Federal FZ201's

[Magpie]

I have a set of 595RS's and R888's however the R888's are due for replacement and I have been thinking about the Federal FZ201's. Have any members on here used the FZ201's (a forum search only had 3 hits on them and no real feedback)?

The FZ'S will be used as a track only tyre hence looking for track feedback, wear when compared to others and if anybody has tried the different compounds?

[corners]

Talk to 90VSP at the next track day. He uses them now after switching from R888s I think!

[Magpie]

Thanks, looks like I'll be going as a spectator to discuss tires then

[MattR]

Magpie, seeing as the car will run as a 2B when you hit the track, don't worry about semis and look at getting slicks.

Give Craig a call at Hornibrook tyres, http://www.hornityres.com.au/contact-us.aspx. he's just round the corner from MX5 Plus and carries heaps of slicks, may also be able to source you 2nd hand slicks to suit the MX. I know a few blokes using F3 second hand slicks on historic sports cars and Sports sedans.

All I can say is once you've tried slicks you will never want to go back to treaded tyres for the grip they can provide, and they can work out cheaper than semis as well.

[bensale]

I've got them in SOFT. Do NOT get any other compound for an MX-5 or you will hate the them as you'll never get any heat into them.

I like them, they're a very consistent tyre, more so than the Kumho V700s I had before the them and heaps, heaps better (and faster) than the R888s before that. Very similar outright pace compared to the V700, just more consistent. I did 10 laps at Winton straight with them and all were within less than half a second (low 43s).

You do need to get heat into them though, but once they're hot they don't really seem to go over temp. You'll need at least -2.5deg camber though as an absolute minimum otherwise you'll kill the outside shoulder very quickly. Mine are 3-4 track days old and still have heaps of 'tread' left so they also last longer than I expected and seem to still offer very similar grip after a number of heat cycles.

Do you expect to do much driving in the wet? They're okay in the damp once they have heat in the them but have no grip at all when the track is wet, aquaplaning above 140km/h)

[Magpie]

I've got them in SOFT. Do NOT get any other compound for an MX-5 or you will hate the them as you'll never get any heat into them.

That is the advice that I have had from Federal. I got a very helpful email from Robby Mounfield (Federal Tyres Motorsport Manager Aust.) and he has said what you have, that is the soft compound is suited to sprints he also added that they perform better at higher pressures. I currently run my R888's at 30 hot and 55 deg C with -2.5 camber on the front and -2.0 on the rear. I have to fix the suspension (bump stop/spring rates issue) before going to -3.0 camber on the front.

Not ready for slicks yet MattR I want to stay out of the race class in MX5 Club track days, at least for the moment. 2014 could be a different situation, but for club track days no slicks.

Again thanks for the replies.

[bensale]

I've met Robby, nice guy!
I aim for 32 hot with the Federals and that seems to work pretty well. They'll be okay at 55 deg but need about 70 to get working optimally. If you're showing 55 in the pits you're probably hitting 70 on the track though so all good. They'd probably be okay with that setup, it's the front that I struggled with shoulder wear more than the rear.

[stb]

I've got the mediums - I couldn't get advice on best compound so went with my best guess (~12 months ago). True that it is difficult to get enough heat into them, but I still dropped nearly 2 seconds compared to RE001s around mallala. Seems that the mediums have around the same grip as R888s based on my cornering speeds compared to other similar cars. I keep track of wear by measuring after each sprint, and last sprint had <0.1mm wear in 20 laps + 200km round trip to the track and back. So they should last for ages. Go the softs.