Best All-around Tires for the C6 Z-06?

[65hemi]

I would like to get some recommendations for the best all-around tires for the C6 Z-06. I am looking for improved traction when launching from a dead stop, and improved handling in the twisties. I'm leaning toward the Michelin Pilot Sports, but wonder if the launch traction and handling will be improved enough to warrant the expense?

[Eric_Rav]

By most accounts I've read on this and other forums, the Michelins are worth it. I'll offer what I know about tires for the Z06, though others here are more knowledgeable.

Hoosier R6 tires are street legal race tires. Said to be instant death in the rain by some, passable for brief periods in the rain if you're cautious by others. I believe they have a wear rating of 40 -vs- the 220 of the factory tires, meaning they are much softer/faster wearing/grippy.

Michelin Pilot Sport Cups. These are not available in the correct front size at this time. That noted, Katech put them on a "Z06 clubsport" warranted dealer-sold tuner car and apparently having this larger tire on the car doesn't result in the traction system getting confused. It may well be that you can have a dealer adjust the electronics for the larger tire or something, I don't know. You can do that on my truck. Said by some to be less than good in the rain.

Michelin PS2s. Correct front tire but over-large rear tire. This is said by people to work as well.

Bridgestone run-flats. Wear rating = 260, said by a guy who's tracked both tires that I talked to to be less grippy than the stock tires.

Michelin Pilot Sport ZP. proper sizes are coming next spring. Said to be stickier than the stock tires but good street wear. Used on the ZR1 and so far reviews have praised them and mentioned how much grippier they are than the Z06 factory tires.

The factory tires.


I just put a set of Hoosier R6s on my car and the difference in grip is stunning. "active handling" was part of my daily driving around town with the stock tires. Any turn, right or left, with any throttle in 1st gear resulted in "active handling". First gear and full throttle just didn't happen on public roads with the stock tires. Spin, the traction system activating, the car hopping, the car swerving. At 25ish mph with the Hoosiers, I dropped the hammer and the weirdest thing happened. TC didn't activate, the car didn't swerve, the car didn't hop. But my balls got shoved somewhere in the vicinity of my liver, and I'm going to have to have them surgically lowered next week.

Imagine that - 1st gear + Z06 + public roads = ... acceleration rather than tire spin and chaos. Unreal. On ramps = much more confident/stable. No feeling that the car could crack loose. Even the dreaded mid-corner bump is tamed with different tires.

I'm rolling on Hoosiers for now.

[extanker]

toyo,s 888

[ZO6 AL-X]

All-around tire: Michelin PS2s.

[65hemi]

Wow! Excellent, comprehensive information. Thank you very much. I'm not surprised about the Hoosiers. I have a pair of Hoosier street-legal race tires on the back of a 700-horsepower '65 hemi Plymouth Belvedere, and they are outstanding.

Bill

Originally Posted by Eric_Rav

By most accounts I've read on this and other forums, the Michelins are worth it. I'll offer what I know about tires for the Z06, though others here are more knowledgeable.

Hoosier R6 tires are street legal race tires. Said to be instant death in the rain by some, passable for brief periods in the rain if you're cautious by others. I believe they have a wear rating of 40 -vs- the 220 of the factory tires, meaning they are much softer/faster wearing/grippy.

Michelin Pilot Sport Cups. These are not available in the correct front size at this time. That noted, Katech put them on a "Z06 clubsport" warranted dealer-sold tuner car and apparently having this larger tire on the car doesn't result in the traction system getting confused. It may well be that you can have a dealer adjust the electronics for the larger tire or something, I don't know. You can do that on my truck. Said by some to be less than good in the rain.

Michelin PS2s. Correct front tire but over-large rear tire. This is said by people to work as well.

Bridgestone run-flats. Wear rating = 260, said by a guy who's tracked both tires that I talked to to be less grippy than the stock tires.

Michelin Pilot Sport ZP. proper sizes are coming next spring. Said to be stickier than the stock tires but good street wear. Used on the ZR1 and so far reviews have praised them and mentioned how much grippier they are than the Z06 factory tires.

The factory tires.


I just put a set of Hoosier R6s on my car and the difference in grip is stunning. "active handling" was part of my daily driving around town with the stock tires. Any turn, right or left, with any throttle in 1st gear resulted in "active handling". First gear and full throttle just didn't happen on public roads with the stock tires. Spin, the traction system activating, the car hopping, the car swerving. At 25ish mph with the Hoosiers, I dropped the hammer and the weirdest thing happened. TC didn't activate, the car didn't swerve, the car didn't hop. But my balls got shoved somewhere in the vicinity of my liver, and I'm going to have to have them surgically lowered next week.

Imagine that - 1st gear + Z06 + public roads = ... acceleration rather than tire spin and chaos. Unreal. On ramps = much more confident/stable. No feeling that the car could crack loose. Even the dreaded mid-corner bump is tamed with different tires.

I'm rolling on Hoosiers for now.

[6speeder]

The Hoosier R6's are AWESOME when it's dry and warm. Come Fall I'll be putting the Nitto Invo's back on. They are much better than the GY RF's; better traction, better ride, less noisy, and unlike the PS2's or the GY's stay sticky when it's cold outside.

[65hemi]

Is the 275 the biggest size that the Hoosier R6 comes in? That's the largest I found at the Tire Rack site.

Bill

Originally Posted by 6speeder

The Hoosier R6's are AWESOME when it's dry and warm. Come Fall I'll be putting the Nitto Invo's back on. They are much better than the GY RF's; better traction, better ride, less noisy, and unlike the PS2's or the GY's stay sticky when it's cold outside.

[Eric_Rav]

Bill,

The R6 comes in the correct sizes, front and rear, for the Z06. Here they are at tirerack.

For everyone who is considering them I guess I'd point out that these things are probably dangerous in the rain, they will wear very quickly, and Hoosier doesn't recommend them for the street. I sound like a lawyer.

That said I cannot express my joy with these things. Grip, grip, grip. The one thing I didn't like about my Z06 was the feeling in turns that the rear end wanted to hop around. One on-ramp where I live has a really bad bump right where the radius narrows onto the straight part. The rear end hopped and made me skittish every time I took it in the Z06 except today, my first time with the Hoosiers.

I love the 986/987 Porsches (boxster/cayman), the handling of those cars is the most confidence-inspiring of any cars I've driven. I've heard that some BMWs are similarly easy to handle, but I've little wheel time in Beemers. With sticky tires, my Z06 feels that good to me, and thats very high praise. It feels that good with 2x the power and far higher limits.

The C6 Z06 is a phenomenal car who's limiting performance factor is the tires. Its potential is far greater than the factory rubber will allow it to express. I thought that before changing tires and now I'm completely certain.

Riding on the R6s, "active handling" comes on only if you do something completely silly, with the factory tires it came on all the time. I'm raving, I guess, but its truly a remarkable difference.

[SandBoxFlyer]

Would like to put Michelin Super Sport tires on '07 Z06 with after market O.Z. ZR1 size wheels. Any recommendation on tire size that would work??

[lar66bb]

No one has mentioned the nitto invo's. I have had them on for two years with
great results. Only negative they are a non-runflat. With that said they
improve the ride quality a 100%. I run mine at 34 psi and this elimenates
the softer sidewall defection.