What's happened to R888 prices? / alternatives?

Trying to gear up the car to cope with all them extra torques, Gurds?

 

Something like that Mike. But I also have 280mm brakes that have been sitting on the shelf for the last couple of years. Only thing stopping me from using them is waiting for the 14" R888's to die. Lol.
So once the brakes go on, I will either need another set of 15" wheels to fit some track rubber to or just run track rubber permanently on my car. Hence the inquiry.

Gurds

 

There normaly is 10mm of diff in dia between both sizes, but if you read the table there are only 6 mm difference in tread widh.

Here are Toyo tables (french)

http://www.toyo-motorsport.fr/888tailles.html

 

Im trying yoko pradas on my mk2 now, 205 40 16s came in at 73 a corner from black circles, and cheaper for more normal sizes,



not quite as much of a slick as a 048R but were alot cheaper, plus I ran A539s on my old mini and that did 2 trackdays round donnly with me giving it death (rolling on block edges I was pushing that hard!) and did 8k+ road miles....and still were only 1/2 worn when I sold the car!

 

Hi Nige,

as a former tire test driver (GY from '84 till 2000 with a lot of BMW durability tests on the Ring) I can appreciate your comments about tires.

As I'm coming back to the racing business with my Golf 1 (soon Oettinger Gr4 engine equipped) I'm looking for Racing/road tires for the serie i'm running in Belgium (historic cup).

Could you quantify the benefit in time of a Kumho on the Ring vs the other brands.

I experimented the toyo's 888 on Spa in GG compounds, that was my first race and I found, like most of yours, a strange wear on the first third outside the tire, but my front axle was not top: only 3 of neative camber when Toyo recommends between 3 and 5.

It looked quite better on the GP N'ring track and on Zolder with 4.

For those who are looking for good cheap tyres, I can recommand the Federal 595RSR, they where less than 1.5 second slower than the 888 on the ring GP track, and very easy to drive on a quite wet Zolder, allowing me a 4th place overall when I was only 14th on the grid after dry qualif's.

 

The Khumo V70 I recall comes in K6 and K8 compounds, with the 6 being softer (IIRC). They were pretty much a trackyday tyre - Badger5 has experience of both, melting his K6s from recollection, but that was on turbo power.

This was a few years ago now (~2002/3), and as soon as the R888 turned up, all interest in Khumos evaporated!

 

I use Paradas as road tyres at the minute, but won't be buying them again. They're pretty good in the dry and damp, but definitely a road tyre not a track tyre. In heavy rain and muddy lanes they're hopeless.

I was on Paradas on my first trip to the 'ring, and it was tyre squeal and wash-out understeer all the way "I think there's an apex over there somewhere".

 

Has anyone had any experience with Avon CR500 tyres? They come in 195-45-15 normally found on Caterhams.

Or even Avon ZZR's?

Gurds

 

CR500s - My boss has a Caterham and they swear by them, the "if you can afford them, it's THE tyre to use"

However, the Caterham peeps are running a very very light car, so doesn't know what they'd be like on a tin-top.

 

Are they crossplies or radials?

 

Radials from what I read.

Gurds

 

Kumho's were preferred as they had better size options on 16" rims
R888's did'nt go low enough profile, ever.

 

no idea what wet use is like, but i dont plan on using the car when it wet anyways, so wont be an issue.

up to now they seem ok, but i will know better when given some abuse on track, be interesting to see if I get the same issue you get as up to now my driving style seems to suit yokos.

 

On the WOLF R these are okish in the dry, damp can be scary even on low boost, wet hopeless. Will be turning to Uniroyal Rainsport 2 next.

 

at combe last year there must have been 20 pug 205's in a row all running prada's! I have a set on some wheels and I like them in the dry, in the damp I think they are ok, I have used far worst.

Actually I had one prada on the f/n/s of the mk2 and a t1-s (okd skool) on the f/o/s for a track day at colerne, toyo melted badly and after 10mins of driving I had more confidence leaning on the yoko.

 

I had the same issues at the ring @ 2 bar 28psi, then went upto 35psi and found them to be a lot better.

 

Hi,

in Belgium, in the small local rallyes ("provincial"), road tyres must be used ("E", "DOT" and not in racing catalogue). best of all is the R1R, quite faster than any other brand, but some top fwd need more than one set at the front for a rally (100 / 120 km special stages).

One can find them at around 50/55 / tyre in 195/50-15.

 

i've offered a GB on R888's, speak to Mr Eyres....he has the details.

if you'd like a price on the Kumho V70 aswell let me know.

195/50 15's have been priced, what other sizes will be required?

 

Those Avon Cr500's are very expensive from memory, i looked into them yonks ago and the weight difference was a big issue

 

Another alternative is the Hankook V211, road legal racing tyre. Tested last WE at Spa.

Racing shaped tyres, square sidewalls, 2 longitudinal grooves (5mm depth) the rest is a design 2 mm depth for a good stability. One can find the same with only 2 grooves and DOT!!!

Available in different compounds (31 is the hardest, then 51, then 71).

Seem more constant than the Toyo 888, and allowed me a nice 3'01"9 on Francorchamps.

To be confirmed on next Spa meeting on the first July WE.