track day wheel size

Tue May 19, 2009 3:55 am

what size wheels and tyre combination would be ideal for a touring just for track use?

Tue May 19, 2009 4:31 pm

Toyo R 888 Proxes- they are the daddys! standard manufacturers sizes should be fine

Tue May 19, 2009 4:35 pm

I'd stick to 15" to keep your tyre cost down, and tyre wise for track only, look at Toyo R888's

Either 195 or 205's

Tue May 19, 2009 4:44 pm

15inch is a winner plus they'll keep the correct gearing .

The difference in price between 16inch R888's and 15inch R888's is something like £30-£40 last time I checked.

There are alternatives to the R888, Avon do the ZZR and Dunlop do one too IIRC. The R888 is treid, tested, proven and loved on E30's though

Tue May 19, 2009 9:35 pm

There's also a lot of Kumho used V700's around if you speak to ProTyre Motorsport in Stoke they'll sell you a used set. They last pretty well but aren't the best in the wet...you've been warned!

ProTyre also used to do the Clio championship support so had lots of used slicks for sale... worth asking as slicks are well worth a go if you haven't driven on them before.

Wed May 20, 2009 3:37 am

thanks guys

Wed May 20, 2009 9:33 pm

I've run two sets of Toyo R888 and the last set of 15's cost me £65 inc fiting and disposal of the old tyres!! Result! That was from a man with a van at the Anglesey track in November..

Great tyres, keep it 15's

Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:54 pm

I used to be able to get 15" second hand slicks cheap as chips from the old Clio cup racers,, since the new Clio's went to 17" the supply of 15" slicks has dried up.

17" slicks i can get cheap but i get the feeling they will be just to big and heavy for the E30,, also on 17s i could fit bigger brakes which would cut down on the crazy cost of constantly changing pads which wear out every 2 trackdays.

Now that i am considering an M52 install would it be worth swapping to 17" wheels ??? would it be worth it bearing in mind i could get good cheap slicks/wets or would it just spoil the car ???.

at the moment i am thinking of going for scrappage on the E30 buying a tow car and a westie as the cost in tyres and brakes is just getting ridicoulus.

Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:08 pm

stoneyV6 wrote:at the moment i am thinking of going for scrappage on the E30 buying a tow car and a westie as the cost in tyres and brakes is just getting ridicoulus.

Tyres and brakes are a ridiculous cost? Try wasting your money on new car depreciation with the scrappage scheme supporting an industry that's built on a housing bubble that's over now.

Not taking the pee pee but E30's are cheap to run, try getting a brake upgrade If your pads are wearing out that fast!

Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:04 pm

17s should be ok, as long as theyre light and sensible offsets. on track the sidewall compliance that makes 15s drive so well on the road isnt as important.

if you can get suitably sized 17in slicks for not much money then it could be the way to go. untill recently 15in slicks / trackday tyres have been a lot cheaper than any other wheel size, plus there are (or used to be) plenty of cheap sets of 15in oem BBS wheels around which helped make them a popular size for spare sets.

Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:17 pm

bigger wheels and tyres increase the unsprung weight and also alter the gearing....

don't over-tyre the car...You will not increase grip past a certain point, but you will increase the rolling resistance, sapping power...
General rule is use the smallest tyre width that you can before loosing lateral grip

I run my M3 on 15" track wheels (with 215/50/15 R888 medium compound) and it could do with lower gearing...

My circa 215bhp isn't enough to make the tyres loose grip in the dry...

The advantage of going for bigger wheels is only really to be able to accomodate bigger brakes....If the braking effort is sufficient, then alter the pad grade to reduce wear...

I get through a set of Ferodo DS2500 on the front every 4 trackdays (and about 5K road miles), but the rears last longer (about twice as long)...

Tue Jul 14, 2009 8:58 pm

Ok thanks for the advice, its not that i want to switch to bigger wheels i guess i have just been spoilt with all the good cheap slicks.

Might have another look at the cars set up to see if i can get better turn in from the semi slicks as it understeers a little more than i would like.

I have had DS2500 and then DS3000 both lasted two trackdays at best, been using mintex 1166 pads but its the same result two trackdays and ruined, so its try another pad or go for a brake upgade.

Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:37 am

Pagid RS29 pads mate.

We have them on the race car and we have done about 8 full trackdays and then 6 races at brands, 2 races at silverstone, 2 races at castle combe, 2 races at snetterton and 2 races at cadwell, as well as the driving to all the tracks from Essex.

They still have about 80% of the original meat on them too - we are running brembo vented discs.

They are £130 or so but well worth it since you don't have to keep changing the pads all the time.

Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:56 pm

Ok thanks i will give them a try,, someone at anglesey trackday also recommended the pagids.

are your brembo discs standard size and running standard calipers.

Thu Jul 16, 2009 1:23 am

Yep, we all run standard discs and calipers.

RS29 are great value for money.

Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:26 am

I run 8x17 comp MO's on the tourer,wi 224x45-17 on the back and 215x45-17 on the front,all wi R888 tyres,just right in my opinion for my set up

Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:45 pm

cragles wrote:Pagid RS29 pads mate.

We have them on the race car and we have done about 8 full trackdays and then 6 races at brands, 2 races at silverstone, 2 races at castle combe, 2 races at snetterton and 2 races at cadwell, as well as the driving to all the tracks from Essex.

They still have about 80% of the original meat on them too - we are running brembo vented discs.

They are £130 or so but well worth it since you don't have to keep changing the pads all the time.

£130 for RS29? Where from if you don't mind me asking?