Quote from: 1979scotte on February 26, 2021, 10:05

Quote from: shnazzle on February 26, 2021, 08:39

Quote from: 1979scotte on February 26, 2021, 08:37

Quote from: shnazzle on February 26, 2021, 08:23I am after some new tyres and if they have these in my sizes I may give them a try.
Need 195/50/15 and 225/45/16

Why so big?

195 front as I'm on 7in wheels in front. And 225 rear because I like how that grips vs 215.
It's not THAT big. It's only 1 size up from stock

I must not drive hard enough because I really enjoy 185 205.
Or maybe I need more torque? 🤔
Although as @s12vea will confirm its pretty lively in the wet.

Not a necessity. It's a preference. I prefer the balance on the setup above.

Quote from: 1979scotte on February 26, 2021, 10:05

Quote from: shnazzle on February 26, 2021, 08:39

Quote from: 1979scotte on February 26, 2021, 08:37

Quote from: shnazzle on February 26, 2021, 08:23I am after some new tyres and if they have these in my sizes I may give them a try.
Need 195/50/15 and 225/45/16

Why so big?

195 front as I'm on 7in wheels in front. And 225 rear because I like how that grips vs 215.
It's not THAT big. It's only 1 size up from stock

I must not drive hard enough because I really enjoy 185 205.
Or maybe I need more torque? 🤔
Although as @s12vea will confirm its pretty lively in the wet.

Oh yes they are lively

I do agree with the above 1955015 and 2254516 on stock wheel

Fills the arches better and tad more rubber on the road

Quote from: SteveHarvey73 on February 26, 2021, 10:08

Quote from: Ardent on February 26, 2021, 09:48

Quote from: SteveHarvey73 on February 25, 2021, 20:39

Quote from: Ardent on February 25, 2021, 19:08

Quote from: SteveHarvey73 on February 25, 2021, 12:21Have just put on a set of Nokian Wetproof 185 55 R15 on the front of my MR2, as it had mismatched tyres across the front axle when I bought the car (a budget and a cheap yoko) - have kept the Avon ZV7s on the rear as they seem OK and have plenty of tread left.

Nokian do supply the right size 215 45 R16 for the rear also in case you are interested!

First impressions on a brief wet drive home from the tyre fitters down some cruddy b-roads, is that they are great tyres - confidence inspiring on the road. Happy so far.

Tyres supplied by Camskill at £52 per corner, plus delivery. Local tyre place charges me £15 per tyre to fit and balance.

Hope this might help you to decide.

Cheers,

Steve.

As a carry over from another thread. Do pay attention to what the load rating of the tyre is, vs the OEM spec. (sticker in bottom of glove box)
Note if the Nokians are standard load, or labeled XL or extra load or re-inforced. Can have a bearing on correct inflation.
Worth spending a bit of time on this to get things right. 

OK, thanks - the Nokian Wetproof are XL/re-inforced, currently running them at 26psi. They felt OK. Seems I have a few things to learn in this regard though!

What is the load rating of the tyre?

They are 86H.

The other thread was this. https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?msg=845658 Learnt at lot.

Having looked at the numbers and cross ref'd things in tables in above thread. Turns out the Nokian are a close match to OEM load index.

OEM 81 @ 26psi = 783 load index. (standard load table)
From the XL table, looking for as close to 783 on the 86 line. We arrive at 761 (-22) or 794 (+11) 794 takes it. Then reading reading off the PSI for that figure gives.
T'da 26psi. Sweet. Not even my tyres, But I find that rather satisfying.

Tyres and pressures make such a difference on these cars. I ended up knocking mine down 1psi. Car went from happy to very happy.

Quote from: Ardent on February 26, 2021, 17:38

Quote from: SteveHarvey73 on February 26, 2021, 10:08

Quote from: Ardent on February 26, 2021, 09:48

Quote from: SteveHarvey73 on February 25, 2021, 20:39

Quote from: Ardent on February 25, 2021, 19:08

Quote from: SteveHarvey73 on February 25, 2021, 12:21Have just put on a set of Nokian Wetproof 185 55 R15 on the front of my MR2, as it had mismatched tyres across the front axle when I bought the car (a budget and a cheap yoko) - have kept the Avon ZV7s on the rear as they seem OK and have plenty of tread left.

Nokian do supply the right size 215 45 R16 for the rear also in case you are interested!

First impressions on a brief wet drive home from the tyre fitters down some cruddy b-roads, is that they are great tyres - confidence inspiring on the road. Happy so far.

Tyres supplied by Camskill at £52 per corner, plus delivery. Local tyre place charges me £15 per tyre to fit and balance.

Hope this might help you to decide.

Cheers,

Steve.

As a carry over from another thread. Do pay attention to what the load rating of the tyre is, vs the OEM spec. (sticker in bottom of glove box)
Note if the Nokians are standard load, or labeled XL or extra load or re-inforced. Can have a bearing on correct inflation.
Worth spending a bit of time on this to get things right. 

OK, thanks - the Nokian Wetproof are XL/re-inforced, currently running them at 26psi. They felt OK. Seems I have a few things to learn in this regard though!

What is the load rating of the tyre?

They are 86H.

The other thread was this. https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?msg=845658 Learnt at lot.

Having looked at the numbers and cross ref'd things in tables in above thread. Turns out the Nokian are a close match to OEM load index.

OEM 81 @ 26psi = 783 load index. (standard load table)
From the XL table, looking for as close to 783 on the 86 line. We arrive at 761 (-22) or 794 (+11) 794 takes it. Then reading reading off the PSI for that figure gives.
T'da 26psi. Sweet. Not even my tyres, But I find that rather satisfying.

Tyres and pressures make such a difference on these cars. I ended up knocking mine down 1psi. Car went from happy to very happy.

Awesome! Many thanks to my 'tyre P.A.', and very satisfying to learn this. Much appreciated! Very happy here. Enjoy your weekend. Cheers, Steve.

@SteveHarvey73

Being based in Chester. Have a look at our events section and Dingday. If, and it's a BIG, if, our national day goes ahead. I strongly suggest you attend. The one weekend of the year, you will see more 2's than you can wave a stick at. And no two 2s will be the same.

OK, will check that out. Thanks.

Having put a few hundred miles on my Falkens now I thought I'd add a quick review as I know others have been looking at them -

2002 Roadster, 15" wheels all round. Went from 4 mismatched budget tyres to Falken Ziex ZE310 in stock sizes. I was looking for a general use tyre that could cope with normal roads and water, rather than being track focused. 

So granted anything was going to be an improvement from what I had before but previously I was getting some tram lining on the car and this has been eradicated with the new tyres which is great. They have coped really well with the winter weather and have been very confidence inspiring on wet and dry roads. I'm not the most aggressive driver but do like a spirited blast round the B roads and have found that they perform really well through the corners and also accelerating off from roundabouts etc.

My daily driver car is on Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance tyres which are well reviwed and compared to those the Falkens feel like they have more grip and a sportier feel, although that could just be the difference between a hatchback and a roadster!

Overall I'm very happy, especially for the cost so would buy them again. I got them from Demon Tweaks on an ebay seller offer which is well worth looking out for if it pops up again!

Liked the falkens when I had mine.

Previously '53 reg 'standard' 2  + just fitted replacement sizes for what were already on the car.

185/55/R15 Continental EcoContact6 86V - Front <<<<< damn sight better than the Eco name would suggest!

215/45/R16 Continental Premium Contact2 90V - Rear

Used this same combo on 'Superblue', admittedly slightly different sizes on that, as 15'' pfl.

Wet n windy day, so caution was the name of the game for most of a 60 mile round route today. But the last few miles did manage to put a grin on my face, super grip and a reasonable ride....happy!!

This was based on 29psi F 32psi R

£325

 

  new falkens ze310 fiited all in for £290.90p dated fitted 17/3/21

std 2 just with lowering springs. with 41k miles.

front size 185/55/15 and rear 215/45/16   26/32 psi

i have only ever driven 2s with reo40s on bridgestone so will be finding out what what they are like.
had them fitted only because my tyres had been on for a while and wanted a fresh set.

as most of you no its the rears size is the problem getting tyres to match.

blackciricles prices for the falkens ze310 ecorun today are £368 all in fitted just to see what how much tyre prices vary.

as some of you no that Michelin own blackcircles  and ATS auto centers

i went for this set up as some other owners have used these tyres and has no real complaints i would have happily spent more money on AD08r but with them changing to rs the feed back not so good.

another  set up  with the same size options that  fitted that i might have gone for would been.
continental  premium contact 2 cost on blackcircles all in fitted £391.

so time will tell now and will right up when i have done some more millage probably  in  a years time when Wales is not in lockdown and i have moved my 2 more than a 1000 miles  ha ha  

protyre cardiff north clive st fitted them and gave local tyres places a chance to beat the price but they all said no.

any info wanted or if i left anything out let me no,  

Been a while now on my front Uniroyal Rainsport 5 195/50/15 and rear Uniroyal Rainsport 3 215/45/16.

Few observations;
- these tyres grip just smashing
- as advertised, wet grip is phenomenal
- my ABS has calmed right down. ABS doesn't kick in over-eagerly anymore which is amazing!
- lots of squealing on corners
- they're not AD08(R) 's. No comparison. But I've pushed them quite hard now for road use and they're absolutely smashing.
- with a tiiiny bit more PSI they're actually plenty stiff while still adding some compliance I lost by going coilover
- and one negative; braking distance. Braking is NOTHING like braking on the AD08(R) 's. Not comparable. As demonstrated by the ABS no longer kicking in. As quickly. I have to change my braking behaviour on a spirited run. There's no late braking on Rainsports. You have to feather it in and then mash.
Don't get me wrong they brake great and especially in the wet. But on dry, between AD08R and Rainsports it's night/day.

Still very happy with my choice and would recommend them

Funny enough, I went for Rainsport 3s front and rear (seemed the best option at the time - last summer).
Have only had them on for a thousand miles or so and haven't had the pleasure of AD08Rs (I'm really not at all confident in the wet or damp having taken a spin a couple of years back).

Quite agree about braking. Even compared with the standard bridgestones, they do take a bit of warming into the corners, although I find they perform much better when they are proper warm.

And yes, you can't half make them squeal on a roundabout, knowing that you're not going nose-to-tail.

My downside is that they still feel a little soft on the tyre wall.

My car #2 has barely used Nankang NS20s. For a budget tyre, they're a much better option than the T1Rs I still have sat outside my house! They seem confident and sticky. Like others, they do need a good blow up - I found them a bit lardy driving around on the recommended pressures.

I guess what I'd really like out of a tyre is a really firm sidewall, but at the same time, amazing in the wet. If anyone finds something, please LMK. Although I get the feeling it'll be a while before I need a change of tyres.

Well after a proper blast out a couple of weeks ago, Patrick and Stu have prompted me to review my Tyres.

I bought the tyres about 18 months ago, but have not used them in anger in the dry till now.

FYI - Standard FL with New KYB shocks on Teins.

Nankang NS-20 195/50/15 and 225/45/16 on Team Dynamic alloys.

After a recommendation from Carolyn I decided to give them a try. I had to replace my ageing and cracking Bridgestone RE040 front tyres and could not get any to match my rears so decided to replace all 4.

Could not get 185/55/15 for the front so went 195/225 to maintain the stagger. You can get them in 215/45/16 if you wish.

First impressions when I first got them fitted was that I didnt like them. They felt very soft and wallowy, and less grip - although that could just be the new tyre releasing agent.

I upped the pressure from 26/32 to 28/34 and that felt much better. They do have softer sidewalls than the Bridgestones so have put it down to that.

As Stu has said, can we find a stiff sidewall, good all weather tyre, that would be great.

I got caught out in some rain last year on the 1 meet I attended, with very damp and greasy roads, and I have to say I was impressed with them. They held the road very well, while I know others mentioned how slippery it was. I felt totally confident with them.

Roll forward a year, and a blast out on some of my favourite roads that I know really well. Dry, warmish day - although it was cloudy and had just had a shower maybe an hour before.

Absolutely fantastic - now I know I'm not the fastest driver in the world, but they held the road at all the speeds I was comfortable going round the corners in. They gripped on acceleration and braked well.

I have to say I now like these tyres and can recommend them to anyone on a budget, for both wet and dry driving. I havent tried them in the cold so cant comment on that, plus I cant compare them to AD08s as I've never tried them. But for the miles I do per year a cheap tyre that performs well, that I will probably have to replace on age, not wear, I really do like them.

Maybe in a few years time, when I'm due replacement, there will be a better tyre out there in correct sizes, but up till then, I'm happy.

 

Not talking about the make but the sizes.

I've recently driven a car on 195/225 and it felt awful.

I really think you guys are missing out. The car feels so alive on 185/205.

Quote from: 1979scotte on June  4, 2021, 11:26Not talking about the make but the sizes.

I've recently driven a car on 195/225 and it felt awful.

I really think you guys are missing out. The car feels so alive on 185/205.

Previous tyres were 185/215 and have run winters on 185/205 PFL wheels.

Maybe I need more power as I havent noticed a real difference!

Obviously the winters were a bit different and cant push as well, but never had any problems on any of them.

Quote from: 1979scotte on June  4, 2021, 11:26Not talking about the make but the sizes.

I've recently driven a car on 195/225 and it felt awful.

I really think you guys are missing out. The car feels so alive on 185/205.

185 front definitely makes the car feel more lively. A bit too lively for me. I personally like the extra resistance of the 195 and I don't feel it hampers actual cornering ability. I felt that on hard corners on 185 the front did have a tendency to slide out and understeer. That went away on 195. But, 185 definitely is easier to drive. The car is much more pointy.


Can't remember 205 rear. Was a long time ago since my pre-fl but I do remember going to FL when I bought it and noticing the difference between 205 and 225 that it came with. The pick-up on the 205 15s was nicer I have to admit. When I went 225 rear I did feel that the rear grip went through the roof. Quite noticeably. But...again at a cost of understeer.
Now back on the 215s...I have to admit it feels a bit better balanced. Liking 195/215 at the minute. And that's with my shitey weird offset (due to correct soon)

Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125
F: 195/50/15
R: 215/45/16

Stock car, used daily and for track usage would prefer a "proper" semi like R888 or Yoko A048. Thus, AD08 or similar were not an option.
Ended up with Hankook as are considered decent all rounders (given the available options for matching front and rear).
I was hoping the slight front height drop, together with the slightly wider tread to shift it, a bit, towards the oversteer side of things. In its current suspension and tracking setup/state is a bit understeer and turn-in without trail braking is so and so.
I also wanted to put 205/45/16 on the back, as I was never a big fun of the 215 and in general the facelift setup (think is a step back in terms of fun/agility), but opted for one change at a time approach.
So after a long intro.
1. Car is more compliant and having ridden quite long and rough roads recently is a benefit.
2. Is a bit quieter, but definitely there are quieter tyres out there.
3. Handling wise, I think the initial turn-in and feedback is compromised by the narrow front rims and even visually you can see the tyre could have gone with 0.5-1 inch wider rims. It is better than before but still has plenty of opportunities for improvement.
4. Overall handling balance improved a bit.

All in all, no surprises (positive or negative). Seems to match the expectation, i.e. a decent all rounder. Was hoping a bit more handling wise, but is understandable why that is not the case.

Quote from: 1979scotte on June  4, 2021, 11:26Not talking about the make but the sizes.

I've recently driven a car on 195/225 and it felt awful.

I really think you guys are missing out. The car feels so alive on 185/205.

  Every time I drive a locals car that I advised to stick with these tire sizes I get jealous of how much more fun it is to drive. Its the less unsprung weight that helps the damper keep the tire connected to the pavement.   
 There are two rules I try to follow for this car when it comes to tires. 
It is always better to buy a better tire in a smaller size then to buy a budget wider tire. Its always better to buy a tire that has a reputation of having a stiff sidewall. 



 

Are ad08r still available? Struggling to find anywhere with them in roadster sizes.  Tia

Quote from: Zspeed on June 30, 2021, 13:50Are ad08r still available? Struggling to find anywhere with them in roadster sizes.  Tia

No only if you find some old stock, they have been replaced by the harder/not as sticky compound AD08RS

Thanks

I just had a search about and the rs don't seem to have good reviews though. Anyone got any experience of them on a 2?

Or what are people using now instead of the R?

Im on Zestino Gredge 07RS they are awesome...pretty soft compound so life wont be as good as the Yoko but the grip is unreal and pretty decent in wet as well - here they are...  https://www.zestino.eu/en/gredge-07rs/

Quote from: Zspeed on June 30, 2021, 19:40Thanks

I just had a search about and the rs don't seem to have good reviews though. Anyone got any experience of them on a 2?

Or what are people using now instead of the R?

Avoid.
The RS just aren't the same.

Just an addendum after driving home from Ding Day in the torrential rain -

The Nankang's were great, never put a foot wrong or felt like they were going to slide or spin me out. Obviously slowed down due to conditions but felt totally confident in them.

My brand new Falkens ZE310 were great too in atrocious driving conditions.