45 replies to this topic

[CocoPops]

verdict on the 17" all round then ?

[MartinS]

People have the 17 ATS wheels and are very happy with them. They look great.

To get the best from them though, the car would need to be set up for those widths and size of wheels and even then, I personally feel that you will have gained more grip but lost a lot of the amazing delicate balance you get from a vx. I wasn't willing to change my car to suit the bigger wheels as I always intended keeping the 17 16 Toyo 888 combo for track so I just sold them.

The thing that finally made me sell them though, was that when the ADO8R tyres were around 150 miles old I did Castle Combe on them, the handling was so bad I couldn't overtake a single car and in fact had to let every single car in my group past (those who know me will understand the pain I suffered that day). The cars passing included ratty Fiestas, MGz's and far far worse. Even my friend in a Tuscan was running rings round me in the wet, and a friend in a vx with bald 888's was destroying me! Coming home on the motorway was even worse, and the wheels were gone within 2 days. A week later on 17/16's on 888's in the pouring rain I was lapping the same friend in the same TVR, once every few laps. Probably all down to suspension, geo and ride heights but not all of it, as wider equals more aquaplaning and less feel.

 

Ride height at Snetterton was stuck at the left hand side being around half a cm higher than the right, no idea why as the shocks are exactly the same. To be honest though, it handled really well yesterday (can be confirmed by Dave E who also drove it and seemed to really like it) so will leave alone for now until I'm next at Back on track.

 

Martin S

 

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

Was it Dave E Martin or me lol

[MartinS]

Dave E's driving and getting into a scrap with you Chill, confirmed for me that its all ok. Still odd though that one sides higher than the other, and the wrong side really as its the passenger one.

Will get sorted one day. Your car and steve.iams are the ones that show me the ATS can work, I just have to assume my ADO8R's hadn't scrubbed in and just love my 17 16 combo too much.

 

Martin S

 

[Steve.i.am]

At snetterton I must admit I was beginning to have slight frustration with my ad08s. They're very good I find but obviously upto a point. I did have generally lack of grip both ends. After I went out with sutoil it dawned on me the difference.

[MartinS]

Strangely I bought AD08's as my wet weather tyre but in the Evo tyre test the one thing they were not that great at was wet weather. Think they tested AD08 not ADO8R though.

 

Martin S