Cup 2 life and wear

[CptSumTingWong]

Sorry, I know, another question about cup 2s. I've browsed the forum and even non mustang forums and everyone seems to say the outer vertical rib wears out first and they heat cycle out and chunk after about 4-5 days and to just run them until they cord or chunk.

However, I've now put 10 days on mine with 45 sessions with a little bit of driving to and from the track and it seems like there's still a lot of life left? I'm a fast intermediate driver so I'm not pushing it to the bitter limit, but I'm carrying good pace. I also seem to be wearing out the outer horizontal grooves much faster as those are almost completely gone but the first outer vertical rib seems like there's lots of rubber left. For reference I'm running -3 degrees of front camber, otherwise car is almost completely stock.

I've also run my wife's car with 200tw "endurance" tires Continental ECF and Falken RT615K+ and haven't gotten this kind of life out of them, and her car is lighter, less powerful, and running a slower pace.

Would love to get some input. Anybody else get this kind of life? Is this wear pattern normal? Do I still have a few more days left out of these?

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[VictorH]

I've run Cup2s almost exclusively for the past 3 years.
1) Those tires look great!
2) I really don't know about heating cycling Cup2s out as I wear mine out before I notice any significant change in grip.
3) Your tire wear looks nice and even across the tread width.
4) I'd also say you are probably a very smooth driver and not really driving at the limit of adhesion. Not a criticism of your driving, I suspect you are driving very well. My tires generally look like someone ran a 80 grit belt sander across the tread and I'm generally getting (depending on the track, it's pavement and of course how hard one is driving) 6-7 days out of a set. Some people can wear out a set in 3-4 days. I've had a pro driver drive my car once and that ate my tires up like crazy.
Overall, I'd say your doing really good and should be happy with that wear pattern.

Also, depending on how hard you are using the brakes (I'm braking in some sections between 1.3 and nearly 1.5G) you will find the fronts will cord on the inside edge and then you're done. I run -3.5 degrees of camber up front so you might find that too, but depends on how hard the brakes are being used.

 

[VictorH]

Tire wear and rotors with some heat stress cracks

 

[CptSumTingWong]

I've run Cup2s almost exclusively for the past 3 years.
1) Those tires look great!
2) I really don't know about heating cycling Cup2s out as I wear mine out before I notice any significant change in grip.
3) Your tire wear looks nice and even across the tread width.
4) I'd also say you are probably a very smooth driver and not really driving at the limit of adhesion. Not a criticism of your driving, I suspect you are driving very well. My tires generally look like someone ran a 80 grit belt sander across the tread and I'm generally getting (depending on the track, it's pavement and of course how hard one is driving) 6-7 days out of a set. Some people can wear out a set in 3-4 days. I've had a pro driver drive my car once and that ate my tires up like crazy.
Overall, I'd say your doing really good and should be happy with that wear pattern.

Also, depending on how hard you are using the brakes (I'm braking in some sections between 1.3 and nearly 1.5G) you will find the fronts will cord on the inside edge and then you're done. I run -3.5 degrees of camber up front so you might find that too, but depends on how hard the brakes are being used.

Thanks for the feedback. I thought it might be driving style, but i've toasted more endurance focused 200tw tires faster on my wife's track prepped e90 bmw. Granted, that car understeers like crazy so I'm constantly fighting the front end, so that might be part of it.

As far as pace, for reference my PB is about 2.5 seconds slower than my local track instructor's PB in his Camaro SS 1LE on a 1.7mi track. My tires don't look too different from your second pic right off the track. The pics I posted are after about 150 street miles driving home from the track. I do tend to end up behind a lot of slow traffic on track and occasionally i'll move down to novice to drive a session with my wife and get some video from behind, so maybe that gives the tires a break so they wear better haha.

I'm pretty hard on the brakes too around the 1.3-1.5g mark but the inside doesn't seem too badly worn. I go through pads about every 4-5 days depending on the track so i'm surprised the tires are still holding on.

 

[GTP]

Sorry, I know, another question about cup 2s. I've browsed the forum and even non mustang forums and everyone seems to say the outer vertical rib wears out first and they heat cycle out and chunk after about 4-5 days and to just run them until they cord or chunk.

However, I've now put 10 days on mine with 45 sessions with a little bit of driving to and from the track and it seems like there's still a lot of life left? I'm a fast intermediate driver so I'm not pushing it to the bitter limit, but I'm carrying good pace.
...
Would love to get some input. Anybody else get this kind of life? Is this wear pattern normal? Do I still have a few more days left out of these?

Excellent wear! I only have 2 days on mine and the shallow outer groove is still just visible.

Curious what hot pressures you were running?

 

[CptSumTingWong]

Excellent wear! I only have 2 days on mine and the shallow outer groove is still just visible.

Curious what hot pressures you were running?

I shoot for about 34 psi

 

[luc]

Thanks for the feedback. I thought it might be driving style, but i've toasted more endurance focused 200tw tires faster on my wife's track prepped e90 bmw. Granted, that car understeers like crazy so I'm constantly fighting the front end, so that might be part of it.

As far as pace, for reference my PB is about 2.5 seconds slower than my local track instructor's PB in his Camaro SS 1LE on a 1.7mi track. My tires don't look too different from your second pic right off the track. The pics I posted are after about 150 street miles driving home from the track. I do tend to end up behind a lot of slow traffic on track and occasionally i'll move down to novice to drive a session with my wife and get some video from behind, so maybe that gives the tires a break so they wear better haha.

I'm pretty hard on the brakes too around the 1.3-1.5g mark but the inside doesn't seem too badly worn. I go through pads about every 4-5 days depending on the track so i'm surprised the tires are still holding on.

You need better pads
What r u using now ?
Go for Cobalt Xr1…. Pricey at around $500 for the front but amazing braking and longevity

 

[CptSumTingWong]

You need better pads
What r u using now ?
Go for Cobalt Xr1…. Pricey at around $500 for the front but amazing braking and longevity

Stock pads, but finally burned through my last set on the shelf. Just put in Ferodo DSUNO

 

[GTP]

I shoot for about 34 psi

Geez that seems low. But I am far from an expert.

 

[CptSumTingWong]

Geez that seems low. But I am far from an expert.

Based on the wear, i'm not rolling the edge at those pressures and if it gets into the high 30s they feel a bit greasy. But i'm also not an expert on tires...hence the tread lol

 

[GTP]

Based on the wear, i'm not rolling the edge at those pressures and if it gets into the high 30s they feel a bit greasy. But i'm also not an expert on tires...hence the tread lol

Personally I'm concerned about tire life for cost. (I've only run 9 20 min sessions so far.) So I ran high pressure to "stay off the shoulders". Temps were even across and I ran 3.5 front and 2.0 rear camber.

 

[mavisky]

34 hot is a decent target for these tires and should be good for longevity. You should be able to target a bit lower for max grip at the epense of some tire longevity.

 

[VictorH]

So, the "official" Michelin guidance (I've read the document) if you are going for longevity and NOT absolute lap times, then start at 30 psi cold. I used to start at 26. They say hot of 38 psi or less is fine.

On the brake pads, Cobalt Friction are excellent. However, if you're NOT running slicks then Xr2 Front and Xr3 on back. Pagid RSL 29 are good too, but they are getting really expensive.

 

[The Chairman]

Geez that seems low. But I am far from an expert.

Here in TX, I start at 28 cold and seems like 36 hot is the sweet spot.

 

[Deadly0ne]

Thanks for the thread OP - if anything, I've learned I'm airing up my Cup 2's a little high.

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