Class 2 Tyre Choice.

[CaterBram]

I will be running in Class 2 in 2010 and looking through previous post's and advice I have three tyre options and would be grateful for some advice from the POBC.

 

I'm running a 135 BHP Live Axle.

 

All would be on existing 13" rims.

 

Option 1) Falken ZE912 185/60 on front & 205/60 on rear.

 

Option 2) Falken ZE912 185/60 R13 All Round

 

Option 3) Yokohama A539 - 185/60 R13 All Round

 

From the reviews and technical bumf the Falkens seem to have a better all round grip in both wet & dry but the A539's seem to have been the favoured tyre choice.

 

I've got two spare set's of rims, one set are the original 4 spoke 1989 catheram rims which currently have 185/60 (ancient beasts that are not listed anywhere) which would be suitable for either the yoko a539 or falken 185/60's all round

 

The other set is currently fitted with a very worn set of AO48's in 185 & 205 configuration which the car has been sprinted on previously.

 

However from some of the posts there are comments that the 185/205 split has been tried before with mixed success....

 

What's the advice of POBC ?

 

 

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[Richard Price]

Chris,

Yoko's are the proven route.

Class 1 was won this year using them.

I'd imagine that the class 2 leading runners will be running 15" Stunners again.

I think that the difference between any of the tyres you mention and Stunners is small. Certainly less than a second at somewhere like Curborough.

Some will say that what ever you get, you should have them buffed to about 4mm, however, I've never had a set of tyres buffed.

 

If the tests that you've seen for the Falkens look good, why not give them a go?

I'd also say to run the same size all around. I've run the same size all around (195/45-15 for the last 5 seasons). I don't find oversteer a particular problem, it's understeer that I've always found to be the limiting factor (but I've had a reasonable balance).

 

 

PS - I'm off to class three so have nothing to gain from feeding you bum information

[Nigel Fox]

Can't advise on the relative merits of these tyres, however, I would suggest you try and use the same as others. It's one less variable to consider when you try and understand the difference between your performance, and others. For example it could be engine performance, suspension, driver......but you know it's not tyres.

 

 

[CaterBram]

I know class 1 rends to use A539's on 13" and class 2 stunners on 15", i will be running in class 2 so the stunners are not a viable option at present.

 

hence my dilemma, do I go for the smaller A539's all round which would give me about a 7mph top speed penalty on the fast circuits but better accelleration, or do i run with the falkens in the same configuration as the car has previously been sprinted in, i.e 185 front, 205 rear.

 

these tyres will be purely for competition use as i've go A021's for road use.....

 

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[Mark Durrant]

I would go with the A539's in 185/60 R13 all round as when I tried 205's on the rear it introduced understeeer and upset the balance of the handling (this was on my 1.6 Roadsport when I competed in Class 2). There wil be very few tracks where you will hit the rev limiter using 185's and increased acceleration will be an advantage at most venues. I am sure if the Falken's were any good other competitors would be using them and to date I have yet to see them fitted.

 

Mark D

[PaulCo]

My first set of sprint tyres were Falken ZE502s some years ago, and although grip was as good as the Bridgestones which were the tyre of choice at the time, it was the very 'sudden' behaviour at the limit that was a problem. I can't speak for the newer varieties of Falken, but as Mark suggests, Yokohamas are popular for a reason.

 

Paul

[Alan Bowler]

I ran A539s in class 2 last year, and will stick with them unless I can find a very

cheap set of 15" wheels and Stunners. I found them surprisingly good - progressive, though the car moves about a bit, but thats all part of the fun of list 1A (and no

doubt 1B at higher speeds).

For your first season, I'd suggest 539s. If you find you are within 0.5s to 1s of

the class leaders, and your competitive instinct and desire for silverware takes hold, splash the cash and get some 15s + Stunners.

Otherwise they make for a convenient excuse if nothing else.

 

[stunners have got to be worth 2s+ at Curborough, or I'm not the best driver, and the

latter is obviously not possible]

 

Look forward to meeting you at Goodwood - a brilliant place for a first event!

 

NB. About time someone started the offical "Excuses for 2010 Season" thread.

 

AB

 

[CaterBram]

So it looks like the consensous within the Class 2 13" are the 539's

 

Gonna try & fit a track day in before April to finish off the AO48's before fitting the 539's, by the time we do Goodwood they should be nicely run in as theres the L7C intro to sprinting and i'm doing the curbourgh sprint school the week before.

 

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[Matthew Willoughby]

Chris, make sure you overfill the diff oil before you do a track day with the A048s or you'll kill the diff.

[CaterBram]

Cheers Mat, Will Do,

 

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