458 - Mixing Michelin Tires | FerrariChat

458 Mixing Michelin Tires

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by Scout123, Apr 12, 2021.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Scout123

    Scout123 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 1, 2017
    489
    With about 2500 miles on a new set of Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, I got a front tire sidewall gash a year ago. I was able to locate the same tire on TireRack and replaced just the two front tires.

    I just got a tire leak on one of the rear tires (9 lbs of pressure each day leaking out). The rear tires have about 8000 miles on them. Front tires I put on only have about 3000 miles on them. I plan to keep the front tires, but cannot locate Pilot Super Sports anymore. I think it should be okay to put the Pilot Sport 4S on the rear while having the Super Sports on the front. All this assumes the slow leak is not repairable (have a hard time getting tire shops to repair low sidewalls on performance cars).
     
  2. v35

    v35 Karting

    May 15, 2013
    190
    Los Angeles
    Full Name:
    Aaron
    It's not ideal, and I wouldn't do any high performance canyon carving on that setup. For cruising around town it should be fine. I had the same setup on my SLS AMG (Supersport fronts, 4S rear) for the same reasons and it didn't feel any more unpredictable on the street than it did before.
     
    Caeruleus11 likes this.
  3. PMiranda

    PMiranda Formula Junior

    Jul 23, 2004
    574
    Austin, TX
    I was forced to do exactly that on my M3 a couple years ago for the same reason. It will understeer noticeably at first, but as the new rears wear in it should even out. I wouldn't do it before going to a track day but for everyday driving it's fine. Worst case, you hate it and swap the fronts also in a week.
     
  4. Scout123

    Scout123 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 1, 2017
    489
    Pilot Super Sports not as sticky?
     
  5. PMiranda

    PMiranda Formula Junior

    Jul 23, 2004
    574
    Austin, TX
    I felt like new super sports were stickier than 4S, but many-heat-cycled super sports are less grippy than new 4S.
     
  6. Scout123

    Scout123 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 1, 2017
    489
    Well, I looked a bit harder and Discount Tire can get me the Super Sports in my size.
     
    Caeruleus11 and axlesofevil like this.
  7. cole328

    cole328 Formula Junior

    May 9, 2014
    882
    I agree. I never mix tires/ treads on any car, let alone a sports car. Bite the bullet and replace


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
    Caeruleus11 likes this.
  8. Dan Hearl

    Dan Hearl Rookie

    Jun 13, 2020
    46
    OH
    Full Name:
    DH
    I had a tear in a sidewall from a 4 post lift mishap a few months ago and found a brand new single front. I had already ordered 4 new backordered PS4S replacements when I found a new replacement Super Sport front. Since PS4S was backordered I had the single SS mounted. When PS4S arrived had them installed. My car has 1200 or so miles and the SS's less than 1k miles and now sitting in my basement in OH for that next 'mishap'. Finding Ferrari spec Michelins was more difficult than it needed to be
     
  9. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
    899
    Homosassa, FL USA
    Full Name:
    Ian Joubert
    You will have no problems. .01% of people in the world could tell the difference between tires.
     
    Nuvolari and rob5819 like this.
  10. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
    6,023
    Hopefully some place nice.
    Full Name:
    A.B
    It really depens on the individual tyre. People seem absolutely fine mixing oe with non-oe, but when it comes to this, they are all up in arms. I'd much rather mix non-oe MPSS and MPS4S than say BMW spec MPS4S with say Porsche spec MPS4S. The MPSS and MPS4S is not that far,apart, and can work just fine. Especially when you put the newer tyre on the back, it will often cause understeer rather than oversteer, and for the average driver that is safe. If you had,say a Cali T with MPSS, and you install Porto MPS4S on one axle, then the difference would be minimal and safe.

    But when we are talking mixing OE specific tyres, things can be a lot more tricky and result in very odd behaviour. This is why I usually suggest getting a matched set if possible. There are OE tyres that mix and match better than others. Porsche and Ferrari tyres are in this category, and usually do fine with each other if one knows what to look for. They also mix well with non-OE. But Merc and BMW shoes can be a totally different ballgame with built in camber and what not.

    Sent from my SM-G930F using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
    458 Spider 0414 likes this.
  11. Nuvolari

    Nuvolari F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2002
    6,370
    Toronto / SoCal
    Full Name:
    Rob C.
    Best advice here.
     
  12. matt lane

    matt lane Rookie

    Jul 17, 2007
    41
    Canada
    Full Name:
    Matthew Lane
    Yup, I bet you nearly zero 458 street drivers here are either understeering or oversteering their tires on public roads. Other than the occasional driver error :)

    On track, sure, but then we're probably not talking about Michelin street tires.

    Cheers

    Matt
     
  13. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
    6,023
    Hopefully some place nice.
    Full Name:
    A.B
    Not agreeing on this. The understeer in both the 458 and 488 is quite noticeable and pretty annoying.
    On track it's an actual problem. But that's not to say that there aren't some 458 owners that never gets even 50% close to what the car is capable of, or have enough connection to the car as drivers to even care. Have met plenty of exotic car drivers who don't even know the difference.

    But I think you underestimate quite a few drivers too, if you think there are next to no drivers on the road who does not notice and are not bothered by it. You don't have to be a seasoned track rat or drive your car on the limit to notice such a thing.
     
  14. matt lane

    matt lane Rookie

    Jul 17, 2007
    41
    Canada
    Full Name:
    Matthew Lane
    Fair enough, I shouldn't have been so dramatic :). Said another way, I have noticed that, of the small subset of enthusiast (Porsche, BMW, et al) drivers that first attend a driving school, most are nowhere near safely or consistently exploiting traction whether oversteer or understeer. And that pattern continues with even a number of days of instruction. I wouldn't expect Ferrari drivers to be any different.

    On the street, which is what I was referring to, I agree you want safe tires and should certainly match compounds within reason. But I still doubt that ultimate traction is going to make a difference driving on public roads. It certainly doesn't for me, I am never even close to 'the limit' on a motorway or on a secondary road.

    Cheers

    Matt
     
  15. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
    899
    Homosassa, FL USA
    Full Name:
    Ian Joubert
    I have MPS4S on the car, had to change out to my spare rear wheels which have Pirellis... worn out bald with WAYYYYYYY too many heat cycles on them. I can feel the balance is way off front to rear, but it sure does drift more easily!

    FLAT!

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     

Share This Page