Discussion
I'm hoping someone in the know with a V8 can give me a hand. I'm completely confused about what tyres I should be fitting to my Tiv. I posted about this shortly before I bought the car, but took it no further as the tyres seemed okay after all.
A recent post prompted me to think again, but searching back through the forums, I really don't know what to do for the best.
Having popped into a local tyre place today, they couldn't offer me a z-rated tyre other than P6000s, which aren't the flavour of the month amongst the PH regulars it seems.
This post - www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=144891&f=11&h=0 - mentioned RE720s VR15 but I've looked and not found any mention of a Z version of this, and the tyre bloke seemed to think I should replace my RE71s with another Z tyre.
He couldn't see Goodyear Eagle F1's on his database either. Nor S03s.
What I have now is RE71 205/60/ZR15.
Is there anything Z-rated out there? I hope to do some track days this year so I want something that can handle some spirited driving, though I drive like a confused and sedated mole on the road.
Should I go for a different profile if it means I can get a Z tyre? What does that do to road clearance?
Please help!
A recent post prompted me to think again, but searching back through the forums, I really don't know what to do for the best.
Having popped into a local tyre place today, they couldn't offer me a z-rated tyre other than P6000s, which aren't the flavour of the month amongst the PH regulars it seems.
This post - www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=144891&f=11&h=0 - mentioned RE720s VR15 but I've looked and not found any mention of a Z version of this, and the tyre bloke seemed to think I should replace my RE71s with another Z tyre.
He couldn't see Goodyear Eagle F1's on his database either. Nor S03s.
What I have now is RE71 205/60/ZR15.
Is there anything Z-rated out there? I hope to do some track days this year so I want something that can handle some spirited driving, though I drive like a confused and sedated mole on the road.
Should I go for a different profile if it means I can get a Z tyre? What does that do to road clearance?
Please help!
I assume your rims are all standard size i.e. 15 x 7J all round. The tyres you want for those rims are 205 width, 55 or 60 profile, and they need to be Z rated.
I recommend S02 Pole Position 205/55ZR15 (the Pole Position bit is important) or S03 Pole Position 205/55ZR15. The S02 is out of production and getting harder to find but you should have no trouble finding S03s.
If you do go for S03s, they're a great tyre but remember they prefer a couple of psi less pressure than earlier Bridgestones.
I recommend S02 Pole Position 205/55ZR15 (the Pole Position bit is important) or S03 Pole Position 205/55ZR15. The S02 is out of production and getting harder to find but you should have no trouble finding S03s.
If you do go for S03s, they're a great tyre but remember they prefer a couple of psi less pressure than earlier Bridgestones.
This has been discussed many times before and although many prefer Z rated tyres its not essential to fit them for road use, as the top speed is not over 150mph. If you are going to do track days however I reccommend you use a Z rated tyre, if you cant get hold of any RE71's send me a message as I may have 2 very good RE71's up for sale very soon when my new Chim wheels arrive!
Mike
Mike
V8Smith said:
This has been discussed many times before and although many prefer Z rated tyres its not essential to fit them for road use, as the top speed is not over 150mph. If you are going to do track days however I reccommend you use a Z rated tyre, if you cant get hold of any RE71's send me a message as I may have 2 very good RE71's up for sale very soon when my new Chim wheels arrive!
Mike
Mike I beg to differ on 2 counts. Firstly the OE spec is Z rated and by fitting anything other than that, it could legitimately be argued by your insurance company that you had made "changes" to the vehicle which may effect it's performance and therefore may invalidate your insurance unless of course you tell them about it! Secondly, as far as I am aware its not only about top speed, but also sidewall flexing of the tyre under acceleration and other manouvering which, given the V8S's extra power, required the uprated tyre spec.
Interested to hear any other views to the contrary 
WildfireS3 said:
Just a quick addon. Whatever you do, DO NOT use Pirelli P6000!! They are awful tires. I went from S02 PPs to the P6000, just because they were already fitted to my second set of wheels, and they are terrible, especially in the wet. They should be renamed P666s, Tyres of the Devil!!
Got to agree here, my V8s has P6000 on them and I don't like them at all (Sorry K400). The RE720 I have on the S2 seems to be a far superior tyre (yes, I know the S2 is lower in power
). So I'll probably change to S03's all round before the track day season starts.
Oh and change the Brakes too...
oh and...... STOP IT !! I must stop after the brake upgrades
(no pun intended) Shmern
y Scary.K400 said:
Smern - good to hear from you, what brake and other upgrades do you have in mind for 2005.
Hi !, good to hear from you too, As for upgrades, Im really am only going to do the brakes, I'd like to get a Griff500 brake upgrade, But in the shortterm it's more likely to be X-drilled and grooved discs with uprated pads and fluid.
K400 said:
Rog
(bored of her yet? still happy to buy her back!)
Hehe, I'll keep that in mind, but at the moment there is no chance, I just LOVE the car
, I still have the S2 which I want to finish tiding things first before I sell it in the summer. So if you want a cheap V6 (altho someone has already asked to be notified when I put it up for sale). But I guess it would be hard to go from a V8 to the V6, as good as the V6 is, and it really is, the V8 is just......... Awesome
Laters
Shmern
keithyboy said:
This has been discussed many times before and although many prefer Z rated tyres its not essential to fit them for road use, as the top speed is not over 150mph. If you are going to do track days however I reccommend you use a Z rated tyre, if you cant get hold of any RE71's send me a message as I may have 2 very good RE71's up for sale very soon when my new Chim wheels arrive!
Mike
Mike I beg to differ on 2 counts. Firstly the OE spec is Z rated and by fitting anything other than that, it could legitimately be argued by your insurance company that you had made "changes" to the vehicle which may effect it's performance and therefore may invalidate your insurance unless of course you tell them about it! Secondly, as far as I am aware its not only about top speed, but also sidewall flexing of the tyre under acceleration and other manouvering which, given the V8S's extra power, required the uprated tyre spec.
Forgive me but what is OE spec?
According to the UK tyre law a Z rated tyre is only legally required for cars with a top speed of over 150mph, there may be other factors I am not aware of but its not listed under the tyre law requirements in the UK that I can see! Clarification would be great as I would like to know.
I spoke to two insurance companies including my current one, ClassicLine, (after some of the guys on here made similar comments) and they both said the original tyre rating has no bearing on insurance at all and using RE720's on the V8S was acceptable as the V8S has a top speed less than 150mph. Knowing Insurance companies they probably differ but its not cut and dry that you NEED a Z rated tyre, probably only with certain insurance companies!
Mike
V8Smith said:
I spoke to two insurance companies including my current one, ClassicLine, (after some of the guys on here made similar comments) and they both said the original tyre rating has no bearing on insurance at all and using RE720's on the V8S was acceptable as the V8S has a top speed less than 150mph. Knowing Insurance companies they probably differ but its not cut and dry that you NEED a Z rated tyre, probably only with certain insurance companies!
Mike
Mike, two things
1st they told me to get it writing from the tyre manufacture that the tyres were of equal or better spec.This was when i was looking at some "W" rated tyres.
Second I hope you have it in writing from your insurance company that they will pay out in event of an accident (god forbid) with "V" rated tyres fitted
Do I presume correctly that Z-rated tyres are designed for higher speeds, but they also give a nod to the torque of a car? I mean, do they cope better with the turning forces acting upon them on a V8 as opposed to a V6?
You know how tyres on tractor pulling machines twist noticeably? If you put a lower-rated tyre on a V8, would something similar occur, albeit a very small amount?
Or is it purely speed rating?
Thankyou for your comments - it seems my options are:
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Z
- S02 PP Z (if available)
- S03 Z
- try sourcing RE71 Z from Micheldever
On the last of that list, a chap has emailed me about a set of RE71s he has in his garage. I know they are the tyre fitted originally to the car, but are the S03s or Eagles a significant step-up - particularly considering their more-recent development? Technology marches on and all that...
In other words, is a set of RE71s still worth a look or were they great in the early 90s but mediocre in comparison now?
You know how tyres on tractor pulling machines twist noticeably? If you put a lower-rated tyre on a V8, would something similar occur, albeit a very small amount?
Or is it purely speed rating?
Thankyou for your comments - it seems my options are:
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Z
- S02 PP Z (if available)
- S03 Z
- try sourcing RE71 Z from Micheldever
On the last of that list, a chap has emailed me about a set of RE71s he has in his garage. I know they are the tyre fitted originally to the car, but are the S03s or Eagles a significant step-up - particularly considering their more-recent development? Technology marches on and all that...
In other words, is a set of RE71s still worth a look or were they great in the early 90s but mediocre in comparison now?
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