Anyone use the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tires in Autocross?
10-20-2002, 02:37 PM
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Anyone use the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tires in Autocross?
There have been some very favorable threads on these tires lately, as well as the current Pano article, and the Pano autocross tire test article from last year.
They sound like great tires.
But some of the posts talk about the tires taking a little longer to heat up and grip.
Question: If you're using them for autocross, have you had a problem with this?
Last year's Pano gave them high marks in the test, but their runs were consecutive, so obviously the heat would build up.
Our region's autocrosses are run such that you sit 10-15 minutes between each run. I'm wondering if the tires will get good and grippy, or be to cool to really stick?
(By the way it's a '97 narrowbody on 17" cup wheels which hopefully will have ROW M030 by next spring.
I'm thinking 225/255.)
Thanks in advance,
Mike in Chi
They sound like great tires.
But some of the posts talk about the tires taking a little longer to heat up and grip.
Question: If you're using them for autocross, have you had a problem with this?
Last year's Pano gave them high marks in the test, but their runs were consecutive, so obviously the heat would build up.
Our region's autocrosses are run such that you sit 10-15 minutes between each run. I'm wondering if the tires will get good and grippy, or be to cool to really stick?
(By the way it's a '97 narrowbody on 17" cup wheels which hopefully will have ROW M030 by next spring.
I'm thinking 225/255.)
Thanks in advance,
Mike in Chi
10-21-2002, 11:56 AM
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Mike,
Try this link
<a href="http://www.michelinman.com/assets/pdfs/doc_pilotsport_technical.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.michelinman.com/assets/pdfs/doc_pilotsport_technical.pdf</a>
They basically recommended starting with a slightly higher pressure for auto-x and suggest that heatcycled tires may come up to temp slightly quicker.
I haven't had experience with these tires but I can tell you that Hoosiers are pretty good even before they are up to their optimal operating temp. Right Anir? A side note: I have seen a lot of guys go really easy on their first lap or two and then hammer it on their third. IMO you need to move along at a decent clip to get the tires up to temps, just cruising won't do that. For the warm up lap I just brake a little early and a touch more but do try to have good cornering speed to generate some heat in the tires, and instead of being at full throttle at the apex I may be at 1/2 or 3/4 or in a higher gear than normal.
True slicks are a different story, they are evil until they are warm.
Try this link
<a href="http://www.michelinman.com/assets/pdfs/doc_pilotsport_technical.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.michelinman.com/assets/pdfs/doc_pilotsport_technical.pdf</a>
They basically recommended starting with a slightly higher pressure for auto-x and suggest that heatcycled tires may come up to temp slightly quicker.
I haven't had experience with these tires but I can tell you that Hoosiers are pretty good even before they are up to their optimal operating temp. Right Anir? A side note: I have seen a lot of guys go really easy on their first lap or two and then hammer it on their third. IMO you need to move along at a decent clip to get the tires up to temps, just cruising won't do that. For the warm up lap I just brake a little early and a touch more but do try to have good cornering speed to generate some heat in the tires, and instead of being at full throttle at the apex I may be at 1/2 or 3/4 or in a higher gear than normal.
True slicks are a different story, they are evil until they are warm.
10-21-2002, 06:48 PM
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Greg
thanks for the link, it was very helpful. Like you said, they are recommending running at a higher pressure to make up for the lack of heat build-up.
the tires sound like a wonderful combo.
Since this car probably won't be my DEcar, just Autocross, I didn't want a tire that I couldn't get full benefit out of running cones, even though it has many other benefits on the track and on the street.
M in C
thanks for the link, it was very helpful. Like you said, they are recommending running at a higher pressure to make up for the lack of heat build-up.
the tires sound like a wonderful combo.
Since this car probably won't be my DEcar, just Autocross, I didn't want a tire that I couldn't get full benefit out of running cones, even though it has many other benefits on the track and on the street.
M in C
