What are the tyres fitted to the Z4M R in the press photo's?
- Thread starter ian in lancs
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With stock tyre sizes and 15mm spacers all round, the fronts are still well in the arches and the rears are flush. I'm now running 265mm rear tyres so I've taken the spacers off the back as there was c 1cm protrusion. The intention was always to alter handling not for cosmesis, so I'm happy using just the front spacers. I'll try to find some photos from track days that show the different spacer combinations.RedUn said:Any pics of the 15mm spacers? Are the wheels still inside the arches?
I don't use them with my CSLs as the would definitely protrude beyond the bodywork.
Liverpool
I didn't have a problem with the SCM3, and even stood up for them on here. But after trying the PSS I realise how poor the SCM3 really were.exdos said:
My rears only ever lasted around 10k miles per set, and I've had 3 sets of rears & 2 sets of fronts before putting the PSS on all round. That was a combination of motorway mileage, all-year-round driving, weekend hoons into Wales, the odd track day and 2 trips a year to the 'Ring.
My only criticism would be lack of outright grip in all (cold/wet/damp/dry) conditions compared to the PSS.
Doing similar driving/mileage, the PSS are lasting twice as long, grip better in all conditions and are quieter. Fronts have about 21k miles on them and have 4mm left, rears have about 18k miles on them and have 4mm left - although my next trip to the 'Ring may take a bit of life out of them if it's dry.
The only downside to the PSS (or upside to the SCM3 if you're a glass-half-full person) is that the PSS aren't as progressive at the (higher) grip limit - i.e. they don't give as much notice when they're going to let go, and as you're cornering in places at up to 20mph faster (on track) they let go at a higher speed - which should never be a problem on the public road
One one hand I preferred the SCM3 (and other lower grip tyres) as they're much easier to slide and have a bit more fun, on the other I prefer the safety of the extra grip of the PSS.
BMWZ4MC & mmm-five,
Thanks for your replies.
When I bought my Z4MC in March it had SCM3s all round with about 6mm on the fronts and 1.6mm rears, but with very even wear on them all. I considered putting something different on the car, but because I intended modding the suspension and because the fronts were decent, I decided to put some new SCM3 rears on, so that I had a baseline of a full set of OEM tyres with excellent tread depth that I could work on. Also, next time I can pick something different, and possibly in different sizes knowing the measurements that I can work with. As part of that decision process before buying the rear tyres, I pushed the original tyres hard on some of my well-used "test" corners and even though the rears were shot, I reckoned that the dry grip was very good. In modding the suspension, I've been able to experience a wide range of different handling characteristics on the same tyres, and TBH, I think the SCM3s actually perform very well, and in my case, as you know, I blame the suspension, rather than the Contis, for the problems of any perceived understeer and squirrelling under hard braking.
I'm sure that there are better and newer tyres to be had and when my present set are worn, I will definitely opt for something else, particularly so that I can run a wider tyre on the rear. In the meantime, I haven't a bad word to say against the Contis.
The problem with selecting tyres is that you can only use the subjective opinions of others as the roughest of guides. I wish the manufacturers had to publish, by law, the coefficient of friction of their tyres in the wet and dry, the hardness of the rubber, the braking distances and the longevity all based on standardised tests, so that proper comparisons could be made between manufacturers and models of tyres so that we could make informed decisions. As it is, you pays your money...
mmm-five, are you saying that you can go around corners on PSS at 20mph faster than on SCM3s? If so, can you give me an example of which corners I might be able to get that advantage at The Ring? I'll be getting PSS next time if so.
Thanks for your replies.
When I bought my Z4MC in March it had SCM3s all round with about 6mm on the fronts and 1.6mm rears, but with very even wear on them all. I considered putting something different on the car, but because I intended modding the suspension and because the fronts were decent, I decided to put some new SCM3 rears on, so that I had a baseline of a full set of OEM tyres with excellent tread depth that I could work on. Also, next time I can pick something different, and possibly in different sizes knowing the measurements that I can work with. As part of that decision process before buying the rear tyres, I pushed the original tyres hard on some of my well-used "test" corners and even though the rears were shot, I reckoned that the dry grip was very good. In modding the suspension, I've been able to experience a wide range of different handling characteristics on the same tyres, and TBH, I think the SCM3s actually perform very well, and in my case, as you know, I blame the suspension, rather than the Contis, for the problems of any perceived understeer and squirrelling under hard braking.
I'm sure that there are better and newer tyres to be had and when my present set are worn, I will definitely opt for something else, particularly so that I can run a wider tyre on the rear. In the meantime, I haven't a bad word to say against the Contis.
The problem with selecting tyres is that you can only use the subjective opinions of others as the roughest of guides. I wish the manufacturers had to publish, by law, the coefficient of friction of their tyres in the wet and dry, the hardness of the rubber, the braking distances and the longevity all based on standardised tests, so that proper comparisons could be made between manufacturers and models of tyres so that we could make informed decisions. As it is, you pays your money...
mmm-five, are you saying that you can go around corners on PSS at 20mph faster than on SCM3s? If so, can you give me an example of which corners I might be able to get that advantage at The Ring? I'll be getting PSS next time if so.
Don't forget that mine is 'standard' apart from tyres & pads, so my speeds have a lot more room for improvementexdos said:mmm-five, are you saying that you can go around corners on PSS at 20mph faster than on SCM3s? If so, can you give me an example of which corners I might be able to get that advantage at The Ring? I'll be getting PSS next time if so.
The 20mph increase was actually in relation to Donington's Craner Curves specifically as the SCM3 seemed to slide quite easily there when pushing on. I just found it much easier than usual to keep up with the Caterwesticls, especially through Craners (although I won't claim I take them 'flat') where I normally find the car moving around a lot.
Druids at Oulton Park has probably given up 10mph too, and it took me most of a warm morning to realise that I wasn't holding on for dear life through it anymore. On one lap I jut rolled off the brakes a little earlier and turned in, carrying more speed than I'd dare with the SCM3s. No fuss, no squeal, no sliding. Tried it a bit quicker the next lap and it went through without complaint. Did it a few more laps and then decided I'd got to where I felt comfortable and didn't push it any more. Still hadn't reached the tyres limits though.
However in relation to the 'Ring, I can't give you corner by corner speed differentials, but I can power out of more corners, more easily, with less drama on the PSSs than I could with SCM3s. I'm rarely looking at the speedo, but I'm probably carrying 10mph extra through Galgenkopf onto the main straight (about an indicated 90mph out vs 80mph out), and I've got he confidence in the tyres that means I'm happy to keep the gas on longer and brake later/deeper than with the SCM3s. The PSS also have the benefit of not squealing around the corners - which comes back to the progressive vs snappy point.
Can't give any times as I simply don't time myself, mainly to avoid the temptation to push myself/the car beyond our capabilities, which in about 15 years of trackdays has meant I've not had to call on a recovery truck for anything other than a tow out of the gavel at Oulton Park's Druid's.
The only other tyres that have given me this much confidence on track was when I was using either P-Zero Corsa or Silverstone S585 tarmac spec tyres on my M5.
mmm-five,
I totally agree that confidence in your tyres/car is what it's all about so that you can be 100% committed with no doubt at the back of your mind. Different makes/models of tyres certainly perform differently to each other: I used to run Falken 451s on my Z3MC and when Falken replaced them with 452s I had to completely re-set my KW V3 suspension to make them work on the same car. So an OEM suspension, with no adjustability, will certainly perform better with certain tyres and it's a case of finding them. It sounds that the PSS is such a tyre for the Z4MC.
I totally agree that confidence in your tyres/car is what it's all about so that you can be 100% committed with no doubt at the back of your mind. Different makes/models of tyres certainly perform differently to each other: I used to run Falken 451s on my Z3MC and when Falken replaced them with 452s I had to completely re-set my KW V3 suspension to make them work on the same car. So an OEM suspension, with no adjustability, will certainly perform better with certain tyres and it's a case of finding them. It sounds that the PSS is such a tyre for the Z4MC.
RedUn said:Any pics of the 15mm spacers? Are the wheels still inside the arches?
My track day insurance company always ask for photographs of the car at the start of each track day to prove it started that day intact. The first two photographs are for that purpose, so have no artistic value but do show what OEM tyre sizes look like with 15mm spacers front and rear. The other pictures were later the same day
Thanks for the piccys it actually looks rather good, it still looks OEM which I likeBMWZ4MC said:RedUn said:Any pics of the 15mm spacers? Are the wheels still inside the arches?
My track day insurance company always ask for photographs of the car at the start of each track day to prove it started that day intact. The first two photographs are for that purpose, so have no artistic value but do show what OEM tyre sizes look like with 15mm spacers front and rear. The other pictures were later the same day
I'm guessing your car is lowered though so maybe that helps with tucking them in the arches? Do you have any pictures of the spacers at standard height?
Did it make a good bit of difference to the handling?