RE050 on one axle, AD08 on the other

ChrisD. · 2 Mar 2012 at 12:07

I'm off to the 'Ring and while over there doing a trackday at Spa in a few weeks. I've just checked my tyres and it looks like I need new fronts as they are at 3mm. I really want some AD08's but I can't really afford to shell out for 4 as I've just paid for the Euro Tunnel, new brakes, car tax etc etc.

Would I be an idiot to put two AD08's on the rear of the car put the RE050's on the front, till say May/June when I'd get the other two?

hyper_piper45 · 2 Mar 2012 at 12:11

Wrong forum bud!

ChrisD. · 2 Mar 2012 at 12:26

WTH, how did I manage to post it in here? haha!

Muffin` · 2 Mar 2012 at 13:01

Theory is sound, however it'd handle a bit iffy. Card it?

pepsilol · 2 Mar 2012 at 15:18

Same axle stuff is fine.

Gonzo0 · 2 Mar 2012 at 15:24

I'm doing the same as you (tyre wise) having 2 AD08s on the front and leaving the PS3s on the rear.

Simon · 2 Mar 2012 at 15:25

Oversteer!?

Scania · 2 Mar 2012 at 15:25

Put the new ones on the rear.

ChrisD. · 2 Mar 2012 at 15:43

Gonzo0 said:
I'm doing the same as you (tyre wise) having 2 AD08s on the front and leaving the PS3s on the rear.

You should have the tyres with the most grip on the rear.

Gonzo0 · 2 Mar 2012 at 15:54

MilanoChris said:
You should have the tyres with the most grip on the rear.

Not on my car you dont. Due to the nature that the suspension is set up and the diff, you shouldnt really put the rear tyres on the front due to the way the rear tyres wear.

Scania · 2 Mar 2012 at 16:01

Gonzo0 said:
Not on my car you dont. Due to the nature that the suspension is set up and the diff, you shouldnt really put the rear tyres on the front due to the way the rear tyres wear.

I would put car stability over tyre wear tbh, yours sounds like a somewhat unique setup!

Gonzo0 · 2 Mar 2012 at 16:08

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
I would put car stability over tyre wear tbh, yours sounds like a somewhat unique setup!

It's a funny area on the Focus RS. The tourqe biasing differential is very sensitive and putting oddly work tyres on the front may cause the front end to be very 'twitchy'.

I'd have to see how it handled on track first I guess.

Scania · 2 Mar 2012 at 16:13

Gonzo0 said:
It's a funny area on the Focus RS. The tourqe biasing differential is very sensitive and putting oddly work tyres on the front may cause the front end to be very 'twitchy'.

I'd have to see how it handled on track first I guess.

Do you not have to change all 4 on that to prevent diff problems? or am I confusing the Focus RS with those crappy old Cavalier & Calibra 4x4's???

MikeHiow · 2 Mar 2012 at 16:14

Swapping front and rear tyres on any performance car is going to yield odd results initially.

If I had to choose, I'd rather have the grippier tyres on the front of the Clio. Oversteer is easy to manage, understeer is just plain annoying.

My Clio now leans towards oversteer and is a far more rewarding drive.

MikeHiow · 2 Mar 2012 at 16:14

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
Do you not have to change all 4 on that to prevent diff problems? or am I confusing the Focus RS with those crappy old Cavalier & Calibra 4x4's???

Focus RS isn't 4WD.

Scania · 2 Mar 2012 at 16:17

MikeHiow said:
Focus RS isn't 4WD.

Aye, your right Mike! - I was thinking of crappy old Vauxhalls - Lord knows why!

Gonzo0 · 2 Mar 2012 at 16:25

Focus RS is FWD with a diff in the middle.

I'll stick them on the front and see how it behaves on track I guess.

ChrisD. · 2 Mar 2012 at 17:21

My car also has a diff.

Simon · 2 Mar 2012 at 18:11

The issue will probably be more around how the different compounds handle temperature, in parallel the front and rear axles will change pressure at different rates at after contact patch size.

The Nurburgring is a hard track to learn at the best of times. Even more so when the neutral point of your car could be moving as the tyres respond to the hard driving. RE050s are hard and respond well to a bit of heat but are very stiff. How do AD08 compare?

Good luck!

Gibbo · 2 Mar 2012 at 18:20

Simon said:
The issue will probably be more around how the different compounds handle temperature, in parallel the front and rear axles will change pressure at different rates at after contact patch size.

The Nurburgring is a hard track to learn at the best of times. Even more so when the neutral point of your car could be moving as the tyres respond to the hard driving. RE050s are hard and respond well to a bit of heat but are very stiff. How do AD08 compare?

Good luck!

AD08's are even stiffer!