195 vs 205 tyres? any opinions?

[gchristofi]

I'm about to buy some tyres to be budget track jobs, like the sound of the toyo proxes t1-r. 205 50 15 are approx twice the price of 195 50 15, so the question is, on track, will it make a huge difference?

Anybody with direct experience of losing 10mm from their tyre width (or gaining) and the difference it made?

[Jackflash]

It may be slightly different on a fwd car but my daily is a Corrado VR6, I run 195s rather than the manufacturer spec 205s and it actually sharpens the ride up a bit seen as there's slightly less squidgy sidewall action and tbh there is no difference in outright grip between the two

[TouringTash]

I would say it depends on the power output and what chassis set-up you have.

if its more about the money give the 195's a go as its not as if they will last too long. Then if you get bitten by the bug its all upgrades and your times will improve with each new present for the love of your life.

[djs325]

Wow, a big difference in price there. Still would recommend the 205/50 if you can stretch to it.

[gchristofi]

yes, it's a big difference, but also a dedicated track car so might be worth it. Although the larger tyres are a similar price to the Federal 595 rs semi slicks linked in a previous post.... decisions decisions....

[Jimbo2006]

I had the same dilemma and ended up going for 195 T1Rs, just changed to a new set actually.

Benefits include cheaper cost, lower ride height, lower rotational and unsprung mass, slightly lower gearing...
The only downside (apart from the width) is a slightly optimistic speedo reading. The grip level is surprisingly good.

As mentioned above, they won't last that long with track use like any tyre, so worth a punt at £130 delivered for all four (Camskill I think or ebay).

[kimbo]

It really depends on the rim width.
For track use, general advise is to use the widest permissible rim for a given tyre size, so as to stiffen the sidewall (as previously posted).
e.g. Toyo's recommendation for the 195/50-15 R888 FOR TRACK USE would be a 7"rim.
For the 205 this would be a 7.5"rim.
This recommendation may vary between manufacturers, so check their data before buying.
I would guess if you're on std width rims, the 195 would be the one to go for, using the above rule of thumb.
BTW the reason you want to stiffen the sidewalls, is to prevent deflection when cornering, which can cause lack of bite when turning in and rapid overheating of the tyre. (Contrary to what you might think, the majority of heat generated in the tyre is through the deflection of the sidewalls, not friction (or lack of) between the track and the road).
HTH

Kim.

[DanThe]

I found T1R's disappointing on track, if you must have a road tyre Marangoni's are considered a better choice AFAIK

[gchristofi]

Thanks for all the good info. I can see some upsides for the 195s and at around 120 for 4, I might just try them with not much to lose.... track specific tyres are very tempting but I suspect I can improve myself much more before I make the best of that spend...

[Motorhole]

I found T1R's disappointing on track, if you must have a road tyre Marangoni's are considered a better choice AFAIK

Yes, the problem with road sports tyres is they get too hot too quickly on the track. They arn't designed for operating at maximum load for prolonged periods of time. I believe the Marangonis are more popular because they are a hard compound and have been developed as a control tyre for a couple of racing series (RX8 challenge was one of them I think).