KU 31 vs KU36

Wheels, Suspension, Brakes & Tyres questions and answers

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Lokiel
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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby Lokiel » Tue May 01, 2012 6:18 pm

project.r.racing wrote:Cheapest light weight wheel+tyre options with street usable tyres would be these options:-

15x7 Enkei PF01 wheel w/ 205/50R15 Kumho KU36/Nitto NT01 ($1800 depending on USD vs AUD)
15x8 Enkei PF01 wheel w/ 225/45R15 Nitto NT01 ($2000 depending on USD vs AUD)


Wouldn't 15x7 6ULs from http://www.mx5centre.com.au and locally purchased Kumho 36s be cheaper?

No S&H costs involved.
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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby zero00 » Tue May 01, 2012 6:32 pm

Lokiel

I purchased 15 x 7.5 6UL's for $880 delivered Brisbane and 4 x 205-50-15 KU36 tyres for $700. The alloys came from MX5 Centre Melbourne and the tyres from Option 1 Garage only February this year

Hope that gives an idea of costs :D
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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby Lokiel » Tue May 01, 2012 7:02 pm

zero00 wrote:Lokiel

I purchased 15 x 7.5 6UL's for $880 delivered Brisbane and 4 x 205-50-15 KU36 tyres for $700. The alloys came from MX5 Centre Melbourne and the tyres from Option 1 Garage only February this year

Hope that gives an idea of costs :D


Thanks for confirmation of actual costs zero00. I think 6ULs and Ku36s are probably the best "Bang-for-Buck" track combination in Australia.
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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby Hjt » Tue May 01, 2012 7:24 pm

for an extra $100 ($25 per corner) delivered the 205/50 r15 Dunlop star specs make the ku36 look terrible.

Better dry grip, heat cycle and great in the wet. rating is 200.

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby project.r.racing » Tue May 01, 2012 7:53 pm

If you can get James from MX5Centre to communicate with you, then yes 6ULs are cheaper by about $100. But I have failed on many occassions to get a line of communication with James. And 949Racing will not ship to Australia due to the MX5Centre being the Australia distributor.

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby project.r.racing » Tue May 01, 2012 7:56 pm

Lokiel wrote:
project.r.racing wrote:Cheapest light weight wheel+tyre options with street usable tyres would be these options:-

15x7 Enkei PF01 wheel w/ 205/50R15 Kumho KU36/Nitto NT01 ($1800 depending on USD vs AUD)
15x8 Enkei PF01 wheel w/ 225/45R15 Nitto NT01 ($2000 depending on USD vs AUD)


Wouldn't 15x7 6ULs from http://www.mx5centre.com.au and locally purchased Kumho 36s be cheaper?

No S&H costs involved.
The prices above included shipping.

I see nowhere on MX5Centre that states the wheels are free S+H. Don't forget the wheel costs will also need to include8 valves aswell. Another $64 is using 949Racing ones. Much cheaper to use the ebay ones that are exactly the same, just no 949 etching on the cap.

Cheapest locally KU36s I have found are $180 + shipping. Where do you get yours from?

p.s. My old wheel/tyre combo was silver 15x7 6ULs w/ 205/50R15 rubber. Good combo for street dríven weekend track days.

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby zero00 » Tue May 01, 2012 8:55 pm

project

Checked invoice, 6UL's were $885 delivered to the door and I'm NOT in Brisbane - had no problems speaking with James and found all the Staff I spoke with excellent - so included freight of $65

Funny because when I decided on them they were $225 each and when I was speaking to them placing the order the price dropped to $205 and they did the deal at that

I get my KU36's from Dan at Option 1 Garage, were $350 a pair - deal included fitting and also all the valves etc, so well done to the Staff at Option 1, really looked after me and others I know who have been there

Not sure project if you currently have an MX5 or if you have run one on KU36's but every tyre has a 'let go' point, I haven't found it yet! As for the wet, trust them more than any other tyre i have dríven on, check my Lakeside times for run 1 on 17 October 2011, I think from memory 8 secs plus faster than the next car in my group, 1.19's in the wet there when later same day you PB at 1.09.55 isn't bad considering!!

If you watch my youtube taken that day, you will see entering the second part of 'Karasel' the rear twitches in the wet, I turned in harder to see what it would do, straightened up immediately and continued .. all good!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2GJbB4O ... el&list=UL

Bottom line is: What's the budget - how much do you want to spend? :wink:
Roger D-SUNSHINE COAST
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1989 NA6 B-SPEC #77|Toyota GTS86 MT

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby gussy » Tue May 01, 2012 9:02 pm

Interesting comparison from a few of the well known brands:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/cha ... p?ttid=118

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby zero00 » Tue May 01, 2012 9:19 pm

Gussy

You ready for 21 May?

If so, entry fee in THIS week for discount!!
Roger D-SUNSHINE COAST
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1989 NA6 B-SPEC #77|Toyota GTS86 MT

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby zero00 » Tue May 01, 2012 9:20 pm

Gussy

oops! I think your's is there from previous when you had to postpone thru that meeting
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1989 NA6 B-SPEC #77|Toyota GTS86 MT

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby project.r.racing » Tue May 01, 2012 9:23 pm

zero00 wrote:project

Checked invoice, 6UL's were $885 delivered to the door and I'm NOT in Brisbane - had no problems speaking with James and found all the Staff I spoke with excellent - so included freight of $65

Funny because when I decided on them they were $225 each and when I was speaking to them placing the order the price dropped to $205 and they did the deal at that

I get my KU36's from Dan at Option 1 Garage, were $350 a pair - deal included fitting and also all the valves etc, so well done to the Staff at Option 1, really looked after me and others I know who have been there

Not sure project if you currently have an MX5 or if you have run one on KU36's but every tyre has a 'let go' point, I haven't found it yet! As for the wet, trust them more than any other tyre i have dríven on, check my Lakeside times for run 1 on 17 October 2011, I think from memory 8 secs plus faster than the next car in my group, 1.19's in the wet there when later same day you PB at 1.09.55 isn't bad considering!!

If you watch my youtube taken that day, you will see entering the second part of 'Karasel' the rear twitches in the wet, I turned in harder to see what it would do, straightened up immediately and continued .. all good!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2GJbB4O ... el&list=UL

Bottom line is: What's the budget - how much do you want to spend? :wink:

I got my 6ULs for $199 each free shipping when they 1st where released. and my KU36s for $150ea when they were first released also from O1G. Cost $10ea to fit. This is going back 2 years though price wise.

I find the wet performance shocking. I remember once doing 1 test on a wet concrete motorkhana, and switching back to the KU31s for the 2nd and further tests. Might be a RWD vs FWD thing.

69 seconds at lakeside? thought you had a NB8B for some reason. last time i hit lakeside was in a 1150kg fwd 5 door hatch using a bp-ze and pooped a 70 second run.

If cheaper is better is the budget. Well at least we both agree on KU36s then.
Last edited by project.r.racing on Tue May 01, 2012 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby Apu » Tue May 01, 2012 9:31 pm

I'd argue that the Works Engineering wheels are better value (but I am of course biased). 15x6.5 at 5.5kg each, $650-700 for the set in Sydney.

If I get any volume, they'd be even cheaper.

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby project.r.racing » Tue May 01, 2012 9:39 pm

15x6.5 are always cheaper than 15x7. maybe it is a supply and demand thing. lots of 15x6.5 around that no one wants, not much 15x7 that every wants.

the 15x7 6ULs are 400-460grams lighter and 12mm wider. but you pay $100-$150 more for that.

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby Apu » Tue May 01, 2012 9:53 pm

That's the thing...I figured I was going to run no more than 205 so 6.5s were sufficient, but the market wants wide and stretched. Funnily enough, if I wanted 15x7, the price wouldn't have been any different. That said, the 16x7s don't sell for much more and they weight 6kg.

The rims being a couple of hundred grams lighter didn't bother me given the price difference.

That said, 6ULs have such a strong grip at this price point, I can't compete unless I up the volume significantly.

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Re: KU 31 vs KU36

Postby sailaholic » Tue May 01, 2012 10:22 pm

I don't see the point of buying a new set of rims and not going as wide as possible. Ie 7.5 for 205 if available. 6ul give that option and more.

I think if you wanted to compete you need to do it on min 7 inch rim through to at least 8 as a minimum.

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