Kumho tire owners, need some advice

[00prowler]

I need to know which Kumhos are right for me. I should be around 650 rwhp or so. 96 GTS street driven only.. It looks like the Ecsta 700s are the ticket I think. Do I order them shaved, heat cycled or just a regular untouched tire? As far as the stone throwing goes I havent seen a difinitive answer on where the 3M tape goes on front and rear. Could someone shed some light on this for me? Going to order a set next week...Thanks...AL...00PROWLER...

 

[YELL03]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

I just put mine on today.

I ordered the Kumho Ecsta V700 335/30/18s.

I did not order them shaved as they are already at a minimal tread depth. (we measured them at 8/32). My Pilots with 10K on them were still at 10/32.

I just ordered them as is.

They are a little slippery at first, so drive on them a bit before going on an all out BANZAI RUN.

As far as where to put the tape - GOOD QUESTION???

I would think if you are only putting them on the rears (like me), maybe tape the inner lips of the wheel wells. I hope I don't have to tape the outside lower rear quarters.

Hopefully someone will post about that.

So far they seem like they hook pretty well on the street on my Basically stock 01 GTS. The Pilots were downright dangerous.

Howard

 

[Jack B]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

If you track the 700's or do sustained high speed they should be shaved, the 710's are already shaved. If you just intend to use them on the street don't worry about shaving or heat cycling.

Don't worry about taping, you won't have any paint to worry about, your salvation is the front seems to be worse than the rear. You will still need to install the clear 3m protection film on any exposed surfaces in the rear wheel well.

 

[00prowler]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

Jack do you mean the lip of the wheelwell or the inside were its black? I heard the sidesills get nailed good in the front, what are your thoughts on this? thanks...AL,,,

 

[1TONY1]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

do you mean the lip of the wheelwell or the inside were its black?

Both, while it's not that noticable on the painted area.....the black inner well is now gray on my car. Wash it and it's black until it drys then it's gray. You can armorall it frequently to keep it black. I have ran the fronts......bad imho......I see no reason to run them on the front full time. I have about 14,000 miles on rear Kumhos.....ready to change to the third pair.

 

[00prowler]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

Tony, bad in what way? i would like to keep all 4 the same...AL...

 

[YELL03]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

I was out cruising again today with the new Kumhos.

I feel very safe nailing it at any speed in 2nd, and they still are not completely beoken in.

1st sticks better than before. I did manage to kick it out sideways pretty good right out of the hole without full throttle, but they still only have a few miles on them. The handling does not seem to have suffered either.

I did get on it fairly hard in 1st once moving and I ripped a hard 1-2 shift and it stayed straight, same on a 2-3 shift and various WOT hits in 2nd at various rpms.

Seems like the only thing I gotta test further is how much throttle it can handle out of the hole in 1st.

I like the sound of gravel being thrown up in the wheelwells. j/k

Howard

 

[joe117]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

I have them all the way around on my 94.

They are very sticky on dry pavement.

I haven't tried them in rain but I'll bet they will hydro.

 

[AG98RT10]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

They hydro like a ****...

I CRAWL when I get caught in rain with my four...

 

[IEATVETS]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

OK guys, I am buying tires pretty soon and was not sure about Kuhmo's. So they ARE a good street tire? And you do not have to shave them for the street? What about tread life compared to the Pilots? Please shed a little more light to somebody who was mis-informed.

 

[00prowler]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

Shaved and heat cycled are for track use...Hook way better than Pilots, handle better too...last around 4 to 5000 miles...under 700.00 for a set of 4 at Parts Rack...the rock throwing is the major downfall due to the softer compound...I have done lots of research on this topic...pluses outweigh the minuses....Hope this helps with your decision... AL...00PROWLER

 

[NguyenJ]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

PartsRack only have them in 17" size. Anyone know if they carry 18 and how much? I'm looking for 18 for my rears.

 

[Achilles99]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

Tirerack had the 18's for about $250, IIRC...

 

[Early93Viper]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

What would be recomended for mostly street use with a little track use? Shaved? Unshaved? Also are they worth taking off perfectly good pilots? I can't seem to hook up very well in this cold Kansas weather.

 

[AG98RT10]

Re: Kumho tire owners, need some advice

Mostly street use, don't shave.
Tracking a lot with unshaved tends to make tires chunk and lose useful life quickly. A little tracking with mostly street is fine - they won't chunk and you need the extra tread depth on the street to expel water.

Even the Kumhos don't totally hook on cold pavement - be careful. I went sideways and had bad axle hop on a WOT 1-2 this winter...

Pilots imo, are only perfectly good for driving in the rain... and Viperdays, I guess, since your Kumho results won't be "official."