I've heard that people were pretty pleased with the V710's for autox. Any word on how they perform on the track? Stickiness and longevity compared to hoosiers?

-Steve

 

Hoosier has two compounds, one for Autocross {A}, and one for Roadracing/track {R}. From what I've gathered:

Stickiness >= A3S04
Longevity = A3S04

Stickiness > R3S04
Longevity < R3S04

Generally the 710's are their best for autocross at around room temp, but from those that have tracked them (haven't yet myself) they hold up very well to track conditions.

Longevity is definitely not as good as the Victoracer, but the performance of the latest generation of R-comps truly starts to blur the line between R-compound DOT and pure-racing slick tires.

 

I can't seem to find any sizes compatible with our car.

The smallest 16 I can find is a 265 and the smallest 17 a 275. That's a bit big for fronts. Do they make smaller sizes? (The Kumho website is no help! )

 

Drew it doesn't look like they make a smaller size yet. Here is their sizes on tirerack... http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes.jsp?ma...odel=ECSTA+V710

 

CLICK ME

For new sizes being offered and when (supposedly).

It's saying 225/50/16 and 245/45/16 will be available April '05

 

If they don't hold up as well as Victoracers then they will last you less than a day and go greasy after the 3rd lap.

These are auto x tires != track tires. They are two entirely different animals. Like wearing football cleats on a basketball court.

 

A lot of that depends on driving style. You don't *have* to overheat them, and in a small light car like an elise, an RA1 might not get up to temp until late in the session. Just because it's faster doesn't necessarily mean it sucks Also, I will submit that this is not strictly an autocross tire, and does have a place on the track, especially in the format we run where speed counts more than longevity.

 

Eric, I've heard lots of good stuff about tracking these tires. The big drawback is that they'll last one weekend and that's about it. I don't get much more than 3 days out of the Hoosiers now, so if these are 30% less expensive and stick better... it seems to me they're worth investigating further.

 

Actually from my use so far, SSC Civic Si, the V710s last much longer than 2004 Victoracers. Victoracers had problems in 2004 due to a compounding change that decreased thier life and didn't really seem to make them any faster. The new 710s last as long, if not longer than old Victoracers but don't fall off as much with heat cycles. 6 V710s got me all the way through Runoffs week (3 qualifying sesssions plus 20 lap race), a NASA double race weekend, and then another guy used them for a SCCA licensing school at Watkins, and they could be flipped now and used some more!!! Can't wait till they have sizes for the S2000.

V710s like lower hot pressures (conpared to Victos) and don't require as much warm up time. Often the fastest qualifying lap is the first hot lap. You can brake harder and deeper without lock up compared to Victos

edit: Also V710s may require a change is pressure differential (front to rear) and/or turn in habits as they just stick so much better. We saw more understeer intially using the same pressure spread -- had to bump up the backs. Not sure if this will apply to the S2000.

 

yeah i forgot to mention, these are not for an S2000. they are for an EVO RS we are building right now that will have about 350awhp, weigh ~2500lbs and run 275/40/17's all around.

-Steve