Toyo R888R's

[benchmark51]

Toyo R888R's at £78. at Oponeo.

http://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-details/toyo-proxes-r888r-195-50-r15-82-v/?origin=prodlisting&gclid=Cj0KEQjwoIitBRDTgeiZq93F2LQBEiQAMfXL0SskHom-AcX-WE5eZGzxJKlEgHVgqiIfFjoBuq-uAhMaAh3L8P8HAQ

[Facial Hair Optional]

I get very confused with the tyres on that website! The prices chop and change all the time and they often have what appears to be the same tyre at different prices (though obviously they are not the exact same tyre!)

These ones appear to be the latest 888s and yet they are cheaper than the old ones (http://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-details/toyo-r-888-195-50-r15-82-v-gg#94936958_label)

Apart from the obvious tread pattern difference does anyone know anything about these new ones? ie compound comparison etc and which are better for a very fast road/track day kit car?

I will ring them tomorrow myself and ask of course!

195/50/15's seem to be the size of choice these days (always used to be 13 inch rims back in the day!) Has anyone any thoughts on going to say 205/50/15's if they fit on your rims? Or is it the opinion that 195's are best?

Some of you track day guys must have experimented???

[Facial Hair Optional]

Toyo info

http://www.toyo.co.uk/page/index/identifier/1

http://www.toyo.co.uk/tire/pattern/proxes-r888r

[Iancider]

I am equally confused.

The picture shown is clearly the old proxy 888 and I zoomed-in to prove that it was written on the side.  These are 195's and perfectly respectable for 7 likes but I use 205's.  The new r888r's are very different with distinctly different inside and outside treads which (prior to reviews) look entirely logical and I look forward to trying some. 

While 888's are road-legal they are seasonal tyres and should not be used in low temperatures but if you wait to use them until the spring then I am sure they are okay.  My T1R's are my year-rounders and get me through the cold months but I might just consider some winter tyres in future and use 888's for track and road in the summer.  In summer my Proxy 888's on 13inch rims and 55 profile are head and shoulders better than the T1R's (grip, steering and ride) but 888's should not go out in winter at all.

Ian

[Lucky Ed]

The new R888R would appear to have better grip in the dry but slightly worse in the wet, if you look at their own specs. The new tyre only seems to come in one compound at the moment, as the old tyre had a choice of SG (soft) and GG (med soft) and the latter is what most people use, giving a reasonable compromise between grip & wear. Time will tell where this new tyre lies performance wise.

195's will fit ok on 6" rims, and 225's will go on a 7" rim, but be careful of going too wide as clearance can be a problem, not only with width, but also with height as the overall diameter increases as well. Look at Toyo's specs for each tyre as it gives clear dimensions of each to see what will fit your car. I've ended up with 195/50 15 on the front and 205/50 15 on the rear, the latter doesn't sound much bigger, but it looks a lot bigger on the car when you take the height into account. In a perfect world I would have gone for 225/45 15's on the rear as I've got an open diff in my car, but they would have been double the price

If in doubt - get cheap second hand slicks

[Facial Hair Optional]

Thank you Ian, thank you Ed, very useful advice.

I am gonna go with the R888R 195/50/15's for now as they will be a huge improvement over my T1R's in the dry at least. I would consider the 205's at the rear but still need to check clearance and they are a fair bit more £££ wise too.

According to the Toyo info the 205's are about 10mm larger diameter and 13mm wider. Hopefully not too much but I do wonder if they would actually improve the handling at all or maybe make it worse! They will be heavier too of course. And the 205's prefer a 6.5 inch rim as opposed to a 6 inch but Toyo give quite a bit of leeway on that measurement so it should not be an issue I hope. Will check my sizes and clearances tomorrow with luck.

[Lucky Ed]

You'll find the 888's a great improvement, I've just ditched some T1r's as they locked up to easily under braking, and were an accident waiting to happen

[Facial Hair Optional]

You'll find the 888's a great improvement, I've just ditched some T1r's as they locked up to easilly under braking, and were an accident waiting to happen

Yes Ed I've already had a scare or two! I'll keep the T1R's for winter maybe as they are near enough brand new, they were on the car when I bought it, not by choice. Previous to that I know the car had 888s and performed very well from what I read online about it.

[paintman]

You'll find the 888's a great improvement, I've just ditched some T1r's as they locked up to easilly under braking, and were an accident waiting to happen

Guess what I had on the Hood when I ended up in the front of a A6 couple of months ago after locking up!!  

[Facial Hair Optional]

OUCH! Yeah I have found them to be quite scary on kit cars. Can't wait to get some R888R's now!

[Moleman]

I've been using 888's for four years all year round & not had a problem with them. Even work well in the wet. 

[paintman]

I've been using 888's for four years all year round & not had a problem with them. Even work well in the wet. 

It's cheaper getting 888's than buying a bonnet and nose-cone ect., so that's a know brainer after I learnt the hard way.

I knew it was only a matter of time before I had a accident, I bin close loads of times! .....ask Dixie, after I locking up all
4 wheels when I was behind him travelling at speed and a car pulled out from a side turning in front of him

He won't let me drive behind him anymore!

[robp]

I've been using 888's for four years all year round & not had a problem with them. Even work well in the wet. 

Yes, me too.  Love 'em. 

[Facial Hair Optional]

I've been using 888's for four years all year round & not had a problem with them. Even work well in the wet. 

From what I've read and after talking to a guy at Demon Tweaks the new R888R's are noticeably better Colin!!! 

[Moleman]

I salesman would say that. We need to hear it from someone who has used them on a light kit car to be perfectly sure. You can be our guinea pig if you like mate. 

[Facial Hair Optional]

I salesman would say that. We need to hear it from someone who has used them on a light kit car to be perfectly sure. You can be our guinea pig if you like mate. 

I'd be up for that, trouble is they are hard to get hold of and the 225/50/15's I want for the rear are not released yet, maybe not til the end of the year even they said.

The old R888's will apparently be illegal due to new noise regs by 2017 too, so you won't have much choice by then Colin!!

[Facial Hair Optional]

If I really want 225's on the rear then it looks like I may have to settle for those poxy old fashioned R888's haha!! 

I wonder if it is ok to mix the old R888's (say on the rear) with the new R888R's on the front? Any one any idea?

Or I may have to go with R888's all round until the new R888R's are more widely available, can't leave it too long as CamberDave told me to get the new tyres etc done before I come in for corner weighting and suspension set up etc.

[Iancider]

Well,

The old ones are going cheap and available now and everybody thinks they are great.

The new ones are not available yet in your size and everybody says

That seems to be a no-brainer!

Better the devil you know.

Ian

[Facial Hair Optional]

Well,

The old ones are going cheap and available now and everybody thinks they are great.

The new ones are not available yet in your size and everybody says

That seems to be a no-brainer!

Better the devil you know.

Ian

Indeed Ian, I had come to the same conclusion myself.

Plus they do the old ones in 215 too, which may be a better fit for me. And in a 45 profile, though I'm not sure if that is going a bit too far!?? 

In any case I'll have worn them out by the time the new ones are fully available I reckon! 

[Moleman]

They don't wear out that quickly on light weight cars mate. Though I haven't taken in account your weight in this. 
Only joking mate. 

[Facial Hair Optional]

They don't wear out that quickly on light weight cars mate. Though I haven't taken in account your weight in this. 
Only joking mate. 

I just knew you were gonna say something like that Colin!!

Hey I bet I am not the heaviest member in any case.

Am I??? 

PS. I have lost 4 lbs recently!! Down to about 16' 3 now!

[Moleman]

Don't worry mate we have a Hairy Santa.