11 replies to this topic

[mdickson]

I am considering what tyres to put on my sportspack. I currently have the std sportspack alloys with A539's on at the moment.
I find them very good but know in the dry A048's would be even better. The thing is I am planning to do some track days but don't want to compromise the cars on road performance.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Martin.

[Sleepy Stu]

Umm you answered your own question?

If you want performance in the wet A539. If you want performance in the dry A048. Going to have to choose one or the other im afraid.

Edited by Sleepy Stu, 20 September 2011 - 08:24 PM.

[Tommyboy12]

Would also bear in mind that the A048 is a very soft compound. Mine lasted 5000 miles. Compared to three times that for my A539's.

[E.L.M.O]

Dont surpose you have enought £ to afford a set of track wheels and tyres? I guess that would be the best solution

[Wil_h]

Depends how wet. The softer the tyre and the greater the available surface, the better the grip.

Only when you nead to really start clearing water (i.e. when there are puddles and actual surface water) will the additional cuts of the A539s be of use.

Watching things like F1 gets people all confused about wet and dry tyres. What is critical in F1 (and other top class racing series) is tyre temperature. If tis can't be maintained then you lose grip. a road tyre doe not improve with temperature to any great extent, in fact they can easily be overheated. so dry and wet performance are not as far apart as on a racing tyre.

I use my slicks in almost all weathers on my hillclimber, again this is because hillclimb compounds are designed to work from cold.

[bobs]

Watching things like F1 gets people all confused about wet and dry tyres. What is critical in F1 (and other top class racing series) is tyre temperature. If tis can't be maintained then you lose grip.

What about hydroplaning and contact with the track, clearing water is surely a consideration also..?

[Black.Ghost]

Maybe the question you wanted to ask is, are A048s good enough in the wet that it wont affect my normal driving on the road while being better for the track, and how much grip do you lose over the A539s?

[Mini_Magic]

a road tyre doe not improve with temperature to any great extent, in fact they can easily be overheated.

Really? I've found all cars to have a noticeable increase in grip after a long journey on the motorway.

I can usually feel the difference between a cold and hot tyre, and that's just when driving normally.

[Wil_h]

Watching things like F1 gets people all confused about wet and dry tyres. What is critical in F1 (and other top class racing series) is tyre temperature. If this can't be maintained then you lose grip.

What about hydroplaning and contact with the track, clearing water is surely a consideration also..?

Yes, of course, but this only happens when there is standing water, if it is a wet surcace with no standing water, you will still be better with a slick. My point being that there is no simple way to say the A539 is better in the wet over the A048 because 'wet' is not a single condition.

a road tyre doe not improve with temperature to any great extent, in fact they can easily be overheated.

Really? I've found all cars to have a noticeable increase in grip after a long journey on the motorway.

I can usually feel the difference between a cold and hot tyre, and that's just when driving normally.

I can honestly say that in all my years of driving I have never noticed a normal road tyre offer measurable grip increase when hot. what I have found is that after a couple of laps of a circuit they just give up.

I personally think what you are feeling is not a tyre effect, if you run A048s it could be though.

[Mini_Magic]

No I mean on any road tyre, in any road car. As the journey progresses, I can feel the tyres getting more grip, the car feels like it needs less input to stay in a straight line.

When it's cold, the tyres feel more skittish. Again this is with any car, not just a Mini.

[Wil_h]

You don't really need grip to stay in a straight line. In fact I don't think the effect you are feeling is ttre related at all. More likley shocks and springs warming up, and gearbox oil thinning making the diff less tight.

[pete79]

Is it a track day car or is it a daily driver? If its the latter you might want to consider the prevailing weather condition in the UK...

I think the biggest noticable difference in the tyres is the way the grooves are cut - this determines how the tyre deals with standing water - which in turn really affects the chances you will aquaplane.

I very much doubt, unless you're driving like a total loon, that you would ever generate enough heat in a tyre to really notice any difference in normal road driving conditions, or that it would make any difference in its performance, certainly when you consider the state of the UK roads and again, the usual weather conditions. Race tyres are designed to get hot and sticky and have the life expectancy of a fruit fly. Road tyres are designed to last 1000's of miles, be quiet, have rolling resistances that don't harm fuel efficiencies too much meet minimum standards to clear enough water....

Lastly, in most cases do you want 'ultimate' grip? Cars with more grip tend to let go a hell of a lot quicker. Those with less tend to do so more progressively. My Yoko A539s tend to slide just enough to let me know I really shouldn't go any faster

Just my tuppence worth, I'm obviously no tyre expert