QUIKAG

Daniel at Finspeed sold me on some Michelin slicks over R6's on some new 18" wheels I ordered from him. You guys who run these tires on a C6 have any tips or things to watch out for when running track days? ZR1 is a 2010 model and has zero mods besides alignment and Motul brake fluid. Will the oiling system and suspension components hold up with the lateral forces? Anything I should inspect regularly with this in mind?

I'm excited to finally have a wheel/tire package to keep up with the rest of the car, but want to have my bases covered. Thanks.

RX-Ben

aren't these the tires that a number of people have had issues with blowouts?

dvandentop

I love mine, i have went through 2 sets and no issues.

start at 22psi in the morning and they should work up to 30lbs hot. i usually start them off at 22 each session and have had no problems at all.

you will enjoy the hell outta them over hoosiers. I had no oiling issues with just the bigger lingenfelter tank and aviaid baffle. I was running coil overs with them so cant comment on suspension but should be fine. just watch the front upper a arm bushings after a while.

Enjoy!!

what rims did you go with?

X25

Why don't you use Michelin's own recommended pressures of 25 PSI front 28PSI rear (cold)? They actually worked pretty good for me. FYI, for street, the recommended pressure is 30 PSI cold all around.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...nd_Feeding.pdf

phipp85

I believe this discussion is on racing slicks, not the sport cup tires.

VicCaerter

which hoosiers, As or Rs? How do they compare with grip/longevity?

dvandentop

correct the true racing slicks not the sport cups.


i like them better then both hoosiers, and i have not seen a hoosier last 25 sessions without cording.

QUIKAG

dvandentop, I was hoping you'd reply. Your name comes up a lot in my google and CF searches on the subject. I appreciate your response. I'm going with the F14-RT 18x11 with 3065 S9H slicks and 18x13 with 3171 S9H slicks. I cannot wait. The best tire I've run so far on the ZR1 is the sport cups. Nice tire....the first track day I had it, I set a personal best at Motorsport Ranch here in DFW. Some around town driving and another good track day. The 3rd track day after a little more around town driving, tires were getting very, very slick. So much so, I went off track, slid through wet grass, and jumped back onto the track over the inside curbing. Bye, bye $1500 CF splitter. Car was okay otherwise. My first track damage in over 12 years of track driving. I was pissed. Anyway, tires were corded after 3 track days and maybe a thousand miles of around town driving. Not good for over $2k.

The new Michelin slick compound is reported to get 35 heat cycles (i.e. 15-20 track sessions) with great grip and stability. After 40 heat cycles apparently, the grip drops off dramatically and I'm sure this all varies with driving style, track conditions, etc.

Either way, Daniel, said this new slick was definitely the way to go from a value standpoint over a Hoosier, so off I go to try. I can't wait to get the set-up and try it out! Daniel did say the 3171 is on backorder, so I may have to wait a bit, but I'm fine with that.

Dvandentop, thanks again for the info on the tire pressures, etc. Any alignment recommendations knowing that I do maybe 70% around town (on another set of wheels/tires, of course) and 30% track?

21STCENTURYMUSCLECAR

ZR1 on Michelin slicks sounds like a good time!

I would watch those water & oil temps closely, I have seen you drive and with the extra adhesion and these Texas temps you might be exceding safe temps.

Have Fun!

J.P.

cruzin2

Talking to a few engineering buddies from D-town. I would add oiling capability with anything beyond a cup tire. That goes for either slicks, pfadt bars, coil-overs, etc. Eveyone drives at different levels. I have passed guys with $5k motons and been passed by a C6 base with slicks. Allot of it depends on you. My $.02 is that if I upgrade beyond OEM parts bin on a ZR1, I will upgrade to a ARE II or III stage or a baffled pan at a minimum.

dvandentop

the one thing about slicks is they take a lap or 2 to get full temp so dont go ***** out 1st couple laps

also what is your email i can send you the race tire manual that i got off michelin website it talks all about specs and reccomended pressures and alignments

Werks

The other thing is that I do not think that the stock suspension is really up to the task. The car is sprung too softly and I'm guessing that you are probably going to end up with excessive body roll in the corners.

dvandentop

here is the race tire catalog and user manual.

CLICK THE GRAY DOWNLOAD file link

http://www.filedropper.com/2010michelinracecatalog

dvandentop

i think this was due to that car being crashed and then it probably did some carcass damage to the tires, i havent heard of any other failures myself.

QUIKAG

Thanks, John. I am pretty excited to have grip to match the capabilities of the rest of the car. I will definitely watch oil and water temps as always. Maybe I can carry more speed which will provide more airflow over the car and keep it cool? Haha.

QUIKAG

Thank you, sir! I will download when I'm back in the office in a few days. I normally take it slow for 1-2 laps anyway to get everything up to temp anyway, so that should work with getting some heat in the tires.

Regarding the oiling, the tracks around here aren't bad for long corners which can cause oil starvation and one of my goals was to keep the car bone stock (besides tires and brake fluid obviously) for durability and reliability reasons. On the suspension, I run in PTM race 5 mode so the mag shocks are pretty stiff. I guess I will see how that works out. I'm sure it won't be as good as some coil overs, but again the stock thing is dictating for now.

Finally, in my post above I referenced 35 heat cycles and then said 15-20 sessions. I meant some data coming in says you can get up to 35 15-20 minute track sessions dependent on various factors. Either way, that is way more life than I got on the factory PS2 and then the sport cup tires.

jlutherva

That was me.... I had two of the S8D 30/65R18's come apart. The new tire is the S9H. Daniel at Finspeed arranged for me to get S9D as replacements (with me paying) and they have held up fine. I'm up to 30 heat cycles and they are holding up well. I think I can get a couple of more days on them!

Bear in mind that the 31/71R18 size in the right rear will chew up the inner fender a little and will make you think the whole car is coming apart when you come off track and pick up some stones, and they do pick up stones!

In addition, with big-time negative camber, you might have some interference between the wheels and the UCA's in the rear. (I'm running CCW wheels.) This is not an issue with the suspension loaded, however, unloaded you may have contact. This interference does make it more difficult to check the wheel bearings.

Derek, WRT the tire coming apart because of the impact, yes, we did discuss that possibility in another thread, but then the second S8D came apart and it was not impacted. The S8D's in the 30/65R18 were the GT3 cup car tires in 2011 and I was told that they were recalled from that program but Michelin would not verify that.


Jim

vette ruminator

How much for the set of slicks? They appear to be a pretty bada$$ setup.

QUIKAG

I got a package deal from Daniel, but I think he said the slicks were going to be $600-800 more than the R6's I was originally going to buy. When you figure slicks can last up to 3 times longer than R6's and they have huge grip, that seemed like a good value to me.

63Corvette

Most on the Forum race with a sanctioning organization, and have to follow their rules. However, if it's allowed (I run only lap times) then true slicks are the way to go