The Tyre Thread

[J]

If you want a track / road tyre and can spring for them, the Yokohama AD08's are excellent.

A TS/G/Mk4 SRi-T can run them in 215/45/17 or 225/45/17 with no issues. Wet and dry performance is perfect and track handling is way above a normal road tyre. Wear so far on mine has been very good.

A good track only tyre is the Toyo R888. I have run them and they wear well, very progressive and high overall grip if not as much as other r-comp tyres. This is offset by their cheaper price.

Outright grip, Hoosier R6 or Yokohama A050''s.

Thank you gman. That is very useful.

I really want to try the AD08's, but for the standard TS SRi-T size of 215/40R17, the load rating is only 83, meaning that it is below the requirement of 87, at least according to the car's brochure (my car and handbook are with my mechanic right now, so I can't check from there)...

Can someone please check their handbook or tyre placard on their TS SRi-T's to confirm the minimum load rating specific to these Astra models? Thank you!

The AD08's in 215/45R17 do have a load rating of 87, but the overall increase in wheel/tyre diameter is 64.84mm, or 3.56%, and I have been told by some tyre shops that the overall diameter of each wheel/tyre must not exceed 15mm from stock, at least in NSW. I didn't believe this at first, but then I found these...
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registrati...ifications.pdf (middle and bottom of page 2):

Fitting alternative wheels and tyres by changing the outside diameter of the wheel and tyre combination by no more than 15 mm over the largest or below the smallest combination specified by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registrati...vsi09_rev4.pdf (bottom of page 2 and the top of page 3)

The outside diameter of the wheel and tyre combination must be no more than 15mm over the largest diameter wheel and tyre combination specified for the vehicle and not more than 15mm below the smallest diameter wheel and tyre combination specified for the vehicle.

Replacement wheels requiring an engineering certificate
Wheels that exceed the diameter and width limits for minor wheel changes must be assessed by a signatory. If the signatory finds that the wheels are safe for your vehicle, you will be issued with an engineering certificate.
The vehicle owner must notify the RTA so that registration records can be updated. This is done by obtaining an “Adjustment of Records” and a “blue slip” from an Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Station (AUVIS).
(contact the RTA Customer Service Centre on 13 22 13 for details of your nearest AUVIS).
The Adjustment of Records, blue slip and engineering certificate are then presented at a Motor Registry.
The owners copy of the engineering certificate is stamped and endorsed by the RTA and must be kept in the vehicle. This certificate must be presented to an authorised officer of the RTA or the Police when requested.

...

So it looks like it is more trouble than it is worth for me.

Incidentally, whilst pricing up the Bridgestone Adrenalin's (aka RE001's), I've noticed that the new Bridgestone RE002 and S001 have been launched:
http://www.bridgestone.com.au/media/articles/re002.aspx
http://www.bridgestone.com.au/media/articles/s001.aspx

The RE002 is supposedly better than the Adrenalin's in almost every area. Have anyone tried these out yet? What are your thoughts on them? Please share! Thank you!

Warning: This is an Old Thread This discussion is older than 120 days. information contained in it may no longer be current . Please think of the children before resurrecting this ancient thread!

[JohnBu]

FYI-

I tried 225/45R17s (CSC2) on the front of the astra.

My suspension (at that time) was lowered with a fair bit of camber.

It scrubbed... scraped both the plactic liner & chuck out of the tyre.

I wouldn't recommend it, both the cost of the tyre, switching back and forth, plus the inconvenience of it.

I'm now using 215/45R17s (re001) without any issues.

I haven't noticed any reduction in sidewall flex/handling going from 215/40 to 215/45, however as expected the ride is more compliant.

As another bonus, the 45 is cheaper than the 40.

The RE002 press release is only a month old, but according to Bridgestone, appears to be an improvement..

They (re001) are my current tyre of choice for a non-track tyre., I'll try the re002 when my tyres wear out.

[JohnBu]

wow... S001 is out..

I wonder how much better it is over the RE001 and RE050...

they haven't really had the Sxxx since the much revered S03