[Mk2] [Turbo] Toyo T1-R Tyres

[luthor1]

where have you guys got this impression that the Toyo T1R is a budget tyre??

They are more expensive than nankang, hancook, champion, kumho, they are the same price as the S03 and are within a couple of pounds of the Yoko A-022 and maybe a fiver cheaper than Dunlops.

Not being funny, but they are not budget!!

[SwissHeavy]

The T1R was the successor to the T1S and was created because TVR owners were whining about the sidewall strength. In your form, the sidewalls will inevitably flex somewhat. I love the T1S tyres I have on mine, nice and grippy, and get's 'slippy' when on the edge. They certainly aren't the cheapest out there and for 15" standard alloys on an NA they are fine for fast road use. IMHO.

Silly point I know but are your tyres even inflated correctly? Most measuring systems are inaccurate... they should be for standard form 29PSI fron 34PSI rear.

Josh

[ast]

Got to disagree there Allan. I've just replaced my rears and have gone back to the T1-R for every day driving. I loved the grip in the dry. They really do hang on for a budget tyre. Wear rate was pretty

Allan Welsh was comparing tires on standard rims so 50-series. You seem to have 40 series tyres. Pretty much everybody agrees that Toyo T1-R doesn't have stiff sidewalls. Depending on profile it might cause different consequences and there might even be differences between profiles. Most people who like Toyo seem to be driving with lower than 50 profile tyres.

I wonder if there really is such a big difference in Toyos in different profiles? Or is it just that comparing tires is pretty hard even when new and you are usually replacing worn and hardened tyres with new that is going to have huge affect how the tyres feel comapred to each other.

Even the way of use has so much effect. I have driven endurance racing BMW on Continental PremiumContact 205/50-15 tyres and I was impressed how well they took the 2 hour race. Actually they lasted for several races and only felt slippery when pushed clearly too much over the limit for several laps. Steering feel and turn-in was very nice. And you have to remember that it was by no means Continentals flagship tyre. Many tyres are just fine on everyday traffic but on extreme conditions like that the good ones really separate from average and bad.

[thai boxer]

Cheap tyres honey. You get what you pay for i'm afraid.

There definately not cheap tyres.

I've never had a problem with them, but I'm on a 35 profile.

[SwissHeavy]

Lauren is right, in the grand scheme of tyres one can buy for the MR2 (in one size or another) they are cheap. But certainly in the middle of the price range. Doesn't necessarily mean they are cack, just that there are more expensive ones out there.

I am a strong supporter of the Toyo as a good tyre, for the record.

[EarL]

When I said budget, I definately did not mean "cheap". I would'nt be fitting cheap tyres such as Nangkangs to a car that is pushing out over 450hp!

Mad I might be, but stupid I ain't.

For everyday tyres, Toyo T1-R's (be it in 40/35 profile) are some of the very best available, irrespective of price.

EarL.

[raptor95GTS]

indeed I've only ever used the toyo's on the 15's running std sizes and I hated almost every mile. Now, I aint a great driver and certainly lack the skill of knowing what a car is doing underneath me but I never ever felt safe on Toyo's.

It felt like I was driving a boat. Turn the wheel and a split second later the car would respond. Hit a bump mid corner or heaven forbid try and alter the line and the car would wallow. When I had the proxies all round S bends were akin to a religious experience. I had the tracking checked, changed the suspension as it was tired and still it wallowed round corners. The S02's and Goodyear F1's instilled confidence and go kart like grip but you can't get them now std sizes.

Change to 17's, fitted F1's and hey now it's fun driving the car. Like I say it's my experience but I've read a few folks saying similar things and yes folks saying the Toyo's are grand. Everybody is different I guess

[HighwayStar]

Just ordered a full set of standard sized yoko AO22's. £324 inc fitting, balancing and VAT and I believe oem from rev2s on?
Gota wait 2/3 wks but I think you have to go a long way to beat em. Got quoted £435 for dunlop sport 9000's in correct sizes or £380 with 205/50 fronts, all inc..
R.

[ryan]

In 2005 Auto Express American sister mag rated Toyo T1-R 9th out of 11.
I think people think they're good cos they give a nice pattern in the snow...

[SwissHeavy]

They're poo in the snow Useless tread pattern.

When I go to Germany I noted how everyone switches over to winter tyres - all exactly the same ones too - Continentals.

[steve b]

I had Nangkang ditchfinders on my stock 15" rims and they were great on track as they are solid and don't overheat, death traps in the wet. When I first got the car I felt the car moved about to much on the tyres to inspire confidence, but I did get used to it after a while. Then a set of 16" RAYS came up so they went and I fitted SO3's on the rear & falkens on the front and the car was fantastic, I admit the sme day it had coilovers fitted as well. I always thought Toyos were budget tyres when looking at SO3's etc in comparison.

[Baker]

Most tyres are a little wallowy when new, as they have a deep tread.
i found that the toyos when broken in are fine in the 50 profile, and very good in the 45.

T1r's are supposed to be comfort over sportyness, and thats what u get.

[Jode]

until recently i have been running (195/46/16) with pirelli pzero neros on the front with pzero assimetrico's on the back on (225/45/16).

Now i had the thought i wanted a change and had a set of t1r's put on which in it self was a mission but im not going in to that.
these tyres have not dissapointed me on previous cars i have driven with them fitted mk1 mx5 and a classic type r impreza, and a bug eye type uk impreza.

Immediatly after them being fiitted the comfort level for me was noticeably increased which was amazingly nice
(im running some apexi coilovers which are a wee biit stiff) and this made me very happy as a lot of the knocks and bangs from my suspension had vanished from having these fitted.
They were definatly not as nice on the running in period with some under steer compared to the pirrelis , which i had fitted on a soaking wet day and they were just perfect grip wise from the start.

I have however noticed that there is a even more of tendancy of my car to not hold a straight line very well. This worried me so much as it felt like a wheel was about to come off, intially this turned out to be the tyre place had set the fronts to about 37psi and the rears were at 27psi , partly due to my leaky rear valves though. After the pressures were changed to my latest seting of 28 and 30 all was well. I have reduced my rear pressures to this as i was contantly wearing out the middles of the tyres with higher settings.
Also the fronts had worn unevenly, Partly due to the enforced camber setting of the suspension and over inflation
This dodgy handling was at cruise and not on the power (not helpes by the ww2 trenches left by heavy traffic on Mways,
when on the power it behaves in a lot more predictible way.
also the toyos seem to keep better traction and not spin up on the power as much as the pzeros. Very happy with wet traction also.

The t1r's cost me more than another set of pzeros which was a suprise and nearly made me not bother with them but i wanted the experience.

the car came with a set of bridgestone pole postions which had a 6 in the model name cant remember exactly but i couldnt find them in this country at the time so never treid a fresh set.

there was something else but i forgot it, so there u go

[zebidi]

ive never hadany problems with toyos, 235/40/17 on rear and 215/40/17 on the front.

they stick like nobodies business in the dry, braking is good and they arent too noisy.

50 profiles are always gonna feel spongey.

im getting some 225/40/16 and 245/16/45 on the rear T1Rs soon to go on my lovely 16s

might go bridgstone though not sure yet

[luthor1]

I completely agree with Allan Welsh above, word-for-word. Boat, wallow, religious experience, dangerous change of direction...

I also see a pattern emerging that the lower profiles are very good. I think we can call this the conclusion can't we? Up in the 50 and 55 profile they don't inspire confidence... I do however agree they have good grip, after pushing really hard round a roundabout that became clear, but as always with tyres it's a compromise and if they don't inspire you it feels alien.

[Sky Insurance]

I’ve got 225/50/15's at the rear on my stock wheels and have never had a problem. They have soooo much grip in the dry, it helps having koni shocks and tein springs though

[Quigonjay]

also on standard size T1R
always been happy with them in the dry so maybe i'm not driving as fast as i think i am
not exactly confidence inspiring in the wet though

has anyone tried the toyo 888 trackday tyres in standard sizes?
i wonder if the sidewalls are any stiffer on those?

[Quigonjay]

some interesting stats on here

http://www.tyretest.com/pkw_sommerreifen/index.html

top rated summer tyres - toy t1r's
top rated overall - eagle f1's

[Lauren]

For everyday tyres, Toyo T1-R's (be it in 40/35 profile) are some of the very best available, irrespective of price.

EarL.

I really do not agree. Toyo's are a good budget choice, but there are lots of much, much better tyres out there.

[Lauren]

50 profiles are always gonna feel spongey.

im getting some 225/40/16 and 245/16/45 on the rear T1Rs soon to go on my lovely 16s

might go bridgstone though not sure yet

Disagree. I ran F1s on 195/50/15s on my SC.. the sidewalls were too soft, particularly so in comparison the SO3s i had fitted previously. I then switched to Advan Neovas, much, much better.

The trouble is though, sidewall flex is desirable because it gives a progressive feel. In fact that is one of the biggest problems with fitting silly low profiles on big heavy oversized rims, as you end up with grip falling away very quickly once the tyre begins to slip.