Drift tyres

What sets a drift tyre apart is the compound and the casing, not the tread pattern. During a slide the rear axle spins considerably faster than the road and gets very hot. The rubber has to withstand sustained heat without failing, so a hard, high-treadwear compound goes on the rear: it slides predictably and lasts longer, and it costs less than soft rubber. The front is chosen on the opposite principle - a softer compound and deeper tread, so the car actually steers where you want it to.

In practice this means the front and rear are set up separately. Here's what the fitter looks at first.

• Compound hardness. The rear needs a higher-treadwear rubber, and the more powerful the car, the harder it should be, so it can spin the tyre without scrubbing it away too fast.
• Sidewall stiffness and profile. A stiff sidewall resists the tyre rolling over at large slide angles and gives a quicker, more predictable response; lower profiles reinforce this.
• Casing strength. The tyre is put under enormous lateral loads, so a tough bead matters, to keep the rubber from coming off the rim mid-run.
• Sizes and indices. Many drift with a wider rear than front (staggered) - match the sizes to your rims and check clearance, but don't skimp on the load index, since a hard tyre still carries the axle load.

In our range widths run from 195 to 305 mm and rims from R15 to R20, with a focus on R17-R18. Most sizes carry high speed ratings of W or Y, and the majority of models are also available with an XL reinforced casing.