Toyo Proxes T1R & T1S

[Two's Company]

Just had T1Rs fitted to my 03, done about 100 miles and my initial impressions are good.

Positives:

1) No tramlining.

2) Ride quality improved.

3) Feels more sure-footed, it used to skip over expansion joints but now the Toyos cope with bumps better.

4) Grip in the dry seems better even though I'm still taking it easy!   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  

Negative:

1) Turn in not as sharp and steering feels heavier, I suspect this is down to the tyre pressures.  Currently running 30/34, (appreciate some recommendations?)

Overall i'm pleased, just want the front end feel back?

[BenF]

I'm just thinking about replacing the Yoko a539s on the front of (they were fitted by the dealer I bought the car from  s:? :? s:? ) and replacing them with T1-Rs.

For a 03 car, what are the recommended tyre sizes in order to end up with neutral handling?

I'm guessing a bit here, but would fitting 195/50R15 on the front sound right with 215/45R16 on the rear ?

[markiii]

Ben,

Assuming you can get 215/45/16 in the T1R got for 185/55/15 up front.

If they are only available in the same sixes as the T1S then go for 195/50/15 and 225/40/16

[mph]

Ben,

Assuming you can get 215/45/16 in the T1R got for 185/55/15 up front.

If they are only available in the same sixes as the T1S then go for 195/50/15 and 225/40/16

Having used both 185 and 195 on the front, I'd only ever buy 195s now.

[markiii]

for what reason?

[mph]

Dramatically reduces understeer. The comparision may not be fair, but the 195 T1-S's had exceedingly little understeer compared with 185 T1-Rs.

[BenF]

Cheers !

195/50s it is then. One last thought - is there any difference in steering feedback? Going from 195/55s to 205/50s on a Mk2 cost a lot of 'feel' but gave you neutral handling, I was wondering if this was an issue?

[Anonymous]

I've just read all these posts and links trying to find the weight of the T1R but can't find anything. Can anyone just confirm if the T1R is supposed to be any lighter than the old T1S?

[mph]

is there any difference in steering feedback? Going from 195/55s to 205/50s on a Mk2 cost a lot of 'feel' but gave you neutral handling, I was wondering if this was an issue?

Nope   s:) s:)  I was initially worried about using a 'non-standard' size, but after the first 50miles (scrub-in) I was highly pleased with the feel.

[Anonymous]

just had my T1-R's fitted this afternoon.  On the way too the petrol station to check the pressures i thought 'ooh this feels a little lively!'.  Only too find that the front had been inflated to 33psi and the backs 34   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  

Anyway corrected that, and went for a spin, now i know that they take a long time to bed in, and are a little slippery when new.  But the difference in the feel of the car over the crap arse Continentals I had before is just amazing.  The car now feels light and far more responsive than before, and turn in is a sharper and more precise.  Also didn't realise how much understeer the previous Continentals were giving me (they were on there when i bought it).  

Will do for a longer more spirited drive later this evening when the roads are a little quieter, and investigate them further   s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

[Anonymous]

just had my T1-R's fitted this afternoon.  On the way too the petrol station to check the pressures i thought 'ooh this feels a little lively!'.  Only too find that the front had been inflated to 33psi and the backs 34   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  

Anyway corrected that, and went for a spin, now i know that they take a long time to bed in, and are a little slippery when new.  But the difference in the feel of the car over the crap arse Continentals I had before is just amazing.  The car now feels light and far more responsive than before, and turn in is a sharper and more precise.  Also didn't realise how much understeer the previous Continentals were giving me (they were on there when i bought it).  

Will do for a longer more spirited drive later this evening when the roads are a little quieter, and investigate them further   s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

I couldn't agree more!

I had some crappy continentals on my car before I fitted the T1-R's too, see my reviewhere!  s8) s8)

[Anonymous]

Hey Robbie,

Did you ever find a solution to the problem you had with your tires?

Your description matches very close to what I'm experiencing with my new tires.  Falken Ziex 512.  Car feels very unstable at > 80 mph, I'm constantly correcting my steering as the car floats back in forth with any turn of the wheel.  


2001 stock
185/55/15 (RE040)
205/50/15 (Falken Ziex)

Thanks.

Gary

[Anonymous]

Different tyres front and back are not a good idea on this car, I'm afraid.

[Anonymous]

Dramatically reduces understeer. The comparision may not be fair, but the 195 T1-S's had exceedingly little understeer compared with 185 T1-Rs.

Understeer on a '2?  Never happened to me... Using stock sizes.

By the way, have you seen how skinny the front tyres of the Elise 111R are?

[Tem]

Understeer on a '2?  Never happened to me...

You need to drive faster then  s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

[Anonymous]

Get loads of understeer in mine - tends to preceed some nice oversteer. What happens when you turn in to a roundabout at speed without booting it (ie scrubbing off speed?).

James

[Anonymous]

I get understeer on t1-r's, but this is only when I'm caining it, and is made more noticable as I've taken the spare out, I think it's more too do with driving skill than it is the car

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain oversteer/understeer to me?

Thanks.

Gary

[Anonymous]

To put it in very simple terms, understeer means the car wants to go straight on when you turn the wheel at speed (often happens in FWD cars), and oversteer is when the back wants to come round and overtake the front (more commonly associated with RWD cars).

[Ernie Ball]

While we're asking noob questions:

What is turn-in?  I gather it's something like the way the front tyres bite the road in a turn.  What does it mean for it to be good (or better) or bad (or worse)?

[Tem]

Toyo T1-R's  s8) s8)

 m http://www.toyojapan.com/cgi-bin/column ... 03097.html m

[Anonymous]

Understeer on a '2?  Never happened to me...

You need to drive faster then  s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

Blimey, has it been a year already???  Anyhoo, I forgot to mention that, although my car does not understeer one bit, it oversteers like there's no tomorrow!  Or at least it used to until I got rid of the P6000.

To return to topic, I fitted a set of T1-Rs about a month ago and I am extremely happy with them on dry and relatively happy on the wet (had a couple of scary moments...).  I still don't think they are as good as the Eagle F1s but since I can't get these anymore I reckon the Toyos are the next best thing.

Sizes are stock: 185/55/15 and 205/50/15
Tyre pressures: 28 front and 33 rear (seem to work well but I'm open to suggestions...)

[heathstimpson]

I have recently put T1R's on in place of my stock Bridgestone RE40's and so far found them to be so much better in dry and wet. I'm still running stock pressures so maybe need to increase slightly  s:wink: :wink: s:wink: