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'F' marked tyre supplies
overdriver - 1/6/19 at 12:17 PM

I have had great difficulty (in fact no success) in tracking down Toyo R1R or Yoko AD08R in 205/50/15. Apparently, this is because they have only been made to 'F' rated fuel efficiency specification. Under EU regulation, 'F' rated tyres have not been 'placed in the market' since November 2018. Consequently, suppliers are running down stocks before the manufacturers introduce upgraded versions.

Be aware, therefore, that you may have some difficulty getting certain tyres in the foreseeable future. I've gone for an alternative - Federal 595RSR - which are 'E' rated.

Michael.

rf900rush - 1/6/19 at 05:17 PM

Wtf

Only tires with less grip are consider good.

No wonder all new cars new so many drivers aids, when fitted with crappy tires.

adithorp - 2/6/19 at 07:35 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rf900rush
Wtf

Only tires with less grip are consider good.

No wonder all new cars new so many drivers aids, when fitted with crappy tires.


Not necessarily. Toyo replaced the 888r with the r888r to meet the regs and that's got better dry grip and way more wet grip.

chillis - 2/6/19 at 10:27 AM

Track day tyres and the tyre regulations has always been a touchy subject mainly due to the mis-information and conspiracy theories. The truth is somewhat more mundane.
The EU was not trying to outlaw track day tyres for road use, if that was what they wanted then they could have just made them illegal for road use. What we had before was a large number of cheap tyres that were barely fit for purpose and had been identified as contributing factors in road accidents. The regulation sets out minimum standards for tyres and so long as they are met they can be sold/used. F rated and above tyres were always going to be phased out they just allowed them so manufacturers could use up existing stocks and had time to develop new tyres to meet the regulation. As has been pointed out the Toyo R888R is a much better tyre then the one it replaced (I've driven R888's on wet roads and it is a truely frightening experience) Demon Tweeks have Nankang NS-2r's the new version in your size and at a good price compared to Toyo's and Federals are just as good as the Toyo's but they don't always have the range of sizes. Some tyres are also exempt from the regulation if they were intended for cars registered before 1st Jan 1990. Its not all doom and gloom you just have to shop around a bit more.

cliftyhanger - 2/6/19 at 10:28 AM

Indeed, the rating is for wet grip. And lets be honest, for a road tyre wet grip is incredibly important. Far more so than dry grip.

I would not be surprised to see many of the semi-slick type tyres get legislated off the roads in coming years....unless they can get wet grip properly sorted. This is just the first step.

Saying that, the Hifly tyres on the wifes car when we got is were truly dreadful in the wet, but I think they were a D. (rapidly replaced with quality tyres...)

overdriver - 2/6/19 at 11:11 AM

The rating in my original post referred to fuel efficiency not wet grip. There is, of course, an arguable correlation between the two but I am merely commenting upon the potential lack of availability of tyres during the interim term before upgraded 'E' rated products are in stock at suppliers.

The relevance of fuel efficiency, which is determined by rolling resistance, to the '7' type car is moot as we run at significantly reduced pressures anyway.

I agree that Nankang's NS-2R was a further worthy option but the Federals shaded it with personal recommendations based upon experience.

Michael.