Tyre choice

[Hoobs]

I've been running with 195/50x15 Toyo 888's (medium compound) but want something a bit softer for sprint events. I found the 888's great for track-days but obviously with sprints there is no opportunity to get any heat into them. I tried sourcing soft compound 888's but they're must be on the same shelf as unicorn noses and hens teeth.

Anyway, I just took a punt on a set of 205/50x15 Yokohama Advan O32R soft compound cut slicks. Has anyone else ever used them? Do you think I should use the same pressures as the 888's?

Also, wondered if they're street legal? They do have an 'e' number and only thing written on side wall is ''for a sporting drive''. I seem to remember illegal tyres say ''for competition use only'', although I may be wrong?

[DasChin]

Hoobs

if they are e marked that means they are approved for European road use. you can use them at the ring with the E mark too.

A032s are good tyres, great grip and soft. do you know what compound you have? I would say a better tyre than the 888 and more tolerant to heat. you could probably run them at 30-32 hot and not have to worry about them like the 888s.

HTH, NW

[Hoobs]

All I know is that they were sold as 'soft' compound and that was the motive behind my buying them. I've been happy enough with 888's and run them on my daily e21.

[duracel79]

Mark,

We run the soft 032R's on the D-Type. We run very similar pressures to the 888's (30-32 hot). They do seem to have more outright grip than the 888's, but take longer to warm up. They will stand being at temp for much longer.

888's start overheating after 15-20 mins where as the 032's will happily do 30mins+. Both on ~1000kg rwd cars.

Yoko do a SS version as well which would be better for you. However the 032R has generally been superseeded by the 048R.

Also bear in mind tyres don't last forever. Recently we ran the Dtype on a set of nearly new looking 032's, but could not get any heat into them, on a cold, moist day. They were stored off the car out of sunlight but where about 5 years old. The newer the tyre (irrelevant of tread depth) the softer the compound will remain.

I have heard of some sprinters using List 1A tyres due to them being far easier to get heat into.

Hope some of this helps

Duracel79

Edit: Not a problem for road use, fully legal if over the wear bars.

[Hoobs]

Cheers for that.

I'm just waiting on a call to pick up a few sets of Dunlop D84J tyres in 205/5-/15 and 225/ 50/15. (new & part worn but with lots of life left)

I'll be keeping some but the rest will be available to anyone interested.

[DasChin]

I would be interested in the 205/50/15s when you get them fella.

NW

[Hoobs]

Soon as I get the call I'll go collect them.

[duracel79]

D84J's are much harder than 888's or 032's.

Used to have to run them in Group 1, Only ever had one set and didn't wear them out in more than 10 races. Mine were in 215/50/13 which were not road legal, had 'FOR COMPETITION USE ONLY' stamped in the side wall. I believe this was due to the 30mm wide band in the middle which made them dangerous in standing water. Looked like this band was to widen the tyre from a 185/60/13.

Not sure, but I think other sizes are road legal.

Duracel79

[Hoobs]

Thinking I'll save the Dunlops for track-days and the others for sprints.

[Hoobs]

I made a mistake and these Yokohamas are 60 profile, not 50's. They're fitted to a set of OE BBS crosspokes and on eBay but if anyone here is interested, there's a zone discount.