diitto

Hi, I am about to purchase a new set of front tires for my 2012 Grand Sport. I want to buy a pair of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP's (run flat). My issue is that I still have a pair of Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 (run flat) on the rear and they have lots of tread left so at almost $1000 per pair, I don't want to replace all 4 at this time.

On another car (Infiniti, G35 coupe), I once had a problem where the traction control system started to take control of the car one day as I was just coming off a curved freeway ramp not long after I had replaced only one pair (can't recall whether fronts or rears but likely rears as they would go first on that car) of tires with a different brand / tread design. I was told the Infiniti computer didn't know how to handle the different grip between the fronts and rears. After I later made all 4 the same, that never happened again.

Can anyone with a corvette, esepcially a Grand Sport, speak to whether I might see an issue with different tread designs between fronts and rears???

I asked a similar question some time ago but I'm really about to make this move and would like to get feedback one more time.

thanks much... bob

wayback

Not the best situation, but it will be ok. A big no no is different tires on the same axle.

Seadawg

Don't push it until you see how it handles. Also make sure the new tires are close to the same diameter as the old ones. If they vary too much, it will affect active handling.

EVRose

I dont have a GS but I've had stock size GY on front and Michelins on back for 5 years with no problems.

bucwheat

I have stock run craps on the front and 345 Nittos on the rear. No problems.

frogmore

I've had mich a/s zp on the front for 25k and just now replacing my original goodyears on the back at 64k, they rears are just about to the wear markers but I like to travel and it's time. No problem with different treads front and back that I have seen.

diitto

Thanks folks for the feedback... I'm down to the tread indicators on the fronts (at only 14,000 miles on the car) so it's time to dive in and give it a try.

In the very worst case, I might need to later toss the rears and put Michelins on there too.

But your feedback seems to indicate that I will likely be ok with Goodyear on the back and Michelin on the back.

One other note is I get pretty bad wheel hop with these Goodyears on the front, especially when it's cool and I'm turning a tight radius. I will be curious to see if the Michelins do the same.

thanks for the help... bob

Outlaw7

When I bought my current C6 the previous owner had replaced the fronts with Pilot Sport run flats but it still had the original GY's on the back with about 40% tread left. I started having rear traction problems, so I replaced the rears with PS's. Problem solved!

jrose7004

I never do it. Probably would be OK but I wouldn't recommend it.

diitto

Can you say more??? Do you think you were having traction problems simply because there was only 40% tread on the back tires??? Or do you think the traction issues had something to do with having different tread and composition of tires on front versus back???

thanks...

EagleGuy

when I bought my 08 coupe, it had GY on the back and Falken on the front. (I think the fronts were brand new). I havent noticed any issues (4k miles now), but I dont track the car, or even drive it "hard". I think it is best to have all the same and when it is time for new tires I replace all 4 at once.

RocketDawg

You shouldn't have a problem. I did an even bigger no-no, but for the same reason as you, and had no issues ... put non-runflat Michelin SS on the front, and kept the Eagles on the back. Worked fine for me, but I don't drive all that aggressively. I finally wore the Eagles out and put matching Michelins on the rear.

Outlaw7

I can't say for sure, but my guess would be the 40% remaining tread was causing the traction issues. I do know that the rear would break away with only a moderate throttle input in both a straight line and in a turn. [doing a burnout from a traffic light was embarrassing] Maybe the tires were glazed or something, but the new matching PS's on the rear solved the problem.

Seadawg

Max performance summer tires (like the ones on the vette) "heat cycle" and they get harder/more brittle over time. Meaning, the more that they are heated from cold to hot during normal driving, the less traction you will have, unless you really burn them out/heat them up. The only cure is to replace them, and the Goodyears seem to be the worst at heat cycling and losing traction, while still having plenty of tread left on them.

I replaced my Goodyear GEN2's at about 14k miles, because I would spin in 3rd gear, straight line, whenever I hit about 4k RPMS under full throttle. This was in 70 degree Florida weather, on dry roads!! It was fun to show off with, but useless for daily driving. I had over 50% tread left on them too.....

The tires that seem to heat cycle the least (meaning, being most consistent traction over the life of the tire) are Bridgestones and Michelins.

I put over 30k miles on the Bridgestone Potenza Pole Position RFs, and they STILL held very well from cold, hot, wet, dry driving conditions, to the end. Now have over 20k on my second set, and they are still performing very well.

I personally prefer a street tire to be very predictable and consistent, that's why I went with a 2nd set of Bridgestones.

But many go with Michelin's too

lowes48

you will be fine! The end of the world will not happen with different tires!

Richard G.

I had hop when turning and 4 wheel alignment and new front tires stopped that. Front tires were at the wear bars. Replaced with new Goodyear F1 run flats. Rears are also Goodyear F1's.

FAUEE

I don't think you will have any issues with the computer off the bat. However, the Goodyears have terrible traction, the Michelin do not, so you'll have one axle with WAY more traction than the other. In your case, it's the stability axle, which is likely worse. The computer will intervene with brakes and throttle cut when they slip, and that's when the different traction will make itself apparent. The computer will not adjust for different tires and will just try to get you traction back, so you're going to be in a pretty unknown status as it struggles.

Point is, if you never ever drive the car hard you'll probably be fine. But you also probably wouldn't have bought a Corvette.

In your situation, I would buy 4 new tires, and keep the rears with good tread as a spare tire, or sell them as good condition used tires.

Biggus Blockus

I have Pilot SS non RFs in front and the Run Crap GYs on the back of my 11 Grand Sport. Zero issues. When the rears wear out I'll put a matching set of Pilot SS in the back.

You'll be fine.

I suppose if you were going to run the car at it's full limits you might find some handling issues but for 95% of the driving that most of us do you'll have no problems at all.

leigh84

I have Goodyear EMT RF all around, one rear is very worn, other rear was replaced, probably due to flat. So now I need to replace the one rear. I eventually want to move to all Firestone wide oval RF. I haven't hurd anything on Firestone, thinking of just replacing both rears with Firestone RF, than I'll have GY on front for now. Thanks

BROCKYJACK

Outside of pure aesthetics I cannot see any scientific reason why it would make any difference on a normally driven street car. I would challenge any of the naysayer that disagree to offer some proof of some kind. Over the years I have done it on other vehicles without any problems. I have a GS and just had to replace the Michelin PSS on the front and the rears will need replacing in the next 6 months. I am considering going with a less expensive tire on the back this time like nitto or hankook