15 replies to this topic

[The_Doctor]

Hi,

 

I've currently got Falken SN807's on 10" 8 spoke rims. The grip isn't bad but it doesn't seem spectacular. If I were to buy a set of Yokohama A008s, which are 165 wide, as opposed to 145, what could I expect? How would they compare for grip, handling, wet grip, etc.. All the regular things you compare with tyres. Would there be a noticeable increase in grip?

 

Cheers

[Dusky]

Generally, wiby going for wider tyres you improve dry grip and lose wet grip

[robminibcy]

grip will be night and day between the yokos and the falkens. Only problem you might have is getting the much wider Yoko on to the wheels, I run the yokos on a 5" wheel and I don't think you'd want to put them on anything narrower.

[jaydee]

The A008 althugh decent on dry tarmac, are terrible in the wet

[The_Doctor]

Thanks for the replies everyone. So by the sounds of it the grip will be much better in the dry but pretty bad in the wet, and the wheel may be a bit narrow. I've read that they can go on as narrow as 4.5 inches so hopefully I'll be all good there, and as far as wet handling goes, I don't push it when its wet so hopefully should be all good there. Now just to save up for them!

[Alex_B]

I have run a008s in all weather on my daily and are much much better than the set of falkens I have on at the moment. Both wet and dry grip is better on the yokos. You can fit them to your wheels no problem and they wear pretty well too.

[Dusky]

Do they make the 914 falkens for 10 inch? Those are top notch, got them on mine atm

[robminibcy]

the a008s are fine in the wet, certainly better than the falkens. They struggle a bit with standing water but I think that's 10" wheels in general rather than the yokos in particular

[smurfomatic]

Have Falken FK07s on the Marcos - fine in the dry, OK in the wet (then again, any kind of 10" tyre on a car that weighs less than a standard Mini would probably be just as bad) and wear rate is very good.

[psychobob]

the yokos nearly killed me in very light snow, so I'm not much of a fan, living in the north and everything. I realise they aren't really designed for winter use, but if you use your car all year round, I'd think about a spare set of wheels for winter. an uncontrollable pirouette at 10mph is a bit scary. it was snowy the day I fitted falkens, and the drive home was like a completely different car!. on the other hand the yokos are definitely stickier on a nice sunny day, (we don't get many up here though!)

[Baldspeed Racing]

ive never had any problems with my old yoki's even do wet track days at Castle Combe, they are a far better tyre than the falkens

[Cooperman]

A 165 tyre is quite ok on a 4.5 rim.
The A008 is very good until just over 1/2 worn then the performance in the wet drops off.
The A008 is pretty hopeless on mud or gravel.
Dry roadholding is better with the 008, but wet road-holding and overall handling on the 145 is better and much more like the cars in the 1960's.

[carbon]

Other problem I have experienced with 165x10 tyres on Mini-Marcos is really severe aquaplaning if you hit standing water at anything over about 50mph. When I was using this as a daily driver I had a couple of really scary incidents which prompted a change to 145x10 on 4.5 inch rims. This sorted the problem.

 

As Cooperman says the handling of the 145x10 tyres on 4.5 rim is much more forgiving in all weather use. It's just a pity there is not more choice available in this size.

[HUBBA.HUBBA]

Can't you get a032 yokos for your size. I wouldn't bother with anything else

[timmy850]

I have a set of 3.5" steel wheels with the 145 Falkens and 5" alloys with the 165 Yokos. I've never had either of them give me poor traction in the wet or anything weird. Most of the guys here with Cooper S 4.5" steels run the A008's and I've never heard of any problems with the narrower rims. 

 

I think the feel of the car was better with the 145 tyres. They have less grip but they matched the tune of the suspension better and they were a bit more fun. 

 

The wider tyres and lighter alloys mean they have more grip and they speed up quicker, but in my opinion they don't suit the stock suspension as well and don't feel as "right".