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Re: What do you think of Kumho tires?

To: pfoster@gdi.net
Subject: Re: What do you think of Kumho tires?
From: "Jeff Cawthorne" <jabberwalky13@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 14:58:12 PDT
Paul Foster wrote:

>Two data points:
>
>1) If you run them with insufficient pressure the sidewalls will crack.

No argument here.  Plus the side tread blocks will wear off and then they 
will cord very quickly.  I learned this lesson on my first set of Kumho's.  
Kumho's actually like running really high pressures, I am currently up to 43 
psi on the front of my Corvette, which is pretty high, but it works, and if 
I run them any lower they start to scallop quickly.

>2) They are directional. Run the L tire on the R side and note the
>delamination line that forms. Kumho claims it is ok. But it is a bit
>scary to see what appears to be a perfectly straight knife cut from one 
>side to the other.

This is where I have to correct you.  They aren't directional, you can run 
them backwards and on the wrong sides of the car, and they will be just as 
fast.  I have just recently turned mine inside out, due to excessive 
scalloping from the San Bernardino Pro.  My Vette pushes quite a bit and 
rolls the edges over, so once the blocks wear down, I turn them around.  I 
have done this on every set that I have had so far, and haven't noticed any 
ill effects.  The mold cracks are normal, and yes they are a little 
disturbing to see.  They don't always appear though.  My last set didn't do 
it at all, and my current set, three of the four are cracked.

Jeff Cawthorne
92 Corvette SS
San Diego



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