Kumho Ku36s And Federal 595 Rpms? Yay Or Nay

[Rolls]

So I've got an R32 gts-t with 17x8 and 17x9 rims on it atm, currently running rubbish free tyres which with 240kw it just spins and understeers everywhere so time for some new ones.

Now I am currently looking at federal 595 RPM 215x45x17s for the front which are meant to grip better than KU36s, and on the rear I am either looking at 245x40x17 KU36s or Federal 595 EVO 235s.

The federal 235s are $159 and the 245 ku36s are $223, I would get 235 ku36s but they are sold out world wide.

Now currently the car is fairly understeer biased and it spins the rears even in a straight line in 2nd and 3rd so whilst I want to put really grippy tyres on the front to make it more oversteer biased, I also want to be able to put the power down.

What would you guys do, get the less grippy 235 federal evos, or get the more grippy 245 ku36s, only issue is the ku36s need more heat in them and will wear out faster so I am quite confused what is going to give me more value for money.

The car is daily driven to work and is also tracked so I need something that will give decent performance but I don't want to chew good tyres out in 5000kms just driving it to work either.

Thoughts people?

[hrd-hr30]

my thoughts:

1) don't make an assesment on how the car handles based on crap tyres that have no grip anywhere

2) don't try to balance a car with different types of tyres

[Rolls]

my thoughts:

1) don't make an assesment on how the car handles based on crap tyres that have no grip anywhere

2) don't try to balance a car with different types of tyres

Good points, the ultimate goal is maximum grip at both ends, question still is are the KU36s likely to provide me with better value for money.

Someone has offered me a set of 215x45x17 595 RSRs for $350 so I might grab them and KU36s for the back, both are semi-semi-slicks with similar tread ratings.

[snozzle]

ku36s wear very quickly, dont know about the federals though

ku36's are also very shit when cold lol

[Rolls]

People have said that but they have a treadwear of 180 so I should still get at least 5000kms out of them surely?

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

treadwear is not standardised... it's the manufacturer's own scale

having said that, my Nitto NT05's (fronts) have a 200 treadwear and have lasted 5000k daily driving, 3 DECA days and a few hill runs

and as for the KU36's being shit/deadly in the wet... i don't find that at all. from my experience they are just as shit as any other road tyre in the wet, but a lot better than most in the dry.

honsetly i think people think "woah, i'm running semi's brah.... i can drive @ 100% in the wet now" (also a KU36 isn't a semi as many people seem to think)

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

for optimum grip in a street car i would highly reccomend the mullet setup i run these days, which is the NT05's f and KU36 r however the smallest nitto make is a 235

NT05

KU36

[_Ryan_]

People have said that but they have a treadwear of 180 so I should still get at least 5000kms out of them surely?

5-7k km rear, 10k km front depending on alignment and right foot.

In the dry- cold they are useable, warm they are great(hills). Wet when they have tread they are good! no aquaplaning issues experienced, i drove through some f**ked storms. when they are on the markers, well, rears are shit in the wet haha

[SIR_R32]

Kumho KU31 i would go for will last a while as well

Edited October 3, 2010 by SIR_R32

[Russman]

ku36's are also very shit when cold lol

Don't know about that. I've won motorkhana's with them and thats pretty much all cold driving. 50 sec stages, hardly getting hot. I think they're fine, especially when new.

And yeah they do wear pretty quick.

honsetly i think people think "woah, i'm running semi's brah.... i can drive @ 100% in the wet now" (also a KU36 isn't a semi as many people seem to think)

+1

[KezR33]

I recently bought KU39 as I couldn't get a hold of any KU31's and KU36s have too much grip. I ruined a set of KU36's at my last DECA as I have yet to learn the basics of braking (well, I know the basics but in the heat of the moment you forget ) and fried the soft, warm tires on a rough piece of track. I want to learn my limits on street tyres before I push the car on anything better.

Having said that though the KU39's do feel pretty good, although I've only used them for daily driving so far.

[pipster11]

if i remeber correctly, 235/40r17 were really expensive in any brand cos they are a weird size, 234/45r17 were really cheap cos they are used on a lot of cars with factory alloys

just food for thought

[Rolls]

yeah the 235s in ku36s are sold out world wide apparently, getting the 245s for not much more, only $220 each.

[KezR33]

When I bought my new tyres about a 2 weeks ago the dealer said the KU36 was being discontinued, I don't know how accurate that is, jus what he told me.

[Deano 1]

i ran 595RSR's on my gtr over the weekend at MDTC seam to hold up great till the last 1-2mins of the 10min session i think i was over heating them

[paulR32gtr]

When I bought my new tyres about a 2 weeks ago the dealer said the KU36 was being discontinued, I don't know how accurate that is, jus what he told me.

I don't think you can ever trust what a tyre salesman says. KU36 being discontinued means "I can't get em so buy these bob jane all rounders instead".

"Top of the range" means they are so hard they will survive through nuclear holocaust.

I was told the other day Dunlop Direzza DZ03G's are discontinued and were beign replaced by Sport Maxx (i.e. I have these in stock)...... ok mate bye....

[GUN_METAL_GTR32]

i run ku36's all around atm until my engine is done ang then ill be running the nto5's

ku's are ok tyres man, once they r warm they will give u really good grip. but they need to be the right profles (not too much stretch, just mild)

i dont like them at all in the wet lol. it gets a lil messy haha.

ive had them for about 2500kms and the rears are close to being finished, no more than 100kms left in i reckon

[Rolls]

Put the tyres on today (215 595 rs-r on front and 235 595evo on rear) has completely transformed the car, much much faster in the corners and it is far more neutral to drive, ever so slight understeer on turn in but it can be completely changed to neutral->oversteer with a bit of throttle, can't wait to take it to the track. Also people questioning the size there is zero stretch on 8" and 9" rims, it looks completely flush to me.

Thanks for the advice guys.