Dunlop SSR replacement?

[timbarber]

I've been digging around for replacement options for the Dunlop SSR tyre for the last week, as my fronts are shot and I'm off to the Ring for a couple of days soon. I've used the SSR's for road/wet track use, keeping a set of Dunlop DZ02Js as my dry track option.

I considered the MPSC but they are expensive, partly due to their limited tread depth and the impact of my negative camber set up on their road wear. Having looked at a few, I narrowed my search down to the Toyo Proxes T1-R and Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3 both of which were around the £80 excluding fitting. I then spoke to a friend of mine in the tyre business, who suggested I look at a new tyre from a Dutch company, the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta. The web reviews I found suggested the Sessanta's performed at least as well and often better than the better known makes. A Powercar survey showed them as their winner, with the Goodyear's a close second and the Toyo's a distant last.

Anyway, I've decided to give them a try. They look the DBs, let's just hope they perform well at the Ring. If anyone else has tried them or has heard anything more about them, I'd be interested in the feedback.

All of you boys off to Spa next weekend, have a great trip - I'll be thinking of you.

 

[ChrisW]

I have just had an MOT fail on four MPSC's -- the rear's had lost 1mm on the inside edge, the front's 2mm, but they looked road legal to me.

Very bad news after 2000 road miles and no track days.

So I have just fitted Toyo 888's primarily for road stuff -- supposedly 5mm of tread --- but I think that's useable.

 

[jason]

MPSC's for 2000 road miles doesn't seem too clever to me Chris? They're not really a road tyre surely...there are better road tyres if you are not going on track with it

 

[ChrisW]

But I bought the dream that they are also road legal, and on the M3CSL there was a document from Michelin claiming that the very shallow tread on the inside edge of the tyre did not count for the edge to edge wear calculation applied to MOT etc. This stated that it was the central area where the tread starts at 5mm that counted.

With negative camber the inner edges will wear, and if there is only 2mm to start with --- it seems to me that one may not legally be able to drive back home after even a single track day ? !

The tread depth on the R888's is about 8mm.

There is definitely 5mm of wear available.

Yes the PSCups are better on track because they go off less quickly, but at a price.

Anybody want a new set of PSCups ? !

 

[jason]

You have email

 

[smallspeed]

i think there was a change to the MOT requirements for tyres not long ago; it used to be 70% of the tread face or something had to be legal depth, but I think now any area under counts as a fail?
I dont know the specifics, but I have a friend whos an MOT tester so if you want to know for sure let me know and Ill ask him..
ben

 

[ChrisW]

Thanks Ben, It would be very useful for us all to know -- that was why I posted my experience with four very good MPSC's.

And thanks for your offfer, Chris.

 

[jason]

Its useful to have an extremely friendly MOT tester when you have lots of track cars I find....in my experience

 

[Nigel Mitchell]

Or a spare set of wheels and tyres []

Tim, will be good to hear how you get on with the Vredesteins, but do they know what they've let themselves in for.... (didn't we have those on that Astra??)

Nige

 

[appletonn]

ORIGINAL: timbarber


I then spoke to a friend of mine in the tyre business, who suggested I look at a new tyre from a Dutch company, the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta. The web reviews I found suggested the Sessanta's performed at least as well and often better than the better known makes. A Powercar survey showed them as their winner, with the Goodyear's a close second and the Toyo's a distant last.

Anyway, I've decided to give them a try. They look the DBs, let's just hope they perform well at the Ring. If anyone else has tried them or has heard anything more about them, I'd be interested in the feedback.

I fitted some Seesantas to mine in Jan after reading some very positive reviews in the car mags.

Very impressed so far, especially with wet grip and as you say, they do look the DBs[][]

 

[timbarber]

Nick, that's good to hear. I'm hoping the weather will be dry at the Ring, but it's good to know they're good in the wet.

Nige, fancy joining me out there? I'm sure Jaco would rent one of his Beamers out for a fair price?