Got back from the AUTOsport with a loads of tyre information

[Dave N500 CHM]

I'm determined to get the same tyre front and rear while still keeping 15's on the front.
First I just wanted to check I'm looking for the right sizes as I don't have my car or book handy.
The front std was 205 45 15's but now everybody fits 225 45 15's
And the rear is 245 45 16's
I know Dunlop do a tyre for both (cant remember the product name) but they look awful, seems like they would be more at home on a buggy.
So far I've managed to find one tyre that can fit both sizes but I've never heard of them. They are designed for track-days hill climbs but are still road legal.
www.kumhotire.com/tire/tire_detail.jsp?prdt_id=3
You even get to choose the compound.
Anyone heard of them?
Will keep looking for other alternatives.

[chassis 33]

If experiences of the Tasmin challenge cars are anything to go by, Kumho's are akin to driving on bubblegum.

Regards
Iain

[Dave N500 CHM]

chassis 33 said:

If experiences of the Tasmin challenge cars are anything to go by, Kumho's are akin to driving on bubblegum.

Regards
Iain

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[andy-w]

how much are kumho's...roughly?
Just found a supplier near me but cant get through to them...

[Dave N500 CHM]

Well so far those Kumho's are the only tyre I can find in both sizes.
If you dont mind a 50 profile on the front then you can have
Toyo Proxes T1R
225 50 15 / 245 45 16

Falken ZE512
Only the fronts though 225 50 15
The rears would have to be FK451 245 45 16

If you dont mind Track day tyres then you can choose from

Toyo Proxes R888
225 50 15 / 225 45 16

Dunlop DO1
225 50 15 / 225 45 16

Yokohama AO48R
225 50 15 / 225 45 16

I drove a griff last year with the Dunlop DO1 and the grip was incredible! You would never know it was running 225's all round.

[Dave N500 CHM]

andy-w said:

how much are kumho's...roughly?
Just found a supplier near me but cant get through to them...

Sorry Andy only just seen your post, I haven't looked anywhere else for them so I can only give you the price from Demon Tweaks.
Front in medium compound is £106.54 + VAT per tyre
Rear in medium compound is £120.75 + VAT per tyre

Was told by the chap on the end of the phone that they are an excellent tyre and one which is used in a BMW racing league.

[andy-w]

Dave N500 CHM said:

andy-w said:

how much are kumho's...roughly?
Just found a supplier near me but cant get through to them...

I can only give you the price from Demon Tweaks.
Front in medium compound is £106.54 + VAT per tyre
Rear in medium compound is £120.75 + VAT per tyre

Well i have just got two prices for tyres from a local supplier.

205 40 17" y rated = 64.50
225 45 17" y rated = 76.35

Bit of a difference!!!!!

[chassis 33]

Dave N500 CHM said:

chassis 33 said:

If experiences of the Tasmin challenge cars are anything to go by, Kumho's are akin to driving on bubblegum.

Regards
Iain

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Bad I'm afraid to say, very soft and squidgy tyres, I only went out on them a very limited number of times, Graham or one of the other Tasmin racers around 2003/4/5 would be able to shed more light on things.

Regards
Iain

[andy-w]

Just spoke to someone i work with and he is a rally driver but does a lot of track days and he said they were very good. But then he is only racing a 206 in the 206 Challenge...

Obviously it will be different in a Chim!!!!!

[Dave N500 CHM]

andy-w said:

Dave N500 CHM said:

andy-w said:

how much are kumho's...roughly?
Just found a supplier near me but cant get through to them...

I can only give you the price from Demon Tweaks.
Front in medium compound is £106.54 + VAT per tyre
Rear in medium compound is £120.75 + VAT per tyre

Well i have just got two prices for tyres from a local supplier.

205 40 17" y rated = 64.50
225 45 17" y rated = 76.35

Bit of a difference!!!!!

That's all well and good but what tyre are they and they are the wrong size for the std wheels on the Chim.
I was after 225/45/15 for the front and 245/45/16 for the rear as are many people on here that are after tyres for the std wheels.
The only tyre I can find that will fit both sizes are those Kumho's.
I take it you have upgraded your wheels to 17" jobbies? If that's the case then you have plenty of choice, although I would always prefer 225's on the front.

[chassis 33]

andy-w said:

Just spoke to someone i work with and he is a rally driver but does a lot of track days and he said they were very good. But then he is only racing a 206 in the 206 Challenge...

Obviously it will be different in a Chim!!!!!

I guess it is horses for courses, as I always say in these things everyone has a favourite flavour. However the general consensus in the Tasmin series was the Kumho's weren't suited to those cars.

Interestingly you hear in the paddocks grumblings from the BTCC boys that Dunlops are not the preferred flavour of tyre for many of the touring cars, and they could do quicker on other tyres.
Regards
Iain

[Graham]

The Kumho's were designed for a heavier car than the tasmin, so didnt work that well, they also didnt take too many heat cycles before they were fubared. I spoke to a chap on friday who had the same opinion hving tried them on his fiesta rally car...

Not sure i'd put Kumho's on the Chimaera but i would put the dunlop d01j / do2j on there...

[ads]

I have Dunlop SP9000's on mine and I think they are good, but my sizes are 205/55 ZR 15 front and 225/50 ZR 16 rear!

[Dave N500 CHM]

Graham said:

The Kumho's were designed for a heavier car than the tasmin, so didnt work that well, they also didnt take too many heat cycles before they were fubared. I spoke to a chap on friday who had the same opinion hving tried them on his fiesta rally car...

Not sure i'd put Kumho's on the Chimaera but i would put the dunlop d01j / do2j on there...

I think the D01's are fantastic as long as the weather stays dry and that's the problem. Those Kumho's look like they will work better in the wet and that's what temps me towards them.
Are the people who have been grumbling about these tyres using their slicks? Maybe the these other ones don't suffer so bad as they will be a harder compound.

[andy-w]

Dave N500 CHM said:

andy-w said:

Dave N500 CHM said:

andy-w said:

how much are kumho's...roughly?
Just found a supplier near me but cant get through to them...

I can only give you the price from Demon Tweaks.
Front in medium compound is £106.54 + VAT per tyre
Rear in medium compound is £120.75 + VAT per tyre

Well i have just got two prices for tyres from a local supplier.

205 40 17" y rated = 64.50
225 45 17" y rated = 76.35

Bit of a difference!!!!!

That's all well and good but what tyre are they and they are the wrong size for the std wheels on the Chim.

My point was that you have had a quote of £100 odd pounds from Deamon Tweeks for 15" rims...the 17" are usually more expensive so i put up the price of the size i got quoted as a very rough comparisom £65 and £75 compared to the £100+ prices you were quoted.

The tyres are the ones on their website, Kumho ECSTA's with a KU51 tread pattern (dont know what that means) and Y rated.

[Dave N500 CHM]

andy-w said:

Dave N500 CHM said:

andy-w said:

Dave N500 CHM said:

andy-w said:

how much are kumho's...roughly?
Just found a supplier near me but cant get through to them...

I can only give you the price from Demon Tweaks.
Front in medium compound is £106.54 + VAT per tyre
Rear in medium compound is £120.75 + VAT per tyre

Well i have just got two prices for tyres from a local supplier.

205 40 17" y rated = 64.50
225 45 17" y rated = 76.35

Bit of a difference!!!!!

That's all well and good but what tyre are they and they are the wrong size for the std wheels on the Chim.

My point was that you have had a quote of £100 odd pounds from Deamon Tweeks for 15" rims...the 17" are usually more expensive so i put up the price of the size i got quoted as a very rough comparisom £65 and £75 compared to the £100+ prices you were quoted.

The tyres are the ones on their website, Kumho ECSTA's with a KU51 tread pattern (dont know what that means) and Y rated.

Ahh sorry Andy, I didn't realise that's what you meant.
I suppose its possible that there isn't so much demand for the slightly odd size the Chim uses so prices will be higher.
The only other place I looked was My Tyres who didn't seem to sell any of the Kumho's competition tyres.
If I can get them for similar prices to what you posted than I will defiantly try them out.

[andy-w]

well for that price i am going to give them a whirl.
Cant do any harm...plus i have yet to do a track day so i am not too worried about that side of things.

[chassis 33]

Dave N500 CHM said:

Are the people who have been grumbling about these tyres using their slicks? Maybe the these other ones don't suffer so bad as they will be a harder compound.

No, they were road spec tyres, in a similar vein to the DO1J's

Regards
Iain

[FlipFlopGriff]

Dave N500 CHM said:

Graham said:

The Kumho's were designed for a heavier car than the tasmin, so didnt work that well, they also didnt take too many heat cycles before they were fubared. I spoke to a chap on friday who had the same opinion hving tried them on his fiesta rally car...

Not sure i'd put Kumho's on the Chimaera but i would put the dunlop d01j / do2j on there...

I think the D01's are fantastic as long as the weather stays dry and that's the problem. Those Kumho's look like they will work better in the wet and that's what temps me towards them.
Are the people who have been grumbling about these tyres using their slicks? Maybe the these other ones don't suffer so bad as they will be a harder compound.

SP9000 and Toyo T1-R are both very good in the wet and pretty good in the dry too.
FFG

[Dave N500 CHM]

andy-w said:

well for that price i am going to give them a whirl.
Cant do any harm...plus i have yet to do a track day so i am not too worried about that side of things.

Please do and let us know what you think. Do you think you will be buying them anytime soon?
Be nice to see the some pics of them as tyres IMHO can make a big difference to the cars looks. I saw a Chim on the Dunlop SP9000 the other day and it just didn't look as mean as a Chim on the DO1's.
I think it the way the tyre goes from the wall to the tread. Tyres with an almost 90 degree angle look mean where other tyres with a big radius look more like off road tyres.