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Not All Michelin Cup 2 Tires are Created Equal - Behind the Scenes of Making Bespoke Tires

BillyJRacing

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Hey guys,

Check out my article where I dive deep in to tire technology and the effort Michelin puts into making bespoke OEM tires for a specific car model. This is written from my experience as a development driver working on creating bespoke tires for cars like the GT350/R, GT500/CFTP, and Ford GT. These concepts apply across Michelin's product line and the same amount of effort goes into creating tires for performance cars as they do for sedans, trucks, SUVs, transit vans, etc...

The article explains why replacing an OEM tire with a wider tire of the same model will likely hurt performance, feel, and be slower on track. This is aimed specifically at you GT350R guys who want to put wider (non bespoke) Cup 2s on your car. In short: The car will handle and perform worse, be slower on track, and if driven at the limit, they will NOT last longer.

There is far more that goes into making your factory tires than you might ever have expected.


Not All Michelin Cup 2 Tires Are Created The Same - For good reason.

They may look the same, smell the same, and be the exact same size; but not all Cup 2 tires are created equal, and for good reason. Michelin produces off-the-shelf tires as well as custom bespoke tires that are engineered with specific construction, tread design, and compounding for a given car. Choosing the wrong Cup 2 tire can greatly impact the handling, feel, fitment, and performance of your car in terms of seconds per lap! Because of this, unknowingly swapping to a wider Cup 2 that has a less aggressive compound can actually make your car slower than using a smaller, stickier Cup 2 that was engineered specifically for your car, so pay attention!

0%20Michelin%20Pilot%20Sport%20Cup%202%20vs%20Cup%202%20tread%20design-X2.jpg


https://motoiq.com/not-all-michelin-cup-2-tires-are-created-the-same/


In the article

-Michelin's development of bespoke tires for race cars and OEM street cars
-What goes into tire TREAD DESIGN: Tread Depth, Circumferential Grooves, Outer Shoulder Features & Sipes
-What goes into tire COMPOUNDING: Compound Variation Across Tread & Tread Depth
-What goes into a tire's CONSTRUCTION: Carcass Profile/Shape, Width, Ribs, Sidewall Stiffness,
-Cup 2R
-Cup 2 Connect
-How Tread Design, Compounding, and Construction Come Together
And much more...


Enjoy!
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meterman

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This is a very interesting article and a lot of great info. it's why i have 4 sets of Cup 2's for this track season.
 

Tomster

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Tomster

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I just read the article. Wow. Very informative and a must read for anyone who tracks.
 

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NoXiDe

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Great read. Learned a lot so I'm very appreciate of the time you put into it!
 

Idaho2018GTPremium

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Great information, thanks for posting this! I just learned a lot about tire construction and engineering.
 

MikeR397

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Well written article, very educational, thanks very much for sharing!
 

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BigBeed

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That was an awesome read! Now how do I know what exact model of Cup 2's are on my PP2? Can I just buy the ones from Tire Rack or are the bespoke and I have to get them from a dealer? Tire Rack is much cheaper on price as I can pick them up in tax free Delaware and avoid shipping costs as well. My current tires are 98Y so I assume I would just get that variant of them as it says the 102Y are for Porsche?
 

meterman

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That was an awesome read! Now how do I know what exact model of Cup 2's are on my PP2? Can I just buy the ones from Tire Rack or are the bespoke and I have to get them from a dealer? Tire Rack is much cheaper on price as I can pick them up in tax free Delaware and avoid shipping costs as well. My current tires are 98Y so I assume I would just get that variant of them as it says the 102Y are for Porsche?
The 98Y are made for the GT350 and the 102Y are the heavier load rated tires. I bought a set of 305/30R19 off the forum from a GT PP1 owner and they are 98Y.
 

Rapid Red

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X2 thread is best of brand, thank you for taking the time to pass along such solid & factual backed information..

Love the cup tires and will run them no matter what they cost. I should know this, asking for verification, the cup tires are directional? I've not found an arrow on the side wall, could have missed it so I ask.

When ready for new tires, plan is to remove wheels. Let the dealer install and balance the tires.

Goal is for the wheels to not get damaged and the balance spot on. If there is a better option, open for suggestions . Be awhile as the car is new, planning ahead.

Your opinion maters, cause I have confidence in the knowledge you share.

GT PP2
Thank you sir in advance.
 
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BillyJRacing

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X2 thread is best of brand, thank you for taking the time to pass along such solid & factual backed information..

Love the cup tires and will run them no matter what they cost. I should know this, asking for verification, the cup tires are directional? I've not found an arrow on the side wall, could have missed it so I ask.

When ready for new tires, plan is to remove wheels. Let the dealer install and balance the tires.

Goal is for the wheels to not get damaged and the balance spot on. If there is a better option, open for suggestions . Be awhile as the car is new, planning ahead.

Your opinion maters, cause I have confidence in the knowledge you share.

GT PP2
Thank you sir in advance.
Thanks.

They are not directional. Enjoy!
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