Track day tyres

[gra001]

I`m sure this topic has been covered before so any links would be appreciated. Need to buy tyres for R400 (track days only). Two sets if necessary........current thinking is:

CR500 damp/wet
ACB10 dry

Alternative suggestions welcome and any tips on supplier and expected price would be helpful.

Thanks

[dino ferrana]

Looks like a good combination to me. Bear in mind that with ACB10s being crossply tyres you may wish to alter the De-Dion ears in order to get the best out of them.

[jeremyc]

Be aware that your suspension geometry won't be optimal for both types of tyre given their differing constructions (CR500 are radial, ACB10s are cross ply). You probably don't want the hassle of changing the setup depending upon precipitation levels...

An alternative might be to run slicks in the dry (get secondhand sets from race teams perhaps) and then enjoy the challenge of ACB10s in the wet. Or CR500s for the wet and try and source some radial construction slicks.

[Shaun_E]

Sounds like a good choice. Have heard that BMTR are the place to get Avon tyres although you might be able to get them direct from Avon Racing. Doubt you will save any money on the CR500s as they are Caterham specific.
If you won't be driving the car to the trackday then you could try and get some second hand slicks for dry days.

[gra001]

Thanks guys. Had first track day yesterday at Snetterton and the tyres supplied with the car (they turned out to be VERY old slicks) were a complete disaster on the first session. Luckily a friend lent me his to get me through the day so It`s time to get some decent rubber and avoid repeating the embarrasment!!!.

[bertie]

I'd suggest Yokohama A048 rather than ACB10s.

Swapping de-dion ears and re-setting the front amber to suit crossplys is a right pain and just not practical if it starts to rain part way through a session.
And if you just leave it set for radials you'll cream the edges off ACB10s quite quickly and not get the advantage.

The Yokos are at least radials and they grip like hell, I love them.

Other alternative are Dunlop Formula Rs, supposed to be very good in the dry and again radial.

[Finchy172]

Hancook have bought out a track day tyre now which is what were hoping for on the kit car!

The toyo 888 are a bit to hard

[dannylt]

I do exactly as you suggest - CR500 for wet/damp and ACB10 dry. I don't bother changing the ears, and I must say the wear on the CR500s has been fine - still on original set. Munched through stacks of ACB10's though! The CR500's won't wear much anyway given it's wet & damp. I just use Bookatrack to supply/fit for simplicity.

[dino ferrana]

AO48R and Formula Rs are much heavier than ACB10s or CR500s. Both the Avons (particularly the ACB) are very light in comparison and this makes quite a difference to the feel of the car.

ACB10s in the dry are fantastic, not so keen on the road though. CR500 is better in the wet than AO48R IMHO and lasts longer.

[fergus]

Danny

Who did you buy your ACB10s through? BMTR or direct from Avon? Much price diff? Lastly, what compound do you run? I'm prob going to go for 8/22 and 7/21, A30 compound.

[bertie]

dino ferrana said:

AO48R and Formula Rs are much heavier than ACB10s or CR500s. Both the Avons (particularly the ACB) are very light in comparison and this makes quite a difference to the feel of the car.

I've used CR500 and A048 and I can't say I noticed any detriment in feel on A048s, indeed I think they grip harder and don't go off as much as Cr500s so I rather prefered them.

[dannylt]

fergus said:

Who did you buy your ACB10s through? BMTR or direct from Avon? Much price diff? Lastly, what compound do you run? I'm prob going to go for 8/22 and 7/21, A30 compound.

Neither - bulk buying from bookatrack for convenience at their trackdays. Not sure which compound currently; will check tonight, but the road legal one. Normally just get 6", but have just put my unused 8" ones on to try and run my new 300bhp RaceCo Duratec engine in on the road before final mapping session .

[h_____]

Why not stick with CR500s in the dry too, its not like they are a poor tyre? A048Rs are a cheap alternative and have same level of grip as a CR500 in the dry (some would say more!)

As you are doing trackdays, I guess you arent worried about extracting every last 10th of a sec. I would go with a cost effective tyre more than anything. I keep a spare set of CR500s for trackdays (got them cheap), when they wear out, I'll run a set of cheap A048R I have lined up!

[dannylt]

ACB10s are cheaper then the CR500s and wear nicely down to the canvas without marbling and getting torn up like the CR500s, so last a lot longer!

[dino ferrana]

Bertie have you tried CR500s recently? They have a new compound now which is longer lasting. Cost of running CR500s compares very favourably to AO48s which do not last as long.

Agreed ACB10s are the daddys in the dry, you can run them virtually bald, just pray it doesn't rain on the way home!

[jaker]

On a somewhat related note, what is the best (road legal) wet weather tyre for a caterham on 13inch wheels...?

[bertie]

dino ferrana said:

Bertie have you tried CR500s recently? They have a new compound now which is longer lasting. Cost of running CR500s compares very favourably to AO48s which do not last as long. !

I've got CR500s on the R400 at the moment.
I found the overheated and went off quite badly on track.
Not that impressed for track use but the best for the road by a mile I agree.

Mine are 2003 vintage as supplied with the car when I got it new.

When did the new compound come out?

[h_____]

A048R dont last as long as CR500s? Are you sure? The supergrads A048Rs managed to do 14 circuit races on 2 sets of tryes last year. Thats pretty good in my book. Not sure that the roadsports B guys CR500s did better for a tyre that is nearly twice the price.

Please correct me if I am wrong!

[dino ferrana]

There has definately been a new compound since then Bertie.

[dannylt]

I think the new CR500 is a different sidewall construction rather than compound, and supposedly stops them getting so hot.