Need 4 tyres........................but...............

[Hilux]

I need 4 new tyres,

Mot`d saturday and failed on one rear with two advisory fronts so I need 4 tyres [:'(]

I have Bridgestone 245 45 zr16 SO2 N3s on the rear 9/55 wheels but the rim protudes a lot as pointed out to me at the Weltmeister RR day last year [&:]

I have Bridgestone RE71 205 55 zr 16's on the front 7/55 wheels and the tyre sidewall is flush with outside edge of the rim.

Also the aspect ratio of the tyres is an issue as the front is 55 and the rear 45. Is this correct and due only to the tyres or is this the correct aspect ratio for the car a 1988 250bhp turbo?

Are all SO`s `flat on the side wall? (are your cars the same?)
Is the tyre too narrow for the wheel? (should I be running wider tyres)
What type should I be shodding the wheels with? (what speed rating do you all use)
Where is the best place to get them before Saturday???

Fen, are the Khumo`s really a good tyre for the money? (I will be occasionally tracking it and driving it on mainly dry roads in a `spirited` fashion)

It seems there is a wide variance of tyre choice for forum users.....perhaps we could instigate a poll?

Sorry for all the questions but I need the advice please before I part with folding stuff so thanks in advance

 

[sawood12]

yep, 245/45 and 205/55 are the correct size tyres for turbo's. Your rim does look a bit exposed but my tyres (Conti's) have a thickened edge of the rim that covers and protects the rim so it's not the tyre width that is overhanging the rim. Mybe your tyres don't have this thick rim protection feature.

 

[Fen]

My Bridgestone SO2 rears have a built-in rim protector, but they are discontinued now. In terms of Kumho I have never used them, but people on the Titanic list (maybe Paul?) have them. My car was on Dunlop SuperSport Race tyres on Sunday, which are not lethal in slippery conditions and really good when warm and dry.

 

[Diver944]

I have Kumho Ecsta 712s on the rear of my Turbo in 245/45 size and I find them a very good tyre, for road and a wet track. A bonus is they were only £75 each fitted [].

I was first made aware of Kumhos by Andrew S at Castle Combe a few years ago. He had road Kumhos on his car and I was on full race slicks. He blummin lapped me in a 15 minute session!!!! It must be the tyres coz I am brilliant and he is just a retired racing driver []

Your rear tyres do look odd, but they are the right size so it must just be the design of that particular brand. The front 16" tyre on a 250 Turbo should actually be 225/50

 

[db@944s.co.uk]

I bought 4 new Kumho Solus 15" tyres for my 944 after 2 of my "good" Dunlops were destroyed by a pneumatic tyre lever going through the sidewall when having my alloys refurbished.

Try www.mytyres.co.uk

Very reasonable and pretty quick (free) delivery.

 

[mik_ok]

I've not run Kumhos on the porker, but I have them on the Leon (the 712 "model" ) (see HERE

My impressions are probably somewhat tainted by the fact I chose to upsize from 205/55/16 to 225/50/16 (on the same rim), but I've been very impressed with dry grip and wear rates, but not so impressed with wet grip. I'd still class them as exceptional value.

Saying "Kumho's are blah de blah" is like saying "Porsches are blah de blah" however. Different tyre models have very different aims.

I really fancied the newly added KU15 (also known as MX ~ see HERE for the S2. Sounds ideal for your needs, but since we have a lot of rain up here I felt it was too dry-biased pour moi....

The KU15 was initially expensive, but prices have tumbled. Heard good things about them. Pretty cheap from places like CamSkill (and mytyres).

As stated - you should have your 245/45/16 rears, but your should have 225/50/16 fronts. The second number is the sidewall height expressed as a percentage of the width, so these sizes have the same (near as) sidewall height and therefore rolling radius.

 

[mik_ok]

After a (brief) search it looks like the KU15 isn't available in 245/45/16.... []

The 712 has now been replaced by the KU31 url=http://www.kumhotire.com/productimage/ku_31_b_KU31.gif

You'll still pick up the former at the moment, but it's now an "obsolete model".

I reckon a great option is the Toyo T1-R ~ as used by a number of folks on here (inc Matt951). Little more expensive than the old T1-S which it replaced, but better wearing. Has a rim protector for your wheels, but isn't N-rated. This wouldn't bother me in the slightest, but some people still get excited about the N-ratings.

I currently have T1-S on the rear and will stick T1-R on ze front in the near future to replace the Yoko AVS.....

edit: Infact I have just ordered a pair for a piffling £57 each (inc vat & deliv) from Camskill. Brief check of my history told me the yokos were fitted Mar 2000.... which may explain why I can see cracks between the tread [&:]

 

[Hilux]

yep, 245/45 and 205/55 are the correct size tyres for turbo's.

your should have 225/50/16 fronts

The front 16" tyre on a 250 Turbo should actually be 225/50

???????? Confused????????????

Is the 205 for 6" rims and the 225 for 7" rims? I have 7" front rims.

 

[mik_ok]

Now I'm confused [&:]

Sounds like you have S2 front wheels (7x16 ET55) which come shod with 205/55/16's.

Turbo 250 should have 7.5x16 front rims shod with 225/50/16.

So what to do......

Either leave it with 205/55 on the front (the "porsche choice" for that rim size), or stick a 225/50 on. The latter would be my choice - 225/50 is no problem on a 7" rim (in fact that's what I have on the Leon), and at least your tyres will be the correct size for the car.

That way you can search at your leisure for a couple of 7.5x16 Design90's, and swap the tyres over when you source some. If you really feel the need that is....

 

[Guest]

T1-R's seem great; good feel wet and dry, and apparently very good wear.

Having said that, if and when I find some 17" Cups, I will probably fit Dunlop Sport Maxx, which i had on my old ZMCoupe, and I really rated them

 

[berg944]

Had Toyo Proxes all winter.

Good in wet and dry

Excellent rim protection

 

[Hilux]

Hmmmm................

Cant find matching pairs of anything except the original continentals whiuch seem a bit old hat as they were oem fitted. Kumho KU31`s not yet available in 245 size, 712`s not available in both sizes

Toyo Ts 1`s more expensive but a lot longer to get hold of for some reason and SO3`s too pricey for me at the mo

Coupla mates with Porsches reckon Falken FK451`s are as good as proxes and so3`s particularly in the wet and a lot cheaper

On a budget at the mo so might have my hand forced to get them for the weekend. £258 delivered inlusive for all 4. (any opinions on these or am I going to be a test bed [&:])

I will put 225/50`s on the 7/55 fronts as I wasn't aware the rim size was wider, how strange. What rim size should the back be? I have 9/52


Ho hum

 

[mik_ok]

I've heard very positive comments about the FK451. It has recently been superceded by the FK452 (which is allegedly better in all respects) but..... they don't offer 245/45/16.

Worth a try for that price IMHO. I'm sure somone on here runs them actually..... edit: quick search for "fk451" reveals that "Lali" runs them on his S2 and is very happy with them. As is is brother who runs them on his 968CS apparently. []

PS - your rear rims sound correct to me

 

[mik_ok]

My tyres just arrived - a mere 26hrs after placing my order.

Very impressed with Camskill
http://www.camskill.co.uk/

 

[Hilux]

Ordered mine last night. [8D]

Will update when they arrive []

 

[Hilux]

Had my Falken 451`s arrive from Camskill within 36 hrs £258 for all four incl delivery and the dreaded

Cheapest locally was Kwikfit who did a superb job, hand cracked the alloy nuts, cleaned the stud threads before refitting, took care with the wheels, new valves, balanced and cleaned em too for £9:50 a corner, v v impressed as they didnt seem to employ the usual spotty saturday oiks I normally come across.

Initial impressions are that they are a lot quieter than the SO2`s, especially on concrete surfaces. I ran the old ones as I do these at 33 psi where as the SO2`s used to `sing` on cats eyes or concrete like a highly pressured rubber ball but these do not. Some (careful) spirited driving suggests that they are going to be ok but lets get a few more miles on them.

One disappointment is that they have excellent rim protection but the rear rims STILL seem to protrude too much as if the tyre is too small [] It looks like the tyre size should be wider ie 265 as against 245, what do you all think, other cars dont seem to have this problem??

Fronts 225/50/16`s on 7/55`s

Rears 245/45/16`s on 9/52`s

 

[berg944]

One disappointment is that they have excellent rim protection but the rear rims STILL seem to protrude

Those don't seem to offer any protection against curbing!
Have a look at the picture of my Toyo's posted above.

Mike[:'(]

 

[Hilux]

Those don't seem to offer any protection against curbing!
Have a look at the picture of my Toyo's posted above.

I know thats why I am a bit disappointed.

Two sets of tyres, SO2`s just replaced were same width ie:245 and did not have rim protection. I think it needs wider tyres.

BTW Mike is that your rear wheel with 245`s?

 

[Gordon Fogarty]

I have Kumho Ecsta's on my S2. Wear rate seems good and I have not found myself going unduly sideways yet.

 

[lali]

ORIGINAL: mik_ok

I've heard very positive comments about the FK451. It has recently been superceded by the FK452 (which is allegedly better in all respects) but..... they don't offer 245/45/16.

Worth a try for that price IMHO. I'm sure somone on here runs them actually..... edit: quick search for "fk451" reveals that "Lali" runs them on his S2 and is very happy with them. As is is brother who runs them on his 968CS apparently. []

PS - your rear rims sound correct to me

Both of us are guilty are charged!... I used to run them on my M5 and I'm about to put a set on the 330 unless the 452's are out.

I've just checked my rears... you're right they dont come over the rim much! But 245 is what the book says... heres a picture of mine