LTHL-GRY
Enthusiast
"there was only 1 other set in the US and I fixed up a friend with them"
That friend would be me! Thanks Ward...
That friend would be me! Thanks Ward...
BigCarrot
Enthusiast
Damn! Let's get those puppies rolling to the states! I'm gonna need some soon!
Ward, let us know how they work. What was your opinion on the BFG's high-speed stability on the street in a straight line? I know this has been beaten to death, but the responses seem to always be either "Don't use them or you'll die" or "No problem at all."
So JonB meant he could supply ONE customer with 18" Kumhos?
There were 2 sets in the US ...I have one and Johnny Tribble has the other set. Although I have purchased many things from Parts Rack and Jon B (he is also a sponsor of the V-10 nationals)and I also recommend him as a vendor, they did not come from him.
Johnny Tribble has my connection and will be able to supply Kumho's (335/30/18) in the future, as he is able to receive them into the US.
Ronnie the BFG's are great traction tires and excellent in a straight line. But rain and them don't mix. Also recognize they are not a high speed rated tire, what that means DO NOT drive at high speeds at LONG duration of time. Also they are not a cornering tire. Cars with 18" rims will not need the rear brake caliper modification utilizing the 18's. Vipers with with lots of mods need traction and they are great for them.
It is simple do not drive in the rain and slow some for the corners and do not drive high speeds for long periods of time.
Cudaman
Ward, thanks for the opinion. I may just go with the BFG's anyway as I never drive the snake in the rain nor do I corner aggressively. What are people running on the front with the BFG's--Pilots, or BFG's on the front as well?
It may already have been covered, however, I have run both the Kumho's and drag radials. The Kumho's are not a good drag tire. Maybe on a stock car they would be help, however, on a high torque car they don't compare to a drag radial. They are a fantastic autocross/track tire. It still takes two sets of tires to get the best out of the car.
One last thing, the Kumho's in addition to being soft are sticky (unlike the drag radial) and they pick up everything on the road and in turn throw it at the wheel wells. On the wrong road it sounds like the car is being shot blasted and it is. I just use the Kumho's for autocross and I have started to see the paint being blasted away.
One last thing, the Kumho's in addition to being soft are sticky (unlike the drag radial) and they pick up everything on the road and in turn throw it at the wheel wells. On the wrong road it sounds like the car is being shot blasted and it is. I just use the Kumho's for autocross and I have started to see the paint being blasted away.
CHAD
Enthusiast
I replaced my front BFG drag radials with Pilots, although I still have the drag radials on the rear. Honestly, I really don't notice much difference but I think it is because the rear is still sloppy enough to not be able to push the car in the turns. I have found myself turning too soon with the Pilots, as with the drag radials up front I had to begin turning the wheel sooner to get the car to turn, evidence of a sloppy sidewall.
I'd recommend Pilots up front just in case you hit some wet, the fronts should give you some semblance of traction. And they have a higher speed rating and will last longer (and if you already have Pilots up front, they are essentially free).
Chad
I'd recommend Pilots up front just in case you hit some wet, the fronts should give you some semblance of traction. And they have a higher speed rating and will last longer (and if you already have Pilots up front, they are essentially free).
Chad
Jack I would agree with totaly.... I too have 2 sets (actually 3 sets Kumhos, ET Streets, BFGs[4 if you include the Pilots...rears are 4 sale...I have a new set..never been mounted])
My problem is traction! As you know I am S/C Viper and my power is there 24/7.
The Pilots are useless to me (no traction), although they are good rain tire. BFG are great traction tires, poor cornering tire, not very high speed rated(no long duration at high speed- not a road couse tire daaaa),Sucidal in the rain. Kumho as a daily driver/autocross-track is my planed use for them.... the only issue is sticky/sand blasting. I have heard the worst area is the front tire area and the side sills. What my plan of attack is to try the 3M clear tape along the side sills..... time will tell.
Cudaman
Casey
Enthusiast
Well, I finally got some info from Kumho Italy.
It took me a LONG time to get anywhere with the Regional Director(lazy bastard, who never got my faxes etc--yeah, right!). So I finally got him to transfer me to his director.
Anyways, it took him 2 minutes to tell me that they can only get those tires through the UK. And they cost $600 a piece after shipping.
Not good news. But at least I finally got the bad news!
It took me a LONG time to get anywhere with the Regional Director(lazy bastard, who never got my faxes etc--yeah, right!). So I finally got him to transfer me to his director.
Anyways, it took him 2 minutes to tell me that they can only get those tires through the UK. And they cost $600 a piece after shipping.
Not good news. But at least I finally got the bad news!
BigCarrot
Enthusiast
Jack I would agree with totaly.... I too have 2 sets (actually 3 sets Kumhos, ET Streets, BFGs[4 if you include the Pilots...rears are 4 sale...I have a new set..never been mounted])
My problem is traction! As you know I am S/C Viper and my power is there 24/7.
The Pilots are useless to me (no traction), although they are good rain tire. BFG are great traction tires, poor cornering tire, not very high speed rated(no long duration at high speed- not a road couse tire daaaa),Sucidal in the rain. Kumho as a daily driver/autocross-track is my planed use for them.... the only issue is sticky/sand blasting. I have heard the worst area is the front tire area and the side sills. What my plan of attack is to try the 3M clear tape along the side sills..... time will tell.
Cudaman
That's my problem too! I don't really like driving on the drag radials every day, but I can't do without them if I want to get on it! I don't want to sandblast my car, but I love hitting the corners! I wish there was a tire similar to the BFG's, but with stiffer sidewalls. I may try the Pilot Sport Cups.
GTSnake
Enthusiast
Didn't Tire Rack have a post that said they have 18's in stock?
Just had my 285/30WR-18 Kumho Ecsta V700 fronts and the 335/30WR-18 Kumho Ecsta V700 rears installed today and just came back from a ride. These tires just blow me away. I went into a corner too hot and the Viper pulled thru the corner like it was on rails.I never experienced anything like these tires on the street. These tires blow away the Pilots.
It is a must to use the 3M clear tape to keep the paint on the car due to the stickiness of the front tires.
Cudaman
It is a must to use the 3M clear tape to keep the paint on the car due to the stickiness of the front tires.
Cudaman
OP
OP
vegasviper
Guest
Anyone try Toyo R1
GTSnake
Enthusiast
Just had my 285/30WR-18 Kumho Ecsta V700 fronts and the 335/30WR-18 Kumho Ecsta V700 rears installed today and just came back from a ride.
Cudaman
Where did you get them?
BigCarrot
Enthusiast
What do you think of the straight line traction, Cuda?
Vegas Viper is on the right track. Toyo RA-1s are made in 18s , are stinkin fast, and will last longer than the Kumhos.Call Vilven Tire at 1-800-251-0017 and ask for full tread. Keep in mind this is the tire all the guys running World Challenge in their Comp Coupes have for a Spec Tire. Woodhouse is running virtually identical times to what he runs on Hoosiers , and these babies last the best of any of the DOT race tires ( Kumhos, Hankooks, Hoosiers, Toyos, Pilot Sport Cups ). The Hankooks are not available in the correct sizes yet, but I would definitely check out the Toyos.
OP
OP
vegasviper
Guest
Bill i got a set or R1 installed but the tires dont seem not responsive as the pilot sports. They seem to have lots of body roll and very wobbley. They remind me of what the BFGs feel like on the HWY with low air pressure. I tried different PSI. They are not shaved, does that affect handeling?
MannyC
Enthusiast
Guys, pic yourself up a set of Pilot Sport Cups. I run them on my rears with Pilot Sports on the front, and I can dive my car into corners as hard as I want. With over 850 RWHP, I can mash the pedal in 2nd gear from a roll on and not break the tires loose on a warm day -- they stick that good! You guys saw the video of me racing the Hayabusas from 2nd and 3rd gear rolls, all the way up to 180+ MPH speeds -- those were done on the exact same tire set up I am running right now (pilots in the front, sport cups in the rear) and the car never broke loose that day, ever, and it tracked SOOOOO straight on that skinny road with a motorcycle next to me the whole time.
I tried leaving the Drag Radials on after a drag event, and the car cannot corner for shiat and would get pulled around on the road due to grooves. Unless you plan on doing 1st gear hard launches or going to the drag track, I see no need for the BFG's. And you don't just lose a little of your handling/cornering ability... you lose almost all of it. I would be afraid to take a curved on ramp at any type of major acceleration with Drag Radials. My $0.02.
-Manny C
I tried leaving the Drag Radials on after a drag event, and the car cannot corner for shiat and would get pulled around on the road due to grooves. Unless you plan on doing 1st gear hard launches or going to the drag track, I see no need for the BFG's. And you don't just lose a little of your handling/cornering ability... you lose almost all of it. I would be afraid to take a curved on ramp at any type of major acceleration with Drag Radials. My $0.02.
-Manny C
Excellent, they can take full power all thru the gears without spinning the tires. This is done without heating up the tires with a burn out. What I am saying let the clutch out from a start then put it to the floor hammering all the gears. Also the car is like on a rail in the corners.
Cudaman
SoloIIRacer
Enthusiast
After a 2 year wait, Kumho has finally made the correct size 18" race tires (Ecsta V700) for the Viper. *BUT* and it is a big but, they legally aren't made for the 13" rim, they only go up to 12.5". I just spent the afternoon arguing with the fellow at Kumho, and he said he can't legally tell me to run them on a 13" rim. Why would they make a 335 18 that won't fit a Viper, how many cars can run this size tire? Very few.
I have wanted to run in Super Stock against the Z06's ever since my dad got his 02 GTS, but I couldn't justify the cost of Hoosiers or the fact that they can't be driven safely on the road. Kumho finally makes an 18" then tell us we can't use them, What The F*(& ?
I know the reality is that we are going to run them anyway, but seriously though, why the heck would they make a 335 that won't fit a Viper, it is our stock size tire.
I just ordered a set of 305's for the front 18x10's and the 335's for the 18x13 rear to run SoloII in Super Stock and run against the Z06's
For those that are already running the 335 18 Kumho Ecsta V700, what are your impressions of them?
I have wanted to run in Super Stock against the Z06's ever since my dad got his 02 GTS, but I couldn't justify the cost of Hoosiers or the fact that they can't be driven safely on the road. Kumho finally makes an 18" then tell us we can't use them, What The F*(& ?
I know the reality is that we are going to run them anyway, but seriously though, why the heck would they make a 335 that won't fit a Viper, it is our stock size tire.
I just ordered a set of 305's for the front 18x10's and the 335's for the 18x13 rear to run SoloII in Super Stock and run against the Z06's
For those that are already running the 335 18 Kumho Ecsta V700, what are your impressions of them?
Bugeater
Enthusiast
Solo II racer,
Have you heard anything about the V710's I know they were recalled in SCCA T1, but they are supposedly wicked fast...
Have you heard anything about the V710's I know they were recalled in SCCA T1, but they are supposedly wicked fast...
SoloIIRacer
Enthusiast
95Viper, are you asking me? If you are, there are 2 reasons why I am not choosing to run Pilot's.
1. High cost compared to Kumho's.
2. They haven't shown to be competitive in Solo II autocross.
I have talked to those that have run them, and they don't seem to think they work very well at autocrossing.
Bugeater,
I race with some very good autocrossers out here in San Diego and a number of them ran the new 710's before the recall, and with out a doubt they are faster than any other Kumho. The consensus is that they are just as fast as the new Hoosier (SO4's). I have 2 issues with the new 710's.
1. No real tread. So they can't be driven safely on the street, just like Hoosiers. i.e. RAIN!!!!!
2. They are only making a 315 18 710, which might or might not stretch onto our 13 wide wheels. The tire is very tall, so it might work, but I just don't know for sure.
The 315 18 they did make is designed specifically for the rear of a Z06, and from those that I have talked to, say they work awesome.
This will be the first time that I will be running the car completely legal for SS competition with the Ecsta 18's. I tried to compete locally with older stock 17's but my competitors didn't like that fact, so I started running ASP, even though the car was stock. This isn't my car, and I can't afford to run really expensive tires like Hoosiers, they don't last, and you can't drive them to and from events.
Kumho decided to recall the tire due to some Quality Control issues. Kumho recalled *all* the 710's and replaced them with either the Victo or the Ecsta at no charge to their customers, plus, they will recieve a brand new set of the 710's once the problem has been fixed. I hear news that the problem is fixed, and the tires are on a boat from Korea right now. We will just have to wait to see what SCCA does as far as re-instating the 710. It sounds like they will be, and should be eligible for both the Run-offs and Nationals, but this isn't official by any means.
1. High cost compared to Kumho's.
2. They haven't shown to be competitive in Solo II autocross.
I have talked to those that have run them, and they don't seem to think they work very well at autocrossing.
Bugeater,
I race with some very good autocrossers out here in San Diego and a number of them ran the new 710's before the recall, and with out a doubt they are faster than any other Kumho. The consensus is that they are just as fast as the new Hoosier (SO4's). I have 2 issues with the new 710's.
1. No real tread. So they can't be driven safely on the street, just like Hoosiers. i.e. RAIN!!!!!
2. They are only making a 315 18 710, which might or might not stretch onto our 13 wide wheels. The tire is very tall, so it might work, but I just don't know for sure.
The 315 18 they did make is designed specifically for the rear of a Z06, and from those that I have talked to, say they work awesome.
This will be the first time that I will be running the car completely legal for SS competition with the Ecsta 18's. I tried to compete locally with older stock 17's but my competitors didn't like that fact, so I started running ASP, even though the car was stock. This isn't my car, and I can't afford to run really expensive tires like Hoosiers, they don't last, and you can't drive them to and from events.
Kumho decided to recall the tire due to some Quality Control issues. Kumho recalled *all* the 710's and replaced them with either the Victo or the Ecsta at no charge to their customers, plus, they will recieve a brand new set of the 710's once the problem has been fixed. I hear news that the problem is fixed, and the tires are on a boat from Korea right now. We will just have to wait to see what SCCA does as far as re-instating the 710. It sounds like they will be, and should be eligible for both the Run-offs and Nationals, but this isn't official by any means.
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