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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 1,942
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Which is a better "econimical" track tire...Yokohama or Kumho?
I know debates will rage on forever regarding track tires. I am trying to sort out which to buy and who better to ask than the world of Pelican. My first full season with the '83. Had A032R last year.
I am doing 8-10 DE days and several Auto-X in the course of a year. I will street the car to and from track/auto-x and some 2k-3k of fun driving. I know the Hoosier is fast and light but it's also expensive and in no way can be street driven. Michelin is the new kid but I don't think they would be street friendly either and are also expensive but are supposed to last. My set up is a '83SC with 17x8 front, 9 rear. Torsion bars are 22 front, 28 rear. Weltmeister bars. Poly/Delrin/Monoball bushings. So that leaves Yoko and Kumho to choose from. |
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04-07-2002, 10:43 AM
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Irrationally exuberant
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I think the Kumho's are a good value. I get about a season from them (10-12 days) and I drive on them to the nearer tracks like Lime Rock (~100 miles away).
-Chris |
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04-07-2002, 01:37 PM
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04-07-2002, 02:13 PM
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Too big to fail
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My street tires are RE730s, and they grip surprisingly well for such a high treadwear rating.
I use Kumho V700 VictoRacers for the track. I've gotten 2 track days and several autocrosses out of them, but I flat-spotted them badly last time out, so they're pretyy much toast right now, despite having a lot of tread left. Quote:
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"You go to the track with the Porsche you have, not the Porsche you wish you had." '03 E46 M3 '57 356A Various VWs |
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04-07-2002, 02:20 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
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Thom, I've always wanted to ask this: If you flat spot a high rubber tire, why can't you true (or shave) them like they used to do to the TA Radials? Seems like that would be better than throwing them away. Anyway, what size are they? I need some roll-arounds. Or anyone else? (205/50/15s or a couple 215/15s)
Last edited by Zeke; 04-07-2002 at 03:20 PM.. |
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04-07-2002, 03:17 PM
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I would have to say the yoko's. They appear to have the most meat out of all the r tires. I have heard good thing about the toyo proxes RA-1's also. They appear to have a fair amount of tread and are better then the yoko's.
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72 911 Although it is done at the moment, it will never be finished. |
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04-07-2002, 03:47 PM
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Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
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Places that shave tires will usually not touch a tire that's been driven on. The blade that shaves the rubber would get ruined by any rocks, etc. embedded in the rubber.
RE730's are fine tires, but they're not R-Compound (track tires). It's an interesting question, actually. The Yokos will last about 20% longer (going by the treadware rating). But they cost about 18% more. So the dollars-per-mile might be about the same, and the Kumhos are going to grip better while you're using them. I'd probably go with the Kumhos.
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Jack Olsen 1972 911 My new video about my garage. • A video from German TV about my 911 Last edited by Jack Olsen; 04-08-2002 at 10:19 AM.. |
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04-07-2002, 03:56 PM
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Location: Connecticut
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I should first apologize for not spelling correctly. I just noticed that in my title I wrote "econimical" instead of "economical". We need to get spell check installed on Pelican.
 Thanks for all of the input. |
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04-08-2002, 06:02 AM
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Location: Mid-Ohio
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the R compound Yokos last the longest, but typically lose their handling qualities before the tread wears out.
lots of heat cycles hardens the rubber. |
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04-08-2002, 07:48 AM
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Location: new york city
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Which ones are better in the wet? The Kumhos or Yokohamas? That is something most of us have to deal with on the street, if only occasionally...
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04-08-2002, 08:42 AM
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Administrator
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Neither is a very good street tire. As John points out, you don't want to repeatedly heat cycle r-combound rubber. Of the two, though, the Yoko would be better if you're using one tire for both street and track applications. As I understand it, that's what it was designed for.
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Jack Olsen 1972 911 My new video about my garage. • A video from German TV about my 911 Last edited by Jack Olsen; 04-08-2002 at 10:20 AM.. |
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04-08-2002, 10:14 AM
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Too big to fail
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Well, one issue is these tires only have 5/32s or so of tread to start with, so there wouldn't be much left when they got done. And I don't know how happy they'd be working on competition tires, what with liability issues and all.
They're 205/50 and 245/40 (or is it 45) 16" Quote:
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"You go to the track with the Porsche you have, not the Porsche you wish you had." '03 E46 M3 '57 356A Various VWs |
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04-08-2002, 10:15 AM
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Unregistered
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: a wretched hive of scum and villainy
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The most economical "track" tire is the Kuhmo V700. There are tires available that are a little stickier, but they cost much more.
I like the older style Victoracers, but have heard that the new style is even better. |
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04-08-2002, 06:04 PM
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The Blue Pheonix
Tobluforu
