Avon CR500 tyres

[slap_ed]

Hi all,

 

Have Avon solved the cracking of the CR500 sidewalls?

I've just had an MOT failure on 3 of the 4 tyres with a note "This vehicle is dangerousness to drive"

I know there are a few other tyre choices but when you have confidence in a tyre (obviously not the sidewalls) then why change, other than the stupid price?

 

Caterham appear to have some in stock. Does the price include fitting?

 

Graham

[FramerateUK]

2 of my CR500 are cracked at the moment.

 

Fron what I've read, it's just a cosmetic issue and doesn't affect the strength of the tyre, but I admit that I've lost confidence in them. I've done trackdays on them with the cracks there and they've been fine, but on a recent road trip I took my other wheels instead.

 

Are yours the 15"? I'm holding out to see if Avon get their act together and release the ZZS to see if they have the same problem, but otherwise I'm considering getting another set of 13" wheels and going for some AO21R...

[Grubbster]

Avon introduced a new CR500 at the beginning of the year, I haven't heard whether this has solved the problem or not. TBH I've had CR500's for several years (a couple of sets) and never experienced any problems. I don't think CC provide a fitting service. I believe you can also buy them direct from Avon.

[Dave Allen]

Graham.

 

I bought rears in December and fronts in March this year and both sets are not showing

 

any signs of cracking but they are 13s.

 

Try BMTR in Perry Barr, they will probably have stock if you need some.

[slap_ed]

Yes 15" (195/45/15)

Mine have been cracked for a few years now and have lived with the reason of its "just cosmetic" . It's only now that they've failed an MOT.

The MOT station said that if you can see the cords within the crack then they fail and are dangerous.

I'd rather spend £40 to £50 on Toyo T1R's but people talk about the tyre being too stiff and not as grippy. You get what you pay for I suppose

[slap_ed]

Dave

 

Now I know that Caterham don't fit their tyres, that explains why they work out cheaper.

BMTR have quoted me £548 for a set of four fitted. I'd love to fit cheaper ones but know I won't be happy.

Have many people been successful in get these swapped by Avon because of this splitting?

Cheers

[revilla]

Instead of T1R I went for R1R. They certainly don't seem too stiff and they grip well.

[The Prism-er]

Graham

 

YHM.

[A10ROX]

Also just had to replace 2 rear tyre due to splitting 205x55x13

 

BMTR had 4 in stock

 

Martin due you have some news?

 

Cheers

[Mavic82]

Change to Toyo R1R instead. Just as grippy, deeper tread so more life and they are cheaper!

[CageyH]

Deeper tread does not always lead to a longer life. The compound will make a big difference.

 

How is the handling regarding the sidewalls? Are they as stiff as A048's?

[revilla]

Just been out to the garage and measured mine. Toyo R1R 195/50 R15. For reference they are on a 600kg SV, 1.8 K VVC probably now around 170bhp. Road use only, I would say fairly enthusiatic.

 

1) Spare tyre is brand new so I used it as a reference. I measured approx. 6.0mm tread.

 

2) Rears have been on almost exactly a year. In that year I covered approximately 4,000 miles, mostly on B roads but includes an 850 mile round trip to Amsterdam mostly on motorways and similar. I measured approx. 5.0mm tread, so used only 1.0mm. At that rate I should get 4.5 years or 17,600 from a rear set down to the limit (if I choose to run them right down).

 

3) Fronts have been on a bit less, maybe 3000 miles, again including the Amsterdam trip. I measured approx. 6.0mm - as accurately as I can manage with a Halfords' tyre gauge I really cannot measure any difference between the fronts and the brand new spare!

 

This is the first year I've run R1Rs and I must say I'm pretty surprised at the low wear rate, particularly on the fronts. I would have expected them to wear less than the rears, but there really isn't any measurable wear at all at 3000 miles. If I were to cycle the fronts and rears to even out the wear, according to today's results I get 35,000 miles from a set of four 😳

 

I think I'd better sit and wait for the abuse about driving it harder

 

PS: I personally cannot comment on comparison with A048s or anything other than the CR500s that were on the car when I got it. Even then I can only comment on the differences as experienced through road driving, not on-the-limit track stuff. I would say in everyday use R1Rs are maybe a tad stiffer, just as grippy in the dry and a hell of a lot better in the wet.

 

Edited by - revilla on 24 Aug 2014 17:19:18

[slap_ed]

Thanks everybody.

 

I think I'll go down the route of Toyo R1R's. Is £70 about what people pay?

 

Thanks revilla for that informative reply, very useful. I have 45 profile at the moment, I take it 50 profile wouldn't foul the mudguard stays? I like the idea of having another 10mm of sidewall depth to help in the suspension department.

[revilla]

I certainly didn't have any problems with fouling the stays. The R1R has much less of a square shoulder than the CR500, so you get a lot more clearance at the point where they come closest to the stays. They do tuck up inside the wing a little more so you need to be a little more careful not to catch the edge of the wing when fitting and removing them, but it's not a problem and they run with plenty of clearance once in place.