Do different,but similar tyres front/rear actually matter if

K-Serious · Post by **K-Serious** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 2:25 pm

....if the handling is as good as it is in the elise and the difference in grip is simply compensated with driving technique?

Or does the difference in grip actually change handling due to wrong differentials in suspension compression front to rear caused by the difference in traction front to rear......

It would be interesting for everyone if this can be ascertained. I need to replace just my front tyres and might move away from potenzas which are currently on the rear and new.

this is where a DIY kit would be great as you could increase the camber at the front for example if the front tyres have a little less grip, and basically fine tune it front to rear with any given tyres as and when you like....

Or that all a load of pish? If so, why!?

cheers.

gordon · Post by **gordon** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 2:52 pm

Bearing in mind that camber only really gives stability and grip when in a corner. Too much front camber and you'll sacrafice braking (how much is dependant on the shock/spring set up) if the tyres on the front aren't that grippy to start with, camber prob wont help an awful lot.

Different tyres will have different heat ranges and will rect differently front to rear. Eg. advans take a bit to heat up and are great once hot, but toyos heat up quick but if kept hot too long will start getting real squirmy and melt.

There is no reason why you cant fit different tyres front to rear and drive round the balance problem. Doubt you'd notice it unless pushing hard on the road, but it'd def show up on track. But why would you want to make sacrafices like that. My car came with different tyres front to rear. Conti's on the front and Bridgestone S02's on the rear and it was a nightmare in the wet.

It's an S2 you've got right? I'm sure you could fit the new S2 advans to the front, but the car might then become snappy/twitchy at the rear.

Basicly, you want the car to have the right balance of grip front to rear, then you can set up the geo to make the car more darty/positive in the turn etc. (i've played with geo setting till i'm blue on the face now till i eventually got a great setting) Then you'll be able to drive it with understeer/oversteer as you see fit rather then having to adjust your driving to comensate for the impending snap oversteer or turn in understeer etc. Plus having a car that handles and grips like it should does wonders for your confidence and skill levels. It means you'll know what it going to do at the next corner and if you do go in deep on the brakes a tad, or run it in too hot and push the front wide, you'll feel the oversteer/understeer building progressivly rather than the tyres reacting in 2 totally different ways.

Post by **simon** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:01 pm

I'm sure Ali has a pair of front potenzas sitting about if you ask him. I just bunged a pair in the skip a few weeks ago cos I'd had them for a year and nobody wanted them!

alicrozier · Post by **alicrozier** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:56 pm

simon wrote:I'm sure Ali has a pair of front potenzas sitting about if you ask him. I just bunged a pair in the skip a few weeks ago cos I'd had them for a year and nobody wanted them!

Yup, free to good home. Half worn so will expire same time as your rears.
I'm down to Edinburgh tomorrow so could squeeze them into the pax seat if you're desperate.

Cheers,
Ali

K-Serious · Post by **K-Serious** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:18 pm

The whole geo thing is fascinating..im a geek tho

ali, are the tyres CFE code? Also, anything but even wear would make me itch a bit...I take it you dont lap roundabouts repeatedly...

bythe way, Simon, what tyres have you got now..? You missing Dundee at all?

alicrozier · Post by **alicrozier** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:25 pm

Pukka Potenza's off my old S2 111S, pretty even wear IIRC.
Let me know if you want them.

Cheers,
Ali

Post by **simon** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:41 pm

I've got Yoko AD07s now, they seem pretty good in the wet, not really had much chance to try them in the dry cos it's always wet!
Don't really have much chance to miss Dundee since I'm there for work during the week

Don't miss my old flat though, much prefer having a garage

K-Serious · Post by **K-Serious** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:43 pm

Hi Ali

dont suppose you are in the dundee area tomorrow afternoon (wed).

If not i could come up to ABZ as i have the afternoon off. could come up evening time tomorrow and thur too.

I could be extra efficient and get them fitted in the afternoon too, so i can bin the old ones up there

pm me your no. if you want and ill give you a buzz

cheers,
Michael

alicrozier · Post by **alicrozier** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:48 am

YHM

K-Serious wrote:Hi Ali

dont suppose you are in the dundee area tomorrow afternoon (wed).

If not i could come up to ABZ as i have the afternoon off. could come up evening time tomorrow and thur too.

I could be extra efficient and get them fitted in the afternoon too, so i can bin the old ones up there

pm me your no. if you want and ill give you a buzz

cheers,
Michael