Difference between AO21 AO48

[AndyG]

What is the difference between tyre types AO21 and AO48

I am about to buy some new R888 and noticed the 2 options at Camskill

[Archie Procter]

lots in the archives about this, but basically 21s are a good all-rounder and good in the wet. 48s are more grippy in dry conditions but fairly hopeless in the wet. Much caution needed.

 

Note you can buy 48s in medium or soft compound, I think most people run the medium ones on the road.

 

HTH

[Paul Richards]

Easy - difference between A021 and AO48 = AO27

Sorry Andy - couldn't resist.

I run AO21s and find them a good tyre for the road. No experience of AO48's, but as far as I know from talking to others, I think they are better in the dry and probably wear a bit faster.

 

Paul Richards

Area Representative - L.A.D.S. (Lancashire and District Sevens)

www.lads7.co.uk

Growing old is compulsory - Growing up is optional

[CageyH]

I tried A048's, and can't say I particularly like them.

Good grip, but stiff sidewalls, so on bumpy roads, the car had a mind of it's own.

 

Only dead fish go with the flow....!

[Nick Chan]

Andy,

 

I have used AO21r's for years and they are an excellent all round tyre for general road use and on circuits if they weather is not too optimal i.e. too hot. I have got AO48's on the BEC and whilst they are not too bad in poor weather conditions (if you can get some heat in them), I have notiiced they are wearing very quickly. The BEC has done 600 miles on a brand new set including a practice day at Curborough and a half wet / half dry day at Croix and if they last the same distance again, I will be very surprised ☹️. The 21's can typically last 5-6k

 

Cheers

 

Nick

 

Seeing if a BEC is the way to go....

[Richard Price]

The 21's can typically last 5-6k

Nick,

I'm not sure they'd last that long the way your BEC is being driven!!!!

 

But it is great to drive it quick enough to push the tyres 😬 😬 😬

[Nick Chan]

Ah, but the BEC is on 48's!! No chance of the 48's lasting that long 😬

The HPC was on 21's and I have used those several times on track

[McBreadhead]

I can testify to the good performance of the AO21s but unlike Nick I have managed to get 8k out of mine so I'm obviously driving like a pansy .

 

I have never got close to the limit on the road and have had some really good thrills so can't recommend them highly enough.

 

Not too sure about pressures but think general consensus is to run them at 18psi cold.

[Alias]

Have run both tyres on my car. A021 didn't like track work and whereas A048s seem to relish it.

The break point on A021s is much more forgiving than A048s on the limit (A048s grip up to a point and let go quite suddenly).

Cagey is right about the stiff sidewalls, which IMHO spoil the ride of the car and cause it tramline horrifically.

 

A021s are better in the wet, but only when there's lots of standing water (I understand they're better at dissipating standing water). Probably due to a combination of tread pattern and tread depth. I suspect that the increased tread depth on the A021s is also a reason why they tend to last a bit longer.

 

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1800 Supersport with 6 gears and clamshell wings.

[S47zz]

48's lasted 2.5K

21's still good after 5k

both have good grip in wet BUT avoid standing water with 48's

Both have awesome grip in dry but 21's get hot on track days

[Graeme Smith]

...about 2 seconds a lap

 

A048Rs ain't too bad in the wet - I nearly won a wet sports/saloons race on them last year in the rain. But 21s are geat in the rain.