Heard a lot of different opinions on the minimum temp for using the Cup 2s. The owners manual states -7 deg C but doesn't state which tire, just summer UHP.

What is the documented number?

TIA,

p.

 

40f or better was the temp limits for the tie I thought.

 

IIRC, I read they was not recommended for use below +7C...

Of course now the crowd will go wild with the 'take it easy' and you will be fine rhetoric...

Plain and simple, put the right tires on the car for the season and use intended, you wouldn't run snow tires at a summer autocross so why run UHP tires in the winter, it makes no sense.

 

Puggz go out & drive your car in these cooler temps. You'll notice the ride quality is different & there's more road noise.
As the temp approaches zero celsius the car breaks traction & gets loose very easily.
I'm drive conservatively on the Cup 2's in the fall.

 

IIRC, driving my former GT3 on Cup2 in anything less than EXACTLY 40* F lead to instant death and destruction

 

And yet you're still here!?

 

I'm a ghost. Meant to post on 10/31

 

It's not like you'll be driving on ice driving on them on when cold, but the tires will have noticeably less grip as ambient temps drop.

The other effect of cold temps on high performance tires or race tires is it can permanently degrade their performance if the tires are stored for extended periods in freezing temps.

 

...and recommended not to move if experience temps below freezing, until tires in temps above freezing for 24 hours. Looking back, I think this is why the sidewalls on my 20th cracked (Pilot Sports, full circumference), when I took it out one day. Made it to where I was going, about a 5 min drive, but came back to flat/destroyed tire.

 

The composition of the tire rubber compounds at below -10c become brittle and actually crack and destroy the tire.
Here in Canada even corvette and Camaro with cup 2 it is not uncommon to see cars in winter on the car lots on blocks and the tires stored inside

 

Amazing, lucky it didn't give out while underway!

Did you happen to get a picture? What about the others?

 

No pic...it was the "flip-phone" days, before everyone took pictures of everything. I thought someone had slashed my tire very angrily, but when I got close to the car, the sidewall looked randomly cracked all the way through, in 3-6 inch cracks, in random patterns all around the side...like breaking a thin chocolate bar. I think it was just the one tire, but wound up changing the whole set. I think that's when I started my 14 month stint on steelies and Blizzaks. Interesting summer to say the least. :-P

However I did get a pic of my car after an unlicensed, underage girl knocked it up onto the sidewalk in front of my house with a rented Cadillac...good times:

 

Geeze! Some guys have all the luck!

 

I have a lot of experience with Cup 2's in the cold northeast. Michelin themselves states not to drive on the tire if it's exposed to sub 40F and not to drive until the tires been over 40F for 24 hours or tread cracking may occur, and trust me it does.

Once it goes under 55f in my experience the grip level starts dropping and drops dramatically as you approach 40F, but you can still get home or something if needed, just drive calmly. Also I wouldn't worry too much about cracking if the temp drops to those levels mid drive, I've had that happen before and no cracks, only when you start driving and the tires are under 40F when you set off.

Where the tire gets dangerous in my experience is on wet pavement sub 45f, like actually dangerous, if you find yourself in this position drive with serious care, other people will tell you it's fine, I can tell you first hand these tires are not to be trusted in the rain or on slick pavement (45f or under) if they lose grip they are not gripping back up easily, and they'll lose grip in low load situations you wouldn't imagine they would, small puddles, medium throttle input uphill etc. PSM is very good but if the rear tires don't want to regrip there's nothing PSM can do, your going around.

Fwiw I'm a pretty competent driver, able to comfortably powerslide/drift my cars on track and transition slides multiple corners etc, so I don't have slow hands and I have a good understanding of car grip levels. I'm no pro though!

Just my experience, also the newer Cup 2 (past few years) are way better then the old ones, those were "not great" in the wet period, everything I said applies to Cup 2's from the past few years.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences, I pulled the Maxx Race 2's off the Spyder a few weeks ago, no sense risking it in a car like this to save a few dollars!