no traction!!!!!!

joeg40 · Post by **joeg40** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 11:25 am

does anyone else find that 1st gear in a g40 is the most pointless thing?? if i try an pull away off the lights slightly too fast, the wheels just want to eat the tarmac!!!! annd in the wet, 2nd an 3rd do the same!!!
HELP!!!!!

hardhitter · Post by **hardhitter** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:19 pm

One of the virtues of owning a G40

SpikeyG40 · Post by **SpikeyG40** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:20 pm

thats a normal thing i think!! there is so much power going through the wheels the tyres can't get the power down! i have the same thing!

i think a good set of tyres would go along way, apart from that, some wider rims or just have to get used to it!!

hayesey · Post by **hayesey** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:36 pm

you have to be more progressive with the throttle rather than just planting your foot down. decent tyres, suspension setup can help to no end as well. a limited slip diff really sorts it out but it'll still spin up if you floor it & the more traction you get the more stresses are put on the weaker parts of the car, especially where the top gearbox mount bolts to.

joeg40 · Post by **joeg40** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 2:47 pm

well im not going to put different wheels on because i want to keep it totally standard. My car is almost exactly the same as hayesey's, nice work mate,

amstrange1 · Post by **amstrange1** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:03 pm

Good tyres and suspension are key. I improved traction no end by going from stock Polo CL suspension to an FK 40mm drop springs and shocks kit. Getting the tracking spot on also makes a lot of difference, as does having decent tyres. With good tyres, good suspension, and properly setup tracking you'll still get spin - but it's a lot more controllable.

Like Hayesey said - LSDs go a long way to improving traction, but really alter the way the car drives so would take a bit of getting used to. Once my car's no longer a daily driver I'll be getting one.

SpikeyG40 · Post by **SpikeyG40** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:58 pm

which tyres would be worth looking at? i might need new tyres to replace the rear two so if i got some new ones i would put those on the front!

amstrange1 · Post by **amstrange1** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:33 pm

In stock G40 size (175/60 R13) Bridgestone Potenza RE720 were supposed to be the ones to go for, but unfortunately are no longer available...

I've read up a hell of a lot on different tyres, and have gone for Yoko A539s. Some say they're s**t in the wet, but they'd hopefully be an improvement over my current budget s**t. If they're bad in the wet I'll get some different tyres for winter use. I'll post here once I've got them fitted.

Previously I've used Firestone (Bridgestone's budget brand) tyres and found them to be pretty good. Goodyear Eagles also have a good reputation, but availability in 175/60 R13 could be an issue.

hayesey · Post by **hayesey** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:05 pm

I'll probably end up with A539s on mine but it wont really get used in the wet so I'm not too fussed. yeah when I fitted the LSD it totally transformed the handling of the car, makes the steering bloody heavy too.

My car is almost exactly the same as hayesey's, nice work mate,

haha, doesn't look much like that at the minute I can tell you!

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:49 pm

can't fault the Firestones the 'tray sits on.... sure, they're 195s, but it is a heavier car and with stupid-maneouver-enabling PAS to boot, had real trouble unsettling it... is 175/195 more or less than 900/1100?

amstrange1 · Post by **amstrange1** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 12:10 am

I won't be buying Firestones for my G40 again though, it'll be a 'performance' tyre of some description and to hell with the tyre life. Can't wait to get these Yokos on and see what they're like. Baptism of fire for them, as I'll be abusing them at RWYB on Sunday.

Gareth_GT_Hatch · Post by **Gareth_GT_Hatch** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:10 pm

yeah firestones are good all rounders ive found. adequate for anything up to and including a GT. I was gonna get some for my mk2 but the tyre place i used to go to have put prices up loads, so now Ive got some uniroyal rallyes for it off tinternet on the cheap. Will be interesting to see how they compare to the firestones.

I cant wait to get my GT properly sorted, wont be long now, slowly amassing the parts to do it all (got the springs and shocks, brakes etc) just need to get the wheel bearings and arb kit now and I can get it all swapped over. Then in a few months time maybe some new tyres, the 165/55/14 kumhos arent up to the "power"

of the 1.4