KUMHO V710

The ECSTA V710 will be KUMHO's maximum performance race tire for maximum competitiveness. The Victoracer will remain in production for racers who want longer tire life and are willing to give up a little performance. KUMHO will also continue to produce the sizes of the ECSTA V700 (V70A) that are not available in the Victoracer.

KUMHO Ecsta V70A

The New DOT approved Ecsta V70A race tire is lighter than the Victoracer. Because of the directional tread design and symmetric internal construction racers can remount the Ecsta V70A "inside-out" to extend the life of the tires, while providing racers with excellent performance and increased value.

KUMHO Victoracer V700

The Victoracer V700 represents KUMHO's DOT approved race tire for use in Sports Car Club racing. The tread compound and asymmetric tread design maximize grip, handling and tread life. The rayon carcass plies and additional sidewall stiffeners provide quick steering response and high temperature durability.

Tire Mounting

Tire mounting and inflation can be dangerous and should be done only by specially trained persons using proper tools and procedures. Always refer to the RMA wall charts to obtain proper tire mounting and inflation procedures. The failure to follow the RMA procedures may result in faulty positioning of the tire and/or rim parts, which may cause the assembly to burst with sufficient force to cause serious physical injury or death.

Proper service and installation of tires essential. When mounting and inflating tires on rims, there are certain recommended KUMHO Procedures to be followed:

1. Always refer to RMA tire mounting and inflating wall charts and manuals to obtain proper tire mounting and inflating procedures.
2. Make sure the Replacement Tire recommendation you have made satisfies the following:
1. A proper replacement size and speed rating for the customer's vehicle.
2. An adequate load carrying capacity (Load Index is equal to or higher than tire being replaced)
3. Tire and rim components that match in size. A tire bead diameter must always match the rim diameter on which it is being mounted. For example: Mount a 16" tire on a 16" rim. Do not mount a 16" tire on a 16.5" rim. Do not attempt to mount a Metric Coded Bead Diameter tire on an Inch Coded Rim. Do not attempt to mount an Inch Coded Bead Diameter tire on a Metric Coded Rim.
3. While it is possible to pass a tire over a rim flange of a different diameter, the bead will not seat properly. If an attempt to seat the bead by inflating is made, the tire bead will break with a significant force to cause serious injury or death. NEVER EXCEED 40PSI WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SEAT BEADS.
4. Remove all old balance weights from the wheel.
5. Before mounting the tire, inspect the rim. Check its size; clean any dirt, corrosion, burrs, rubber, etc. from the rim. Use steel wool or a wire brush (on steel wheels only) to remove the foreign material from the rim and wipe off with a clean cloth.
6. When mounting tires, ALWAYS install new valve stems.
7. Always inspect both beads of the tire to make sure there is no visible damage. If they are damaged, do not attempt to mount the tire. Always lubricate both tire beads with an approved lubricant to assure easier, uniform bead seating to the wheel. Try not to damage the tire beads during the mounting process.
8. Always restrain the tire and rim on a mounting machine with a positive lock down device or in a cage when inflating with air. Use a clip-on-chuck or air hose extension when adding air to the tire. If both beads are not properly seated when the pressure reaches 40 psi, completely deflate the assembly, reposition the tire and/or tube on the rim, re-inspect the rim for correct size, re-lubricate and re-inflate. NEVER EXCEED 40 PSI WHEN SEATING BEADS. If both tire beads have properly seated, adjust the inflation to the recommended air pressure while the tire and rim are still restrained on the mounting machine. Do not exceed the maximum inflation pressure labeled on the tire sidewall.
9. Wipe off any excess dirt, debris, water, or lubricant.

KUMHO recommends NEVER re-inflating a tire/rim assembly that has been operated in a run-flat or severe low inflation condition. NEVER rework, weld, heat, or braze a tire/rim assembly. NEVER hammer, strike, or pry any type of tire/rim assembly while the tire still contains inflation pressure.

Tire Pressure

If the tires are used on the street, manufacturers' suggested inflation pressures should be consulted. However, the Ecsta line of DOT approved tires is specifically designed for racing conditions. As a result the pressures are often user dependant (racer biased). Racers will use everything from chalk on the outside edge of the tire to help determine "role-over" to a pyrometer to specifically measure tire temperatures.

Alignment Settings

In race conditions it is very important to align the car correctly. Vehicles used on the street should meet manufacturer's recommended alignment settings.

To achieve full potential under racing conditions the ECSTA race tire of choice should be adjusted into the -2 to -3 range of camber. This will ensure the best performance gains from the tires.

Tires should be checked monthly for signs of irregular wear in both tread and shoulder areas.

Irregular wear may indicate under-inflation or tire damage, or the need for a wheel alignment or suspension repairs. Also, when a replacement set of tires is fitted to a car, a wheel alignment is mandatory.

There are three elements involved in wheel alignment, each affecting the vehicle's performance:

• Camber: the angle between a perpendicular line and a line drawn through the centerline of the tire when the vehicle is viewed from the front. Camber helps distribute the vehicle's weight across the tire contact patch during cornering for reduced tread wear and is used to fine tune a vehicle's handling characteristics. Incorrect camber causes uneven tire wear, poor steering and vehicle stability, and vehicle pull.
• Caster: the angle between a vertical line and a line drawn through the center of the ball joints (steering axis) when the vehicle is viewed from the side. An improper caster can cause impaired steering, increased road shock, reduced straight line stability and cause the vehicle to pull one side or the other. A positive caster helps maintain directional control of the vehicle, helping to return the vehicle to a straight position when cornering, and helps compensate for the crown on a road. Most cars are engineered with a positive caster.
• Toe: the angle between a line through the center of a vehicle and lines drawn through the centerlines of the tires when the vehicle is viewed from above. The toe alignment is the most critical factor in tire wear. Incorrect toe results in rapid and uneven wear.

Note: Failure to keep your vehicle's wheels properly aligned can result in excessive tire wear, irreparable tire damage, excessive fuel consumption and unsafe handling. In the racing environment each setting is carefully adjusted to maximize handling and overall performance.

Rain Conditions

In the development of new tire tread patterns and construction, we scrutinize hydroplaning and water drainage characteristics via the latest in specialty glass panels, ultra-high-speed photography equipment, and testing systems.

Most cars should use a cold inflation pressure 5 to 8 psi below their dry inflation pressures when racing on wet track conditions.

Tire Shaving

Competition slicks are so effective because they have large contact patchs. To mimic the same large contact patch of a competition slick with a DOT approval, it is necessary to shave the tire.

Shaving the tire allows more of the tires performance capabilities to be utilized earlier in its life. Also minimizing the tread block depth, ensures there is less squirm and therefore prevents of heating of the tire.

In many applications a shaved tire will actually outlast an unshaved tire due to the lack of tire block squirm. Ideally the tire should be shaved to about 4/32" tread depth for competition use, including, track days and driving schools.

Tire Break In

KUMHO race tires do require break in. When tires are new they will remain slippery for the first few laps until they become scuffed and build heat. It is recommended the tires be heat cycled to achieve maximum performance benefits.

Heat cycling requires slowly building heat into the tires and then allowing them to cool. Ideally the tires should be removed from the car and allowed to cool for more than 24 hours before they are used in a competition event.