205/40 17 tyres

[pebisit 0]

Well, I've read the definitive thread, and it looks like RainSport 2's or Conti 2's are the way to go, generally.

I'm looking at around 4k miles a year, in most conditions, and predominently interested in handling, rather than wear characteristics but not at the expense of comfort, I really want a jolt free ride, as our roads round here (mostsly B's) are a bit rough ...lol.

Based on peoples experiences, would either of those fit the bill, or is there something better taking into account that I'm not that bothered if they only do 10k miles before replacement??

[muppetlab 0]

:lol: If you want a jolt free ride you'll need smaller rims than 17". Handling wise maybe less sidewall flex in a 17" than say a 15" but the 15's willl be lighter and spin up quicker and make they car more agile, the 17's in my experience slow the car down and make it feel a tad heavy. But looks wise 17's look best in my eyes, hence why i have them on mine :D

[pebisit 0]

Agreed, 17's by their very nature will be stiffer than a 15, but as Kevin Bird, who knows more about this stuff than most, stated, tyres control the handling, so even if you're running big wheels, choice of tyre is critical.

Yes, as I mentioned, 17s will make the ride stiffer, and that is a compromise, but you can have large wheels and a decent ride. Go and have a drive in an M Sport BMW and then drive an Alpina on the same size wheels, and you'll see the point. The M is about as stiff as you get, the Alpina (on the same wheels and ride height) produces a good ride that sits well on English roads

You don't have to have small wheels to have a crash free ride, you do have to have the correct tyres/suspension

[dukest 0]

contis will have stiffer sidewalls than rainsports so the rainsports may not perform quite as well - they're not a "performance" tyre to the same extent.

 

so depends whats most important. you'll save at least £100 with the rainsports but do you want out and out performance as well as comfort?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Agreed, 17's by their very nature will be stiffer than a 15, but as Kevin Bird, who knows more about this stuff than most, stated, tyres control the handling, so even if you're running big wheels, choice of tyre is critical.

Yes, as I mentioned, 17s will make the ride stiffer, and that is a compromise, but you can have large wheels and a decent ride. Go and have a drive in an M Sport BMW and then drive an Alpina on the same size wheels, and you'll see the point. The M is about as stiff as you get, the Alpina (on the same wheels and ride height) produces a good ride that sits well on English roads

You don't have to have small wheels to have a crash free ride, you do have to have the correct tyres/suspension

 

Indeed. And personally I would get the Conti 2s. It's a great all round tyre with good ride quality and is also the lightest tyre I've used to date. That may sound daft and anal but it's very noticably lighter than a 205/40/17 Bridgestone RE050, which is it's closest competitor in terms of grip and lifespan. If you're into reducing unsprung weight, then every little helps.

The CS2 has been the choice tyre for 17" wheel users in the VW community for quite some time now, but few people on here have cottoned onto it as most are biased against 17s. The Conti 3 is slighty stickier, at the expense of life span. Not really worth the premium over the CS2 imo.

The Rainsports have a soggy sidewall and will just wash out too easily when pressing on in the summer.

[muppetlab 0]

I agree it is possible to have 17" wheels and a decent ride just need good suspension setup, but 17's will always be a compromise against comfort in favour of handling. I Know a lot of people dislike the yoko's but i have had a set of prada spec 2's on now for 5k and have to say they are excellent, very good in the dry, good comfort and okay in the wet. I am not mad therefore prefer not to try and find a tyres limit in the wet but they pull up nice and quick in a line. Fairly soft though so i expect wear will be quite high but then if you are only doing low milage probably not so much an issue.

[pebisit 0]

Will look at the Conti 2's, though looks like there arent any available in 205/40 17 at the moment. Shall try a local garage

I have Yoki's on the 17's I have currently have, and wasn't too impressed, to be honest, but they may be another model??

Re lightness, I agree, just got some nice forged BBS wheels for it to replace the cheap, nasty replicas it has. I haven't weighed them yet, but they do feel really light .. :-)

One thing, though, if you're running a bigger rim, then a softer sidewall may not be as much of an issue, but I'll bow down to your experience here, as different cars react in different ways. Handling and comfort are always going to be a compromise, however, a car that bounes around, IMO, doesnt handle, full stop, bump absorbtion is critical to a decent set up as, when all said and done, if a tyre doesnt maintain contact with the road, it will struggle to grip as it should

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The CS2 and 3 are definitely available in 205/40/17, but whether your local tyre place has them in stock is another matter :D Last time I enquired (September 09) at my local place, there were 50 or so in the main UK warehouse and good stocks in Germany.

 

I used to have Team Dynamics Pro Race 1 7x17 and the combined weight with a 205/40 CS2 was 15.4 Kg. For reference, one of my standard VR6 6x15 Speedlines with a 205/50/15 tyre weighs 16.2Kg!!

 

I've tried many combinations of wheel and tyre, from 15" to 17", and I have to say, the ProRace + CS2 has been my favourite combo so far :D

 

The CS2s aren't the last word in turn-in feel, but they are predictable, quiet, grippy and have the best ride comfort of any 17 I've used to date. They also resist tramlining the best in my experience too.

 

Agreed on the suspension too. You do need some decent coilovers (or regular mchperson setup) to get the best from any tyre. The Corrado, structurally, is pretty soggy now being 15 years old, so you won't get the iron fisted control over the dampers like you do with a modern car (the body shell flexes too much) but if you want another recommendation - KW V3s :D

[StuartFZR400 0]

17's & comfort. I guess its a bit of a subjective phrase and your idea of comfort maybe a lower threshold that other old folk here, lol. The above advice certainly covers brands of tyre - great - that get you the best 17 ride.

 

But if you are after a bit more comfort, then there is a simpletest. Forget that some cars ride well on 17's - those cars are modern or were born wallowy anyhow. You dont want softer suspension and you can make you car that more supple. Therefore try dropping to a 16 rim; if you cna afford not caring how often you buy tyres, then a set of second-hand 16 rims wont dent the bank either. The bigger 17 wheel is nice, in that the low profile 40 means you tend to feel every pimpel and ladybird on the surface.