Pilot Sport Cups

[krallicious]

Is anyone having trouble finding these in the correct sizes for the 18 wheels on an E92 M3? Have Michelin stopped making them? If so can anyone reccommend a very good tracktyre? I have been looking at 888s but they are just as thin on the ground.

I need to sort some thing out before the beginning of October due to a Nürburgring and a Spa trackday!

On a side note, I need to change my road tyres which are on 19s. I will be heading down the Super Sports route. How are these for driving on track? Are they nearly as good as cups? I only managed 3 laps of the 'ring before my PS2s started overheating and understeering everywhere!

Thanks,

Pete

[spyderman8]

Have you considered the Toyo RA1, or Federal 595RSR, or Yokohama A048?

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre-Type/Passenger-C...

[krallicious]

Thanks for the link. I have since been reading that the Kumho V70a is well regarded for BMWs. Anyone on here tried them at all?

And now for something completely dfferent; braided brake lines and brake fluid. Are there any recommendations for an E92 M3?

Pete

Edited by krallicious on Friday 7th September 10:59

Edited by krallicious on Friday 7th September 11:16

[spyderman8]

I've just ordered a set of Goodrich hoses and 2L of ATF Blue fluid for my Boxster. Castrol SRF is supposed to be *the* best but it's chuffin expensive. Opie Oils have a wide range of race fluids.

[fushion julz]

ATF SuperBlue (also comes in Gold) is pretty good as is AP551, 600 or AP Formula Dot 5.1.

Not much difference between different silicone, braided brake lines...

[Trev450]

HEL are very competitive for braided brake lines http://www.helcarkits.co.uk/

[krallicious]

Another quick question, can you mix profiles front to rear and if the OEM profile is 40 can you go down to 35 for both front and rear? There seems to be some conflicting arguements on the web!

Thanks for the information so far. I too have purchased some Goodridge braided lines and am still deciding which fluid to go for.

One last thing. I have decided to give the Kumho V70as a go. They are available in two compounds, K60 and K90. As the M is a heavy car with 50/50 weight distribution would I be correct in going for the K90 compound?

Edited by krallicious on Friday 7th September 12:33

[fushion julz]

You can mix or change the profile of the tyre as you wish...There may be a maximum (and minimum) width/section of tyre for the rim(s) you are using and there may be a maximum overall height or diameter and a minimum rim diameter to either not foul the arches or the brake calipers/steering arm.
Any other parimeter is a possibility...
If you keep the same section and rim size but lower the profile (so say 245/45/18 to 245/35/18) the rolling radius will decrease and the revs per mile will increase...thereby lowering your gearing. Usually this is desireable on track as you are unlikely to ever see VMax on a UK circuit.

I run 225/45/16 road tyres (on my E30 M3), but my track tyres and rims are 205/50/15...I've just purchased some used 19/57/15 Michelin Slicks which are roughly the same dimensions as the 205/50/15 road tyres and I'll still have the 225/45/16s for wet use (with Avon ZZ3s).

The K90 compound is the one you want for endurance...You'd be lucky to see a whole day on a set of K60s in a road going saloon.

[krallicious]

Excellent reply. I have learnt a couple of new things today.

After speaking my a clued up garage I am going for Toyo 888s. 245/40/18 Front and 275/35/18 Rear. The Kumhos only came in an 88 rating for the fronts and with two pax and a full tank of fuel that was too near the load rating for my liking.

Thanks for all of the information. Once again PH at its most helpful.

[Trev450]

If you're going for 888's I strongly recommend you go for the hard compound as the mediums will overheat very quickly on long laps at places such as you're going. Alternatively, 048's would be fine.

[shim]

Just be careful mixing profiles and sizes. Firstly don't go outside of the recommended sizes for the rims and secondly if you vary it too much the traction control will start to play up as it won't cope with the diffenent circumferences from oem.

[krallicious]

Trev450 said:

If you're going for 888's I strongly recommend you go for the hard compound as the mediums will overheat very quickly on long laps at places such as you're going. Alternatively, 048's would be fine.

I'm buying the tyres that have the 'GG' compound and, after a bit of research, these seem to be the hardest ones.

[krallicious]

shim said:

Just be careful mixing profiles and sizes. Firstly don't go outside of the recommended sizes for the rims and secondly if you vary it too much the traction control will start to play up as it won't cope with the diffenent circumferences from oem.

The fronts are OEM size and the rears are '10' wider but with the profile reduced by '5'. The chap I was speaking to was using a formula which allows you to mix and match the differing widths and profiles so there is minimal discrepency between the fronts and rears with regards to ABS and traction control, or so he told me.

Here is the formula (look at the bottom of the page)

http://www.renn-reifen.de/infos/allgemeine-infos.h...

[spyderman8]

krallicious said:

I'm buying the tyres that have the 'GG' compound and, after a bit of research, these seem to be the hardest ones.

Exactly right. There are only two compounds and the softer one is far more difficult to find anyway. Our series tyre is the 888 and they seem to keep going for ages - I've done 4 meetings on mine (although some of that was in the wet) and they're still going strong.

[krallicious]

spyderman8 said:

Exactly right. There are only two compounds and the softer one is far more difficult to find anyway. Our series tyre is the 888 and they seem to keep going for ages - I've done 4 meetings on mine (although some of that was in the wet) and they're still going strong.

Are you running them at a high cold PSI? I have been reading conflicting reports on high and low pressures with regard to tyre wear. SOme of the sites from accross the pond are saying between 38 and 40 psi cold with to achieve 46 psi warm!

[Pip1968]

Just keep checking the tyre pressures throughout the day. You will find yourself having to drop pressures throughout the day as the tyres get hotter and their pressure increases.

You just need to keep an eye on the situation.

Pip

[krallicious]

I normally do with the cups so will just keep a closer eye on them than normal.

Thanks

[fushion julz]

888s should run at around 40-45psi HOT...what they are cold doesn't matter, really, so long as they don't overheat...

My 1200kg ish M3 needs them to start around 25-27psi COLD to acheive and not normally exceed 45psi HOT...

Overheated 888s are like driving on ice with unpredictability thrown in!

[krallicious]

fushion julz said:

888s should run at around 40-45psi HOT...what they are cold doesn't matter, really, so long as they don't overheat...

My 1200kg ish M3 needs them to start around 25-27psi COLD to acheive and not normally exceed 45psi HOT...

Overheated 888s are like driving on ice with unpredictability thrown in!

I have only ever managed to overheat my PS2s and that was, er, fun. I'll just keep and eye on them andhope i does not rain.

[billyboysm3]

I run 265 35 18 cups all round at 32 psi hot on M3 CSL. I thought the 888's on track like to be around that psi also. Anything over and the grip poor and uneven tyre wear.