Daily tyre recommendations with wet track use

[Somnambulist]

I'm looking at the options for a daily tyre to include wet track use, as I have a second set of wheels with Avon ZZRs for dry track.

I normally run Michelin PS3s, but have been recommended Uniroyal Rainsports or Federal RSRs that'll both do well in the wet. Any experience on these and what might be better? I've also read that Rainsports can be squidgy on the road in the dry, but I guess there's always a compromise.

Cheers!

 

[JamesBryan]

AD08R's, love them.

 

[pastymaster]

I've ran AD08R's on an Evo and thought they were immense, really good tyres for the price. I'm not sure how they'd get on on a really wet track though, luckily it was always dry for me!

 

[JamesBryan]

I've ran AD08R's on an Evo and thought they were immense, really good tyres for the price. I'm not sure how they'd get on on a really wet track though, luckily it was always dry for me!

I've done a few really wet days on them and they're fine as long as you've got a bit of tread left.

Had a front set really low on one day and the front end was moving round on the standing water areas, but that would be the same for any tyre with low tread really.

 

[cpaterson76]

Uniroyal rainsport 3s seem to be the choice for Knockhill. Wet grip A rating and all the high powered Evo's & Cosworth's seem to run them as well... also in 15" format £132 for 4!

 

[JB21]

Toyo R888's on my track wheels and Rainsport 3's for my wets/road wheels. The RS3's are a great tyre for a wet track, as you say A rated and the tread pattern disperses standing water very well, they are even not to bad for the road in dry conditions and at less than £140 for all 4 corners (15") then they are a real bargain. I even have them on my heavy ST155 and they are great on that as well, bit soft when really pushing on but the wear rate is brilliant, they've been on for 6k miles now and less than 2mm worn. Best budget all-rounder on the market IMO.

 

[coverman]

I found that Rainsports on the front did not wear well(12K mile) on my Focus diesel but gave a reasssuring drive( more important obviously). We'll see how they last on my wife's Smart ForFour(old model). I got 700 miles out of a set of Vredestein Sportrac 5 on the front of my Clio driving to Autosolos and competing on them( I have had 20,000 miles out of the same type tyre on my Focus diesel but obviously no Autosolos)

 

[JB21]

I found that Rainsports on the front did not wear well(12K mile) on my Focus diesel but gave a reasssuring drive( more important obviously). We'll see how they last on my wife's Smart ForFour(old model). I got 700 miles out of a set of Vredestein Sportrac 5 on the front of my Clio driving to Autosolos and competing on them( I have had 20,000 miles out of the same type tyre on my Focus diesel but obviously no Autosolos)

The RS3's will melt if driven for long periods on the limit in anything but wet conditions due to the compound of the tyre as its an intermediate really.

 

[scotiamr2t]

I use rainsport 3's in the wet at knockhill and R888's in the dry. Although i have to say a fresh unworn set of R888's are miles better than rainsport 3's in my experience, once the R888's have worn a bit though they are woeful in the wet

 

[JB21]

I use rainsport 3's in the wet at knockhill and R888's in the dry. Although i have to say a fresh unworn set of R888's are miles better than rainsport 3's in my experience, once the R888's have worn a bit though they are woeful in the wet

Scary aren't they, I'd say anything less than 2-3mm and they feel plastic. I remember first fitting them to my old 6MPS and going out in the damp on the road to test for Oulton the following week, first roundabout had me all-wheel power sliding nearly onto a grass verge, they had around 2mm on them as well. Low tread, cold tyres and damp conditions are recipe for disaster with these tyres.

 

[scotiamr2t]

Scary aren't they, I'd say anything less than 2-3mm and they feel plastic. I remember first fitting them to my old 6MPS and going out in the damp on the road to test for Oulton the following week, first roundabout had me all-wheel power sliding nearly onto a grass verge, they had around 2mm on them as well. Low tread, cold tyres and damp conditions are recipe for disaster with these tyres.

Indeed they are, with 2-3mm left on them its like driving on ice! when new they are superb. Rainsport 3's are good in the wet but not great. sidewall is a bit soft and as soon as it starts to dry there hopeless for track work

 

[Tim.]

Always a compromise. Do you want a fantastic wet tyre that is a reasonable choice as a daily, or a cracking daily that isn't all that bad in the wet? Or do you want that excels in neither discipline but is better than average at both? What's the priority?

 

[RS Charlie]

If it were me I'd look at two tyres:

Yokohama AD08R
Nankang NS-2R

As for the wet weather A ratings and other EU ratings they are rubbish. The ratings are independently given by the manufacturer themselves, meaning you cannot compare the tyres ; it is not an apples for apples comparison as many think.

The RS3s are a good tyre in the wet but IMO they leave little to be desired in the dry ; my Worn Conti CS3s outgripped them alot in the dry and between two cars (both Mondeo MkIV 2.5Ts) the one on the Goodyear AS3s gives more confidence all round.

 

[Djw John]

I've got rs3s just now and whilst I haven't used them on track I'll be going back to michelins.
They are good in the wet but when new they are awful in the dry for me, just way too soft. I've also found the wear rate to be terrible, killed the fronts in 3500 miles!

 

[Somnambulist]

It's a tough one @Tim. but ultimately I think I want a tyre that'll feel comfortable on the road in the dry as the priority that's also quite good in the wet. When we were in Wales last year my PS3s were just brilliant, but going fast on track is very different to the road! Weren't you running AD08Rs then? How did they feel in the wet?

I think all the talk of soft side walls has put me off the RS3s, so thanks for the feedback @Djw John and to everyone else who has commented.

I'll either stick with the Michelin PS3s as a great all-rounder, or give AD08Rs or NS2Rs a go. I'm guessing the last two will be better than the PS3 in the dry, but probably worse in the wet given the thread pattern?

 

[Tim.]

You'll struggle to stick with PS3s - they've been superseded by the PS4, which I understand they don't make in 205/45/16.

I was running AD08Rs, although I don't have enough wet road experience to share a valid opinion on their performance, but as a dry it's very good indeed. Try it, you might like it

 

[adamlstr]

I ran AD08Rs all winter, never found myself out of grip.

Even at a soaking wet Bedford day in June, they were outstanding.

Just avoid BIG puddles.

 

[172_Tom]

Another AD08R user here (195/50/15). I've been impressed with them in both wet and dry conditions and they have lasted well with mixed road & track use. Here's a clip of me at a very wet Brands:

I don't think anyone goes past me during that clip and over the whole day I was getting overtaken a lot less frequently than in the dry. They couldn't cope with the river at Graham Hill bend but then I'm not sure any other tyres could have either.

I think new AD08Rs have 8mm tread and I think the Federal RSRs are less than that (5/6mm?). Not sure if the same applies to the NS2Rs.

 

[Somnambulist]

Cheers @Tim. @adamlstr and @172_Tom for all the extra input! I'm going to speak to Avon as I know they're developing a harder compound ZZS which I'd like to try, but if they're not ready just yet I'll probably go AD08R or NS2R. Will probably change my mind again by Monday!

Edit: @172_Tom that's sopping wet! Good effort. I think I would have just gone home, must have been miserable for the kit cars.