Tire question

[Mars_302]

How much of the difference is there between the Kumho Escta V700 and the Victor V700? And is really nesscary to get shaved tires for dry use?

[OversteerS2K]

Victo is quicker and don't bother on shaving.

[Muddy]

I am not sure about the quicker part, but the victoracer should last longer than a v700. The v700 is well known for having poor wear characteristics, especially if they are not shaved. I would suggest shaved victoracers, but that is just my opinion. :)

[Loren]

I'd go with a really good high performance street tire first. There are some who disagree, but most agree that it's better to learn on street tires. The limits of a street tire are lower and easier to find.

Switching to an autocross tire early in the game will get you plenty more grip, and you'll immediately be faster, but the limits of those tires are much higher and they come with less warning. The result is usually that you'll probably drive well under the limits of the tires most of the time. And when you do approach the limits, you'll shoot right past them because you haven't learned to smoothly drive at the limit.

If you really want to go with stickies, though... look into Toyo RA-1's. They are a step below the Kumho's, but that won't matter for a novice. Their benefit is that they "wear like iron" for an autocross tire, and they don't heat-cycle like the others do. Unlike the typical autocross tire that starts going "off" due to heat-cycles toward the end of it's life, the RA-1 is often reported to just get better and better as it wears and will be just as grippy right before you reach cord as it was new.

I'm actually thinking about getting a set for street tires. :) They might last 5k or so on the street.

[PseudoRealityX]

Loren, they're excellet street tires. I had them for 2 weeks before I sold the set, since my wallet can't take that kind of hit for street tires. I've got HOOSIERS to buy:)

Mars 302, for now, Loren's right. Don't goto race tires just yet. It'll slow down your learning how to actually drive, and it gives you more room for error. I'd also stay away from the RA1 as a tire to learn on. They use silly amounts of slip angle, and again, a poor choice to learn on....although a VERY FUN tire to drive on. Leonard on here can tell you the pitfalls of going to R-compounds too early, as he self-admittedly did on his Mustang.

I'd get <enter your choice of good street tire> and go through a set of those, autocrossing as much as you can. Once you've done that, maybe a year down the line, maybe less, then make the step up, if you want to go down that path.

Kumho MX would be my choice for a mustang, since they come in some good sizes, and they like heat. Also when picking tires, model is more important than size. A 245 Kumho MX will outstick most other tires in a, for example, 265 size.

[Mars_302]

Im not going anytime soon for them. Just wondering. I couldnt afford another set of rims plus $600 for set tires right now. I use Yoko Es100s right now but they are almost gone. I didnt see the Toyo listed in my size same for the Kumho Escta. Im running 245/45/16 right now. Id realyl like to try Potenza So3s for my next street tires but those are almost $200 a tire.

But thanks for the feedback. I will probably just get the Victors sometime next year then.

[Loren]

Would a 225/50 fit your car?

The Kumho MX that Psued mentioned is available in 225/50-16 for $109 each. They are the hot shit street tire right now.

Or, on the cheap end... Kumho 711's... $54 each in the 245/45 size. Would almost be worth buying a set of those just to burn up while you learn. I've heard that they're not bad at all for the price. Probably about as good as the ES100's that you have now.

[Mars_302]

If they are anything like the 712s they will suck. The Es100s are bounds better than anyhing by Kumho ive had yet. The 712s loved to grip crowns and runts in the roads of any tire ive used yet.

I do need a street tire that is gonna last. I drive a lot of miles, 500-600 a week. Ive gotten 21k outta my yokos and I might get lucky to have another 1-2 oil changes outta them, which is like 2 more months tops.

[Loren]

Yeah, I thought the 712's sucked, too. I've heard that the 711's are much better.

[Mars_302]

I would give the 711s a try if I got plenty of goodfeed back on them. One thing ive learned is to never to cheap out on tires.

[Muddy]

Jesse had the 711 as his street tire on the mr2. Sometimes, when we were too lazy to change tires at a local event, we would autox on them. They had a reasonable amount of grip, considering the price, and handled predictably.

[Leonard]

Yep. Lots of bad habbits to be unlearned.

I've already decided that once the kit is built, it gets a minimum of 1 full season on street tires.

Jeremy, What you'll find with the mustang is this... it doesn't turn well.
With not so sticky tires, the front end plows just a little bit and the front end slides out in a turn. Common sense says stickier tires will let you not slide so much.
So, you add sticky tires.
The front end grips more. It also plows more. The front springs compress and you get camber gain and end up riding on the outside edge of the tire. Now that you're running on 25% of the tread, the tire slips. The suspension decompresses. The tire lays flat on the pavement and grips again. You start the whole process over. It's completely unpreditcable and a bitch to drive. And you eat tires.

The only way to make it work is to put on insanely stiff springs. I was running 425lb/in coilovers which are roughly equal to 1600lb/in springs in the stock perches. That limits suspension travel during hard cornering and keeps you from eating the outside edge of the tire. It works great on smooth course, but on rough course, you chatter across the bumps.

[PseudoRealityX]

About the 711s, I like them. I've used 712s before, and agree, they're terrible. The 711s are much cheaper, better in the wet, and handle better, IMO.

They however, are NOT a REAL performance tire, and you won't be happy if that's what you're expecting, but it's a good all around tire.

As for street mileage, I can't really tell you. MR2s EAT tires, fancy alignment or not, they eat rears. I get ~12,000 miles out of a set of rears, and ~20,000 out a set of fronts. On a mustang who doesn't drive super agreesively on the streets, and uses the 245, I think you should, at the VERY LEAST, equal your yokohamas in treadlife.

[S1M0N]

Why are the Khumo 712's "sucky" tires? I ask because those are the tires that I am currently running on the street and for the occasional autox. I will freely admit to knowing nothing (made obvious by the fact that I drive a Ford Probe), but they seem like OK tires to me. Of course I speak from ZERO experience with any other tires. The reviews I read on Tire Rack didn't say they sucked or I wouldn't have purchased them. Perhaps it is a matter of not being able to go fast enough in my 2.0L I4 non-turbo 2+2 sportscar-wannabe for the tires to be an issue. ; )

I would appreciate any information that anyone is willing to provide. Thanks.

P.S. Sorry if this is thread-jacking.

[mofugga]

the kuhmo 712 is a bottom of the barel performance tire

[Mars_302]

They just dont have the grip other tires have in wet or dry in my expirenece. They were realyl bad about grabbing crowns and runts in roads and pulling the car 1 way or another. They were a good tire at the time. But now that Yoko Es100s are out and they are the same price, Kumhos dont compare to them.

I honestly consider the 712s more of a touring tire anyway.

[Loren]

Mark, treat yourself to a known good performance tire just once and you'll understand why we say that the 712's suck.

To the average driver, they are good enough, that's why you don't see a lot of complaints in the Tire Rack reviews.

If you're still running 15's, look into the Bridgestone Potenza S-03. I think they're on sale for a decent price right now.

[g-50Cab]

I've been real happy with my Yoko AVS Sports. They have been wearing fairly well (Several DE's and 7,000 miles and still plenty to go) (and Porsche typically eat tires) they are pretty sticky for a street tire - and they make plenty of noise before they let go - which is great for someone learning.

I've heard very good things from those that track on the RA-1 - I've also heard that the Kuhmo MX's are a big improvement to the 712's (which if you have them - better make sure you keep them blown up!)

I'll also Echo Loren on the recommendation that you stick with streets for awhile.

[neurovish]

How do the Kumho MXs compare to other 225s...do they 'run wide'?
I have a pair of falken fk451s and a pair of goodyear eagle f1s, same sizes....the falkens pose no problem at all, but the goodyears rub up front. I'm way due for a new set, but I don't want to buy new tires only to find that they won't really fit on my car.

[PseudoRealityX]

for reference, the FK451s, when shaven, are actually very good tires. STX this year was won Nationally on a set, although mostly due to a GREAT size for a STX WRX.

[mofugga]

yeah, supposedly the FK451s are the same compound as azenis from 4/32nds on.

go to tirerack.com & see how they compare in treadwidth & judge for yourself if the MX's will rub

[PseudoRealityX]

it's actually not exactly the same compound as the Azenis, but close enough that the gearing makes up for it...

[neurovish]

Originally posted by mofugga
yeah, supposedly the FK451s are the same compound as azenis from 4/32nds on.

go to tirerack.com & see how they compare in treadwidth & judge for yourself if the MX's will rub

Tirerack has no such specs for the MX, already checked. I was originally thinking of using the MX for autox and track events only...I was very impressed with the fk451s though, planning on getting a set for everyday use. They seemed much more tolerant of heat than I expected.

[Loren]

Kumho MX data on Kumho website (http://www.kumhousa.com/Products/PtnDetails.asp?mainCatID=1&PtnID=KU-15)

Too easy.

[neurovish]

Ahhh, thanks Loren.
These specs don't seem to help much in the end....they say the tires are all the same size pretty much, and if the F1s rubbed, then the Falkens should have as well.