What tires are you running on your 550? | FerrariChat

What tires are you running on your 550?

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by Qksilver, Feb 4, 2008.

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  1. Qksilver

    Qksilver F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2005
    4,316
    Philadelphia
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    Joe
    Hey everyone, I'm looking for a new set of the 550. What are you using? We aren't worried about wear or wet, so let's look for performance. Modular wheels. What do you guys suggest?


    Thanks
    Joe
     
  2. MabF355

    MabF355 Formula Junior
    BANNED

    Nov 5, 2003
    257
    I'd stick with the Bridgestone Blizzaks you currently have or maybe look in to the Pirelli Scorpions. Also, what are your feelings on going up or down a size? That stretched look, popular on modified VW Sciroccos, believe it or not, really helps turn-in stability while maintaining that sleek, European look! Best of both worlds? Maybe. Either way, both of my suggestions got rave reviews by THE most respectable and trusted automotive authorities...It shall be a real nail-biter...
    Best of Luck!
    -Marc
     
  3. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

    Jan 14, 2007
    12,143
    The Netherlands
    Full Name:
    Onno
    #3 JazzyO, Feb 5, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Michelin Pilot Sports. These are the normal wheels, of course. Don't have any experience with any other tyres, so can't really comment on their performance. They seem great but nothing to compare it against.


    Onno
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  4. ScuderiaLV

    ScuderiaLV Karting

    Dec 6, 2006
    230
    Las Vegas, NV
    Full Name:
    Don C.
    +1 on the Pilot Sports. I have year old Pilot Sports on our '99 550 and they look great (2,000 miles). They produce less road noise than the Bridgestone SO-2 and last longer. Bridgestone seem to have a little more grip.
     
  5. JazzyO

    JazzyO F1 World Champ

    Jan 14, 2007
    12,143
    The Netherlands
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    Onno
    Just a little on tyre life: mine were not new when I bought the car and I've already done some 6,000 miles on them myself. And I do not spare my tyres (pun intended :))... there's quite a bit of rubber on Dutch roads. But I do plan to replace them fairly soon.


    Onno
     
  6. 360Grigiotitanio

    360Grigiotitanio Formula Junior

    May 17, 2004
    436
    Bay Area, California
    You will find advocates for mainly the Pirelli Pzero Rossos or Michelins Pilot Sports. Some of the other manufacturers are making great strides.

    I like the Pilot Sports and thier stiff sidewalls in the size I am using.
     
  7. jonp

    jonp Karting

    Jun 24, 2006
    86
    Essex, UK
    Full Name:
    Jon
    I have the Michelin PS2's on mine, they came with the car, had about 7mm when I got them, and I have done circa 6k miles on them, don't exactly spare them too much and there's a track day in there too, now at 5mm remaining!!!

    On the wear front they are amazing but to me that is the problem, they're too hard, when it's cold, even a cool summers night in UK they just seem to slide all over the place. Predictable but not confidence inspiring if you need to push on quickly or suddenly brake hard before they have warmed up.

    This said, once they are warm they're pretty good. Again predictable, masses more grip than when cold, still a little loose but they don't suddenly bite like I used to get with Pirelli's on a 355 - but I think that was more the nature of the 355 i.e. loads of grip but if you get the rear tripping on the road then you will likely perspire a little!!

    I know Evo ran a 550 for a year and a half and about 30k miles, always had Pirelli's (the zero's which I don't think you can get anymore), and then on the last change had Michelin PS2's. Comment was that they had never seen such a large difference in handling and grip from just a tyre change, in that the Pirelli's had lots more grip but the Michelins as said were predicatable. I haven't run the Pirelli's but on the PS2's to me it seems you do have to push hard on them for 5-10mins to get plenty of heat in them, then they start to grip.

    I think this is also highlighted by the wear rates, at current rate I could well do 2-3 trackdays and about 13-18k miles on a set of tyres, which on a 500hp near on 2ton car is daft!! Great for the pocket unless you happen to slide into something because your tyres were cold and you couldn't stop or you slide off a corner!!!

    So overall I'm hoping a tyre change will offer a much more consistent grip level that doesn't drop off 80-90% when cold, for sure wear rates will likely drop to 4-6k for a set of tyres, but then that's were I would expect them to be with the abuse I have given them. Hopefully someone has some back to back experiences they can relay realated to normal road use, which is after all where most folks use these 98% of the time. The track use was overall a pleasant surprise but still not as grippy as I would ultimately expect.

    from what I've seen the PS2's seem by everyone's comments to be better than the original Michelin PS tyres!?! Does anyone have any direct comparison with the latest Bridgestones or the like??

    Jon
     
  8. Qksilver

    Qksilver F1 Rookie
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    Feb 11, 2005
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    I suppose Michelin it is! Thanks guys.
     
  9. G Rides

    G Rides Karting

    Nov 5, 2007
    83
    SLO, CA
    Full Name:
    Gary T King
    I drove one in a rally which started sunny and then poured about half way into it and the rest of the way. This 550 had Michelin PS2's and it handled great in all conditions.

    Gary
     
  10. TifosiF1

    TifosiF1 Karting

    Feb 12, 2008
    58
    I'm putting on Pirelli P-Zero Rosso's on mine when I get my new 575M with Novitec NF2 or Asanti AF112 wheels.

    Aluminum spacers for rear axle - 25mm or 30mm
    Tire size front - 255/30 R19
    Tire size rear - 355/25 R19
     
  11. AGP22

    AGP22 Rookie

    Oct 24, 2006
    37
    I'm running the latest Bridgestones, but am disappointed, they slide a lot. Good thing this car has traction aid. Other than that I run Michelin PS on all my other cars and that's what I should have done here. Next time, I'll know better.
     
  12. Qksilver

    Qksilver F1 Rookie
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    Feb 11, 2005
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    Ordered PS2's for it today. Thanks guys.



    Joe
     
  13. Jsuit

    Jsuit Formula 3

    Jul 12, 2005
    1,178
    East Coast
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    John
    PZeros as of last Friday, had Goodyear F1s (Thanks JoeT for finding them)

    No Comparison!
     
  14. 2000 456M

    2000 456M F1 World Champ

    Sep 29, 2007
    12,600
    Portland, OR
    Full Name:
    Allan
    What was your experience with the Goodyear F1s (Were they GS-D3s?). I'm looking at replacing the Kuhmo ASXs my car came with, with Goodyear F1 GS-D3s, based on Tire Rack's reviews. I also like the look of the tread pattern. What were the Goodyear's downsides that made you go to the PZeros?
     
  15. ze_shark

    ze_shark Formula 3

    Jul 13, 2003
    1,274
    Switzerland (NW)
    I've had Bridgestone Expedia S02 which I found so-so, and have now been running Bridge RE050's which I am very happy with, road and track. Grippy on dry and wet, very durable, even wear, an excellent choice, and normally less pricey than Pilot Sports.
     
  16. mdavid18

    mdavid18 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2008
    36
    What did you pay for your ps2's?
     
  17. 4retr

    4retr Formula Junior

    Nov 21, 2004
    384
    Southern California
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    David B.
    19" HRE(s) with PS2(s) - Less road noise than the Pirellis.

    Hopefully the will last longer than the P-zero(s).

    Great tires so far!
     
  18. AGP22

    AGP22 Rookie

    Oct 24, 2006
    37
    Actually I think that Michelins are softer than PZeros, hence last less, but the grip is probably the best.
     
  19. Jsuit

    Jsuit Formula 3

    Jul 12, 2005
    1,178
    East Coast
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    John
    I had PS2s on my BMW 850csi and they were great.

    The PZeros are the tires Ferrari tested and tuned the car for (I was told). I can tell you it is a noght and day difference from the Good Years. I had Bridgestones on my first 550, which were pretty good. But also nothing like the PZeros

    John
     
  20. Qksilver

    Qksilver F1 Rookie
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    Feb 11, 2005
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    Joe
    I don't remember exactly, when I get the car back I'll let you know. I think it'll be around $1200.00 mounted and balanced.
     
  21. GENERAL LEE

    GENERAL LEE Karting

    Nov 27, 2006
    123
    Oklahoma
    I have a set of Bridgestone runflats on the fronts of my 575. They protect the wheel better than the P-Zeros I had. Our roads are awful here so I needed the extra stillness in the sidewall. I'm running P-Zero's on the rears because Bridgestone doesn't make a matching runflat in the correct size. Since it's a GT road going machine, I wasn't concerned about any "loss" in performance. I can't tell any difference at all besides not having to fix a wheel every other week!
     

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