happylarry Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 Having just fitted 032s (soft) on 13" rims to my Zetecced 7, and was disappointed at a Snett Trackday last weekend with the amount of grip when compared to the 021s. Should I have fitted the supersoft? Found that I needed to run the car much stiffer with the 032s than with the 021s . Was using 20 psi (cold) which got to 24/24 psi when hot, but really struggled to get heat into the tyres (yeah, yeah, I know, must try harder!). Any suggestions as to pressures/front to rear stiffness etc? and does anyone who's used both tyres have a preference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 I've run with both and I really don't think the 32Rs are worth the degradation in wet weather performance or increased wear rate. Try running them at lower pressures. I used 16psi all round usually and they worked OK. Stiffness not altered between tyres. What sort of power are you kicking out, what size tyres are you running and do you have an LSD etc? Getting warmth into them is harder than 21Rs and Snetterton isn't exactly an ideal circuit for getting lots of heat into the tyres with a 7 (IME). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 For the road I prefer 021's. Not done a track day with 032's yet. I will use slicks on the track in the dry and am undecided as to wet tyres. My trusty 021's or 032's. I think it will be the 021's.... perhaps I should test both before committing. The 032's are nearly new but perhaps do not clear enough water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 Steve - I've tried both and for wet track days I reckon 21Rs are the thing to have. I'll be using slicks and 21Rs to cover eventualities when my dry sump is fitted and I wear out the second set of 21Rs I have on my other rims... 32Rs look much better mind. I might also try 48Rs once they come in the right sizes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 I prefered the 32r's (in Soft) on the track in the dry to the 21r's. It is worth noting that the 21r's are softer than the 32r's in soft compound, its only when you get a bit of heat in to the 32r's that they come in to there own. once warm I thought they was much better than the 21r's. In the wet they was a night mare with any standing water about. At the moment I am using 32r's on the road because my new car came with ACB10's which I have keep for the track, The 32r's are a great road tyre in the dry but they arn't lasting very long. I might put 21r's back on the road wheels when the 32r's run out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 Any tyre that wears out after 3k miles isn't a good road tyre in my wallet's terms smile.gif Even at "just" 240 a set it's still something to be avoided if you can. At least the 21R lasts twice as long (IME with 200bhp and a heavy right foot). Slicks are surely the thing to use for dry track days? OK, you can't drive to a circuit on them, but there are ways around this. I'm told that 48Rs are better than 32Rs in both outright grip *and* wet weather ability. That will be something to try if they don't wear out in 5 minutes. I was also told that 21Rs are the same compound as the std. 32Rs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 I could be wrong but I don't think 48r's are available in 13" sizes, I seem to remeber hearing they were only in one size for a specific one make race series. (elises maybe..) Cheers Rob G www.SpeedySeven.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian P Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 For what it's worth, I'd agree with Snapper. Have just fitted 32's on my 1.6k Roadsport, and during a hard blat on Sunday morning, the car just hung on without a care in the world however much speed I carried into the bends. Kept trying harder, but to no avail. Obvious conclusions: 1) 32's much (much) more grippy than Avon ZV1s, and ii) my bottle just isn't up to it! Haven't run them in the wet, yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 48Rs are likely to come through in other sizes later in the year/early 2003 I believe. Christian - I suspect the only thing with worse grip than ZV1's are Michelin Pilots. Unless you have the correct Stain Devil for underpants, avoid standing water should you come across any at speed with 32Rs smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibster. Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 Pilots are probably good tyres to have when you 1st drive a Seven in that they don't provide more grip than you can get your mind around after you've stepped out of a tin-top, but I just can't wear mine out. Perhaps I should lend my car to Arnie at Le Mans this year for a quick donut session eek.gif Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 Why do 21's last twice as long as 32's? I thought they were made from the same rubber. If so, the tread pattern of the 21 is much more condusive to heat generation and I would have thought it would last for less long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happylarry Posted April 2, 2002 Author Share Posted April 2, 2002 OK guys, thanks for the views; I'll try running at lower pressures tho' I would have thought that should make them run cooler (but have read the othere tyre threads before posting) In response to Andy Murphy - 140 brake, 13" rims, live axle with LSD. Is anyone at Brands with Easy Track on the 19th; if so I'll see you there Lawrence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 Alex - I'm not sure but they do. I have questioned the logic myself but it was like this in reality. Lawrence - if you're running more than 185s on the back, this could be why you can't warm them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dartmoor7 Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Don't 21s come with a proper depth of tread unlike 32s? Also, things may be different in 185 sizes but my 205/45x16 Michelins had MORE grip than the Avon ZZ1 that Caterham are now using! Jerry Parker L7SVN 1.4 Supersport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cskip Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Happylarry, I'll be at Brands Hatch on the 19th and I am running 21R's on a car with similar setup (no LSD) to yours. Maybe we could compare! Clive. Crossflow - Loud and Proud! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Jerry, I think you're right. The 032's do start with less tread. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 I'll be at Brands in the afternoon trying out F355GTS's newly set-up 1.6 Supersport. Cheers Rob G www.SpeedySeven.com Edited by - rgrigsby on 3 Apr 2002 14:18:47 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Jerry - ahhhh, the joys of commercial tie ups wink.gif Maybe Yoko *know* that we all flood to their products anyway so don't need to bother? Tread depth may be right, but does it start half as low? Maybe it does... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Piper Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Andy, I see you're "working" again. You should know after Monday that right up there with Pilots are Goodyear Eagle F1s - on 15inch Prisoners at least.....understeer? what understeer? no problem if the road's wide enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Yup 032r's definetly come with less tread on them then 021r's initally although only by 2-3mm I think. As for heat generation unless your on track the 021r's seem pretty good and do last longer, although on a dry track it's fairly easy to get them too hot then they do start to fall apart. Cheers Rob G www.SpeedySeven.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murph7355 Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 You got a day off then? I take my lunch hour in small bursts throughout the day smile.gif I take your point though. Wheels and tyres definitely, plus raise the back and/or drop the front a touch...then again, you might not need to soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happylarry Posted April 3, 2002 Author Share Posted April 3, 2002 Clive; if I could remember how to e-mail from the thread, then I would! My 7 is blue/purple metallic biggrin.gifreg no: M300 LOU. If you know how to get an e-mail to me, let me have your details, or post in this thread. Lawrence PS - I've nver met a Deity before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dart Posted April 4, 2002 Share Posted April 4, 2002 Larry, Andy has a point here, I blamed the understeer and lack of grip that plagued my car on crap tyres but check your ride heights, I dropped my front 20mm on the suggestion of Peter C (all kneel) and it made a humungous improvement. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted April 8, 2002 Share Posted April 8, 2002 When I changed from 021Rs to 032Rs (soft compound) it made a huge difference at the first track I went to (cadwell) but not much difference at the second (mallory). Since then I haven't been on a track. However, I reckon the 032Rs are the thing to have for dry grip and they certainly feel more grippy on the road. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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