tyre replacement time.

[Uncle Arthur]

Bob Jane Taringa - club sponsor.

sorry mate, incorrect, they do however still give a discount if a club card is produced.......or so I'm told.

I don't even need the club card there anymore - but Milton has always been good to the MX5 crowd.

[Caffeine]

I'll say it again - Yokohama S-Drives.

The Yoko A539s were a great tyre for the MX5 - they replaced them with the C-Drive which were apparently awful until they bedded in.

I went straight to the S-Drives for a great deal, only just more than I'd have paid for the C-Drives.

If you're in Brisbane - go see Milton at Bob Jane Taringa - club sponsor.

I quite likes the CDrives, they were a bit greasy for the first couple of hundred kilometres, as one forum member found out quite dramatically

[Uncle Arthur]

I quite likes the CDrives, they were a bit greasy for the first couple of hundred kilometres, as one forum member found out quite dramatically

Something I didn't find with the S-Drives - and I was wary of it given the C-Drives's reputation.

[bensale]

Caffeine, did you find that your re001's had a lot of tread squirm until you'd done a few thousand kms with them? Perhaps thats just limited to the aus made 14's. I found I had little confidence in them until they'd worn in a bit (and no it wasn't sidewall flex- it feels completely different when they do that!)

Mine still lack grip when its wet but at least they feel better now, when they were new i couldn't feel when the car was about to let go, they're better now. However, they have had fantastic dry grip from day one (although they squeal a bit more now than they used to).

I miss my a539's. What they lacked in grip compared to the bridgestones i think they made up in response and feedback.

I think T1R's are quite adequate as a road tyre (i have them on my set of 16's), with great wet performance and more than adequate performance in the dry. The steering feel is maybe slightly dulled by them in the dry and turn in response is maybe a touch slower but the car is still great to drive with them on.

[Caffeine]

Caffeine, did you find that your re001's had a lot of tread squirm until you'd done a few thousand kms with them? [/quote]

I haven't experienced anything like that in the 16's, they feel incredibly solid.

[quote="bensale"]I think T1R's are quite adequate as a road tyre (i have them on my set of 16's), with great wet performance and more than adequate performance in the dry. The steering feel is maybe slightly dulled by them in the dry and turn in response is maybe a touch slower but the car is still great to drive with them on.

Funnily enough, squirmy feeling is one of the reasons I don't like toyos

[bensale]

Isn't that funny, I guess it shows that you can take someones opinion on tyres for a grain of salt, in reality it all depends on so many factors, how you drive, the specs/model of your car, tyre size, country of manufacture, tyre pressures etc. However, in reality any of the tyres we complain about would compare very well to say bob jane allrounders or cheap chinese knock offs.

I found that initally the re001's squirmed so much even 'car people' passengers noticed it. That tendancy seemed to go away after a few thousand kms wore them in. Recently they've developed a habit of squealing when they are nowhere near the limits of there grip...

[nick viner]

Thanks you guys for all the imput. I feel it helps a lot and is one reason I like this forum.
Just as an aside, does anyone else feel the F1 has a low milage factor or is it just my opinion.
Nick.

[timk]

I've been running Kumho KU36 on the street, but they are too sticky! Honestly it takes a bit of the fun away!

Maybe I just need more power?

[Quicksilver]

Thanks you guys for all the imput. I feel it helps a lot and is one reason I like this forum.
Just as an aside, does anyone else feel the F1 has a low milage factor or is it just my opinion.
Nick.

I have the FI (GS-D3) 205/45/16 tyres which were on the car when I bought it 18 months ago. They looked pretty new then. I have since put around 15,000km road use on the car and the tyres are now worn to around 50%. Actually one tyre is wearing quicker than the others which is weird. I think they only have around another 10,000km of life left and I might start shopping around in a few months time. That would give an approx life of 25-30,000km which is not too bad for a sticky tyre.

I have found them excellent tyres although I don't push the car in the wet (I treat water on the road as melted ice). I have only been able to hear a tyre squeal if I let the pressures fall to around 30. I usually keep them at 35. My only criticism is the highway noise, especially on a concrete surface.

I agree with AJ and others that tyres are the most important safety item you will need to replace on your car and if a better tyre is a few dollars more, it is worth every cent.

[davekmoore]

Currently on 205/40/17 PP2s which are really good apart from the lack of protection for the wheel. Any touch on a roundabout kerb or simply a hole in the road results in damage to the rim.

So will 215/35/17s provide some protection? And what's available in that size?

Or, given that the car has about 70% increased power, and would easily pull higher gearing, could I go to 215/40/17s or even 225s?

Or is there another solution (no comments about driver training thanks!)?

[davekmoore]

Really would appreciate answers to the post above. Pretty please.

Got another puncture today. Second in a week. Mind you, went 20+ years without one so I can hardly complain. At least this one's bang in the middle of the tread so won't write the tyre off.

[NMX516]

The larger the profile, the more protection for the rim, in theory. But going the next size up in width, and reducing profile by 5% won't necessarily give more rubber between rim and road. You could probably get away with 215's, but I doubt 225's would sit well. You should be able to find some tyre size specs on the net somewhere, showing optimum rim width, circumference, etc. Then you can see who makes what tyres in a suitable size. Circumference would be the key number - the greater circumference, the higher the profile (given same diameter wheel) and theoretically then, the more protection provided by the tyre. I would think though that side wall strength would also have to play a part in rim protection, so it's not an easy answer... SE wheels are soft, and fairly easily damaged.

[davekmoore]

Instead of 204/40/17s, my local tyre specialist is recommending 215/45/17 Mayruns (Euro made under Continental licence) which he runs on his own lowered/modified Falcadores etc. Quite like the idea of the extra width to protect the rims, the extra sidewall height for a bit more compliance (I'll wind up the stiffness on the Teins a tad to compensate - might lower them a bit too), the bigger rolling circumference to up the gearing a bit, and the $115 complete per corner. Realise there'll be more unsprung weight but I'm not a racer. Don't care about the lack of a brand name (in the same way that I prefer driving a Mazda to a Porsche).

Any thoughts?

[nick viner]

OK, Last Saturday I bought two Maxxis Mavi 205/45/16 tyres for the rear of the camel.
On Sunday I did the Ballarat Christmas break up run from Lethbrige to Ballarat and then went on the drive set up by John Gleeson.
The car was ALL OVER THE ROAD like a rash. Ducking and weaving and really dangerous.
Rang the tyre dealer in Bannockburn and he kindly replaced them with 001 s.
My wife had them fitted today whilst I was at work. They seem to be really good. drives straight just like the F1s that came off and MUCH quieter and smoother.
Now got to wait for the front ones to wear out

[AJ]

OK, Last Saturday I bought two Maxxis Mavi 205/45/16 tyres for the rear of the camel.
On Sunday I did the Ballarat Christmas break up run from Lethbrige to Ballarat and then went on the drive set up by John Gleeson.
The car was ALL OVER THE ROAD like a rash. Ducking and weaving and really dangerous.
Rang the tyre dealer in Bannockburn and he kindly replaced them with 001 s.
My wife had them fitted today whilst I was at work. They seem to be really good. drives straight just like the F1s that came off and MUCH quieter and smoother.
Now got to wait for the front ones to wear out

putting new tyres on a car on one day & expecting them to perform the very next day is at best slightly ludicrous Nick, no tyre in the world performs to its best straight out of the box, even PP2's need to be "scrubbed in" for 4 - 500 k's......& having mismatched tyres on an MX-5 (different f & r) is also not the best idea..........having said that, I wouldn't let a Maxxis tyre within a bulls roar of any car I owned.