressive set up you have for track use.
If you’re running a lot of negative camber combined with some toe out on the front for track work you’ll find you’ll soon be wearing down the inside portion of the tyres at an alarming rate under “normal” road use.

Edited by agatebox on Monday 29th January 06:40

D7PNY

376 posts

163 months

Tuesday 30th January
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As above, the geometry is a bigger factor.

Aggressive set up and it will eat the inside edge but generally speaking a 'road going' Caterham (with road biased set up) will have tyres go old before they wear out!

I use mine on track (and road occasionally) and have an aggressive setup so not idea on the road (follows the road a lot and obviously will increase tyre wear) but I'm taking mine to Nurburgring in April with no worries re. tyres.

agatebox

93 posts

134 months

Tuesday 30th January
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The other thing to consider for extensive road use is ZZRs don’t take kindly to standing water.
Having had the pleasure of aquaplaning without warning a couple of times on the local dual carriageway with ZZRs, personally id be fitting ZZSs for any potential wet motorways unless you’re prepared to seriously reduce your speed if conditions turn bad.

D7PNY

376 posts

163 months

Tuesday 30th January
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agatebox said:
The other thing to consider for extensive road use is ZZRs don’t take kindly to standing water.
Having had the pleasure of aquaplaning without warning a couple of times on the local dual carriageway with ZZRs, personally id be fitting ZZSs for any potential wet motorways unless you’re prepared to seriously reduce your speed if conditions turn bad.
Yes, I meant to say the same! I run ZZS on mine now.

ZZR look cool and quicker once up to temperature but ZZS a fantastic all rounder. Hoping they will be available again soon (in NOVA motorsport guise) as I'll need to replace at some point this year I think.

S366

Original Poster:

1,036 posts

142 months

Tuesday 30th January
quotequote all
agatebox said:
It’s not so much the tyre compound but how much an aggressive set up you have for track use.
If you’re running a lot of negative camber combined with some toe out on the front for track work you’ll find you’ll soon be wearing down the inside portion of the tyres at an alarming rate under “normal” road use.
Because of the length of the drive, the suspension/geo will be completely adjusted prior to the trip, with the current ride height, I doubt I’d make it to Italy without smashing the sump to piecesbiggrin

agatebox said:
The other thing to consider for extensive road use is ZZRs don’t take kindly to standing water.
Having had the pleasure of aquaplaning without warning a couple of times on the local dual carriageway with ZZRs, personally id be fitting ZZSs for any potential wet motorways unless you’re prepared to seriously reduce your speed if conditions turn bad.
Although I’m making the drive in Summer, I have no issue slowing right down if the weather turns bad, I’m planning the drive down over 3 days to make sure I’m in no rush.

Swapping on a set of new ZZSs is likely the best option, but my tight fisted ‘Yorkshire’ side doesn’t want to spend £1k on a set of tyres for one trip………..unless anyone has a set for staggered 13’s that they want to part with? hehe

BertBert

19,040 posts

211 months

Tuesday 30th January
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You could always use them once you are back as well.

Edited by BertBert on Wednesday 31st January 07:36

S366

Original Poster:

1,036 posts

142 months

Friday 2nd February
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BertBert said:
You could always use them once you are back as well.

Edited by BertBert on Wednesday 31st January 07:36
Doubt I’d have much use for them though, the 7 is used on track 90% of the time and I use the ZZR’s for track, I could possibly keep the ZZS’s as ‘wets’. However, even though I have a spare pair of front wheels I would need to source a pair of the wider rears which seem to be getting hard to find after Caterham discontinued them.

BertBert

19,040 posts

211 months

Saturday 3rd February
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S366 said:
Doubt I’d have much use for them though, the 7 is used on track 90% of the time and I use the ZZR’s for track, I could possibly keep the ZZS’s as ‘wets’. However, even though I have a spare pair of front wheels I would need to source a pair of the wider rears which seem to be getting hard to find after Caterham discontinued them.
Ah yes that's different then!
Just out of interest, how are the ZZRs in the wet on track?

Tupwood

167 posts

68 months

Saturday 3rd February
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S366 said:
Doubt I’d have much use for them though, the 7 is used on track 90% of the time and I use the ZZR’s for track, I could possibly keep the ZZS’s as ‘wets’. However, even though I have a spare pair of front wheels I would need to source a pair of the wider rears which seem to be getting hard to find after Caterham discontinued them.
You won't really need the wider rears for a road trip, so 4 6x13 wheels and a set of tyres can be seen as consumable for the trip, and you should be able to recoup all of the wheel cost and most of the tyres by selling them on afterwards. Get them fitted pre-geo change, adjust the ride height to match, and you'll have a nicely balanced car for the trip, A set of four 6 inch wheels will have a wider market afterwards as well.

Alternatively, borrow a set of wheels from a mate and contribute towards a new set of tyres afterwards?

Tupwood

167 posts

68 months

Saturday 3rd February
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Staggered set of ZZS now on BlatChat

https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/forums/topic/27475...

FuzzyLogic

1,638 posts

238 months

Wednesday 7th February
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Avon have now decided to close down their motorsport division - those of us in the Caterham series have had to move to the Toyos because the ZZS and ZZR apparently won’t be available for much longer anyway..

Sorry - I see S366 already mentioned this

Edited by FuzzyLogic on Wednesday 7th February 22:06


Edited by FuzzyLogic on Wednesday 7th February 22:07