Tyre width 195 vs 205

[stevel]

Best wishes for a great 2015 to all BKCC members.  I am hoping to get out more in 2015 as my back is on the mend now.  Will need some new tyres and 195 seems to be a better selection than 205.  I currently have some very old 205 Toyo T1S circa 2005 era.  Looking at some Toyo R1R but can only find 195 at reasonable prices.  Despite the width and small diameter difference do you think there would be an appreciable difference?  Turn in may be better?  My speedo reads high now so it may be more accurate with the 195. Answers on a postcard.

[Iancider]

Steve,

My everyday tyres are 15 inch 205 T1R's and they are okay but a little skittish in the wet but still better than the average road tyre.  I have found the T1R's do have quite a stiff side-wall which makes the inside and outside edge pick-up alternately (picks up cracks in the road).  The remedy is to make sure the pressures are high enough to bulge the centre or I guess it would be less pronounced with a 195.  205/195 will make no difference to the speedo because that is the tread width and not the diameter.  If the speedo is reading high then the wheel diameter is too low relatively.  If it is an electronic speedo they can be reset lower.  If it is mechanical is is saying the speedo is not matched to the wheel diameter.  Reading too high means the wheel diameter is too small - eg running on 14 inch instead of 15 inch diameter. 

If you have an electronic speedo let me know the model and I can help you reset it.  Those electronic speed signs are very useful to recalibrate.  Drive towards one at constant speed and let it read your speed - glance at you speedo and spot the difference.  If you are doing 28 mph and your speedo indicates 33 then it is over-reading by 5 mph in 28mph or nearly 18%.  It is wise to adjust it to 2% over-reading so that you always read safe even if you tyre pressures are a little low.

Regards
Ian

[damouk]

The linky below will show you the difference in road speed between the two tyres, which is not a lot, you might also be able to work out what size tyre the speedo was originally calibrated for..

http://www.tyresizecalculator.com/tyre-wheel-calculators/speedo-error-calculator

[stevel]

Thanks guys.  Basically no real change to worry about on the speedo. Any views on width vs grip and turn in etc.?  It would also appear that width of tyres really vary from brand to brand and the Toyo comes up wide anyway.  I think it will be 195/50/15 for the R1R.

['The Gaffer']

Another tyre to consider is the Federal 595 RS-R. They have been getting great reviews and are much cheaper than Toyo's or Yoko's. I'm considering a set myself.

[Lucky Ed]

Best wishes for a great 2015 to all BKCC members.  I am hoping to get out more in 2015 as my back is on the mend now.  Will need some new tyres and 195 seems to be a better selection than 205.  I currently have some very old 205 Toyo T1S circa 2005 era.  Looking at some Toyo R1R but can only find 195 at reasonable prices.  Despite the width and small diameter difference do you think there would be an appreciable difference?  Turn in may be better?  My speedo reads high now so it may be more accurate with the 195. Answers on a postcard.

Hi Steve. Pleased to hear you're on the mend, it will be good to see you out and about more next year.

The R1R's are getting some good reviews at the moment and have been toying with getting some myself. I've heard they are similar in compound to 888's but with a different tread pattern, giving better grip in the wet. Looks like a good multi purpose tyre for road and track use. The softer compound tyres will obviously give you more grip, but will do little to alter turn in, you will have to change camber and castor angles to make much of a difference there. You'll have to look at your wishbones and uprights to see if you have any easy adjustment on that front.

ATB Ed

PS I think a good 195 will vastly out perform an old hard 205

[stevel]

Cheers guys, great advice as always.  I was strongly considering the Federal Phil.  The R1R apparently has the edge on the kit car front with the Federal slightly better suited to a heavier car.  I do not think you can go too far wrong with either.

Hoping to book Llandow shortly as my first return to the club events.

See you next year!!

[Lucky Ed]

Apparently R1R's and R888's have both been discontinued to be replaced with the new asymmetric R888R.

So you need to be quick Steve if you want to grab some old stock.