15 replies to this topic

[Korkey]

Hello there all. What a fantastic car these VX220's are, really. I am so glad that I own one. They are a riot. But enough of that. As the title....... On my TVR Tuscan a set of 888's would last about 3000 miles and a set of R1R's about 6000 miles. So if you had a TVR straight six engine that was about 2 rebuilds! My question. On the VX could some of you please put forward what you have seen regarding the tyre wear rates on each of the above. Thank you very much........and enjoy this weather. Korkey.

[JG]

The question is a little academic, as T1Rs on the vx are horrid. I know they work ok on other cars, I'd even rate them quite highly. But avoid on the VX. So in answer to your question about 3-5k for a set of 888s depending on number of track days.

[martylemoo]

The question is a little academic, as T1Rs on the vx are horrid.

I know they work ok on other cars, I'd even rate them quite highly. But avoid on the VX.

So in answer to your question about 3-5k for a set of 888s depending on number of track days.

He said R1R not T1R!

I have had my R1R on for 3k now plus 2 trackdays and 3 sprints and the rears will probably want changing after next weeks sprint at Eelmoor.

[Korkey]

Hello and thank you for that. This could be a problem for me then. To drive from my house to Guadix race track in Spain. Do two full days of track work and do some touring in Spain with the crowd that I go with eats up about 4000 miles +. Last time I was coming home with vert "iffy" tyres. I do not want to do that again. So, any ideas as to a good tyre for the VX that will take some track use and give me a margin for the 4000 + miles? Thank you. Korkey.

[smiley]

http://www.boefabric...product/tow-bar

[techieboy]

888's (certainly the rears) might be a problem with that kind of distance and a couple of trackdays thrown in (not to mention some spirited drives through the mountains, up to Ronda ). However, R1-R's should be okay. They've got much more tread to start with. I've done three trackdays and about 2000 miles on my set of R1-R's and they're still fine other than some wear to the edges of the tread blocks from use on the track. Another alternative might be Yoko AD08's or Federal RS-R's which by all accounts work pretty well on track and have a reasonable tread depth to start with.

[ChrisS1]

What about the kumhos? Would they has a slower wear rate?

[techieboy]

Depends on which Kumho you're talking about. I'm making the assumption that Korkey is after a more track biased tyre, so maybe the V70A is a possibility but not sure about what sizes they're available in. I've done a few wet trackdays on my KU31's and they're okay but reckon they'd self destruct in the potential heat at Guardix. I've just come back from a fortnight in Andalucia and pretty much managed to destroy a set of Conti Sportcontact 3's that were on the hire car, making the most of the mountain roads (unfortunately couldn't convince anyone at Jerez or Ascari to let me out on track in it ).

[ChrisS1]

V70A that's the ones (hungover so brain not working)

[2-20]

The KU36 (Ecsta XS) are equivalent to the R1R but cheaper. Not much size in 16 though

[davemate]

i have been very happy with my R1R, lots of use and still fresh. alright, not the same grip as the r888 but they seem so much better all round. As techie mentions though the ad08 seem very popular as well, and may even be cheaper from what i recall.

[Korkey]

Thanks to all of you for the detailed feed back. What a good forum this one is. davemate........sounds like you have run both of my first choice tyres here. Although I will be looking into the others also. When you say that the R1R's do not have the same grip as the 888's, did you find an imediate difference? That is did you go from one tyre to the next and think "hang on these are a bit "loose" compared to the 888's ?" Or what is not that noticable? My experience going from 888's to R1R's was that there was not a noticable difference, but this was not driving a VX220 though. I have driven an Elise at Guadix with worn out 888's and it would not budge at any speed in the corners, very impressive drive. Korkey.

[techieboy]

I've got a set of 888 shod TD's and a set of R1R shod TD wheels (and a set of KU31 shod TD's) . I've now settled on the R1R's as my normal road tyres as well as wet trackday (or where the forecast isn't 100% either way) and think they're great. More than enough grip on the road and hard to distinguish any difference between the R1R's and the 888's other than less tyre whine and definitely more confidence inspiring in the wet. On a dry track, I reckon they give 95% of the outright grip that the 888's give. At the Le Mans trackdays in August, I found the rear end was slightly more mobile than with the 888's at the limit but possibly even more progressive to breakaway than the 888's when pushed too far. They do get hot quickly so you need to keep an eye on the pressures and adjust as necessary to stop them overheating. I reckon they're actually getting better as they wear down the tread blocks. One more trackday and they'll probably be down to the tread depth of a brand new set of 888's. Advice, for longevity, seems to be to get a couple of gentle heat cycles through them, before really leaning on them. Was nice to drive back from Le Mans through some torrential rain showers in the knowledge that I still had plenty of tread depth to cope with the water. Rather than previous years when I've come back with just the bare hint of a tread pattern still remaining.

[davemate]

davemate........sounds like you have run both of my first choice tyres here. Although I will be looking into the others also.
When you say that the R1R's do not have the same grip as the 888's, did you find an imediate difference?
That is did you go from one tyre to the next and think "hang on these are a bit "loose" compared to the 888's ?"
Or what is not that noticable?

The only time I noticed a weak point of the R1R was when the instructor took it out just before the heavy rain hit down at Bugatti circuit in that the tyre wall was starting to find its stregth limit. I probably dont push as hard as he did, and we may have come in and changed the tyre pressures so it is difficult to say.

The R1R take a little warming up, when I progressively accelerate from cold the back end can step around. I would agree with techie though, at the car limits day they did need a little bit of a cool down every so often, for track day and training, brilliant. but for racing stick with a proper cut slick.

-Join seloc for a few quid and you can then get 12% off R1R and R888 at camskill, which pays for the membership with the purchace of two tyres

[siztenboots]

-Join seloc for a few quid and you can then get 12% off R1R and R888 at camskill, which pays for the membership with the purchace of two tyres

Team VX already have our own discount,

http://www.vx220.org...uk-owners-club/

[Korkey]

Brilliant! Really good feed back from both of you. Thanks guys. I do prefer the R1R's myself, on other cars, and so from your observations, R1R's it is then. Another part of the jigsaw sorted. Thank you for the link siztenboots. Korkey

Edited by Korkey, 03 October 2011 - 08:47 AM.