A New Slick Option for 18" Rims?

[Rick-n-Miami]

I scoured the internet for a few hours lastnight searching for odd-ball tires that would fit our cars. In doing so, I stumbled across Hankook Tire, a Korean tire company.

I went back and did a site search for them and found some older posts from a couple years ago, but nothing recent. I'm not certain, but I think the tire I've found is fairly new and may not have been considered yet.

It's a 270/680R18 "circuit slick" called the Ventus F200 (http://www.hankooktireusa.com/product/tire_race_detail.asp?pid=46.

The Diameter is 27.0", the tread area is about 10+ inches and is a pure slick from the looks of it, all for a 18 inch rim.

I've sent Hankook an email asking if this is suitable for drag racing or not. It says it's for circuit/formula racing, so I'm not exactly sure if it could be used as a drag slick. Has anyone looked at this tire before? If so, what were your thoughts/findings? Could this be a possible solution to our need for an 18" slick??

[Dennis Reinhart]

The link is bad

[Rick-n-Miami]

Sorry, try now.

[Dennis Reinhart]

I just spoke to them, the guy was very vague did not even know recomended tire pressure, and said he was not sure how long the tires would stand up as a drag slick,:( so we will keep looking

[jdando]

http://www.hankooktireusa.com/uploadfile/product/f200_tire_left.gif<table bgcolor="#cccccc" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="595"><tbody><tr class="cont" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="24"><td class="11dotum">1004866</td><td>C30</td><td>240/640R18</td><td>
</td><td>9.0 </td><td>8.0-9.5</td><td>
</td><td>
</td><td>25.4</td><td>9.6</td><td>8.9</td><td>
</td><td>819.0</td></tr></tbody></table>




:banana2:That is looking like the hot ticket for me on the road course:banana2:


What would a set of these bad boys cost?

jeremy

[Rick-n-Miami]

I'm going to keep looking around and gathering more information on them. This could be the jackpot...

I found one site that sells the 270/680/R18's for $321 each. Not sure about the 240's.

[Rick-n-Miami]

Here's an actual picture of the tire. It looks pretty solid.

http://www.rallylights.com/Hankook/Hankook%20Images/Ventus%20F200_xl_tire.jpg


It seems like a very popular track slick in Europe, but I'm having difficulty finding information on use in 1/4 mile.

[Blackened300a]

270/680/R18's for $321 each.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

Ouch, I hope they last for a few years at that price lol

[jdando]

:eek: :eek: :eek:

Ouch, I hope they last for a few years at that price lol


My current level of thinking is that they would last 6-8 days.:baaa:

Your mileage may vary

jeremy

[CRUZTAKER]

The ones with the proper height are too wide. We can't fit a 10+ inch wide rim in the back.
The ones that are within our width limit...are only 25" tall.
That's way too short and will wreak havoc with gearing and tunes...aside from looking freakish.

[jdando]

That's way too short and will wreak havoc with gearing and tunes...aside from looking freakish.

I resemble that....

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/racecar.jpg

Not "freakish", just not stylin....

This is my track setup, Dunlop Super Sports 245/35/18 UTQG 60:banana2:

As a comparison our stock BFG's have a treadwear UTQG of 400

jeremy

[David Morton]

True drag slicks run at 5 - 10 lbs of pressure so when the torque is applied the sidewalls wrinkle up, it sags down and increases the footprint of the tire. I have never seen an unmounted, 200mph racing tire like these but I suppose they have thicker sidewalls since they are designed to take turns fast and are meant to run at higher pressures.

Nice try though. Keep it up. We like that kind of thing around here.

[Rick-n-Miami]

The 270's are less wide than the 295 Nittos I have on right now. The site recommends 10" rims, but our 9.5's could be close enough. At 270, they are nearly 27 inches in diameter, which is not too short...




The ones with the proper height are too wide. We can't fit a 10+ inch wide rim in the back.
The ones that are within our width limit...are only 25" tall.
That's way too short and will wreak havoc with gearing and tunes...aside from looking freakish.

[merc]

True drag slicks run at 5 - 10 lbs of pressure so when the torque is applied the sidewalls wrinkle up, it sags down and increases the footprint of the tire. I have never seen an unmounted, 200mph racing tire like these but I suppose they have thicker sidewalls since they are designed to take turns fast and are meant to run at higher pressures.

Nice try though. Keep it up. We like that kind of thing around here.

Dave nice to see you posting again. Wrinkles are a good thing and the cost of the tire is much cheaper.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/2/3/8/176c.jpg

[David Morton]

...the cost of the tire is much cheaper.That too! :o

What he said!


As the surgeon walked into the hospitals' waiting room, his operating smock wet with sweat, he said, "Mrs. Carrot. You'd better sit down. I've done all I can, but your husband is going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life."

:lol:

[MarauderTJA]

Here's an actual picture of the tire. It looks pretty solid.

http://www.rallylights.com/Hankook/Hankook%20Images/Ventus%20F200_xl_tire.jpg


It seems like a very popular track slick in Europe, but I'm having difficulty finding information on use in 1/4 mile.

Nice find Rick. Maybe you can talk the guy into trying out a set of these based on some future sales potential for drag racing. Advise him NO ONE offers a drag slick for 18" rim...Could be some serious potential for their company. Worth a shot..

[stryker]

:confused:



STRYKER.:burnout:

[CRUZTAKER]

The 270's are less wide than the 295 Nittos I have on right now. The site recommends 10" rims, but our 9.5's could be close enough. At 270, they are nearly 27 inches in diameter, which is not too short...


These are 25" though...

One can find a number of siizes closer to 28 than that. Even my Mickeys are 27.5

[Rick-n-Miami]

Where do you get 25"?? It says OD = 27"....




These are 25" though...

One can find a number of siizes closer to 28 than that. Even my Mickeys are 27.5

[MarauderTJA]

These are 25" though...

Even my Mickeys are 27.5

What tires are you using with the MT's????

[Rick-n-Miami]

Ah, the tire Jdando mentioned is 25". The one I'm talking about for the 9.5" widened rims is 27" tall and 270 wide.

After doing a little more research, it seems this is a very popular tire in Europe, made in part for the big Porcshe racing cars as their rear tire. I would imagine the sidewalls are more stout than a regular drag slick, but still, those cars put out plenty of power and hard acceleration.

[Rick-n-Miami]

I spoke with a very informative person today about this tire and he says that it's the wrong construction for use as a drag slick. The compound is too hard and the sidewalls are far too stiff to give in and wrinkle as needed.

Oh well. :(

[fast Ed]

That is correct. Race circuit tires will have very stiff sidewall construction, no good for drag racing. Many years back, before I had a pair of drag tires for my Super Coupe, at the dragstrip I tried the Hoosier Grand-Am Cup series DOT race radials I had for open-track events. They were slower than my street tires. Even down at 10 psi, the sidewall looked like they had full pressure!


cheers
Ed N.

[CRUZTAKER]

What tires are you using with the MT's????


I assume you mean wheels?

Enkie 16X9 whatevers. I have no clue what the style name was.
There is a pic in my vBgarage.

The best solution here is and always will be (for our application), a 16" rim and appropriate AMERICAN made drag slicks (or radials).

It's a similar situation with snow tires. Some people insist on buying over priced pos foriegn made 17" and 18" snow tires when the simple solution is a 16" application.
I realize some Marauders have traction control that clashes with this size change, and the whole thought of having to actually push a button and drive without t/c is just un-stomach-able...:P

[MarauderTJA]

I assume you mean wheels?

Enkie 16X9 whatevers. I have no clue what the style name was.
There is a pic in my vBgarage.

The best solution here is and always will be (for our application), a 16" rim and appropriate AMERICAN made drag slicks (or radials).

It's a similar situation with snow tires. Some people insist on buying over priced pos foriegn made 17" and 18" snow tires when the simple solution is a 16" application.
I realize some Marauders have traction control that clashes with this size change, and the whole thought of having to actually push a button and drive without t/c is just un-stomach-able...:P

Sorry, yes I meant wheels. Cool. I would like to get a set of steel wheels, get them widened and run MT slicks or Et Street radials. Just want to make sure the OD tire height is as close as possible to stock 18" height. MT makes a 315 X 45 X 16 ET Street Radial which should work, I hope.

[CRUZTAKER]

Mine sit damn near 28" tall on the nose.
It was a luck shot I guess.
They stick out a bit as a result of just choosing a whatever rim, but it's no big deal. Actually looks kinda cool.

I must add each time I speak of these, my gratitude to Mac for giving them to me several years ago.

[MarauderTJA]

Mine sit damn near 28" tall on the nose.
It was a luck shot I guess.
They stick out a bit as a result of just choosing a whatever rim, but it's no big deal. Actually looks kinda cool.

I must add each time I speak of these, my gratitude to Mac for giving them to me several years ago.

So what size tire and what tire are you using? Trying to find the right combination. I am in need of some seruious traction with my set-up. BTW, MAC and I went through this a bout a year ago.