Tyres Question

But we all know you're a f****it.

Every set of cheapies I've had has lasted *far* longer than more expensive brands. On the TI, my NangKangs used to last for 6,000 miles. The branded ones I tried when I first got it lasted less than 4,000.

Cheapies, by there very nature, are generally made of harder rubber. Harder rubber wears slower.

Pretty simple really, one hand on top of wheel, use as a pendulum with the natural flow of the suspension, left-right-left-right-left. Done on an industrial estate near me (old airfield) and it went approx 180. Key thing is to be going like stink and not care too much about the car. Exactly how the crazyarab guy does it - even spun my rover 75 doing that (looks so stupid!)

in news:d48l45$v1k$ snipped-for-privacy@news.freedomsurf.net, "doki" slurred :

I believe you - I seem to remember that you have some experience in this field :-) Thing is, I'd have thought that _if_ you can induce lift-off oversteer in

Just out of interest, what 'no name' tyres do you have? I'm probably gonna need to change my tyres this year and will be researching my options. In my (admittedly limited) experience, cheapo tyres vary wildly in quality - some are fantastic and some are quite simply dangerous. Anyone heard of 'Montana' tyres? Mate of mine had those on the back of his Renault 19 (1.4 energy, so not exactly barnstorming) - he told me they gripped like ice, and showed me once when he lost the back end at alarmingly slow speed. I can't remeber the brand I had on my 924 when I bought it, but it was quite nervous at the back. I changed tyres to another 'no name' brand recommended by a local tyre fitter - made a great deal of difference.

Chris.

I read the rules, and they said nothing about that. You're only up the road, I reckon I can get me a Quattro before Douglas :)

Curses!

Anyone got a job/house combo going in Bristol?

Douglas

in news:QTU9e.126804$ snipped-for-privacy@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk, "Chris B" slurred :

The 13" el-cheapos which came on my 205 had _no_ grip if the roads weren't bone-dry. They were great fun :-) The 15" el-cheapos on the 405 were really not too bad, and the 16" el- cheapos still running on my mum's Xantia seem pretty reasonable too.

From this vast array of experience, my conclusion is that the larger, normally higher speed rated, el-cheapo tyres tend to be a lot better than thier smaller equivalents.

I have 16" "federal ss 595" on the front of the 405 now, which are great both in wet & dry. I dunno how long they'll last, but they have so far survived 4000 miles of, um, spirited driving without apparently losing much tread. You should ask Dan how much they cost, but what with him being a yorkshireman, they'd have been cheap :-) Anyway, I'd recommend them.

It most likely is easier in second. But the Ka has very little in the way of engine braking, and under 50mph you'd need a very tight corner to be finding the car's limits (though you can do it around roundabouts to a certain extent). In plenty of cars 60mph flat out = second gear, and plenty of cars have a lot more engine braking than the Ka.

The basic thing is that you need to be entering the corner a little too quic kly...

About £54 a corner all in iirc :) They're very good though, i was impressed - much better than the Hankook Ventus Sports they replaced. They were virtually new when you got them i think.

I found the cheaper Federal tyres to be a s*it load better than Hankook Ventus Sports (which to be fair, were pretty cheap) and the Fulda's (which were about £75 a corner iirc), and better than the Michelin Pilot Primacy sports that came on the 405's alloys when i got them. So i'd suggest that this, the more expensive the better theory you have with tyres, is in fact bollocks, and it depends entirely on the car/fitment as too which tyres work best with it. Although, granted a more expensive tyre will usually better. You personally always like, is it, P6000's? Whereas several people in the other groups commented that they thought they were crap.

Yes, it does depend on the car. My 33s loved their Yokos or P6000s, but the 155 seemed happy on Eagle Venturas and NCT5s. I was quite impressed with the NCT5s, so bought a full set for the Passat.

I'm not saying you need _expensive_ tyres, but suggesting that a brand name is quite possibly a better bet than Wanli or other such s**te.

Of course, there's always the possibility that all those who reckon budget tyres are fine are driving like girls.

I can't comment on how long the Federals lasted, cos i sold the wheels to ATC :) But they definately gripped better in the wet than the Primacy's, and there was no way when i had such massive grip from cheapo tyres, that i could bring myself to spend £100 a corner on Goodyear F1's or summet :) Grip in the dry was pretty even across all brands - there was lots.

Try a 911 on Goodyear Eagle F1s. Some road surfaces are loud enough to damage your hearing.

In news: snipped-for-privacy@pipex.net, Ronny decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

you haven't by any chance got the episode with my 911 in have you?

Do you enjoy paying through the nose in additional fuel consumption to move the extra soundproofing about?

Yeah. Understeering on roundabouts in the wet isn't the best thing in the world.

So if you can't afford it, buy a different car!

Oh dear. Scrimping on a safety critical item.

Depends what you buy. Yokos were notorious for wearing out very quickly but they did grip very well though.

THere's that sound of goalpost shifting again..

To be fair, they're not exactly the same, WRC systems are designed to let the car slide, as its the quickest way round the stages.