Hankok vs Yokohama R-spec

[Nuddy]

Just for the record ............... checked my new RSRR's, treadware is 200.

Strange! I just checked my new RS-RRs 325/40R17, treadwear is 140

[Nuddy]

Just for the record ............... checked my new RSRR's, treadware is 200.

Strange! I just checked my new RS-RRs 325/40R17, treadwear is 140

I only checked one.
Now i have checked all 4. 2 of them are dated 3815 with treadwear 140 and the other 2 are dated 4516 with treadwear 200
All are Traction AA and Temperature A

These tyres are rotational and St George Tyres have fitted them to the rims such that I have one of each to use on each side of the car.
Reckon that's a fluke or did they know?
Obviously I won't match them diagonally. Thinking I'll fit the 200s to the rear.

[jezman]

So ........... put the 140's on the left for Wakefield and the right for SMSP !!
Simples .....................

[Nuddy]

Just ran a day with 205/50/15's (AD08R's and AR-1's) on 8" and 6.5" rims respectively.

One of the biggest changes I felt was the difference in unsprung weight. The 8" were 3kg each less than the 6.5" per wheel hence made every single input (steering, brake, throttle) feel very light, almost scary! Whereas the 6.5" rims felt secure and safe like bottle of green ginger wine (green steam) and a six pack of beer on a cold winters night.

Whilst the AR-1's on 6.5" were faster than the AD08R's on 8" rims, I feel that a fresh set of AD08R's on the 8" rims and a little bit of time getting familiar with the setup will see then faster than the AR-1's on 6.5".

Planning on repeating the tests but adding the 7" 6UL's into the mix. These are about the same weight as the 8" but have newer AD08R's on them.

Weights of wheels and tyres:
Mazda 17x7 rim 7.7 kg
TC105N 17x8 rim 6.7 kg
Enkei 17x8 rim estimated 10 kg
Enkei 17x8 with Nearly worn out Hankook TD Z221 215/45R17 20 kg
Mazda 17x7 with half worn Michelin Pilot Sport 3 215/45r17 17.2 kg
TC105N 17x8 with new Federal RS-RR 235/40R17 17.8 kg

So I am 2.2 kg lighter/wheel-tyre with the new configuration than with the old.

I'm not driving well enough yet to tell much from lap times.
I have done 1:15.11 at Wakefield on the michelins and 1:22.87 at SMSP North Circuit on the Hankooks.
I will be doing South Circuit on Saturday on the Federals and then back to Wakefield for 1st and 2nd July

[Nuddy]

So ........... put the 140's on the left for Wakefield and the right for SMSP !!
Simples .....................

being directional, I would have to change 2 of them around on the rims to do that and all 4 of them when changing from SMSP to Wakefield.

[Danny]

Be interesting to swap front and rear, with corrected pressures if necessary, during the day for any changes in over or understeer.

I'm wondering if class changes in USA from 140 to 200 UTOG resulted in some fudging by the tyre manufacturers.

[Nuddy]

Be interesting to swap front and rear, with corrected pressures if necessary, during the day for any changes in over or understeer.

I'm wondering if class changes in USA from 140 to 200 UTOG resulted in some fudging by the tyre manufacturers.

Yes the 140s were made in 2015 and the 200s in 2016. I wonder if they are actually any different or if they are just fudging the numbers.

I won't be doing any swapping on Saturday as I will be driving the car to SMSP but the next weekend I'm Trailing to Wakefield so might do a bit of experimenting on the Saturday.

[rascal]

Be interesting to swap front and rear, with corrected pressures if necessary, during the day for any changes in over or understeer

By some bad decisions/planning I ended up with two dud tyres and two good tyres at Winton last year. I swapped between good on front and then on back, and this changed between horrendous oversteer or horrendous understeer, which I couldn't fix enough with shocks/bars/pressures. Lap times were worse by 2 seconds on average.

As it turned out, of the two options, the car was much quicker (and way more fun to drive) with the dud tyres on the rear, rather than the dud tyres on the front.
Not being able to turn in and having to wait so long to get on the throttle out of corners was much slower than backing it in to corners and power sliding out.

[Nuddy]

Be interesting to swap front and rear, with corrected pressures if necessary, during the day for any changes in over or understeer.

I'm wondering if class changes in USA from 140 to 200 UTOG resulted in some fudging by the tyre manufacturers.

Yes the 140s were made in 2015 and the 200s in 2016. I wonder if they are actually any different or if they are just fudging the numbers.

I won't be doing any swapping on Saturday as I will be driving the car to SMSP but the next weekend I'm Trailing to Wakefield so might do a bit of experimenting on the Saturday.

I didn't experiment with the 140 vs 200 treadwear but I'm pretty confident that they are the same and I am also confident that the Hankook Ventus TD Z221 (treadwear 80) are a whole lot 'grippier' than the Federal RR, even with the size difference (215/45R17 vs 235/40R17) having had 2 days on the Feds at Wakefield.
Thinking I will run the Hankooks on the Enkeis for round 5 of MX-5 cup at Wakefield.
Then the next question is what to do when I wear out the Feds.
17x8 rims - Hankook says 225 is optimum for the 8" rim. I'm thinking 225/45R17 but Hankook or Yokohama?
I think the Hankook are cheaper but not sure how much.
Are they equal for grip as some say or are the Yokohama 'grippier' as others say and if grippier are they worth the extra?
Or do I go for slicks, and if so which ones. I do have 3 sets of rims and a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 3 for road driving.