Tyres and Suspension

[ubuyau]

So I came to the decision im sticking with the wheels i have now since they're pretty and good sized (17x6.5inch). I'll just buy a replacement rim for the one that was slightly bent and im buying new tyres.

So I have three questions:

I need new tyres. Im going with the same size (205/40-17) and have found that the Falken GRB 451's I have on there now are a bit soft in the side walls under cornering and have worn pretty quickly (35k kms). I dont drive my car stupidly or do burnouts. So suggestions for tyres? Im after something with stiff sidewalls (harder compound?) with better grip than the falkens.

Also Im wondering if anyone has any experience with the Pedders Sports Ryder Comfort Gas Shocks? These are the ones that the racing 600R Lanos used when they were running. I already have Pedders Sports Ryder springs so I figure the matched shocks might be good?

Finally has anyone replaced the suspension bushings? If I have all the suspension ripped out I may as well get bushes done too! Im looking at urethane ones from Pedders again, and wanted to know how they'd differ from OEM ones (which i assume are rubber)? Performance/Feel?

--Tim

[woo]

nolethane bushings tighten up handling quite a bit and dont wear as quick. My brother had them put into a bog stock 1982 Vh commodore ($400 the lot) and it made quite a difference. The only complaint is that they can sometimes sqeek a bit

[ubuyau]

Pedders stock the Control arm bush which should make a difference! They also have some alignment bushes?

Car doesnt need the camber kit just yet (didnt last wheel alignment).

http://catalogue.pedders.com.au/parts.p ... model=1476

I might look at a full Noltech Urethane bush kit some time in the future...

--Tim

[SickDrift]

Hi, I hope i can help a little.

As far as your tires go, i would personally recommend:

1)Yokohama AVS ES100
2)Yokohama Parada Spec-2
3)Dunlop SP Sport FM901


These tires in my experience (3.5 years retails sales) are some of the best performing for the price, ie best value. I endorse none for longevity
but for good cornering, and highspeed stability these are great. You are right about the falkens, they tend to have soft sidewalls. The 512's i have on my corolla are great in the rain, and good all aournd tires, but do flex alot.

just my .02


LG

[kinkyllama]

These tires in my experience (3.5 years retails sales) are some of the best performing for the price, ie best value. I endorse none for longevity
but for good cornering, and highspeed stability these are great. You are right about the falkens, they tend to have soft sidewalls. The 512's i have on my corolla are great in the rain, and good all aournd tires, but do flex alot.

just my .02


LG

The falkens i use (azenis rt615) are known very well for there extra stiff sidewalls which allow you to run very low psi to get more grip too.

[SickDrift]

The falkens i use (azenis rt615) are known very well for there extra stiff sidewalls which allow you to run very low psi to get more grip too.

Those are also a very good tire. They are often used (having been recently redesigned) as a lower priced alternative to the Yokohama A032R's. On the down side, they get about half the milage as the previously mentioned tires, and cost wise, the ES100's are more for the money.

If you were roadracing, or auto crossing often I would go with the new azenis. However, if you are looking for more all around performance (but please understand these are still high performance tires so wet traction will be at a minum) them the es100 are more "bang for the buck."

LG

[ubuyau]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I had kinda narrowed it down to Yokies or Toyo T1-S.

I dont do any sort of AutoX work or hard racing. Im looking for something that is grippy/hard on dry road with an occassional bit of track work (we havent had heavy rain here for a long time and theres even less of a chance that id drive my baby in it if it was bad rain )

Im not concerned at all about ride comfort or road noise.

So of the Yokies or the Toyo - which do people recommend? Ive heard nothing but good things about both so its a bit hard to choose!

--Tim

[SickDrift]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I had kinda narrowed it down to Yokies or Toyo T1-S.

I dont do any sort of AutoX work or hard racing. Im looking for something that is grippy/hard on dry road with an occassional bit of track work (we havent had heavy rain here for a long time and theres even less of a chance that id drive my baby in it if it was bad rain )

Im not concerned at all about ride comfort or road noise.

So of the Yokies or the Toyo - which do people recommend? Ive heard nothing but good things about both so its a bit hard to choose!

--Tim

As a general rule, toyo's are not that great. I've seen them prematurely crack too often. Big cracks too, around the bead area. If they dont crack they're ok. I really feel that if there isnt a big difference in price the yokohamas are the better bet.


Toyo: Yokohama:

If you compare the two you will see that the Toyo's also dont optimize their tread area vs. void area. There are a couple of prominent features i prefer in the yokohama. The solid center rib, which promotes high speed stability. And the width of the shoulder on the yokohama which will give less "squirm" on high speed turns. Also note the squareness of the edge of the Yokohama, that indicates that even though both tires are the same indicated size, the yokohama actually puts more contact patch on the road.

....maybe another .05 there.

LG

[MMamdouh]

you are quite right about the tread area vs. void area it is pretty noticable that the toyo got too much void areas that will affect dry surface grip and i guess it will affect tire wear as well having less tred handling all the friction an all.

MMamdouh

[kinkyllama]

Of those two looks like the yokohama is better. What are the tread ratings? In the racing/competion world toyos are a bit expensive..but worth it for a race...but not even open track.

[kinkyllama]

The falkens i use (azenis rt615) are known very well for there extra stiff sidewalls which allow you to run very low psi to get more grip too.

Those are also a very good tire. They are often used (having been recently redesigned) as a lower priced alternative to the Yokohama A032R's. On the down side, they get about half the milage as the previously mentioned tires, and cost wise, the ES100's are more for the money.

Im not recommending the azenis for him.. but i just wanted to say for your info. I cant see the yokohamas even touching the azenis is the compition aspect. Very few people run them in auto-x and very very very few at nationals. Although they always score among the top couple in different magazine tests but personally i think yoko pays the magazines to tweak it so they rank higher. Especialy since i dont see these tires at the track often.

[ubuyau]

The Toyo T1-R's are better than the old T1-S. Im liking the tread block pattern on the shoulder of the tyre - but unsure of how much of a difference it'll actually make.



I wanted to get away from the Falkens (its what came bundled with the rims), i wasnt that impressed with them. They're pretty rounded on the corners like the Toyos. The RT615's are a little too full on for my requirements...

Im liking the Yoko ES100 (cant get the size i need in V102).

--Tim

[SickDrift]

Im not recommending the azenis for him.. but i just wanted to say for your info. I cant see the yokohamas even touching the azenis is the compition aspect. Very few people run them in auto-x and very very very few at nationals. Although they always score among the top couple in different magazine tests but personally i think yoko pays the magazines to tweak it so they rank higher. Especialy since i dont see these tires at the track often.

I wasnt attacking your opinion and im sorry if it seemed that way, honestly.

The main reason you dont see the yokohamas at amateur level events as much as the the falkens is because they usually cost about $30 more each.

And as far as seeing products at races, races are like commercials, the competitiors get their tires free lots of times. I have a friend who has a D1 team, and he gets at least 30 sets of high end dunlops every month or two... free! Not because he likes them, but because dunlop wants their product to get some exposure.

Yokohama doesnt need the exposure.

LG

[kinkyllama]

I wasnt attacking your opinion and im sorry if it seemed that way, honestly.

The main reason you dont see the yokohamas at amateur level events as much as the the falkens is because they usually cost about $30 more each.

And as far as seeing products at races, races are like commercials, the competitiors get their tires free lots of times. I have a friend who has a D1 team, and he gets at least 30 sets of high end dunlops every month or two... free! Not because he likes them, but because dunlop wants their product to get some exposure.

Yokohama doesnt need the exposure.

LG

No it didnt feel like you were attackign my opinion.

I know what your saying but not at these particular events. Auto-x nationals 98% wouldnt take any tire other than hoosiers even if they're offered a $1,000 just b/c...its nationals and you'll only win with the best tire.

Some of the most used tires at roadcourse events (or races) toyo RA-1, hoosiers (but usually just important races as they're most expensive and last the littlest), and Kumho Victoracer, kumho v710s.

[SickDrift]

The Toyo T1-R's are better than the old T1-S. Im liking the tread block pattern on the shoulder of the tyre - but unsure of how much of a difference it'll actually make.

I agree, those do appear to be a more stable and better designed tire compared to the other model.

I wanted to get away from the Falkens (its what came bundled with the rims), i wasnt that impressed with them. They're pretty rounded on the corners like the Toyos. The RT615's are a little too full on for my requirements...

Im liking the Yoko ES100 (cant get the size i need in V102).

--Tim

What exactly is it you require? The es100's are rated 84W in the 205/40-17 size. The "W" speed rated tire has a higher speed rating than the "V" you are looking for. 170-190mph (cant remember which) to 149mph respectively. The advantage of a higher speed rated tire being that it will handle better at higher speeds (i know, duh!). Not that you will be traveling at these speeds, but that you will be able to take advantage of it's better characteristics at the speed you will be traveling at.

And as for the load index ratings (the 102 vs. 84) I dont know what rating the tires your vehicle came with from the factory, but as long as the tire you are buying meets or exceeds the factory specs you will be ok.

Hope this helps.


LG