Having a hard time hooking up...
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 47
Likes: 1
Having a hard time hooking up...
I'm new to owning a corvette, but I'm not new to driving them. I sell cars, and used to be the "corvette guy" at the Chevy store I worked at. It was toward the end of the c6 run and Vettes weren't the hottest thing going so I didn't sell a whole bunch of them. But I did spend plenty of time driving them, especially the higher mile used corvettes. Since owning my 09 m6 non z51 I have noticed something, I have an incredibly hard time hooking up in first. And I don't mean rev it up and dump the clutch, I mean I'm already moving and I decide to get on it it's difficult to keep traction. Sometimes at 4-5000 rpm. This is after I've been driving the car and the tires are warm, Is this normal? Full disclosure, I drove a lot of grand sports, so maybe I just got used to the extra rubber? My car is currently equipped with Goodyear eagle f1 gs emt tires (I believe, not 100% sure on the emt part) which I would assume are better than the factory good years. I'm thinking about switching to Michelins but I need to know whether or not I need to look at wider rubber or possibly wider rims!
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give as much info up front so people don't give me hell for it! Also couldn't find any old posts on this! Thanks everyone!
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give as much info up front so people don't give me hell for it! Also couldn't find any old posts on this! Thanks everyone!
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 85
Likes: 3
From: Roanoke, VA
I put on some Michelin pilot super sports last week. The stock (285/35/19) rear size has been back ordered since June, so I stepped up to 295/35/19. My car makes 440 to the wheels. I was going 7-10mph in 1st, and stomped on it, and had no wheelspin. It was great. I think the total for all 4 tires was about 1260 or so. Definitely worth it.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,505
Likes: 3,634
Cold tires, and not taking it easy until the tires warm up to start to bite correctly, very easy to spin the tires.
So much in fact, once spun the tires through three gears continuously before reaching the other side of the intersection from a dead stop.
Also to point out, the throttle pedal is just that, a pedal and not just a on off switch. Hence the vet has enough power to break the rear tires loose at any time, so if you don't roll into the throttle to maintain rear end traction, and just stab it all the way down, its not going to end well.
Here we have rocket boy first pressing the T/C for 5 seconds to turn the nannies off, then stomping the throttle to the floor like he is in a Ford Pinto (since he does not have a clue how much HP a vet really has). Even worse, has not a clue of car "feed back" to tell him that back tires are just spinning out of control, and then processed to stay in the throttle wide open until one back tire does bite to kick the back end over/out, and by that time, it already too late.
So much in fact, once spun the tires through three gears continuously before reaching the other side of the intersection from a dead stop.
Also to point out, the throttle pedal is just that, a pedal and not just a on off switch. Hence the vet has enough power to break the rear tires loose at any time, so if you don't roll into the throttle to maintain rear end traction, and just stab it all the way down, its not going to end well.
Here we have rocket boy first pressing the T/C for 5 seconds to turn the nannies off, then stomping the throttle to the floor like he is in a Ford Pinto (since he does not have a clue how much HP a vet really has). Even worse, has not a clue of car "feed back" to tell him that back tires are just spinning out of control, and then processed to stay in the throttle wide open until one back tire does bite to kick the back end over/out, and by that time, it already too late.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,303
Likes: 113
From: Texas
I'm new to owning a corvette, but I'm not new to driving them. I sell cars, and used to be the "corvette guy" at the Chevy store I worked at. It was toward the end of the c6 run and Vettes weren't the hottest thing going so I didn't sell a whole bunch of them. But I did spend plenty of time driving them, especially the higher mile used corvettes. Since owning my 09 m6 non z51 I have noticed something, I have an incredibly hard time hooking up in first. And I don't mean rev it up and dump the clutch, I mean I'm already moving and I decide to get on it it's difficult to keep traction. Sometimes at 4-5000 rpm. This is after I've been driving the car and the tires are warm, Is this normal? Full disclosure, I drove a lot of grand sports, so maybe I just got used to the extra rubber? My car is currently equipped with Goodyear eagle f1 gs emt tires (I believe, not 100% sure on the emt part) which I would assume are better than the factory good years. I'm thinking about switching to Michelins but I need to know whether or not I need to look at wider rubber or possibly wider rims!
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give as much info up front so people don't give me hell for it! Also couldn't find any old posts on this! Thanks everyone!
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give as much info up front so people don't give me hell for it! Also couldn't find any old posts on this! Thanks everyone!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 7,392
Likes: 137
From: Ahead of You :)
St. Jude Donor '14
I put on some Michelin pilot super sports last week. The stock (285/35/19) rear size has been back ordered since June, so I stepped up to 295/35/19. My car makes 440 to the wheels. I was going 7-10mph in 1st, and stomped on it, and had no wheelspin. It was great. I think the total for all 4 tires was about 1260 or so. Definitely worth it.
Back when naturally aspirated, those tires are great. Cut a 1.8 60' on the track with them and on the street they hooked up well. Nail it in 1st gear and no spinning whereas the run craps would spin even off the clutch rolling into it in 1st from say ~5mph.
...now if only I can do that under boost
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 8,434
Likes: 411
From: Texas
My '09 Z51 with only 451 rwhp has older 345 rear width Michelins and they don't hook up at all in the first 3 gears.
Even though they have tons of tread life left I'm going to swap them out for Toyo 888s in the hope that new sticky rubber will allow me to get going better. At first it was amusing but I literally have never been able to experience full throttle acceleration in the 3 weeks I've owned the car.
Even though they have tons of tread life left I'm going to swap them out for Toyo 888s in the hope that new sticky rubber will allow me to get going better. At first it was amusing but I literally have never been able to experience full throttle acceleration in the 3 weeks I've owned the car.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 14,062
Likes: 602
From: Henderson Nv-Rohnert Park/Sonoma C o. ca/born in NY Rockaway Beach.
My '09 Z51 with only 451 rwhp has older 345 rear width Michelins and they don't hook up at all in the first 3 gears.
Even though they have tons of tread life left I'm going to swap them out for Toyo 888s in the hope that new sticky rubber will allow me to get going better. At first it was amusing but I literally have never been able to experience full throttle acceleration in the 3 weeks I've owned the car.
Even though they have tons of tread life left I'm going to swap them out for Toyo 888s in the hope that new sticky rubber will allow me to get going better. At first it was amusing but I literally have never been able to experience full throttle acceleration in the 3 weeks I've owned the car.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Those were the same as, if not, the original tires. If you have 20K miles and there is still tread left, they are factory and really hard by now. They'd be in the same shape if they're the second set around 50K. Since they're a 300 treadwear tire, the rubber is harder to start with and starts having traction issues somewhere in the 15-20K range.Wider tires only help for cornering, softer tires help for both forward and side traction. New tires of most any brand or size are better than old hard and well worn tires.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 47
Likes: 1
I did have my traction control on, I didn't want to end up like the guy on the video. I'm comfortable driving cars quickly but I have enough respect for the car to know that I'm not experienced enough to drive around without it. 
My rear tires have plenty of treat and my fronts are nearly shot, so I figured the tears had been replaced more recently but I'm thinking they may have been changed a long time ago. It's an 09 and when I got it the car only had 15000 miles. I've since put 5000 more on it. I plan on driving the car as much as possible so I'm thinking about getting the all season Michelin pilot sports as a happy medium.
My rear tires have plenty of treat and my fronts are nearly shot, so I figured the tears had been replaced more recently but I'm thinking they may have been changed a long time ago. It's an 09 and when I got it the car only had 15000 miles. I've since put 5000 more on it. I plan on driving the car as much as possible so I'm thinking about getting the all season Michelin pilot sports as a happy medium.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,303
Likes: 113
From: Texas
Good on the new ones, but to me, I didn't have to wonder on a car that old. I mean I think I included that in my post. My guess is tires have a 5 year life even if garaged. THis can be critical in a high perf car too.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 47
Likes: 1
You were absolutely right! At some point in time I started thinking they weren't the OEM tires. So I just assumed they couldn't be that old. I think when I sold Corvettes they came with different tires, so I also assumed those were the tires they always came with. Live and learn! Thanks for the advice.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,303
Likes: 113
From: Texas
You were absolutely right! At some point in time I started thinking they weren't the OEM tires. So I just assumed they couldn't be that old. I think when I sold Corvettes they came with different tires, so I also assumed those were the tires they always came with. Live and learn! Thanks for the advice.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 8,434
Likes: 411
From: Texas
They are a great tire and what I have on my cat currently. But unless you drive your car more than 5k miles per year, they will age out before wearing out. And in that case, better to get the stickier tires.