gtr: Good point, I forgot that they do more track events and not AutoX. But also remember that while AutoX stints are much shorter than lapping tracks, they also tend to contain a lot more turns than your average road course laps. So you may find you are weaqring those S compound tires out really fast even at AutoX events.

 

I have my wheels coming and I am getting Kuhmo ecsta MX they are great tires there are local racers who swear by them, yea they may not have the prestige of the Toyo T1 but they are damn good. Go with them if you were planning on getting them and Kuhmo has come a long way they are not cheap quality.

 

I have 245/40.17 Kumho MXs on my 98 AWD, they're pretty good wet and dry tyres. Wet grip is sufficient for the windscreen wipers to be the limiting factor in heavy rain, and their dry grip is sufficient to completely fade out Porterfield R4S pads at an autocross. I didn't think non-race tyres could generate sufficient grip to do that to R4Ss. I had smoke pouring out of the wheelarches at the end of my last two runs, and I got within almost a second of my earlier runs in a 911 TT AWD on Hoosiers. If nothing else the MXs weren't holding me back :-)

Charles

 

hmmm. something to think about.... are they heavy tires compared to the T1-S...but not R compounds like the RA-1's

-shahul

 

Depends - Kumho race tyres are pretty heavy too, Hoosiers weigh nothing compared to the rest. Check out Kumho's website, they list the weights for the MXs and both their race tyres. I was plwasantly surprised at how light the MXs were, definitely lighter than the last few sets of tyres they replaced.

 

I checked their homepage today and found the MX weighted at 24.7 lbs. each. Combine with my TE-37 (17 lbs.), the total weight for each wheel/tire would be 41.7 lbs. Anyone knows the weight for stock Enkei + the A048?

 

I believe the stock Enkei's + A046's is 45 lbs. The Wheel alone is at 20. I too just bought 18x8.5 TE37's, and I wish that Yokohama made the A046 in 18 because it is quite honestly the best gripping street tire I have ever come into contact with. Of course the tread life is for ****, but serious performing tires are always going to fall off the wheel faster. I personally am getting the BfG KD's. Tread life sucks, they're noisy, have horrendous wet ratings, but stick like nothing else. I live in LA so I don't have to worry about bad weather, and I give a **** about tread life as long as the shoes are planted. If you want the best performing tire for your EVO...Stay with a 17" wheel, as the best tire available came with your car, but if you want to get bigger wheels, that's where the debating starts. Thumbs Up

 

I was looking into those G-Force TA/KD's as well, but they cost a little to much for me.

 

That is so true. Seriously people - if you are going to run 245/40/18s - you will lose some handling from the increased sidewall. 35s would be the way I would go next time.

 

All I can say is avoid the Yokohama ES-100's, they DO NOT work well on the Evo. I called Discount Tire earlier today and asked if they had any Kumho MX's in 245/40-17. Sure they do, they actually only have two at that store, but will have the other two by noon. Cool, I'll be there at one. I get there and go in to pay and then walk into the garage to find them mounting 712's. Ok, thats not what I wanted. They check the computer and lo and behold there are no MX's in that size in Texas, and my old Advans are down to thread on one tire. So they offer me some ES-100's and what the hell, its supposed to be a good tire so I say all right. They put them on and tell me if I don't like them to, come back and they will get the MX's for me. I have now driven the car for 4.6 miles and have already called Discount Tire and told them to get the MX's. The sidewalls on the ES-100's is waaayyyy too soft. When you turn the wheel left to right in quick succession the car sways back and forth. You turn the wheel, then the sidewall flexes, and then the car turns. If you saw back and forth quickly, the car never turns, it just changes attitude in yaw while it is waiting for the sidewall to take a set and by that time you are turning the wheel back the other way, so you hardly even move left to right! On the Advans, you turn the wheel and the car fallows instantly, no waiting, no lag, period. You say jump and it doesn't even take the time top ask how high, it just telepathicly DOES it. I am sorry, I know that in other applications the ES-100 is great, but it just flat out does not work on the Evo.

 

No doubt! I saw that older post from that tire vendor that said to get ES100s over the MX. Give me a break. The MX DESTROY the ES100s if you ever track the car.

 

Just wondering... do you think Kumho makes cheap (ie bad)
tires???

IMO, Kumho MX is just as good if not better than AVS Sports, Michelin Pilot sports, and the Potenza S-03... tires that cost way
more than MX...

If you stop by local track event... you'll be surprise how many cars
running Kumhos...

 

Kumho Ecsta MX is a very good tire. I don't know about the weight compared to others, but dry grip was excellent, wet grip was OK (launching an Accord w/ only 150hp could be a challenge at a light), hydroplaning was non-existent, and noise was low.

My only complaint was wear - they seemed to wear pretty quickly - about 50% in 7K miles.

 

I am with you 100% just ordered a new set of A046's today, about $900 shipped. Also have a extra set of stock wheels, I am not going to put some BS on my car and not have a good fitting tire. I am also taking the old a046's and going to run them on the track until I learn this car better then I will do Hoosers, then some REAL race tires.

 

If you stop by local track event... you'll be surprise how many cars
running Kumhos...



[/B][/QUOTE]

Reason why is they are cheap. Toyo RA1 is $176 non shaved. They will outlast any Kuhmo by 10 times. Might not be as sticky at first. But as they wear they get more grippy. So, pay $130 for Kuhmos for AutoX but have to buy at least 2 sets in a season. Becasue the Kuhmo's are notorious for being real good for a short time, then just fall off the cliff. Completely life cycled out with not much warning.

We sell loads of RA1's to track guys. Only draw back is they only buy 1 or 2 sets a season. While my Hoosier customers buy 3-4 sets in a season. And most of them should probably buy more as the tires are usually cycled out after 8-10 heat seasons.

So for the cost concious racer, you can spend $130 two or three times, or $176 once. Your choice. But I think the Toyo is the all around best track/autocross tire for thoese who dont' want to buy tires all time and not have the tires as an excuse for not going fast. Plus you get the bonus of being able to drive on the stree with them too.