[N4C5S]

Why are the F1SC's rears rated higher than the fronts?

Has anyone tried any other tires and gotten more grip?

JC

 

[hcvone]

JC, I have not seen tests on the Z06 for replacement tires but I would guess that Michelin, Pirelli or Bridgestone would be as good or better. We all know that GM puts parts on our cars for price rather than performance at times. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif I will be switching to Pilot Sports when I get my car.

_________________
Carl V. *****Authorized Zaino Distributor*****
Huntingdon Valley, PA.
**FOR SALE** 2000 Magnetic Red Convertible **FOR SALE**
** Corvette Club of Delaware Valley **
www.hcvind.com
E-Mail: [email protected]

 

[M3NOMORE]

On 2001-06-11 12:56, hcvone driveled forth this spew:
I will be switching to Pilot Sports when I get my car.

Carl:

When I had my M3, it came with Pilot MXX3s which I replaced a few times with the same tire. Then Michelin discontinued the MXX3s and replaced them with the Pilot Sports, which I replaced the MXX3s with.

The Pilot Sports were terrible. They had dramatically less dry road traction and a little less wet road traction. The ride was about the same, but less feedback. I was extremely dissatisfied.

I had an opportunity to discuss the Sports with Michelin, and after considerable dodging the issue the guy finally admitted that the Sports had less dry road traction than the MXX3s. When I asked him about the wet road traction, he said that the Sport was meant to be a better "all around" tire. Which I guess means it's better in the snow.

So... Why would you want the Pilot Sports? Don't get me wrong, for I am a huge fan of Michelin tires, and I would love to get better tires than the F1 SCs, but I don't believe the Pilot Sport is it. Any thoughts or past experiences would be helpful. Thanks.

Mike

 

[50kF360]

The Sports are not in the same league as the MXX3 in regards to dry traction. I would find it hard to believe that the MXX3's are equivalent to the F1 SC's much less the Sport's.

For ultimate DOT legat traction, I would recommend the Kumho or Hoosier R coumpound tires. When (if?) they make them for the Vette.

 

[hcvone]

In all the tests I have seen the MXXX were better in the dry than the Pilot Sports but not by much, and the Pilot Sports were much better than the MXXX in the watewr. There are no tests yet that I have seen with the F1 tires but many driving schools use the Pilot Sports on their Z06's, and I have driven many C5's with Michelin's and Bridgestone's and I drive many Z06 Zaino customers cars and my car will handle with their cars, I am sure the Z06 handles better but I am not pushing their car like my own. I have never had good luck with Goodyear tires in the past and they just are not wide enough for what we have planned with the Z06. I have Pilot Sports on my M5 and the handling is very good wet or dry, it's not a Vette but closer than you would ever think. I have Hotchkis sway bars on my Vette which are equal to the Z06 in size (I will put these on my Z06 for sure) and a few people that have Z06's tell me that my car feels as good as their's in handling. I will have both cars very soon and will know what the real difference is on the same roads. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

 

[N4C5S]

And why are the rears at Tirerack Y rated rather than the factory ZR rating?

JC

 

[hcvone]

Luke from Tire Rack explained this a while back, I will try to find what he said about them, but they are "Z" rates

 

[50kF360]

Carl,
It appears we have similiar tastes in cars. I have an E55 with Pilot Sports and an M3 with MXX3's and IMHO the the MXX is much grippier. Yes I have driven M3's with the Pilots.

Anyway, Why do you think GM and Goodyear would go to the trouble (and expense)of designing a brand new tire if it was inferior to 5 year old technology? I realize GM does some wacky things, but this really wouldn't make sense.

 

[hcvone]

Well I remember when the Gaterback tires first came out for the Vette, we all thought they were great, we found out later that they sucked pretty bad, I am not saying that the F1 tires are bad, but Bose makes good speakers but they are not in our Vettes either. I think we can all face the facts that GM does things with cost in mind, and I guess in the next few years we will find out if the F1 tires are really that good, or if they were just ok. Do not forget that GM buys at least 120,000 run flats from Goodyear a year and zero from anyone else, so they could twist Goodyears arm to build them any tire GM wants good or bad. Switch from run flat Goodyear tires in a regular C5 and you will think your in a different car. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

 

[Lawdogg]

I am on my second set of the Supercar tires. My years of autoxing street tires, including Mxx3s tells me that these SC tire hold their own with any street tire. I have put these tires to the limit on a banked sweeper at 135+ mph and around cones in first gear at 15 mph and they seem to be glued to the road. I never drove on Goodrich KDs, but a friend of mine did on a coupe and he said he thinks these SCs on his new Z06 are every bit as good. I got 11,000 miles on my first set and would have gotten another 2000 to 3000 more, but I blistered one running too many consecutive laps on a high speed track. I probably had close to 500 track miles on these tires.

 

[50kF360]

Thanks Frank and Rippied,
I guess I will be a good tire guinea pig as I will be doing track events (Willow Springs, Buttonwillow, etc.), autocrossing, and the Silver State Classic (high speed road race) this summer. By October, I'll have a pretty good idea about the F1's.
I always autocross with my Kumho shod M3 so it will be interesting to see if the F1's have comparable grip.
I'll let you guys know!