200: Nurburgring Prep

[Smith200]

Im off to the Nurburgring next year. To prep the car what tyres are the best Track tyres but reasonably priced? Also brake pads with original discs what are the best options? I am potentially willing to replace the discs I just want the best track setup to guarantee a good trip.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Johnny 99]

Im off to the Nurburgring next year. To prep the car what tyres are the best Track tyres but reasonably priced? Also brake pads with original discs what are the best options? I am potentially willing to replace the discs I just want the best track setup to guarantee a good trip.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

More info needed mate! is it an actual track day or are you doing a tourist drive? if the latter then you will need street legal tyres/pads.

 

[RSRowe]

If you're going for your first time, you'll be absolutely fine on road tyres.

Genuine discs with some DS2500 is what I'm running currently (but will be upgrading soon). I did a trackday over there a couple of weeks ago on a set of Pilot Sport 4's and the car was fantastic.

If you've get your heart set on a set of semi slicks then you won't go far wrong with some AD08R's. They're cheap, last forever, and grip ok

 

[Smith200]

More info needed mate! is it an actual track day or are you doing a tourist drive? if the latter then you will need street legal tyres/pads.

It’s a tourist drive/ track days

 

[Smith200]

If you're going for your first time, you'll be absolutely fine on road tyres.

Genuine discs with some DS2500 is what I'm running currently (but will be upgrading soon). I did a trackday over there a couple of weeks ago on a set of Pilot Sport 4's and the car was fantastic.

If you've get your heart set on a set of semi slicks then you won't go far wrong with some AD08R's. They're cheap, last forever, and grip ok

Thanks it’s my 2nd time to the ring but first in the 200 last time I took a fiesta st and had some ns2R nankang tyres they were immense but just want to make sure I have the right setup for maximum fun which won’t break the bank.

 

[Jake Snedden]

^as above really

I went in my 197 and did 1 tourist lap in May followed by a 25 minute session on the GP Circuit at the end of our trip to the N24.
I’m on Cooksport Springs (because both my fronts broke just before I went), cup shocks as it’s a cup chassis car, standard Brembo discs and Pads, Gulf Competition RF1000 to eliminate boiling my brake fluid and Yokohama Advan AD08R’s

The car grips like fuck, like way more than we all expected who drove it, and I didn’t have any problems with standard brakes

Before you go I’d just do a visual inspection for broken springs because they seem to be a common thing in the front.
Also, the 225/45/17 AD08R’s are a slightly cheaper size than the std 197/200 tire size

You’ll love it [emoji106][emoji2533]


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[RSRowe]

That's that decided then....AD08R's haha. I think for next time I'm gonna try out some of this among AR1

 

[Smith200]

^as above really

I went in my 197 and did 1 tourist lap in May followed by a 25 minute session on the GP Circuit at the end of our trip to the N24.
I’m on Cooksport Springs (because both my fronts broke just before I went), cup shocks as it’s a cup chassis car, standard Brembo discs and Pads, Gulf Competition RF1000 to eliminate boiling my brake fluid and Yokohama Advan AD08R’s

The car grips like fuck, like way more than we all expected who drove it, and I didn’t have any problems with standard brakes

Before you go I’d just do a visual inspection for broken springs because they seem to be a common thing in the front.
Also, the 225/45/17 AD08R’s are a slightly cheaper size than the std 197/200 tire size

You’ll love it [emoji106][emoji2533]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah ok thats interesting to know I will definitely check for that. Blimey I thought the standard brakes would be pants on that kinda track. Sounds like the AD08R'S are the tyre to go for I will check them out cheers all

 

[rSilva]

Back in '15 I rented a 197 from RSR and it was just fine with normal road tyres and pads. The weakest link is the (lack of) knowledge of the track, if you're a first timer.

I would make sure fresh engine and brake oils were there and that tyres and pads had enought meat in them.
Going with a semi-slick would work with a damp tack, but more thant that and you either have spares or don't risk it.

 

[Cliosport-carl]

another one for AD08Rs however might be going for sport cup 2s this year.. my AD08Rs on the rear have done 10 laps of TF and 8 trackdays and still have lots of tread left so

 

[Big Ben]

another one for AD08Rs however might be going for sport cup 2s this year.. my AD08Rs on the rear have done 10 laps of TF and 8 trackdays and still have lots of tread left so

@peter

 

[peter]

... however might be going for sport cup 2s this year ...

brilliant ditchfinders.

 

[Cliosport-carl]

brilliant ditchfinders.

what makes you say this??

 

[peter]

what makes you say this??

initially i was impressed by the tyre. that said, i was coming from the stock bridgestone RE050A tyres, which had quite some miles on them (i bought my car secondhand).

but than this happened (read post #29) ...
https://www.clio197.net/threads/2012-clio-3rs-rb7-166.52285/page-2

and this (read post #52) ...
https://www.clio197.net/threads/2012-clio-3rs-rb7-166.52285/page-3

there's a bit more info in there, but if you don't want to go through the thread, this is the short version ... i got a second set under warranty 18 months later, but in the mean time i used a set of AD08R's. i found them a much better tyre for my driving style.

i did a little write up on the second set ( read post #185) ...
https://www.clio197.net/threads/2012-clio-3rs-rb7-166.52285/page-10

i bought the cup 2 in the first place, because i know michelin is a top brand and the cup 2 is used on some impressive machinery (GT3 and the lot). so i fugured if it's good enough for a porsche, it should be plenty good enough for a little clio. and maybe it is and i'm doing something terribly wrong, but i know now from personal experience that the yoko suits me (and the tracks i use it on) much better.

i know a couple of guys in here like the cup 2 (even in hot conditions), but i won't be buying them again.

 

[NickD]

initially i was impressed by the tyre. that said, i was coming from the stock bridgestone RE050A tyres, which had quite some miles on them (i bought my car secondhand).

but than this happened (read post #29) ...
https://www.clio197.net/threads/2012-clio-3rs-rb7-166.52285/page-2

and this (read post #52) ...
https://www.clio197.net/threads/2012-clio-3rs-rb7-166.52285/page-3

there's a bit more info in there, but if you don't want to go through the thread, this is the short version ... i got a second set under warranty 18 months later, but in the mean time i used a set of AD08R's. i found them a much better tyre for my driving style.

i did a little write up on the second set ( read post #185) ...
https://www.clio197.net/threads/2012-clio-3rs-rb7-166.52285/page-10

i bought the cup 2 in the first place, because i know michelin is a top brand and the cup 2 is used on some impressive machinery (GT3 and the lot). so i fugured if it's good enough for a porsche, it should be plenty good enough for a little clio. and maybe it is and i'm doing something terribly wrong, but i know now from personal experience that the yoko suits me (and the tracks i use it on) much better.

i know a couple of guys in here like the cup 2 (even in hot conditions), but i won't be buying them again.

I have a very quick look at your pictures of the tyres.
2 things. Just looking at the sidewalls and the wear down the sidewalls, the tyres were too low pressure, you are running on the sidewalls. You may very much need a geometry change too but absolutely the tyre is rolling.

Secondly 14 hours "hard" use! Not trying to be patronising or anything like that but what would you expect? What has happened here is the tread rubber on the shoulder has worn to the capping layer and the tread starts to peel. Heat will have an effect also. But 14 hours. This is two and a half hours at Anglesey on an MX-5!

 

[peter]

I have a very quick look at your pictures of the tyres.
2 things. Just looking at the sidewalls and the wear down the sidewalls, the tyres were too low pressure, you are running on the sidewalls. You may very much need a geometry change too but absolutely the tyre is rolling.

Secondly 14 hours "hard" use! Not trying to be patronising or anything like that but what would you expect? What has happened here is the tread rubber on the shoulder has worn to the capping layer and the tread starts to peel. Heat will have an effect also. But 14 hours. This is two and a half hours at Anglesey on an MX-5!

View attachment 130501

yes, that's what michelin told me also. pressures too low. the first set i had them 0.2/0.3 bar below the recommended hot pressures (front and rear). thought i mentioned it in my progress thread, but not sure now. on the second set, which are still under the car, i've only run them at the recommended pressures.

after 14 hours of hard use i do expect them to fall apart. no complaints there. what i don't expect is this ...



michelin told me also, even if i had run them at too low pressures, the tyres should never have come off the rim like they did in the photo above. possibly the main reason they gave me a second set for free.

i run the stock cup suspension on the clio. i agree, running a more track focussed geo would be better for the tyres (less overheating sidewalls, making full use of the profile) and i would love a fully adjustable suspension, but belgian MOT is pita when it comes to modifying your car. that's also the reason i haven't tried a real semi slick (like yourself), because i wouldn't use its full potential. i keep the stints a few laps shorter now on the second set of tyres. or do two hot laps followed by a cool down lap, to keep sidewall temps under control.

 

[RSRowe]

Can't believe you've had such a massive issue with them.

I've done two trackdays on the 'lesser' PS4, Inc a full day at the ring and they look hardly touched.

 

[NickD]

Sorry, 10 pages was a bit too much to look through.
You are quite correct in that the bead separating from the carcass is certainly not optimal. We have seen some worrying issues from another very well known tyre manufacturer on a new vehicle launch recently. Michelin are certainly not above manufacturing faults just like any other manufacturer, but these are generally faults, not inherent design issues. However to diagnose a problem you have to understand the issues that cause it and running on the sidewall in that way may well have been significant in that.
The problem with the pressures and "recommended" is nothing is ever the same, so whatever some test lab has come up with may bear absolutely no resemblance to your car, driving, track or weather.
The pictures below are from Citroen C1 racing, yes really! The first picture is what happens when the tyre is run "normal" pressures and there about, which is 32PSI cold. The second picture is when these are set to 50 PSI cold. In fact the average cold pressures are 50P PSI front and 70 PSI rears.
Looking at your pictures, even the destroyed one above, I would stick at least another 10 PSI in that and more still if it kept running on to the shoulder like that.

 

[NickD]

The bottom line to my post is, for anyone running on track and in any car, look at your tyres regularly. If you have wear down the sidewalls put more air in.

 

[RSRowe]

I don't want to mess this thread up any further. But in conclusion, if you run Michelin tyres as per the manufacturer recommendations you'll not have any issue.

Personally I don't think yoyou' find a better wet/road/occasional track tyre than a PS4.