lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I did a track weekend on summer tires with morning temps in the 20's. It's all about the nut behind the wheel.

That said, I seriously thought about a set of AS/3s for the GS F because the wife daily drives it to work and just like Mississippi, we have some very cold mornings here. Cold enough that you could damage summer tires by driving on them. I run summer tires on my IS as well, and yes, there are times when I get loose much more easily than I would if it were warmer. It just reminds me not to drive beyond my limits...

And truthfully, no one NEEDS summer tire performance every day. But it sure is nice when someone else thinks they have the upper hand because they have no idea what you are driving. Never happens in the Supra though.

lexusrus

I came across a notice a few years ago.

This same issue came up when the "white glove enclosed transporter" showed up in front of my house to transport my RCF in SoCal to MS. The driver wanted to know what kind of tires I got on the RCF. I told him some high performance summer tires. He said as long as it does not get to below 20 F degrees, we are ok.

Here is the article:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/n...king/index.htm
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Beware that some performance summer tires can crack in winter

Summer tires not only lack grip in cold weather, but they can be damaged by low temperatures

Published: March 15, 2014 09:00 AM

Photo: ChevroletAnything made with rubber can become more rigid as temperatures get very low, as evidenced by some ultra-high-performance summer tires being used by General Motors and other manufacturers on some vehicles. These tires not only lose grip in cold weather, but they risk cracking, compromising longevity.

This is a significant concern for buyers in northern climes, with GM notably advising not to drive such vehicles during winter chills at the risk of developing damaging cracks. It is likewise important to owners looking forward to spring drives in their performance cars to inspect the tires thoroughly.

GM bulletin #13-03-10-001A: "Information on Tire Cold Weather Cracking" – (Jan 30, 2014) advises “avoid driving, moving, or test-driving vehicles equipped with high-performance summer-only tires below 20º F as operating at these temperatures can cause damage to the tires.” The car models affected include the 2012-2014 Buick Regal GS, 2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport, 2012-2014 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Z/28, 2014-2014 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE, and the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Stingray Z51, and SS sedan.

In GM’s quest to deliver the ultimate handling in these cars, they built performance tires with essentially a racing compound to deliver the goods. These tires are great for driving in temperate areas and are ideally suited for track use, but the practicality of the tires stops there.

Reaching out to a GM tire supplier, Pirelli, a spokesman explained that the performance tread compound becomes so stiff on such tires that it can lead to cracking when deformed in cold weather. In measuring the hardness of numerous brands of summer tires at 0º F, we have found the tread becomes almost inflexible and the tires lose their bounce when dropped. The cracking is characterized as cosmetic, but in our experience any cracking shouldn’t be taken lightly as it can evolve over time. If there is crack, you should replace the tire. (GM’s service bulletin also recommends discarding a tire with cracking.)


Here is what you need to do if you own or are considering purchasing one of the GM cars mentioned in the bulletin or any car that comes with summer tires.

1. When looking at a new car with performance summer tires at a dealer’s lot, check the tires on the car for cracking in the tread area. The car may have only a few miles on the odometer, but if it was parked in the cold and moved around during transport or by the dealer, the tires could have cracked. This is the time to have the dealer change the effected tires, because once you make the deal and drive off, it’s your headache.
2. If you own a car with summer tires, refrain from using it at all in cold temperatures as the tires may crack. Leave it parked. Beyond cracking concerns, summer tires have diminished grip below 40º F on dry and wet roads and virtually little to no grip on snow and ice.
3. If you bought your dream car with summer tires on it and live in an area that does have winter, then consider using performance all-season tires or dedicated winter tires. These will provide better cold-weather grip and preserve the pricey summer times for the other seasons. Through our testing, we have found a number of ultra-high-performance all-season tires that provide handling and dry and wet grip on par to many summer tires we have tested. (See our full tire ratings.)

Learn more about tires in our tire buying guide.

—Gene Petersen

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flowrider

iTrader: (9)

^^^^Yep, that is true. My F stays in the garage when the temp dips below 40⁰ F. Doesn't happen much where I am in AZ.

Lou

ChuH

I just got the tires install this afternoon. I agree that 275 in the front may be too wide for performance sense but looks great though. I notice a more numb feeling (slow steering response) when making quick lane changes. Not as crisp as the old PSS 255/275 setup. It may be that the tires are still new and have the factory coating that makes new tires a bit greasy feeling. I think the overall balance is now more understeer. Will drive for a couple of days and report back on my feelings. Currently running 37 psi (cold at 92 deg air temp). Also, notice some tire noise at front when braking moderate to heavy pressure. I think issue is the side wall is flexing more due to running too wide of a tire at front. Maybe 265/35R19 would be a better choice for front.

mirza

please keep us posted on how the 275/295 work.
I am ready to order and not sure if I will like it.
Savings on tire rack is almost $200 if I go stock.
Was thinking of going 265/285 35

IMCHIA

I would probably go with 255/35/19 (stock size) up front with 295/30/19 (same size I have now) on rears. I love these PS4s. They grip so well.

ChuH

If I was to redo I would probably do 265/285 setup also. Initial feel is sluggish. Maybe the tires requires break-in period (50-100 miles).

Davew77

I've been running 265/35--285/35 19" since October. I love it.

I would personally not go 295 because I don't want to alter the stock diameter by .5" or more. If I wanted wider than 285 on the rear I would go to 275/30--305/30-19". But I'm happy with my current sizes at my current whp.

ChuH

After 2.5 years it is time to change tires again. Currently running 275/30R19 Front and 295/30R19 Rear PS4s. Think about changing to 265/35R19 Front and 285/35R19 Rear PS4s (which is closest to the stock specs - see attachment). I don't like the feel of current setup when doing spirited cornering (a very small portion of the time). Do like the grip of the 295/30R19 during acceleration and the square look though. What are your thoughts stay with 275 & 295 or change to 265 & 285)? What is everyone running now?

As an alternate 265/35R19 Front and 295/30R19 might work also.

Chu...

GetKinetic

What "feel " are you not liking?

I installed 275 30 19 up front and 305 30 19.in the rear on slightly wider rims and love the extra grip up.front and rear.
We ran the Tail of the dragon a few weeks ago and this setup kicked ***.
There ate a few track RCFs.running 285 square so I'm surprised yall want to stay small upfront.

ChuH

I am running on stock wheels. Taking sharp turns at high speed it feels as excessive rolling (my assumption is sidewall flexing). It is not as crisp. Yes grip is there but steering is very vague. Normal driving is fine. Looks great though. tempting to either stay with 275/30R19 & 295/30R19 or go down to 265/35R19 & 285/35R19 or 295/30R19.

05RollaXRS

Unfortunately, the 285/30/19 is not offered in PS4S tires currently. I was also considering that for my next set of tires.

ChuH

Sorry typo. Correction 265/35R19 & 285/35R19 (not 30 series).

05RollaXRS

285/35 might be a bit taller. Your car will rev up a little slower due to taller ratio. You might want to consider 295/30. It is slightly shorter/wider than stock so your car will rev up slightly faster.

johnnyreb

As far as the rear tires I couldn't tell much difference in the Width? jmo