Lotus Elan

Dunlop Tires

PostPost by: rgh0 » Sat Jun 09, 2007 12:57 am

In Australia the 3 tyres of choice currently seem to be in historic racing

Hoosier street TD - a dependable and competitive option in the dry a disisater in te wet. They dont last to many heat cycles either before they go hard
Toyo 888's - only avaiable in 185/60 profile in Australia so may not fit an Elan with standard guards but seem to be the new hot tyre
Yokohama 048R - available in 185 and 175/60 widths but only available in a medium compound in Australia and some people dont like them compared to the previous 32R as they have a softer sidewall that causes more tyre sideways deflection and clearance problems. But they seem to work OK when I look at lap times of cars running them.

I am still running 32R's as I got a couple of sets before they ran out but will have to make a choice soon out of the above.

cheers
Rohan
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PostPost by: elandoc » Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:12 am

Hi Rohan,
The Toyo 888 - that's the V treaded one? (Proxes?) Have you tried the RA-1? (Block tread). I believe they have the same super soft compound. I didn't realise the 048 Rs came smaller than 14". I remember trying to source some in 13" a couple of years ago. I won't bother now, if you reckon they're a harder compound...
Cheers
Patrick
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PostPost by: rgh0 » Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:52 am

Hi Patrick

Yes the Toyo 888's are the V treaded Proxes. I dont think the RA-1's are allowed in historics groups S or N so have not seen how they go. The Toyos should fit your wider guards so are a better bet than the Yoko 048R's by the sound of it

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PostPost by: paros » Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:12 pm

I used AO32R tyres in super soft on 5.5 rims on an S4, wheel backspace was 108 mm using Minilites. No problems.
Then I went to ACB10 and they were a second a lap faster but wore out quickly - 6/21X13 on the same rims. No use in the wet of course, where the 32R was amazingly good.
I went to Avon slicks in 6/21X13 which were FF slicks and these were better than the ACB10 but again wore out!
Last year I went for the best yet - Yokohama slicks agion on the 5.5 rim 160/515X13 and immedidately a second a lap faster and a tyre life that must be 3 times that from the Avon slicks. Only problem was the breakaway was a bit sudden without the warning the Avon gave.
Now in the UK I race on AO48R in 175/60 on 5.5 rims. Good but they rip apart very easily - I find the soft too soft and the medium too hard! I can write off 2 of the 48R tyres in a race if I let the car slide.
My gut feel is that the handling of the Elamn will suffer with larger and heavier road tyres but I may have to go that way!
By the way I have the near newYokohama slicks and 5 unused wets for sale as I can't use them now!
Richard
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