View Full Version : Urgent help with tyres for first track day
sonofabeesting
12-06-2006, 11:37
Hello
I know I have left it late but I am going on my first track day on Thursday. I am all set apart from I need some tyres (at least 2 ) my spare set of standard S14 alloys.
Do i get some part worns or try and get some proper track tyres?? I need them ASAP really. As its my first track day does it matter, I wont be canning it about (cause its my first time and no doubt i will be driving :ghey: ).
Also what size is best, read on a thread that 255/50 for the back??
Thanks:thumbs:
Where are you going. What is the serface / run off like?
255 sound kinda wide for the standard wheel!
sonofabeesting
12-06-2006, 11:45
Where are you going. What is the serface / run off like?
255 sound kinda wide for the standard wheel!
I am doing brands hatch. I thought it was a bit wide as well but someone recommedned it in a thread:confused:
get yourself some maxsport RB5s :thumbs: , 205/55/16 are only 50ish quid
i'd recommend the medium soft compound :thumbs:
You sure it wasnt 225?
TBH I think it would be better not to go with proper tack tyres if its your first time. Idealy you wouold want one that give up grip gradualy at a lower speed so you can get a feeling for the car on the limit. Not that easy to find with part warns though.
What are the tyres on the other pair of wheels?
sonofabeesting
12-06-2006, 11:51
get yourself some maxsport RB5s :thumbs: , 205/55/16 are only 50ish quid
i'd recommend the medium soft compound :thumbs:
Cool, where from??
Also I meant to put 225 not 255, my bad:rolleyes:
Thanks everyone, heres hoping I dont crash!:wack:
http://www.ears.co.uk/motorsport/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_RB5_F2_Moulded_Slick_59.html
or
http://www.maxsport-competition-tyres.co.uk/
sonofabeesting
12-06-2006, 11:55
You sure it wasnt 225?
TBH I think it would be better not to go with proper tack tyres if its your first time. Idealy you wouold want one that give up grip gradualy at a lower speed so you can get a feeling for the car on the limit. Not that easy to find with part warns though.
What are the tyres on the other pair of wheels?
yeah sorry it was 225, Monday morning.
At the moment got different makes on them, Uniroyal mostly I think though.
I have Toyo's on at the moment (my everyday wheels) I just didnt want to cain those on the track. I need to find a happy medium between price and grip. an easy job .....:annoyed:
Thanks everyone, heres hoping I dont crash!:wack:
Yeah, thats what I mean. RB5 give a HUGE amount of grip but will mean if you do over cook it you will be traveling a lot faster, come off a lot faster and there aint a lot of run off space at brands.
And if you only get one pair the car will be rather unballenced.
We ran slicks at Oulton Park last Friday but took them off and fitted less grippy DO1Js as the slicks were just too good for the car. The car was fooking fast but dull as you could just cain it 100% everywhere.
It was a lot more fun on the D01Js as theyre limits were a lot easier to find so there was more on the edge action :)
sonofabeesting
12-06-2006, 12:01
Yeah, thats what I mean. RB5 give a HUGE amount of grip but will mean if you do over cook it you will be traveling a lot faster, come off a lot faster and there aint a lot of run off space at brands.
And if you only get one pair the car will be rather unballenced.
Yeah, there is enough tread on two of the wheels but two need new tyres. If I can get some decent part worns on two of them I presume this will be ok?
Once I have done a few days I might splash out on proper tyres but as you said I think I need my skill levels need to go up before I do that!:nod:
I'd use your road tyres TBH, you'll probs not wreck them too much for your first go - is it a full day or a smaller session?
You can get dedicated track tyres depending on how you like this one and if you think you'll be doing alot more trackdays.
Dunc.
I need to find a happy medium between price and grip. an easy job .....:annoyed:
There is a lot to be said about doing trackdays with tyres that dont give a huge amount of grip, especialy when learning. Are you going there to be the fastest thing on the track or to have fun?
Ive done trackdays (well airfield days) running Nankangs and corsas.... in the wet :wack:
Great fun and £5 a tyre with a wheel :D but had more run off.
One thing to keep a watch on is the tyre pressure. You can make quite a lot of change to ballence of the car by ajusting them.
sonofabeesting
12-06-2006, 12:04
We ran slicks at Oulton Park last Friday but took them off and fitted less grippy DO1Js as the slicks were just too good for the car. The car was fooking fast but dull as you could just cain it 100% everywhere.
It was a lot more fun on the D01Js as theyre limits were a lot easier to find so there was more on the edge action :)
Caining 100% of the time is dull is it Bren!!!! Wish I could be in a position to say that!:wack:
How much do D01Js retails for then??? (if your allowed to say?)
sonofabeesting
12-06-2006, 12:05
I'd either use your road tyres TBH, you'll probs not wreck them too much for your first go - is it a full day or a smaller session?
You can get dedicated track tyres depending on how you like this one and if you think you'll be doing alot more trackdays.
Dunc.
Well I just brought a spare apir of standard alloys for the track so think I will use those. It is a full day.
I like your logic, same thinking as me!!:thumbs:
sonofabeesting
12-06-2006, 12:12
. Are you going there to be the fastest thing on the track or to have fun?
Fun all the way. I am under no impressions I will be quick :wack:
Well then, the fun part is finding the limits, hence why Bren says he had more fun on the Do1J than slicks (though these are still VERY grippy tyres) as it would be easyer to find the limit of grip with them.
If you put really grippy tyres on then it will be very hard to find the limits and when you do very easy to put it in a hedge with the speed you will be doing.
Id run with what you have on your spare wheel but if they are snappy swap to the Toyos as they are nice and progressive when giving up grip.
They one time Ive been to brands I was using Toyos which and they felt great. Nice and progressive. Best fun was at the end of the evening when there was a down poor and my rear tyres where pritty much bald! Stayed on the track till the checker flag though :D
Could i just ask, could anyone tell me how much 4 slicks tyres would be on on a std set of wheels or a set of 18s (225, 40, 18)??
I wouldnt worry too much about ultimate grip for your first trackday, if you can get hold of some part worns I'd use them. however you have left it late so get whatever you can get hold of - just as long as its not an F1, or very expensive road tyre. Expensive tracktires at least cope with the heat R888/D20ZJ/DJ01J ect .... Maxsport Rally slicks are a bargin, but you would want them on all 4 wheels to keep the front and back balanced, if just using 2 use them on the front as oversteer is more fun and more controlable than understeer.
chem - I'd look at some non-18's if your forking out for slicks unless you have 355 front disks and need the clearance.
I've used F1s (just at the rear) on my first 2 trackdays and they have survived fine. Both trackdays were on cold days. I may get problems now it is hot and I have better brakes but I won't get a set of track tyres sorted in time for my next one, so I'll be running them again.
chem - I'd look at some non-18's if your forking out for slicks unless you have 355 front disks and need the clearance.
The last/only time i went on track i used the std wheels with Avon zz3 and the car just keep wanting to understeer :cry: . I dont know if this is down to the way i drive (like a old waman :wack: ) poor setup or tyres. Am planning on changing the tyres for next time and see if this helps
Try adjusting your tyre pessure.
More rear / less front = more oversteery
Less rear / more front = more understeery
Sound like you could have done with more rear pressure, if you take to much out of the front you will disstry the sholders of the tyres.
When playing at elvington ive checked the rear tyres after comming off the track and the rears were at 49PSI :D
Avon zz3 understeer
Yeah, shit tyres.
I've used F1s (just at the rear) on my first 2 trackdays and they have survived fine.
People who have least problems are those with very wide tyres (245+), which help them cope with the heat, or who do short sessions (under 15mins), or who arent at as aggressive in the corners.
Yak thanks for the tip, will give that a try :nod: If i remember correctly i was running 34psi f/r last time at elvington.
You wont learn a lot of car control with sticky tyres. The D01J give awesome amounts of grip (just not as awesome as slicks) but they are snappier than normal road tyres at the limit. If youre wanting to find the boundries of your car and see how it handles at the limit then Id do as suggested and just get road tyres. Toyo T1-Ss would be my tyre of choice.
Unless of course you just want to go as fast as possible in which case go sticky :)
Also bear in mind that the sticker the tyre the harder your brakes will have to work and the greater any chassis limitations will be highlighted.
The last/only time i went on track i used the std wheels with Avon zz3 and the car just keep wanting to understeer :cry: . I dont know if this is down to the way i drive (like a old waman :wack: ) poor setup or tyres. Am planning on changing the tyres for next time and see if this helps
In my experience S14s do understeer on tight turns until you start playing with alignment and suspension set up. You just need to learn to drive round it or spend money on setting the car up to help combat it.
Yeah, but ZZ3 are useless, really really useless, especially on track, Id never use them on the front :no:
Yeah, shit tyres.
:eek: The guys at camskill recommended them to me :mad: thats the last time i listen to them w*#kers!!
Makes no odds what tyres you run if theyre the same all round, the car will still understeer even with F1s, just at a higher speed.
Camskill recommended ZZRs? Did you upset them? :wack:
Camskill recommended ZZRs? Did you upset them? :wack:
Yeah the guy sed there a good cheap road tyre for airfeild track days as they dont snap away under hard cornering.
Ahhh that makes more sence.
Aye, they are nice and progressive :nod: We used them on our drift car.
I used them on an airfield and they sucked, very hard, just ripped big chunks out of them rather than wearing ......
People who have least problems are those with very wide tyres (245+), which help them cope with the heat, or who do short sessions (under 15mins), or who arent at as aggressive in the corners.
Standard wheels but short sessions and only cold days so far. I've killed motorbike tyres before on the track so I was suprised how well the car ones stood up.
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