Tomorrow I have the motorkhana and theres likely to be plenty of standing water on the ground. I have my yoko a-008r tyres on currently with about 3mm tread up front and 1.5mm at the back. I am wondering if I would be better off with some road tyres that had plenty of tread for water displacement or will I be better off with the stickier compound of the yokohamas.
I understand that if I get hydroplaning it wont matter how sticky the rubber is so something is telling me to put some good tread on.
Any educated opinions on this matter!
morrisman1,
Mar 1, 6:51pm
The other option I can put on is some Silverstone rally tyres. How would a rally tyre do on wet tarmac!
mgmad,
Mar 1, 7:00pm
What event is it MM! National champs on this weekend, in Invercargill - my car will be there, even though I won't be.
I wouldn't worry about the rally tyres. The key with motorkhana is you want enough grip to get good acceleration, but still be able to break traction when needed. I usually use my track tyres on tarmac, even in the wet - but I have a very good handbrake that can break the back end, and lots of power so the sticky tyres are needed.
The key question is - do you expect to get a lot of wheelspin on road tyres!
pollymay,
Mar 1, 7:03pm
Don't use the rally tyre, tall blocky treads walk really bad. Unless there is LOTS of standing water track tyres usually do better cause motorkhana is twisty and with the rain you can't get much speed up so it's harder to aquaplane.
Although I would check what compounds the tyres are. Many all seasons turn to poo below a certain temp as do track tyres.
morrisman1,
Mar 1, 7:08pm
yeap, its for the nationals here. Which car is yours!
This car will break traction with the track tyres in the dry so its a game of throttle control, especially in the wet.
I will get lots of wheelspin with any tyre if I abuse the gas. The left wheel is particually bad because there is considerably less weight on that side of the car. The track tyres are great in the dry and if you dont slam it into second then you can start opening the throttle at about 60km/h.
Also, thinking about tyre pressures. Being wet I would tend to run them higher to cut through the water but at these speeds will that be a factor!
mgmad,
Mar 1, 7:15pm
Mine is the MG Midget.
I'd be surprised if you get in to second much in the motorkhana, waste of time changing gear generally, unless it's something like Ever Decreasing Circles.
Don't get over complicated with it. I run my tyres the same wet or dry. Biggest advice is to run lots of pressure in the rear tyres to help break traction with the handbrake in FWD.
The forecast isn't actually looking that bad for tomorrow, I doubt you'll have much more than morning showers, if that.
morrisman1,
Mar 1, 7:29pm
The forecast is much better than the North Island's, that is for sure. How does that MG go in the wet! It looks pretty quick in the dry from what I found on youtube
mgmad,
Mar 1, 7:32pm
It goes pretty well, we've spent a lot of time on it and it has really good traction, even with a hike in power since it was supercharged.
kazbanz,
Mar 1, 7:37pm
MM-Im no gymcana expert but given you will be running in at least damp conditions wouldnt you be better running full wets on the front so she doesn't sledge! -PLEASE don't take that as a statement of factIts just my opinion
sr2,
Mar 1, 7:37pm
We??
mgmad,
Mar 1, 7:51pm
I really doubt the Silverstones will be as good as the tarmac tyres, certainly not my experience. Generally a non-slick road-legal race tyre, like the a008rs, are best in the wet.
morrisman1,
Mar 1, 8:19pm
From just a quick test of each tyres, the silverstones had the best grip out of all three (yokos, some 13" rallys and the silverstone 14" front traction rallys)
It was quite noticeable that the car was accelerating better. Cornering was similar to the yokohamas. This was tested on wet rough chip seal.
morrisman1,
Mar 1, 9:43pm
It seems that the yokohamas are very hard in these temperatures but the rubber on the silverstone rally tyres is extremely soft. I think that may be why Ive got more grip with them. The rally tyres will be quite new compared to the yokohamas I think.
Perhaps some new tarmac tyres are in order before next season
morrisman1,
Mar 2, 2:43am
Ive been advised that while the rally tyres grip well, their life will be short and sweet on tarmac, and because I am borrowing them for the gravel sprint then it would be rude to chew them up before handing them back. Ive got some road tyres that seem to grip alright (well better than the yokohamas but not as good as the rally tyres) so Ill just have to make do with those.
Your car looks good mgmad, as the competition I hope it goes well but not well enough to beat me! I hear its got quite a reputation for being very fast.
kcf,
Mar 2, 12:48pm
hope you're getting better weather there, than here.It's underwater in Wellington today.Hope you all have a good couple days racing, I couldn't come up with the money for the big commute to the Nationals this year :-(
mgmad,
Mar 2, 5:31pm
Well morrisman, hope you're having fun and not too underwater, and hope you went well, but not quite as well as my car ;)
Leon I'd probably be there, but for leaving the country two weeks from today - a bit much on unfortuantely. Sucks helping prepare the car and not driving it.
vtecnet,
Mar 2, 5:44pm
I found that Bridgestone RE-11's gave me the best grip out of the road tyres of used, seem fine in the wet too.
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