Tyre Choice

Smclean · Post by **Smclean** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:11 am

Hi,

Just got a new exige S, think im going to buy a set of "wet"/"winter" tyres as the AO48's are lethal in the wet!

What would you guys recommend?

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:23 am

I'm not an Exige owner, but I think most people change to the Toyo T1R as a good wet/winter tyre, to prevent butt-clenching standing water moments with AO48s

Post by ed » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:30 am

48s arent that bad in the wet but they are hopeless in standing water. Overinflated tyres adds to the problem. Book pressure is far too high IMHO. If i were you id try 22/24 and see how you get on!

But yes, T1rs are cheap and are good wet weather tyres i reckon!

gorrie · Post by **gorrie** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:50 pm

As above... I'm with Ed on reducing the pressures. Ran them from January at book pressures and only had issues when the rain hit hard in May. I then ran 22/22 which was way better than the book pressures.. but that was K-series Elise which is lighter. They were 'OK' in cold/damp but very hard to get any temperature in (especially if you are driving stop/start in town).

I was driving through mahooosive puddles at Loch Lomond the other weekend during a snap downpour. It was on T1R's and it behaved very well.... Had I been on the 48's, it was the kind of weather that would have caused me to either reduce the speed to silly slow, or pull in until it passed. I've now come to the conclusion that 48's are maybe a bit excessive for road use as I don't think you get the best out of them unless conditions are favourable and you are absolutely gunning it round twisties, and when you take in to account the rate of wear, why waste it on the road? Definitely worth having a set for a dry track session though.

All just my opinion mind... and I am a blouse.

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:59 pm

A048's are fine in the wet, but stay off standing water and white lines and pay attention to the laws of physics!

Pointless having an exige and going for crap tyres

I ran t1r's and a048's on my 111r for the first year and then never put the t1r's back on - you'd be amazed at how well the 48's can grip in the wet - having just balded another set driving back from France this weekend!

Reducing the pressure can increase wear, but its only really an issue if you run them below 20psi. Ed's pressures are spot on, 22F /24R

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:03 pm

as a road tyre, the yoko AD07 gets a good reputation, but i have never tried it myself. The toyo's are very good at clearing water, but i dont really rate them as a good tyre.

I think as long as you remember that the elise/exige is a light car that aquaplanes easily, and you drive accordingly, then you can get away with any tyre you want.

GregR · Post by **GregR** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:25 pm

T1Rs as a value for money option are what I'd recommend. Andy and Neil are slightly more 'aggressive' with their driving and have dislocated the part of the brain that governs 'fear' - hence their approval of the 48 as an all round tyre

woody · Post by **woody** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:30 pm

Or try yoko A039's?

Thought they're not cheap.