Tyres for the winter season

daveskerr · Post by **daveskerr** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:45 pm

Hi guys and gals,

I am currently doing my homework trying to find the best tyres to use on my S2 111s. I am planning on using the car over the winter months so I am looking for a set of tyres that will perform when it's pissing with rain etc. Got to be said that right now I am bricking it at the thought!!

Currently running on Bridgestone Potenzas which have been on since getting the car 6 months ago.

A couple of questions:

1) The tyres are not done yet (4-5mm left) but i am a nervous wreck whenever it is raining and especially when braking in the wet. Is this a common elise trait?

2) By searching the forum the best tyres to go for seem to be Toyo T1r s, any other suggestions or are these the best?

3)Where is the cheapest place to purchase? I can get the rears (225/45/r17) for £79 a pop from mytyres.co.uk, but im struggling to get the fronts (175/55/r16) to match. Any ideas/suggestions are most welcome!

Thanks in advance.

Dave

gorrie · Post by **gorrie** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:39 pm

Dave... I got Ronnie @ Wheelsaround to order T1R's in for me. I 'think' it was around £300 for all 4 inc fitting. (wasn't any more than £330). I arranged to go up to his warehouse for the fitting mid-week when he wasn't at an event. I guess he'd be happy to do the same again?

Only been in 1 downpour with them and it was a cracking one. They were great in that, but so they should be with brand new tread blocks. These will be staying on through winter.

Bloody typical though... the weather has taken a turn for the better in the 3-4 weeks since fitting them. Easily overheated the lefts at KH the other night which was costing a good couple of seconds per lap. They didn't really cool down again until I was home. Still, it made for some good slides.

Andy.

tut · Post by **tut** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:45 pm

The tyres that many of us use start with 5mm, so you have plenty of tread left.

In the wet your Bridgestones will still work well, you can corner, brake, but just at a lower speed than in the dry. Experiment with braking on an empty road in a straight line, and get used to the pressure that you need to slow you down without locking up.

tut

tenkfeet · Post by **tenkfeet** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 1:48 am

I quite like the Brigestones in the wet , they are grippy enough for me. I am very careful of standing water but thats the same in any car .

Mine goes in the garage in the salty months so dont know what its like in snow , slush etc.

Know how you feel about the wet , lowering the tyre pressure from standard really helps in the wet as well as the dry . ( noticed that today )

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:37 am

I think the T1Rs are a replacement for the standard Exige tyres - Yokohama A048s. I don't think they come in the right front size for Elise wheels (fronts are thinner than Exige wheels).

On my Elise, I changed from the Bridgestones to Yokohama AD07 Advans. You'll get the LTS stamped ones from MMC and they do a 10% discount (just mention you're a member on here). You may be able to get them elsewhere, but I'm not sure.

I noticed a drammatic difference with the AD07s, both in the wet and dry. In the dry, they have far more grip in the corners than the Bridgestones (they are a softer compound). In the wet, I had no problems at all, even on the odd bit of standing water. I felt a lot more confident in the wet with them than the Bridgestones. I don't know much about tread patterns, but I think the AD07 tread pattern looks better for dispersing water.

All new Elises come with AD07s - Lotus obviously prefer them!

D

johncam · Post by **johncam** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:36 pm

Found this on the old British Cars - Lotus BBS Site regarding the differences between the Bridgestone REO40's and the Yokohama AD07's.

I've had the Bridgestone's on both my Elises but switched to the Yokohama's about two months ago. I have to say my findings are slightly different to you Dezzy - while I'd agree the Yoko's are certainly much better in the dry I just don't have the same confidence with them in the wet. Reading Dave Massey's comments below and comparing the tread designs, it looks to me like the Yoko's just arenâ€™t designed to clear water as well as the Bridgestones.

Cheers,

John

-----------------------------

I received the following very thorough response from Dave Massey at Lotus in relation to the new tyres:

The USA version of the Elise is factory fitted with Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 tyres. These tyres have now been approved for use on all 'Mk.2' Elise as an alternative service fitment to the standard Bridgstone Potenza RE040.

The Yokohama tyres provide benefits in terms of steering feel, dry grip and track use longevity, although the Bridgestones may be preferred for ride comfort and wet grip. The tyres may be fitted on any standard specification 'Mk.2' Elise wheels using the 5.5 in. front rim size (or the soon to be introduced 6.0 in. forged wheel).

For optimum handling balance, it is recommeded that the tyres be fitted only in complete vehicle sets. Mixed axle sets may produce unstable handling
characteristics in either dry or wet conditions.

Tyre Specification
Type: Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 'LTS'
Size: - front 175/55 R16 80W
- rear 225/45 R17 91W
Part numbers - front A121G0007L
- rear A121G0006L
Pressure: - front 1.8 bar
- rear 2.0 bar
Notes
-The AD07 tyre construction has been developed specifically for the Lotus Elise, and is identified by the letters 'LTS' moulded on the sidewall.
Ensure that any tyre to be fitted is so marked.
-The AD07 tyres are directional, but not handed. Ensure that the direction of rotation arrow points forwards on both front and rear wheels.
-Note that these tyres are not the same as the Yokohama Advan Neo

mac · Post by **mac** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:02 am

AD07's are a better tyre than the RE040's that you are currently using. That said, the RE040's aren't a bad tyre.

Perhaps a geo check will make life easier??

But reading your post - if your a nervous reck then you will be transmitting that to the road through the very sensitive steering.

So, my advice would be :-

Check tyre pressures
Check & reset to standard the Geo settings
Book yourself into a Hyperformance day at Kh (ask if you can do one at short notice as you want to improve your wet driving skills) so that you can see where the limits of the car are in the wet in a fairly safe environment
If all that fails then change to the AD07's - but that could just be a placebo effect.

When your tyres are dead - go for the AD07's - If your or your car is nervous on RE040's then you'll hate T1Rs for the first 1000 miles.

Mac

ExigeKen · Post by **ExigeKen** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:10 am

After 25000 miles on A048s I changed to T1Rs. In the wet the T1Rs are amazing and the A048s were like bars of soap. However in the dry the A048s were incredible. Two sets of wheels the only answer or move to a sunnier country.

mac · Post by **mac** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:44 am

The AD07's are a really good compromise - on road loading I don't think you could tell the difference between them an 48 (it does show up on track though) and there ability to shift water is brilliant.

Mandy's car has the ability to wear both

Mac

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:35 am

I had 48's and t1rs (for winter).

Hated the t1r's in anything other than the rain, but they were good in the rain, and snow, and went off very quickly if abused, which made them good for Walshy days

cla5h · Post by **cla5h** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 3:19 pm

Only had the Bridgestones on mine, but for road use, and if they've got tread on them, they're fine in the wet, as long as you're driving according to the conditions.

Had them on all through last winter (which wasn't particualrly bad, weather wise) and only thing I noticed was fronts were locking under braking a lot once the tread was low, so replace them before they're at the legal limit.

daveskerr · Post by **daveskerr** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:44 pm

Mostly worried when braking as the car just seems to feel like it's never going to stop and i'm para about braking a bit harder and locking up.

Had a small bump (see avatar!) in March and that was due to braking in the wet so my confidence has probably been knocked because of that too.

What Scott M says about the fronts is what i'm worried about the most so I know that they need changed soon.

I'm not looking for a balls out performance tyre over winter, just something that will keep me safe!!

Dave

Edin430 · Post by **Edin430** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:20 pm

how about ....

Although might need the arches rolled??

Always option B -

Mr Momo · Post by **Mr Momo** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:23 pm

Dave,

I think I have the same issue as you with the skinny RE040s - they're great in the dry, and have been OK in the winter when tread was new. Good point from Mac about nervousness being transmitted through to the tyres (I know I do this in the wet)

I think I'll give the AD07s a go - I'll order a set in Oct / Nov.

I'm keen to join in a wet driving session at Knockers - let me know if this'll help get it booked earlier or cheaper.....

daveskerr · Post by **daveskerr** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:59 pm

Back to the T1rs........

Know this original post is old but im just getting around to getting it sorted.

Nobody seems to have T1r in 175/55/r16 fronts. Am i stuck with the bridgestone Re040s or Yoko ad07s??

Dave