gaspeddleZ07

Hi - I'm looking at some new competition tires for my 93 w/Z07 & ZX3 for TimeAttack in Ontario. I used to use Hoosier R6`s and a tire trailer but this time around I`m looking for a drive-to-the-track tire that I can leave on for the majority of the summer.

I was looking at some options for the stock 275/40R17 and thought I'd settled on Kumho Escta XS but keep hearing such good things about the Hankook R-S3.

The largest size is 255/40/17 however it is coded as XL, which means the max load rating is sufficient at 1653 lbs. and the rim width seems to work with my 9.5`s as well.

Has anyone tried using an undersized tire on the track before or have any experience with this tire that they`d like to share

thanks,
Jim

93Rubie

You are going to give up a LOT of grip going to 255's. I would NOT do that. Just run the XS. The C4 works best with wider tires not narrow ones. Besides your suspension is setup to work with the wider ones.

The XS seems to be great in the dry, diabolical in the wet. Just keep that in mind. Probably ok for street wet but not optimal.

Alludc

my c5 didnt have any issues with the 255 hankooks up front! I think youd be fine on a c4

Kubs

You would not be giving up much if anything going to a 255. Compound is way more important than width. I think the Hankooks are a slightly better compound.

Canam

I ran 255's most of last year on 16x9.5 inch (84-87 stock rims) and 17x9.5 inch rims. They were great and that's on a race car. Wider is more contact patch though and definitely going to be better. If your just arsing around and having fun your fine. Compound matters. If your going to some kind of a championship run, then you can go wide. 255's are quite a bit cheaper also.

gaspeddleZ07

Part of my concern was that the Kumho's were such a great dry tire but poor wet, with concerns about brake lock up whereas the Hankook's don't have the downside... I'll give it some thought let you know what I do!

Thanks for the feedback!

wtb-z

The Hankook is softer, much quieter at the limit, and somewhat vague. It will ask for more camber than the Kumho. The difference between cold and hot grip less dramatic on the Hankook than the Kumho, the latter is pretty dubious on the first lap but once warm is direct, communicative at the limit and is generally quite easy to drive on. Wear seems to be about the same.

The Hankook is probably a better street tire since cold grip is less scary, but both make me glad I have AH/TC available.

If you order a 255/40/17 Hankook I doubt you will get anything older than a 2012 tire. I am not sure if there are any 275/17 Kumhos floating around that were made after 2010. The 315/18s have not come back in stock yet.

93Rubie

You may want to consider the Continental Extreme Contact DW. Yes, you WILL give up some dry to the Hankook, but you can get it in wider sizes. This tire is THE rain tire of choice at SCCA Solo Nationals. At least from what I hear/talk to folks who go, say. Excellent tire in the wet. Pretty good in the dry. They will be on my 93 next season. I'm only a local guy, so I don't NEED to be optimal setup wise.

I guess a LOT of it depends on how fast you want to go and how much money you are willing to spend. I kinda want to drive into R-comps but $$$ holds me back. Plus, changing tires at a auto-x event seems like more work. Who wants that?

PS. IF IF IF, Dunlap had NOT stopped production of the Z1 Dizerra Star Spec, that would be a GREAT tire in 265/40/17. It WAS going to be the tire on my C4. Damn you, Dunlap. If you can find a set of 4, go for those.

Aardwolf

Two summers back I drove around on v710's in 255 size and I could most definitely tell the difference in cornering traction. There was better acceleration from the tire being shorter/lighter than usual = higher RPM too.