Tyre pressures

[AndyM]

Hi,

Ok, I was previously running Yokohama C-Drives on the front and Bridgestone Potenzas on the rear (naughty Andy no biscuit  s;) s;)  ). However, the car was balanced and gave me bags of confidence driving it hard on both roads and round Oulton Park.

Given the tyres were coming to the end of their life, were mismatched and had some graining from Oulton I thought I'd put on a set of Toyos which I had fitted over the weekend. So far I've done about 160 miles of scrubbing in but I'll be honest, at the moment I'm slightly disappointed in the feel and handling.

The car has a slightly wallowy/jelly-like feel if you rock the wheel (like the back end takes a while to catch up with the front). If you turn in with a bit of speed it begins to grip but then begins to feel slightly wobbly at the rear and like it wants to roll sideways a bit (which then translates into the jelly-like rocking I mentioned earlier) and I've had to try and back off mid-corner without upsetting it further. I've also noticed it feeling a bit squirmy under motorway speeds and more effected by cross-winds.

I know the Toyos have softer sidewalls compared to others but I'm hoping these characteristics I'm feeling are down to pressures (otherwise I've no idea how they get such a good rep) and I was hoping for a bit if advice.

Based on the advice here I'm running them at 28/36 as I believe a higher pressure counteracts some of the sidewall flex (I was running 26/32 previously).

I'll hold my hands up and say I don't know a lot about pressures vs handling characteristics so before I jump in experimenting blindly I was hoping someone might be able to give me a steer of what to change first to try and dial this in.

One thought I had is that as I'm on the lighter side (9.5 stone ish) and I carry only really the stock weight (spare wheel etc...) then maybe these pressures are a bit high?

Any input appreciated as the way it is now doesn't inspire confidence when you turn in and I'm cornering at up to 10mph slower on corners I know well. I don't want to be crawling around on the Wales run like a Nana.  s:) s:)

Cheers
Andy

[Two's Company]

I run 28/34. They take about 500 miles to scrub in.

[2 of the left]

I run with 26F/36R Toyos T1R's no such probs experienced!! and my 2 is stock in everyway!! - I suggest a re balance Front and rear!

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Ok, I was previously running Yokohama C-Drives on the front and Bridgestone Potenzas on the rear (naughty Andy no biscuit  s;) s;)  ). However, the car was balanced and gave me bags of confidence driving it hard on both roads and round Oulton Park.

Given the tyres were coming to the end of their life, were mismatched and had some graining from Oulton I thought I'd put on a set of Toyos which I had fitted over the weekend. So far I've done about 160 miles of scrubbing in but I'll be honest, at the moment I'm slightly disappointed in the feel and handling.

The car has a slightly wallowy/jelly-like feel if you rock the wheel (like the back end takes a while to catch up with the front). If you turn in with a bit of speed it begins to grip but then begins to feel slightly wobbly at the rear and like it wants to roll sideways a bit (which then translates into the jelly-like rocking I mentioned earlier) and I've had to try and back off mid-corner without upsetting it further. I've also noticed it feeling a bit squirmy under motorway speeds and more effected by cross-winds.

I know the Toyos have softer sidewalls compared to others but I'm hoping these characteristics I'm feeling are down to pressures (otherwise I've no idea how they get such a good rep) and I was hoping for a bit if advice.

Based on the advice here I'm running them at 28/36 as I believe a higher pressure counteracts some of the sidewall flex (I was running 26/32 previously).

I'll hold my hands up and say I don't know a lot about pressures vs handling characteristics so before I jump in experimenting blindly I was hoping someone might be able to give me a steer of what to change first to try and dial this in.

One thought I had is that as I'm on the lighter side (9.5 stone ish) and I carry only really the stock weight (spare wheel etc...) then maybe these pressures are a bit high?

Any input appreciated as the way it is now doesn't inspire confidence when you turn in and I'm cornering at up to 10mph slower on corners I know well. I don't want to be crawling around on the Wales run like a Nana.  s:) s:)

Cheers
Andy

Sorry if this is slightly off topic; after reading this and going through the tyre reviews I wonder how many current owners have ever replaced their tyres with the standard Bridgestones. I've been wondering for a long time on this site why so many recommend Toyo's, and thus pondered whether they have ever driven their car on a brand new set of RE040's despite the huge cost for the facelift sizes. Especially when Bridgestone is the world's largest tyre technologist, and Toyo is traditionally a budget (yet always grippy soft compounds  s:) s:)  ) manufacturer.
 
Back on topic I would wait a few more miles. Tyre pressure wise on past experience running a few psi higher won't hurt, but if things don't improve handling wise you have your answer.  s:) s:)

[Two's Company]

I have had a new set of Bridgestones. They are better than the Toyos in the dry by far because of the harder compound.

Downsides at the time were wet weather performance wasn't great. They tram lined a lot more on the motorway and they cost more than double what a set of Toyos do.

Granted this is all 10 years ago so the compound of the tyre could have been changed and improved during that time.

If I had more 'give' in the suspension such as standard shocks, I would give Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 a try. They are developed for the Lotus Elise, available in facelift sizes of 195/50/15 and 225/45/16.

Andy - I wasn't that impressed with the Toyos at first too. They do bed in so bear with them for a few miles. If you still don't like them "I give you special price" for part worns.  s8) s8)  Yakshamash!

[Jon_G]

After sticking with the stock Yokos for over 9 years, moving to Toyo T1Rs was initially horrible! But, after a few hundred miles and experimenting with the pressures (32/37) it's worked out very well.

[Sonner34]

I have run yokos, toyo and bridgestones in the past. I found people are always keen to look for alternatives but the oe bridgestones are the best tyre I've ever had on a mr2. The toyos are as you have described though I think you are noticing it more than the average driver. I would have described my toyos similar to yours, I. Don't think they scrub in either I just think you get used to them.


 m http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop. ... eugart=ALL m

£106 quid

 m http://www.camskill.co.uk/m53b0s287p110 ... oise%3A_NA m

£66 quid

Hmm so apparently toyo are a good budget option, considering they wear nearly twice as quick I don't see the benefit personally

Vs

Toyos at £98 for the rear

 m http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop. ... eugart=PKW m

Can't find any t1r in 195/50/15 for the front but by memory they are £50

Defo worth going for bridgestones

[Wabbitkilla]

My chosen rears T1-R 225/40/16 £49 each plus fitting is far better than the Potenzas and for Half the price don't mind them wearing out quicker than the Pots.

It's pointless really saying one tyre is better than another, it's about what you prefer. Everyone drives slightly differently and everyone has different expectations.

I have enjoyed driving the car on Toyos more than I did on the Bridgestones. I may have selected them at first on economy grounds but I found my original Toyos were an immediate improvement and that was in extremely wet conditions. I admit that while saying that my car had reached 4 or 5 years age on the original Potenzas and maybe the compound had passed its useful life.

I will most likely be buying Toyos again though as I prefer them, and I am a bit of a demanding driver. What I am finding at the moment mostly, though, is the "traditional" tyre suppliers are asking silly prices for them however if you look around you can get them at prices more like they used to be.

[Sonner34]

That's a good price

[nathanMR2]

I ran Toyos from shortly after I purchased the car. The Pirelli P6000 I had on there before were rubbish in comparison but the rears were running pretty low.

I did find the Toyos needed higher pressures to reduce the wollowy feel of them. I ran 26/35 on mine. I think the main reason why these are recommended so much is not because they are the best tyre out there or even the best tyre for the car. But they are relatively cheap and readily available for what they are. They serve a purpose and for the cost of them I think they are pretty good.

Ive since changed to Yokohama AD08's and they give me so much confidence. The car seems more planted and it doesn't feel like the tyres are going to fold over themselves when pushing it in the bends. The kind of feeling I used to get on the Toyos. The AD08's are by far a wet weather or winter tyre. So ill be putting my old wheels back on with my Toyos once the weather changes. Not that the Toyos are a winter tyre either but ive coped (just about) through a number of winters.

Whilst im loving the AD08's they come at a price and expect to pay between £440-£500 for a set on 16" wheels, even more for 17's.

Tyres and wheels are a minefield. I spent hours and hours looking for the right combination. It caused me quite a head ache. Read some reviews, consider what conditions you'll be using the car in and see what you can afford. Then you can only hope and pray that your chosen tyre comes in the sizes you want.

[Anonymous]

Tyres and wheels are a minefield. I spent hours and hours looking for the right combination. It caused me quite a head ache. Read some reviews, consider what conditions you'll be using the car in and see what you can afford. Then you can only hope and pray that your chosen tyre comes in the sizes you want.

I feel this is the key Nathan. I too spent many hours looking at a set of Rota, in different sizes, considered using OEM 16" one's all round, then realised there isn't a fantastic choice out there for the Roadster, with its staggered set up. Hence £400 (Asda.com fully fitted) later a complete set of standard facelift Bridgestones now resides on our car. We use our car in all conditions (earlier this year it managed North Wales to London and back in one day at -1C, for which we were glad to have decent rubber all round), hence took the time to work out whats best for us. Bridgestone RE040 wise, our car was truly awful with the tired RE040's, but a new set really has made the car very sharp on turn in, and ride noticeably better - for reference our car is an 2003 standard but for Tein springs, and have done 67k). HTH  s:) s:)

[AndyM]

Thanks for the replies, some useful info. Tyres are a bit of a headache but I did my research, decided Toyos were worth a try and - once they are setup right - I'm sure they will do the job.

Without wanting to sound like a post fascist, can I steer this back on topic a bit...

I definitely think I'm running the pressures a little high. I read a couple of interesting websites last night about tweaking pressures and certainly some of the characteristics I'm feeling seem to be common with overinflated tyres. So, any tips on the best way to dial this in?

Should I change everything (front and back) by a PSI or 2 and see how it goes? Concentrate on one end and an experiment before moving onto the other? Make a significant change (lets say 5 PSI) to try and highlight the handling changes and then bring it back up bit by bit?

[Wabbitkilla]

I would change one end in small degrees and balance it with the other end after getting used to them like that.
I'm pretty sure I've always said 26/36 is a good starting point and then you work up/down in small degrees till you're happy.
When you consider the pressure my Audi asks for in tyres these are not huge pressures.

[Wabbitkilla]

Just as an update, I had new Toyo T1-R's fitted when I put the New wheels on. It's been a while since I've used them and found the experience unpleasantly wallowing at the back. I upped the pressures to 30/40psi and it was much more predictable, if a tad hard on the bum.

Now I have a couple of thousand miles on them I was enjoying their grip hugely, they're really great
 I thought I would drop the pressures and see if they would be ok back at 26/36 I used to maintain. When checking I found they had already dropped a bit of pressure and found they were sitting at 26/36 already give or take Half a psi.
Handling and grip wet and dry is phenomenal, loving it.

[nathanMR2]

Glad your loving them Nic. I think its nearing the time my Toyos go back on the car after reading this.

More than once now ive had the back end kick out. Once on a round about in the dry but on a particually cold morning (and cold tyres) and again in the wet. Both times i was hitting boost so i was getting a bit of power down at the time. The AD08's really dont like the cold or wet but its partly down to my own driving for the conditions that made things a little interesting. They certain gripped again as soon as i let off but they dont act the same as when the weather is a bit warmer.

That said they are a street legal track tyre so its too be expected really.

[James and his MR2]

26/34 with the ol toyos here

[Davred]

28 and 36 for me with T1r all round.
Had yokohama oe when i got the car, put facelift wheels on and toyos.
Squirmed well at first with 34psi at rear but having scrubbed them in and upped the rear to 36 find it very well planted.
Have got a problem with rear nearside losing pressure currently (duff valve?) and notice it immediately when pressure drops at all!
Running 225/40/16 at rear.

[nathanMR2]

The tyre probably just needed refitting mate. Especially if there is any signs of corrosion around the wheel.

[Jon_G]

The tyre probably just needed refitting mate. Especially if there is any signs of corrosion around the wheel.

Do you know how effectively tyre fitters can deal with problems caused by wheel corrosion?

For my Accord I have a set of alloy wheels with winter tyres and a couple of these have very bad leaks from the tyre beads. I considered sticking Tyre Weld in, but I'm not sure how well this might work?

[nathanMR2]

Its all about getting a good seal around the tyre. Often if they take the tyre off, clean things up well and refit this will solve the leak. I had it on my old 2 wheels where the one would keep going down. A clean up and refit certainly helped.

[Jon_G]

Its all about getting a good seal around the tyre. Often if they take the tyre off, clean things up well and refit this will solve the leak. I had it on my old 2 wheels where the one would keep going down. A clean up and refit certainly helped.

Cheers Nathan, I'll get those leaks sorted before winter gets here.

[AndyM]

A quick update on this...

I dropped the pressures down to 28/34 in a bid to incrementally dial the rear in. What an effect! Loosing those 2 psi has completely transformed the feel of the car. I've now done about 1000 miles (including a 4 hour drive in the rain on Wednesday night) and the grip feels good.

I think I'm going to knock the fronts down to 26 and try that as I have noticed a bit of the wallowy feel on the front end still if you change direction quickly. Hoping this will balance it up nicely.

Interesting that some of you are running really really high pressures (30/40 Nic!  s:shock: :shock: s:shock: ) and finding it planted. Perhaps there is a middle zone that makes these tyres unpredictable?

Anyway... going to give 26/34 a bash for a few hundred miles (and probably the Welsh run next weekend) and see how we go.