Product Review - Kumho Venture AT
Discussion
As in these ones:
I've just spent the day tooling round a grass airfield in a D1 200TDi shod with these in what looked like the 205/R16 size, about half worn.
As well as the D1 we have a One Ten on knackered Michelin XZL's and a Pajero on nearly new Matador road tyres. Now, our airfield's grass is quite susceptible to ripping off of the clay topsoil if you drive like a twerp on it whilst it is a bit damp. Both of the existing trucks are, I know from experience, perfectly capable of taking a bend of 100-150' radius around the end of the airfield at 30mph without breaking traction, as well as braking at tarmac-driving levels of braking without locking up any wheels. I tried the same in the D1 today and had a very interesting lurid powerslide/drift on the bend, and a frankly terrifying moment 1 minute later when I arrived at my destination, braked as normal and found myself not stopping but slithering straight at the winch truck leaving 4 brown polished lines behind me (which got me told off for ripping up the field!) and most likely one in my trousers too! Luckily I managed to just about steer clear....
So, as you've probably concluded by now - avoid these tyres, they are naff!!
I've just spent the day tooling round a grass airfield in a D1 200TDi shod with these in what looked like the 205/R16 size, about half worn.
As well as the D1 we have a One Ten on knackered Michelin XZL's and a Pajero on nearly new Matador road tyres. Now, our airfield's grass is quite susceptible to ripping off of the clay topsoil if you drive like a twerp on it whilst it is a bit damp. Both of the existing trucks are, I know from experience, perfectly capable of taking a bend of 100-150' radius around the end of the airfield at 30mph without breaking traction, as well as braking at tarmac-driving levels of braking without locking up any wheels. I tried the same in the D1 today and had a very interesting lurid powerslide/drift on the bend, and a frankly terrifying moment 1 minute later when I arrived at my destination, braked as normal and found myself not stopping but slithering straight at the winch truck leaving 4 brown polished lines behind me (which got me told off for ripping up the field!) and most likely one in my trousers too! Luckily I managed to just about steer clear....
So, as you've probably concluded by now - avoid these tyres, they are naff!!
A quick glance at the tyre in the picture tells me that it was never going to be a "star performer" on a grass surface; few tyres are. For those conditions you really need something which will penetrate the grass to bite on the soil below. Perhaps the babcross type tyres would have been better suited?
Without wishing to appear arrogant, I do know the limitations of different tread styles in different surfaces - I've been mucking about with off roaders for at least 10 years.
The point I was making was that when the D1 on these all-terrain has spectacularly less grip than a very similar size and weight vehicle (The Pajero) on low-end road tyres, then something is a bit wrong. You could see how the tread on the Kumhos was digging in just far enough to pick up the mud under the grass and keep it stuck to the surface of the tyre, causing constantly reduced grip. By comparison, the road tyres simply rolled over the top of the grass without ripping up or skidding in the first place
The point I was making was that when the D1 on these all-terrain has spectacularly less grip than a very similar size and weight vehicle (The Pajero) on low-end road tyres, then something is a bit wrong. You could see how the tread on the Kumhos was digging in just far enough to pick up the mud under the grass and keep it stuck to the surface of the tyre, causing constantly reduced grip. By comparison, the road tyres simply rolled over the top of the grass without ripping up or skidding in the first place
Very unfair to call them "naf"......have sold many of these over the years and can't say we have had a complaint like that.
Horses for courses as they say, "don't try to nock in nails with a rubber hammer".
There are better out there but you do need the right tyre for the job, as had been said.
Horses for courses as they say, "don't try to nock in nails with a rubber hammer".
There are better out there but you do need the right tyre for the job, as had been said.
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