Run Flat Tires For Z06 Corvette

At CorvetteGuys, we carry only the highest performance tires for your Corvette, including premium quality brands such as BFGoodrich, Nitto, Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli, Toyo or Yokohama that use the latest tread and compound technology. And now we offer FREE mounting and balancing when you buy wheels and tires together, so don't forget to choose some stylish Corvette Rims for your new treads.Although run flats protect you against nails, they will eventually wear out. You have three common options once they do. This article applies to the Corvette C5 (1997-2004), C6 (2005-2013), and C7 (2014-2015). You may already know this, but you may not. Your Corvette comes with run flat tires, which are designed to withstand a puncture and keep you moving at reduced speeds of 55 mph or less for limited miles. Some run flat tires will carry you up to 200 miles after a puncture. Some Corvette owners think their run flat tires are great, while others don't like them. They offer peace of mind for some owners, but for others they are annoying.

That's usually how a lot of car mods are. When your run flat tires finally wear out and need replacing, what can you do?
House For Sale In Sri Lanka MataleDo you have to replace them with a new set of run flats?
Clawfoot Tub Seattle WaThe answer is no, there are two additional options.
Clayton Toilet Bowl PricesThis article discusses the three choices you have when it comes time to replace your run flat tires. This is the most common option for many Corvette owners as it's the easiest choice. If GM thought these were optimal for the Corvette, then they must be a good choice. Knowing that your tire(s) will be fine if you ever run over a nail is a good form of insurance. This option would make more sense for the owner who drives a lot.

If you use your Corvette almost everyday, for long distance traveling, then this option is probably the best fit for you. Run flats are pricey to replace, so prepare for that expense. They can run around $400 per tire, depending on brand and performance specs. There are many run flat tire options from different brands. Some offer quieter rides and longer tread life. This should be kept in mind when shopping around. The non run flat tire option is the favorite among the performance-minded Corvette enthusiast. There are a number of great performance tires, many of them being non run flat tires. Some popular options include the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 and Kumho Ecsta XS. Your Corvette's handling can be greatly improved with a good set of sticky tires. This is a good choice for the owner who drives their car sparingly during the week or solely during the weekend. For added protection, a lot of owners choose to sign up with a good insurance company that offers quality towing, such as AAA.

In the event that you run over a nail, you have a solid "plan B." It is also important to note that these tires are considerably cheaper than the run flats. Non run flats, in general, offer a quieter ride and higher levels of grip. The tires for Option 3 are the same as for Option 2; the difference is that you opt to buy a tire inflation kit in case of a flat. A lot of people also like to pair this kit with a small, 12-volt outlet air compressor for added peace of mind. The OEM kit from the dealer runs around $600, whereas an aftermarket kit runs around $150. If you piece your kit together, you can find the air compressor for as little as $50. A basic inflation kit can be found at your local auto parts store for as little as $5. Of course, you can also get AAA insurance, but in that case you wouldn't need to worry about fixing a flat or needing an inflation kit. This reasoning is what differentiates Option 2 from Option 3. Chevrolet went with this option for the C5 Corvette Z06.

• Choose your personalized nameplate • Take delivery of your Z06 on the floor of the National Corvette Museum • Learn track techniques at the exclusive Official Corvette driving school • Watch your Z06 come to life at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant We’re with you all the way You might also like: Sports car performance meets the sophistication of a luxuryThe SS commands attention with a standard 6.2L V8 engine that delivers 415 horsepower, and a sculpted, athletic The sports car that captivated enthusiasts and casual drivers alike will render your expectations obsolete with precision performance and incredible technology.Having participated in Spring Mountain Motorsport Ranch’s 1-Day Corvette Driving School – recently renamed the ‘Ron Fellows Performance Driving School’ in recognition of this legendary Corvette Racing driver’s direct involvement with the program – I was well aware that this 5-star facility owns an impressive fleet of C6 Corvettes including many 405-hp Z51s and 505-hp Z06s as well as several new 638-hp ZR1s.

The Ron Fellows link runs deeper than just the school though – he also played a key role as a test driver during the development of Michelin’s highly anticipated Z06-specific Pilot Sport PS2 ZP tire as well as the factory-installed ZR1 PS2s. 1. Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires are the factory tire on many of today’s highest performance brands including Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Bugatti. 2. Michelin PS2’s are also the OEM choice on the fastest and most powerful Corvette ever built by Chevrolet, the 638-hp C6 ZR1. 3. Z06 Pilot Sport PS2 ZP (zero pressure) tires feature run flat technology and a unique asymmetric tread pattern and a customized tread compound. In case you’re wondering why Michelin – a company that has been traditionally more focused on high performance European brands like Porsche and BMW – has developed such a strong interest in the Corvette, it all started when Corvette Racing switched to Michelin racing slicks back in 2004. As Ron Fellows explained during one of the classroom debriefing sessions during the PS2 ZP test day at Spring Mountain, for Corvette Racing the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003 was the turning point, when a Prodrive Ferrari 550 defeated them.

Requiring half as many tire changes, it was clear that the Ferrari team’s choice of the longer lasting Michelins was the difference in the race, so the Corvette Racing team made the switch to Michelin and reeled off three consecutive Le Mans victories from 2004 to 2006, as well as 48 American Le Mans Series GT1 wins in 54 race starts. Given their success on the race track, it was only natural for Corvette and Michelin to expand their relationship into the passenger car market. With 82 different sizes and technical homologation on over 80 vehicles including Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Porsche, Dodge Viper and the new Corvette ZR1, Michelin has a lot of experience tuning the Pilot Sport PS2 for different applications. And that experience extends well beyond OEM applications to include highly modified Corvettes like those produced by Callaway, Hennessey, Pratt and Miller, and Specter Werkes. In the case of the C6 Z06 PS2, that tuning includes the integration of Michelin’s Zero Pressure (ZP) or run-flat technology that uses a rigid inner shoulder to provide carrying capacity in run-flat conditions and as an added benefit also helps the tire generate an amazing 1g of lateral acceleration in the corners.

With a unique asymmetric tread pattern with large outer shoulder blocks for optimized dry grip and a higher groove-to-rubber ratio on the inner tread area for enhanced wet traction, Michelin also adjusted the two compounds used in the PS2 ZP to provide maximum dry and wet grip while retaining wear characteristics on par with their standard PS2 offerings. The flexible outer shoulder of the PS2 ZP also servers to enhance what Michelin calls Variable Contact Patch (VCP) technology that allows the contact patch of the tire to adapt more quickly to changing loads and conditions (eg. cornering vs straight line acceleration). The softer outer shoulder also helps reduce ride harshness and road noise, characteristics that run-flat tires are often criticized for. Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch: A Go-Fast Oasis Just 60-miles from Las Vegas, Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch is 193-acres of 5-Star motorsports paradise in the Nevada desert where visitors and members alike enjoy the following amenities:

• Two road courses that can be joined to form the 3.5-mile 20-turn big track • Ron Fellows Performance Driving School for Corvette enthusiasts • Lotus, MINI Cooper, and Radical Driving Schools • Luxuriously appointed 8,000 sq/ft clubhouse • Fitness building and swimming pool • Private garages for members to store their race cars in • Indoor firing range • Engine building shop • Ground has been broken on an onsite Microtel hotel as well as privately owned condominiums Around Spring Mountain’s 1.5-mile 10-turn ‘Radical Loop’ circuit, the performance gap between the brand new OEM Goodyear Eagle F1s and the Michelin PS2 ZPs equipped on the school’s fleet C6 Z06s was dramatic. Attack corner entry and the OEM front tires were quickly overwhelmed, causing the front end to wash out in a frustrating display of understeer. By comparison, the PS2 ZPs provided impressive front end grip that allowed higher corner entry speed and earlier application of the go-pedal.

Behind the wheel of the OEM tire-equipped Z06s a lot of steering and throttle adjustments are required to manage turn-in understeer and mid-corner and corner-exit oversteer, all the result of comparatively lower grip levels. But behind the wheel of the PS2 ZP-equipped Z06’s the driving experience is transformed by grip that allows far more of the Z06’s braking, cornering, and accelerating power to be put to use. Initially it’s the lack of understeer and higher cornering speeds provided by the PS2 ZPs that stands out, but while chasing an OEM tire-equipped Z06 the superior straight line (braking and accelerating) performance of the Michelin’s became increasingly apparent as well. Although we were not taking lap times, around this relatively short and technical circuit, the time saved by equipping the Z06 with Michelin PS2 ZPs would surely be measured in seconds rather than tenths of a second. That may not sound like much to the uninitiated, but to motorsports enthusiasts and weekend warriors who take their Corvette to the track, that is a huge difference.

On the half-wet half-dry autocross course, the PS2 ZPs highly refined performance characteristics and general superiority over the OEM rubber was just as obvious. On the wet portion of the course, the OEM tires suffered terminal understeer if corner entry speed was a little too high, and hydroplaning under braking was also easily induced by too aggressive an application of the brake pedal. Too much gas also resulted in tire spin rather than forward motion. The Michelins, on the other hand, generated far more cornering grip in the wet and a very balanced feeling that allowed for some easily controllable tail-out shenanigans. The wet condition oversteer does come on pretty quickly with the PS2 ZPs though, a characteristic that may catch some drivers out the first time they experience it. Where the Michelins felt the most dramatically superior to the OEM tire was in the wet/dry transition zone. Here the Goodyears felt nervous and unpredictable, whereas the PS2 ZPs continued to feel balanced and responsive even when pushed well beyond the limit of adhesion.

The single most effective upgrade you can make to just about any car is its tires. In the case of the C6 Corvette Z06 this is especially true, given the phenomenally high performance potential of this high horsepower beast and the dramatic performance gains experienced at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch while testing Michelin’s Pilot Sport PS2 ZP tires. Although these Z06-tuned PS2’s are considerably more expensive than the OEM rubber ($1,820 for a complete set as compared to the OEM Goodyear’s at $1,430), if you’re the type of driver who finds yourself at the track on weekends or wanting more grip on the street then it’s money very well spent. The additional wet and dry grip will not only provide additional performance and safety on the street, your Corvette buddies will be eating your dust at the track if they haven’t made the same investment. Wanna Go Even Faster? Michelin’s Got You Covered If you’re a serious track rat, then you may be looking for even higher dry grip levels than Michelin’s PS2 tires can offer.