Alternative Tyre Size on VRS

[S27VEJ]

I'm needing some tyres before I compete on a Sprint at Cadwell Park next month. 

 

I cant remember what tyre size some people have said over the 205/40 17's 

 

Anyone let me know please? 

[FlexibleMouse]

215/40/17

[Ootohere]

^^^ That,

 or just those on the front,  or 205/45 R 17 can be good, suits the gearing.

http://kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator 

 

TC off,  XDS set to lowest or off. 

Better brake fluid.

Edited 8 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[Kobayashi]

215 better 'off the line' I know folk reduce tyre pressure too for sprints etc.. but I dont like the look of bulging tyre walls with 215's. ive got 215 uniroyals all round but I like the look of 205 better. try my tyres for bargaining with a local supplier.

[Ootohere]

You can put the 215's on a wider rim, & then not all 215's have bulging walls, depends what tyres you are fitting, Federal or what ever.

As to looks, hardly matters if sprinting or hillclimbing really, just take a spare pair of wheels/tyres and a jack, 

you have space  for 1 of them in the spare wheel well anyway if you are leaving the spare at home.

Edited 8 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[Kobayashi]

I normally leave tyre pressure at 34 all year round & the 215 kind of look flat compared to 205, anyway plenty of options to choose from

[Ootohere]

?

What are they?  & do they have XL sidewalls (reinforced) ?

[Kobayashi]

41 minutes ago, Headinawayoffski said:

?

What are they?  & do they have XL sidewalls (reinforced) ?

Uniroyal rain sport 3 XL, excellent grip ~ traction, only downside was had a tyre valve go pop when I got new wheels, lost 10psi on a roundabout felt the back end slide a bit this was at 30mph, when I looked at the tyre, they all looked flat,  so on 215's its harder to tell if you losing air, until you stick a gauge on it, luckily tyre warning light came on. 

[FlexibleMouse]

I also have the rainsport 3's in 215/40/17   The extra width made the cabin noise go down slightly but you can definitely feel the tyre squish a bit on hard corners

[Kobayashi]

3 hours ago, FlexibleMouse said:

I also have the rainsport 3's in 215/40/17   The extra width made the cabin noise go down slightly but you can definitely feel the tyre squish a bit on hard corners

would some of the squishyness on 215 be cancelled out with a roll bar? For straight line sprints wont matter as starting grip most important for that - sorry for hijacking thread!

[Ootohere]

If tyre walls are soft then they are soft and thats it really, helps on road as long as strong but still squidgy.

 

Dunlop Sport Maxx are XL so reinforced sidewalls and i  loved them on dry summer roads in spirited driving, but the sidewalls could still be wrecked easily, 

and the rears go out of shape so easily.

 

The 'Much Cheapness' Tigar Tyres i liked so much were very good in wet and dry as far as i was concerned and not squidgy and very tough, and £50 or so fitted.

But then there are plenty 'Sporting tyres' Motorsport Tyres available for not much money.

Would you not think of fitting the road tyres you want and take an extra pair of different tyres/ wheels to fit, ones you can warm up with a bit of wheel spinning before use...

[S27VEJ]

Thanks guys. 

 

Im liking the feedback, as I can see how they would feel softer in corners 

 

Im going to be running Uniroyal RS3's anyway, so I might just stick with the 205/40 for now as I'll no doubt need to replace them not long after from what I've heard about the compound of them.

 

The sprints are not straight line so feeling good on the corners will be a must really!

 

George, you mention XDS....what's that then?

 

As for changing the wheels to a set with some more suited motorsport tyres will come in good time, as this is the last round of the championship and my first go so at least I can see what will need fettling for next season.

Edited 9 September, 2017 by S27VEJ

[Ootohere]

Cant link just now so i will bump XDS, it is your ELD / Electronic diff, but really what it is is nipping the brakes to give drive, and the brakes overheat on tracks and it disables anyway, so as well to change the setting, track use anyway.

Sprinting being much shorter you are less likely to cook the brakes but you might still want the XDS changed from factory setting to less , it depends the cars age what settings show.

Then there is Brake Assist that can be changed, and Steering Assistance, i used to set less assistance with 205's and factory setting with 215's.

Edited 9 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[A9X SJ]

I'm running 205*45*17 Uniroyal Rainsport 3's done approx 12000 on them so far no issues 

[S27VEJ]

Might just try a pair because like I say they may need replacing after anyway. 

 

Thanks George I've seen you've bumped a post I'll have a read. 

 

My car is early 2010 btw 

[Kobayashi]

hi Stevie have you got your car mapped as noticed on go apr it has the left foot braking option http://www.goapr.co.uk/products/ecu_upgrade_14tsi_twin.html

[Ootohere]

Lets see if anyone has had a CTHE in a Skoda Fabia vRS remapped yet, it is 3 1/2 years now since that thread was started and only one car was ever said to be done by Eco-Tune in Glasgow.

Edited 10 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[S27VEJ]

I'm not mapped, I've felt I've not needed to yet really plus I'm reluctant to spoil a decent CAVE engine 

 

[brashdaniels]

11 minutes ago, S27VEJ said:

I'm not mapped, I've felt I've not needed to yet really plus I'm reluctant to spoil a decent CAVE engine 

 

Same here. I'm at the end of the handling mods so decision time is nearing. 

 

I've done some pretty hard laps on the 205/40/17 Dunlop's and they never missed a beat. The slightly higher profile on the 215/40 creates more roll in cornering but the Whiteline kit should eliminate most of that. Long term, I think 225/35/18 on a 18x8 rim is the better option over perhaps fitting the 215 to a 17x7.5 . Have a Skoda mechanic locally who does sprints. Just got to get some office time off to go down and chew his ear on tuning and wheel choice.

[Ootohere]

There are 215/40 R 17 tyres with more tread on the road that are physically smaller total circumference than Pirelli Zero Nero 205/40 R17's, 

the tyres that Skoda fit to cars that had 'Pulling to the left' issues.

205 & 215 is a sidewall to sidewall measurement not a tread measurement, and tyres that bulge can be 205's while 215 might not.

 

The numbers on the sidewalls are an indication of sizes but compare tyres side by side to get a better comparison and then the tale of the tape measure and trying the tyres is much more important really.

 

The Seat Ibiza, VW Polo GTI & Audi A1 Twinchargers come as standard on 215/40 R17's, even the 150ps Seat Ibiza's

The Audi A1 122 ps Competition Sport has 225/35 R 18 tyres, and they are nothing special and give little if anything in the way of improved handling to a vRS, & i have tried them.

 

Rears here comparing Dunlop Sport Maxx To squittery Pirelli Zero Neros for how they sit on the road, 

205 Pirelli taller sidewall, harder compound, stiffer sidewall.

At front the 205 Pirelli was bigger than the Goodride 215's on the car,

I have loads more various sizes, Maxxis, Avon etc etc where Pirelli 205's are taller than 215's.

Edited 10 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[S27VEJ]

Wonder why all those got 215's?

[Ootohere]

Because VW sandbagged Skoda vRS with Ballast Weights on the rear to have officially 5kg heavier than the estate, and a higher tax Class along with the Ibiza than the VW & Aud because of higher emission under their testing figures given to the authorities and then when the CTHE went in the Ibiza 2013 its Co2 g/km came down the same as the VW & Audi, and the CTHE Fabia stayed heavier.

 

Kidology, MPG / Emissions / Handling / Top Speed, 

 

Not that Roadtester / Motoring Journalists mentioned it, or probably checked, like they never actually weighed the cars. Never mention Battery in boot of Polo GTI Twincharger, & no Spare Wheels as standard in the Skodas but not the sister cars, and the Fabia Hatch is still really lighter.

Weights of Polo & Ibiza were later corrected, then they changed the Fabias as well, and still they were not correct.

 

All same Drivetrain & Suspension, tyres different and Fabia lighter but weights on rear crash bar and spare wheel.

(Oddly a Diesel Fabia Monte Carlo does not need Ballast Weights manufactured & bolted to the rear crashbar..)

& then they can have towbars, like the Polo GTI & Seat Ibiza Cupra can., No approval for vRS hatch or even the no heavier Estate with no Ballast Weights.)

 

Edited 10 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[Furbytom]

Sorry but I've got to laugh at some of the comments on this thread. 215s looking worse, having "squishier" bulging side walls and rolling more is total nonsense imho. 

 

As George points out the sizes are a guide only and vary so much between tyre manufacturers etc. The 205 NS2-Rs on my Clio are wider than the 215s on my Mini and similar to the 215s on our fabia. 

Sidewall stiffness will also vary between different tyres, totally independent of width. 

In reality there is only a very tiny difference between 205 and 215 on a Fabia. Given the choice for me it makes sense to go for 215s where you can but the main thing is to get decent quality rubber. 

[S27VEJ]

Yeah that's very true!

 

Ill try a set of the Uniroyals in 215 for Cadwell and see how I get on. 

 

It will no doubt be damp anyway so they should help slightly!

 

 

[Kobayashi]

2 hours ago, S27VEJ said:

I'm not mapped, I've felt I've not needed to yet really plus I'm reluctant to spoil a decent CAVE engine 

 

If you rallying often then you can learn how to left foot brake with the Apr map you can leave the car as stock map too, but you won't be losing power to engine when braking, be an advantage in the corners, would be interesting  if someone has experience of it on DSG transmission Skoda VW etc..