New 16 inch performance tire for TR

I noticed Tire Rack lists a new size for the extreme performance Kumho XS in 265/45x16 ($174) for the rear of your TR & match with 225/50x16 ($116) for the fronts. The XS is their newest top street tire & getting good reviews from track & autocross guys. I may get a set for my other sportscars. Good value for the money compared to the competition. But not a lot of choices for 16 inch rear tires.

Info here: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+XS

Got good reviews from a 911 GT2 track instructor too.

 

Finally someone is making them! I was thinking about doing the same, but just haven't been able to either see or find any to this point. Has anyone here installed the 265 width tires on their 16-inch TR rims? How big a difference for clearance/tracking/etc. do the 10mm wider tires make over stock?

Cheers

 

If you look at the rim/tire fitment charts you will find that a 265/50-16 tire would be optimal for the TR and that the accepted and specified 255/50-16 is a little on the narrow side for the actual width of the rim. (Note the inward curving sidewalls on the 255's)
More importantly, note that the Khumo is a 265/45-16, a slightly lower profile.

Compare in the Specs section of the Khumo and the BF Goodrich 255/50-16.

The Khumo is very soft compared to the BF Goodrich.

Khumo, 265/45R16
Speed Rating “W” = 168mph (270kph) 99W SL Treadwear: 180 (SOFT!)
Traction: AA
Temperature: A180 AA A 1709 lbs.
Section width-10.5"
Tread width-9.7"
Outside diameter-25.4"

BF Goodrich 255/50ZR16
Speed Rating “W” = 168mph (270kph) 99W SL Treadwear: 340 (HARD!)
Traction: AA
Temperature: A340 AA A 1709 lbs.
Section width-10.2"
Tread width- No data
Outside diameter-26"

I don't see any clearance issues with the Khumos but I'm not sure there is much advantage to going to them unless you want a softer tire.
What I would really like to see is a 265/50-16 with a 280 treadwear rating.

 

Beggers cant be choosers

R

 

The Kuhmo sounds like it might be a decent tire. I like some of the BFG product offerings but not that one. With a 340 tread wear rating it sounds better suited to my Explorer.

 

2 points of reference. Treadwear ratings are only comparable within the same company brand. So a TW rating of 280 for a BFG is a different wear mileage from a Kumho tire. That said, I would expect the XS to get less mileage than the BFG. But for a sportscar, I'm looking for ultimate handling & traction in dry & wet conditions.

The above BFG specs I reckon are for the g-Force Sport? Tire Rack's mid performance summer category, as I dont see a 255/50x16 listed for their current top tier KD tire? Even if it was available in the KD, that design is showing it's old age & is no where near the wet performance of modern design extreme performance tires.

The XS 265/45x16 tire is shown for a rim width range of 8.5 to 10 inches. The g-Force Sport 255/50 is recommended for a 7 to 9 inch rim. The TR rear wheel is 10 inches wide.

The advantages of the XS I see it as being, to out corner & keep my rear end from swapping ends in dry or wet, better than any other street tire currently available!

The slightly lower overall diameter of the 265/45 is going to lower the rear about 0.3 inches, with the benefit of lower center of gravity, & slightly better acceleration because of the change in overall final drive ratio. That extra clearance from a smaller diameter I would guess help to offset any increase in overall width clearance issues.

I've been racing & tracking cars for over 25 years. Besides the driver's skill, the biggest performance gain you can get in car handling is from the tires.

 

I agree with the treadwear rating being too high. Too bad BFG doesn't offer much else (or Goodyear) besides Drag Radials in that size. Those Khumos sound pretty good, especially for curves and tracking but not much for longevity.

 

All good points.
I searched extensively and the 255/50-16 in a speed rated tire is the do-do bird of the tire world, next to the Michelin TRX
I hate the way the 255/50-16 looks on my car. They are too small.
When I get the chance on a good deal I will go for the 512TR wheels.

 

Just bought these Kumhos in the UK for the rear (I suppose that was a bit obvious) of my F113B Testarossa. I cant work out the wear rate from this information, any takers?
The Tyres we £67 a piece much much less than the almost £300 original Michelin tyres.
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=934340&stc=1&d=1241854733
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=934342&stc=1&d=1241854733
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=934341&stc=1&d=1241854733

While I am at it can some one please tell me how to include the pictures without the corresponding http.......... addresses.

Thanks
Phil W
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Further around on the tire sidewall there should be a series of three numbers denoting treadwear followed by a series of three to four letters denoting Temperature and Traction. Usually the words Temperature and Traction will follow the letter ratings respectively.
The size of the letters and numbers are quite small.

I notice in the second picture, after the letters "YAN", is your date code "4207", meaning that tire was manufactured in the 42nd week of 2007. fairly fresh.

To post pictures I go to the bottom of the "post window" to "Manage Attachments".
I click on that which in turn opens a window with four blanks and "Browse" buttons.
I click on one of those and it opens a window that accesses various files on my computer, like "My Documents/My Pictures".
I chose a picture and it loads back to one of the blanks in the previous window. Repeat as necessary until you fill the blanks..
The next step is to click on "upload" in the "Browse" window.
If the picture loads you will see the I.D. of the picture appear below in the "Current Attachments".
You can then close the Browse window and click "Submit Reply" .
Picture below without http. (Windows XP)
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I will go take a look in the morning and post the results for interest.

Can you get this tyre in the USA? It is relatively common in the UK.

Thanks for the picture help Spasso

P

 

I put the BFG's on last summer and have been very happy with both the ride and performance. I had the Dunlops prior which also were good, but no longer available.

 

You may have to look on the back side of the tire for the Treadwear Temp and Traction. It is on all US spec tires that I know of.
I don't see 255/50-16 Khumos listed on the Tire Rack (USA) site. Plenty of other sizes though.