Z51 tires

[OLDGOAT]

I notice in sales literature for the C6 that the Z51 Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires are said to "feature a special asymmetrical tread pattern for higher overall performance and grip in dry conditions" . I am sure that this is true. However, this fact has me wondering whether the Z51 tires or the standard Goodyear Eagle F1 extended mobility tires are best for wet/rainy conditions. Are the optional Z51 supercar tires poor performers in rain? Living in the Northwest means that you either drive your car in the rain or keep it garaged 10 months of the year instead of 4. This sometimes includes standing water on roads etc. where hydroplaning is a danger.

 

[Tuna]

The Super Car tire tread pattern has the best wet traction rating but most tires do these days. I have them on my CTS-V in a slightly different size. They are not as good in the rain as my Pilot Sports are but they are acceptable. The grooves are narrower and they are not "V'ed" out like most good rain tires - i.e.: they are optimized for dry traction. If you plan to do a lot of daily driving in the rain, you might not want check the Z51 box on the order form.

 

[Dad]

Not to bad

I drove from Michigan to Georgia last month in 34 degree rain through Kentucky, not a hard rain, just steady. No problem and nearly as good as the all season Continental tires I run on the C5's. Other than the rough roads and dodging blue hairs in Florida the C6 ran flawless.

By the way the Mattel C6 Z51 has the standard runflat and not the Supercar so it will handle different in the rain.:L

 

[Mr.Cool]

I had the oppurtunity to run my Z51 C6 on the road course at Gainesville last week. I took the car up to and once or twice beyond its cornering capabilities. The dry traction of the SC Emts are amazing. I have driven this car alot in the rain, the wet traction of the tires are not as impressive. After hydroplanning once in this car I've learned to be very cautious when its wet. On the good side the active handling kicked in and the incident was over almost before i realized what was happenning. If your not going to track the car I would skip the Z51 package and maybe just install the Z51 sway bars for the twisties you have up there.

On a side note I see Dad has caught up to me on the number of states his car has been to. I better start planning another trip.

 

[OLDGOAT]

By the way the Mattel C6 Z51 has the standard runflat and not the Supercar so it will handle different in the rain.:L[/QUOTE]

You know what? You're right! I put her on the lift and sure enough there's a set of standard runflats not the supercars. I haven't noticed a handling problem though. Don't laugh....the die cast is just to keep me motivated!!!!!
OG

 

[Next One]

The Z51 pkg with stiffer sway bars, bigger brakes, and the coolers, is too scrumptious to pass up. What about just taking it easy with the F1 tires until they wear out (which reportedly is pretty quickly) and thereafter using the std ones? Presumably they're the same or similar size and would not confuse the active handing or any other system?

 

[psimms]

The Z51 pkg with stiffer sway bars, bigger brakes, and the coolers, is too scrumptious to pass up. What about just taking it easy with the F1 tires until they wear out (which reportedly is pretty quickly) and thereafter using the std ones? Presumably they're the same or similar size and would not confuse the active handing or any other system?

This is exactly what I plan with my car if I ever get it.

 

[Dad]

Rain tires they are not, but very good.

Most 10" wide tires will give you a thrill in standing water. Even the all season tires I run on the C5 that had a fairly open tread were not good rain tires. As always you need to know what you're driving on and drive with that as your limit. The SC EMT's put the C5's EMT's to shame, and I've driven both in rain and snow, great tire. That being said I do like the looks of the new EMT, it looks like the tires I put on when I got rid of the C5's EMTs. By the way I don't buy tires for wear or to save money, I buy them to save my life when needed. As I've said before if I have a tire failure I'll drive to where I can get off the road and not beside it, and if it costs me a tire and rim, so be it. NEVER will I allow someone a shot at me at speed other than engine failure or being stopped by the police, and that can be worked around.

The main reason I got the Z51 package is "the package", I tried the shock and swaybar update and it never came together like this package does. One of the main reasons for that is the gear ratios, check it out before you buy.

OldGoat,

Did you notice they left out the air ducts for the rear brakes, you will need to keep the heavy braking to a minimum. Mattel back ordered mine but they both got here the same week, I had intended to use it to keep my desires in check but didn't need it.

MR.COOL

Next week I'll be adding 3 more states out past the great Mississippi, will be well on my way to 10,000 miles. You're a lucky dog, the Gainsville track would be a hoot to drive. If you don't drive it, why have it??? It's a Corvette not a Rembrandt.

 

[catbert]

Driving my new Z51 C6 from NC to AZ, I drove through rain, snow and sleet all the way from Little Rock to 45 miles north of Phoenix - not one mile of dry road. I wouldn't recommend this as a way to spend 20 fun filled hours, but I was surprised at the way the tires handles all the weather. I would never thought I would get through with those stock tires when other cars were in the ditch. I was careful, but the all around performance of the car was a total shock. A great shock!

Good job Goodyear and Chevy.

 

[Dad]

SC Z51 tire update

Just got done measuring the tread on the Supercar tires with 8,000 mile on the odometer. A light 7/32, starts with 9/32, on the outsides of the tread and a strong 7/32 on the center of the tread. Could see all of the line on the tread gage on outside measurement and could just see the line on the center tread. Looks like I'm down a little on the pressure for the loads I'm running with although at highway speeds the pressure reads 33 in the rear.

If I take off the wear bar height, 2/32, it looks like they will get me about 20,000 more miles. We'll see.

 

[Hib Halverson]

I notice in sales literature for the C6 that the Z51 Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires are said to "feature a special asymmetrical tread pattern for higher overall performance and grip in dry conditions" . I am sure that this is true. However, this fact has me wondering whether the Z51 tires or the standard Goodyear Eagle F1 extended mobility tires are best for wet/rainy conditions. Are the optional Z51 supercar tires poor performers in rain? Living in the Northwest means that you either drive your car in the rain or keep it garaged 10 months of the year instead of 4. This sometimes includes standing water on roads etc. where hydroplaning is a danger.

I'd say that the F1 Supercar EMT is probably an incrementally better tire in the wet than is the F1 Supercar (non EMT on the 01-04 Z06) because, according to Goodyear and GM, the Supercar EMT has a slightly deeper tread.

I's also say that, if performance in the wet is the primary concern, that the "std" F1 GS EMT 2 (the base C6 tire) is probably just a bit better.

Now, does that man the F1 SC EMTs are "poor performers in rain".

If the duty cycle is street driving, I'd say no. If the duty cycle is autocrossing or road racing in the rain and we're comparing them to the base tire, I'd say they may be not quite as good.

Bottom line: You can drive F1 Supercar EMTs in the rain.

 

[Dad]

Points of interest on the tires

The C5 Z06 Supercar tire tread depth is 8/32, while the C6 Z51 is 9/32 as was stated. The odd thing I found out while looking up the depth was the C6 standard EMT depth. They are 10/32 on the front and 11/32 on the rear. Must be GM expects them to slip once in a while.

 

[OLDGOAT]

If the duty cycle is street driving, I'd say no. If the duty cycle is autocrossing or road racing in the rain and we're comparing them to the base tire, I'd say they may be not quite as good.

Bottom line: You can drive F1 Supercar EMTs in the rain.

Thank you for your precise and authoritative answer to my question. I will order Z06 with confidence that they will be safe in wet/rainy street driving conditions. I won't be autocrossing. I appreciate your advice.

 

[OLDGOAT]

lol on my mistake.....I'll be buying the Z51 option with confidence in the tires.....ha...I can't afford a Z06 except in my dreams though I am considering a C5 Z06 instead of a Z51 C6........it seems a close call between the two cars.

 

[c5vetter]

Supercars have been standard on Z06's since 2001

 

[Dad]

Correct, but what this thread has been referring to are the new Supercar EMT tires. The original Z06 Supercar tires were as much as weight savings effort as they were a performance tire of which weight is only one factor.

 

[sothpaw]

I drove my car w 275-40-17 F1 supercar tires through the Hurricane Ivan last September in Maryland/W va. I drove it at the road race track in pouring rain, and all the way home, 3 hrs, tornado watches be damned.

Tire performed admirably and at the track--my best outing of the 4, in terms of catching and passing others.

That said, these were brand new SC's, maybe 1-2000 mi on them. When the tread depth gets lower, this may change.

I can't comment on the EMT's, but if I was you, I'd get the Z51. I doubt the EMT's are so much better in wet. If you want wet performance, try F1 GS-D3. You can always drive the SCs for 10,000 mi and replace. (I doubt they will last much beyond 20,000 mi)

 

[Daniel M. Novak]

I had a Mil Yellow C6 on order with the F55 package, but I did not get in under the wire for the Mil Yellow cutoff.
My dealer found a replacement that was exactly what I had ordered except it had the Z51 option instead of the F55.
I really wanted the Z51 with the increased cooling, stiffer suspension and improved brakes, but I had reservations about the Z51 Supercar tires. Too many people have complained about traction in the wet with these tires. I have a hunch that where there is smoke there is fire, and I did not want to take the chance.
I asked the dealer if he could exchange the Supercars for the standard Goodyear EMT. It was no problem making the switch, and there was no extra charge. So if anyone has reservations about the Supercar tires in the wet but you want the Z51 goodies, you can probably get your dealer to make the tire switch. The retail price of 4 Supercars is about $1500, while the standard EMT's are about $1300. So the dealer gets a bit of a gain in making the switch.

 

[OLDGOAT]

my plan exactly when I order my '06
I don't plan to take the car to the track and living in a wet climate just cannot discount all I've heard about the supers wet performance.

Anyway, long after the first set of tire are history the benefits of the Z51 package will remain.