Toyo R888r anyone tried them
Toyo R888r anyone tried them
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neil-935ql

Original Poster:

1,255 posts

127 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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Toyo R888r any good ? Looking at tyres for my k- series

Canuck7

64 posts

150 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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i've only done 1200 kms on mine.

initial impressions; track well, not much tram-lining, suitably soft rubber but not ridiculous. gets warm on road drives, but not hot.

i haven't tried them on track or autocross yet.

in the few times i have done some throttle steering, they let go without fan-fare, and slide in a nice slow predictable manner, then come back with only a minor jerk pretty much on their own. you can even wind them up a bit, and change line a bit, without ever feeling like you're actually losing any grip. for something that is basically a mild race tire, they are quite well behaved. i haven't tried drifting them or strongly forcing them to slide, so they may break free quicker on those occasions, but sporty driving is quite easy.
i did some brake-pad bedding-in sessions, and once you get to know the tires, threshold braking is pretty easy; a bit of a chirp now and then from one side or another. no wheel twisting drama.

i've tried a number of performance tires on my sti, latest is yokoham advan ad08s, and the 888s feel perhaps less edgy/sensitive - though hard to compare different car weights and tire profile ratios.

many people use them on 7s for all sorts of driving, and like them.

anyway, i've discovered nothing bad, and they aren't as scary as i've been led to believe r compound rubber can be, cold on a street. they seem to suit the car well, quite soft sidewalls compared to many tires. they are miles better than the ancient avon cb10s, or whatever they were.

CycleSi

510 posts

214 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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I have contacted Toyo UK about these in their new SG soft compound but they said they weren't available in 13" size until 2016 so I assume you're not talking about the SG compound if you already have them?

neil-935ql

Original Poster:

1,255 posts

127 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
quotequote all
I did not realise you could buy different compounds in the same tyre ? so would that be an R888r soft ? So would it be correct to assume softer = more grip ? Any other makes to consider , I see a lot of caterham owners run Avon's , thanks for all your replies

CycleSi

510 posts

214 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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I've always used Avon CR500's and like them; but then again that's all I know.

When the new soft SG compund R888R's become available I'll try them.

Canuck7

64 posts

150 months

Thursday 29th October 2015
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i live in canada, and wasn't given any choices in compound - there isn't even much choice in tire sizes compared to uk listings.

i would think the tires are the medium compound. i run 15" tires - i think it's 195/50 up front and 225/45 in the rear. the car has a cosworth YBM 2 litre engine making about 205 hp and 170 ft lbs. hence the sizing stagger.

a soft compound is stickier. soft or harder compounds use depend on two factors; how hot the track makes the tires, and how many laps you want to do before changing them. Neither a big issue for most 7 drivers, unless racing. if you do track days on a medium quick track that is easy on brakes, then you probably won't have trouble with a soft compound, if you are on a track that kills brake pads, and is twisty, it probably has the ability to cook softer tires as well.

a soft compound makes sense for such a light car, if you aren't concerned about tire wear mileage. though it seems the cars are so light rubber mileage isn't an issue, but 10 yr old slippery rubber, is. lol.

my tires could be a bit softer, and probably stick a bit better on the road, *shrug*.

i seem to remember that those who went with the racy yokohamas A048, is it... they would go soft front and medium rear if running a racy engine.. especially if not much stagger.

Gingerbread Man

9,173 posts

234 months

Friday 30th October 2015
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Also interested in these come boot replacement time. Used to run medium rears and soft front when running 888's, 048's.

Toyo 888's never used to like going to freezing temperatures, they were a bit sketchy in the winter when I was using the car daily. But I won't have that issue now, so more of a heads up.

Canuck7

64 posts

150 months

Friday 30th October 2015
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I think my toyo 888s came with a warning not to use them below 0 degrees C, or maybe it was -7 degrees. The rubber will split and chunk if it gets that cold, you can't even store them on the car below freezing. Preferably not even off the car. I have to take mine off and stick them in the house over the winter. :-D

sundance002

1,304 posts

185 months

Saturday 31st October 2015
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I found that the Caterham is to light to get the 888s to work properly on or off track, personaly I would use the Avons, far easier to get up to temp. All imo of course

CycleSi

510 posts

214 months

Saturday 31st October 2015
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Hence waiting for the new soft SG compound.