Slick Tyres

[65 mat]

Just curious really. Which "slick" tyre sizes fit our RS wheels (17'' cups). How much do they cost, where do you buy them from and how long do they last? Are there any problems with running them, apart from the obvious...rain? Which are the best brands and which are the best compounds (ie soft/medium/hard). How "grippy" are they?...I've only ever used "track day" tyres before.

Over to you Melv?...

Cheers, Matt.

 

[Laurence Gibbs]

Melv will be able to answer most of the questions. Biggest problem if your driving to the circuit is where to put the slicks. They will fit inside the car with no passenger seat or fold down pass seat or on roof but neither are exactly ideal. The other thing that slicks can do is create more wear and tear, particularly on hubs and bearings with the greater side loadings . I think Melv and others will probably confirm this.

 

[Melv]

ORIGINAL: Melv

ORIGINAL: 65 mat
Which "slick" tyre sizes fit our RS wheels (17'' cups).
DUNLOP
235/620R17 662

265/630R17 894

How much do they cost

793 + VAT

where do you buy them from

MR TYRE MOTORSPORT 0121 551 2131

and how long do they last

I usually manage a track day season -but three days at Spa may have mullered 'em...[]

Are there any problems with running them, apart from the obvious...rain?

Wear and tear, not just the car, but driver too!! Rain? Pah!! Just ask anybody on the recent 928 day at Combe....[]

Which are the best brands

I use Dunlop only because Pirelli were on six week back order a coupla years ago. The Dunlops are more progressive than the Pirellis and nice to slide around. Pirellis slightly bigger and just nipped rear wheel arch.

and which are the best compounds (ie soft/medium/hard).

Matter of preference but the last three numbers above indicate hardness and seem to suit me.

How "grippy" are they?...

Feck me grippy!! Late braking unreal, G's on some corners unreal (Pouhon at Spa for instance......)[&:] Described as like being in freefall by one passenger....

You will also have to revise tracking -I'm running about -3 to -4 camber at the mo...

Cheers, Mel.

 

[65 mat]

Thank you for that info Melv.I suppose the only problem is that once you've driven on slicks, then there's no going back to "regular" tyres?![8|]

 

[ChrisW]

Driving to and from the circuit is one issue, what to do if the weather turns wet is another.

And then there's the wear question ...

 

[SimonExtreme]

There are other issues with slicks that I don't have the full answer to. However, the key is that most slicks go off a lot quicker than most trackday road legal tyres (say 888's). So, a used slick might very well be slower than a used 888. This is particularly true when you buy s/h slicks. It is all to do with how the tyre has been heat cycled and the total number of heat cycles it has been through. IIRC, Paul Howells had some interesting views on this that were discussed on the forum about 3 years ago!

If you go with slicks, you need another set for wet weather. The good news is that you can use a very road focused tyre, such as S02's, which means you are only left with the issue of needing 2 sets of rims and getting them to the circuit. The best solution I saw was a roof rack. Then you have room in the car for the decent jack you will want for changing the wheels, (plus you need the camper van for the pit crew so that is you need to change you don't waste half the day[]). On top of that, as Mel says, you want to be able to change the suspension geo for the slicks, which means that your road tyres will get destroyed!