DCLee

I just took delivery of a set of the new Dunlop Supersport DOT race treaded tires (255 & 285x18). These are all-new track tires designed by Dunlop Motorsport in Germany. They are apparently designed to go up against the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup (the latter, a tire I have sworn off for life). They come pre-shaved and look like a potentially decent rain tire.

Does anyone know the cold tire pressures for these suckers and the desired hot range? Sasco, which sells the Dunlops, knows zip at the moment.

TIA,

Lee in D.C.

Palting

I used them last year as part of their promo. Talked to the Goodyear/Dunlop rep, and there were no specific factory recommendations at that time. I used the same pressures I used with my street tires, 32/40 cold. I talked to a guy in Malaysia who used them in a GT3, and he uses the same pressures as his MPSC's, 32/38 cold. The tires are not shaved, they made that way. I still have a full set sitting in my garage waiting to be mounted.

Geoffrey

Take some tire temp/pressure readings and you'll know exactly what to set them at which will be specific for "your" car and its alignment settings.

Can you post a picture of the tires? Also why no MPSC for you?

Palting

Kim , those are track pressures. The guy from Malaysia drives his GT3 in what is arguably the best F1 track in the world. Nothing in the US even comes close.

Geoffrey, like eveything else, I've talked to people who prefer the Dunlop SS Race tires over the MPSC's, as well as the other way around. These were ROW people, as the Dunlops were just introduced in the US. Not havng had MPSC's yet for comparison, the reason I have the Dunlops is that I got them free as part of the Dunlop promo, and I got the second set free as well for winning the autocross season sponsored by Dunlop. You can get more info from Dunlop web site, HERE . They have pics there, too.

DCLee

Guys:

Just as a shot in the dark, I would probably start at around 32 lbs. cold in the absence of any other data. Hopefully, I will hook up with a Dunlop Motorsports rep before too long and get some useful info.

I got the new Dunlops from Sasco Sports at VIR--they are approx. $300 a set cheaper than the MPSCs and a tad more than the new Hoosiers--with the Hoosiers (double steel-belt construction, hmmmn...) still being my primary track tire of choice. (Note: If you want 255 Dunlops, you have to import those from Sasco Canada and pay a small customs duty. 245s/265s/285s are in stock at Sasco's U.S. facility).

I got a good look at the new Hoosiers yesterday and I am certainly going to try a set soon--looks like a F-1 tire. Hoosier also has a brand new DOT machine-grooved rain tire, and if I ever find that third set of wheels, those would be a must-have addition--they look awesome.

Anyway-- If anyone wants a close-up pic of the new Dunlops, e-mail me and I will send it along--don't want to burden the entire list with this. I will post a report on the Dunlops this spring.

Lee in D.C.

Oh-- for the guy who asked about MPSCs, I would just say this: Many people love this tire for its durability. But durability usually comes at a price--a harder compound. I loved 'em at first, but after a few heat cycles they got very difficult to get up to temp. If anyone wants a set with 9-10 heat cycles and a lot more DE life in them (like into the next millenium), please e-mail me privately for pix. Will let them go cheap... They would also make a nice decorative planter in your backyard, etc.

James Achard

Lee, Thanks for the pics! Let's hope they are better than their motorcycle tires!

Cheers, James

Geoffrey

Silver Bullet,

Maybe that is what he was doing anyway. I passed him 5 times in one session at Lime Rock last year.

Ted Brewer

Gents:

I also have a set of the new ( in US) Dunlops. First use will be at Watkins Glen in May. I will report my tire pressure learnings then. Someone mentioned that they are expecting these to do well in the rain. I am also but, these are not rain or really even intermediate tires, just DOTs w/ plenty of tread depth.

Ted

Sam N

I couldn't locate the Supersports on the Dunlop page. Does anyone know how to pull down a pic/information on them?

Thanks,
Sam

bob_dallas

I didn't see them on the Dunlop site either. If you have the Feb Panorama there is a picture on page 111.

Palting

When you are on the Dunlop site after you click on the link on my previous post, click on the Sport Compact cars section. On the bottom of the resulting page is a javascript with the tire choices scrolling sideways. The SuperSport Race is a featured tire, and just click on it to get the info.

Jeff Curtis

Lee, glad you asked.

This past weekend, I was part of a program through Sasco and Dunlop at VIR. A tech from Sasco, supported through Dunlop followed 4 of us around last Friday who were given a set of the new Dunlop SP Super Sport Race DOT tires.

We all came up with similar tire pressure solutions, backed up by frequent pyrometer/pressure readings taken by the tech as we pulled in from sessions.

I started out with 34lbs rear, 33lbs front. I wound up taking 1lb out of the front and 2 out of the rear to make 32lbs all the way around.

I considered taking out another pound but didn't mess with it...wound up getting quite used to the tires and was passing people like crazy who were shod w/Hoosiers and the like.

Palting: IMHO, 40lbs cold is WAY TOO MUCH to start out with, and I don't feel that the common 911 "stagger" in pressures from front to rear is necessary for the track, as the temps and pressures seem to balance out ONLY when you start out with everything equal, or maybe a 1lb stagger, with the additional pound in the rear...of course.

My overall impression of them is great, I referred to them all weekend as "Toyo Proxish"...as that was the bill they seemed to fit. To compare them to the MPSC is not accurate, although somewhere in that realm...somewhere.

The tire wear looks to be comparable to the MPSC, so there ya go.

Under HARD braking and negotiating turn-in for turn 14 the tires would "SING" a bit, which is fair and emminent warning of a possible "agricultural excursion"...a nice feature when compared to Hoosiers.

www.Sascosports.com just has the sizes offered, nothing else...couldn't find ANY info. on them prior to Sasco installing them on my 911.

NOW, when I got them HOT, like any other tire, the performance fell off, but they remain on my 911, I utilized my "prized" 17" Sport Classics (from a 996) and could only use the two sizes offered in 17" - 225/245...not an issue really, but would've preferred to have a 255 in the rear.

***Just notice they offered a 215 series 17", didn't take them up on that as I sometimes use 225/245 Hoosiers with GREAT results.***

IN defense of Dunlop's tire sizing choices, those are common sizes, although if they are targeting the Porsche market as Michelin did...they need to pump out a nice 255, but keep it in the 255/40 flavor and NOT the 255/45 that Hoosier offers - a bit "tall" for our gear ratios.

With that combo, one would think that I was "tailhappy" with too much rubber up front and not enough in the rear...not so. I would think this was due to the fact that I did NOT change my camber settings, currently 2.25 neg. up front and 1.75 neg. in the rear. I actually had notable understeer, but the tire wear seems to look fairly even all the way across the tread.

Again, with Hoosier race tires, I often use a 225F/245R combo.

Lee, start out at 32lbs all the way around (as you suggested) and take pressures after some HOT laps...your pressure should not raise over 38lbs (at least that's what I came up with)...the other guys that were getting them up to 40 and 42lbs were getting squirmy...when I first started out at 34 in the rear, I came in at 41lbs hot and wasn't a bit fan of the tire just yet.

Okay, so another MPSC comparison...as I kept my MPSCs at 36-38lbs hot.

Also, I drove home on the tires Friday evening, and my friend drove my 911, following my rig (complete with trailer and Toyota racer inside) back to VIR early Saturday AM...I had business to tend to Friday evening and wanted to get the Toyota up for the endurance race.

I gotta tell ya, whilst we encountered NO rain, the tires were an all out BLAST on streets and highways, VERY responsive and "grippy".

I will find out today how they work in the rain, as I drove my 911 to work today, just found out that we're going to get dumped on later in the afternoon...great, just had the 911 detailed yesterday.

Good luck, let me know what you find...talk to David at Sasco and ask about Jeff's results...what he witnessed Friday seemed to satisfy some of Dunlop's studies...there is more to follow as I attack other tracks with my new "skins".

***As a sidenote: HOOSIERS STILL RULE!***

Dbltime

40# is probably fine on a 1900# car. The heavier the car, the lower the pressure.

Jeff,

Faster than Hoosiers? Are they heavy and hard like MPSC?

Sam N

Thanks Palting. I located SASCO on the 'net and have a call into them.

Regards,
Sam

Jeff Curtis

Bill W. - they are somewhat heavy and hard like the MPSC...but GOD NO are they as fast as Hoosiers!

That's why I stated "HOOSIERS STILL RULE" at the end of my post.