Protect your Corsa's from cool spring temps

Bruce H. · 04-22-2015

Last year I phoned Pirelli and confirmed that they don't recommend the Corsa's be exposed to temps below 50F/10C. Not to drive, and not even to move or roll the car on. The person I spoke to said that he had personally seen Corsa's that had survived as low as about 40F/5C. Some may think that is nonsense, but that's what is recommended, and he says they sell a lot of them as replacements for ones cracked in low temps. Porsche ships cars with this tire in heated trailers in cool temps to prevent cracking these tires.

Vipers like the TA2.0 with these tires that have left the factory in cold temps recently should have their tires inspected carefully for damage as a precaution, even if it was ultimately delivered to a warmer part of the country. It was 32F/0C at the factory this morning. I received a new set from Atlanta yesterday, put them indoors immediately right off the truck, and it snowed here this morning! If you're waiting for your new TA to ship that may not be such a bad thing.

I had to store mine mid-October to pull the wheels off and store inside last year and won't see suitable overnight temps over even the next two weeks according to the 14 day forecast. Hopefully they will be wrong as my first track day is May 6th. Daytime high looks good though so I may put the wheels on the night before and put a bit of heat in the garage.

**J TNT** · 04-22-2015

WOW !!! Good info Bruce ! Can the tires sustain cold temps if not moved ?

Bruce H. · 04-22-2015

Originally Posted by J TNT

WOW !!! Good info Bruce ! Can the tires sustain cold temps if not moved ?

It's pretty well known among track tire users that R-compound tires can't even be safely stored off the vehicle in cold temps. Tire Rack has warned about it for ever, as have the manufactures, whether driven or parked. Obviously some have, or think they have, gotten away with it, but unless they really carefully examine the tires for evidence of damage they really wouldn't know for sure. At the very least the performance and safety of the tire will be shot, and not a good idea to knowingly take that chance.

I'm not sure many summer max performance tires are rated for much colder temps either, so it pays to check the fine print.

**viper04** · 04-22-2015

Originally Posted by Bruce H.

Last year I phoned Pirelli and confirmed that they don't recommend the Corsa's be exposed to temps below 50F/10C. Not to drive, and not even to move or roll the car on. The person I spoke to said that he had personally seen Corsa's that had survived as low as about 40F/5C. Some may think that is nonsense, but that's what is recommended, and he says they sell a lot of them as replacements for ones cracked in low temps. Porsche ships cars with this tire in heated trailers in cool temps to prevent cracking these tires.

Vipers like the TA2.0 with these tires that have left the factory in cold temps recently should have their tires inspected carefully for damage as a precaution, even if it was ultimately delivered to a warmer part of the country. It was 32F/0C at the factory this morning. I received a new set from Atlanta yesterday, put them indoors immediately right off the truck, and it snowed here this morning! If you're waiting for your new TA to ship that may not be such a bad thing.

I had to store mine mid-October to pull the wheels off and store inside last year and won't see suitable overnight temps over even the next two weeks according to the 14 day forecast. Hopefully they will be wrong as my first track day is May 6th. Daytime high looks good though so I may put the wheels on the night before and put a bit of heat in the garage.

Jack B, was the one to first tell me about this, was shocked when he told me, did not think they were that affected by cold temps.

**Dman** · 04-22-2015

Goodyear F1s were notorious for cold weather cracking on the GT500s. Didn't know it was possible on the Corsa's, just figured it was the crappy GYs. Good to know. I keep my garage from going lower than 40degrees, but did store my original GY F1s in the house since they were so susceptible to this.

**ViperSmith** · 04-22-2015

Seemingly every new Z06 delivered had this issue as they sat outside in sub zero temps after being built.

**swexlin** · 04-22-2015

My car was delivered to me from Bill P last October with 7200 miles, it has about 7800 on it now. Last fall I was routinely driving in sub-50 temps, it sat in my unheated garage all winter (and we had one of the coldest on record), and I even had the car out a couple time with temps in the 20s. My Corsa tires appear fine (not too jinx myself)! Just sayin....

**Voice of Reason** · 04-22-2015

I definitely avoid driving the car when temps are below 50, for both cracking and traction concerns. But it's not realistic for me to avoid storing them in below freezing temps. I've been fine two winters in a row storing in my unheated garage, I just air them up a little to help fight off flat spotting.

**swexlin** · 04-22-2015

Originally Posted by Voice of Reason

I definitely avoid driving the car when temps are below 50, for both cracking and traction concerns. But it's not realistic for me to avoid storing them in below freezing temps. I've been fine two winters in a row storing in my unheated garage, I just air them up a little to help fight off flat spotting.

Yes, this exactly, airing up helps I think.

**swexlin** · 04-23-2015

We're having an "Indian Winter" here right now, temps in the 30s this morning, and tomorrow and Saturday. The car has to come out tomorrow morning to go in for service, and early Saturday to go to a show in Hershey, so I will examine the tires, and report back.

Good info here, to be sure, so we have to be careful, for sure.

Bruce H. · 04-23-2015

Originally Posted by swexlin

I will examine the tires, and report back.

The only visible sign of damage that I am aware of is fine cracking in the tread blocks, usually running more along the tread rather than across it, but there may be other ways as well. Basically the softer tire compound used in R compound tires is changed by cold temps and becomes brittle. It may not be until they are driven that they actually crack, don't know, but keeping an eye on them is a good idea. It is hard to protect them from cold temps in much of the country I know.

Yesterday was the first anniversary of my factory delivery which got me thinking about the tire issue again. The factory kindly agreed to delay production of the car from its original January date to April in order to avoid a cold weather delivery.

Hope your tires are okay.

**J TNT** · 04-23-2015

Thanks for sharing ! Will watch out for it !

**Voice of Reason** · 04-23-2015

Anyone wanting to see cracked tires just take a stroll over to the corvette forum. Countless cars have reported being delivered with very visably cracked tires.

**swexlin** · 04-23-2015

Originally Posted by Voice of Reason

Anyone wanting to see cracked tires just take a stroll over to the corvette forum. Countless cars have reported being delivered with very visably cracked tires.

I read those posts. I believe most of the were the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. But it's the same deal.

**Bryan Savage** · 05-04-2015

Say huh?? I've driven my Corsas while snowing and in the single digits (°F). Guess I'd better have a looksee..

**swexlin** · 05-04-2015

Originally Posted by Bryan Savage

Say huh?? I've driven my Corsas while snowing and in the single digits (°F). Guess I'd better have a looksee..

While this is good to know your tires are ok....WTF were you doing driving the Viper in the snow? You're a brave man....

**timberwolf** · 05-04-2015

One if my corsas was switched on last second by the dealer and we checked on the roadforce machine and i have a pretty bad flat spot. So these tires dont like cold and dont like sitting.

**Bryan Savage** · 05-04-2015

Originally Posted by swexlin

While this is good to know your tires are ok....WTF were you doing driving the Viper in the snow? You're a brave man....

Got just about 7,500 miles on the TA in the last year. Living in the middle of Pennsylvania means participating in events in both the Ohio and PA/WV chapters. It's 4-8 hours of driving for any event, and sometimes the weather turns to crap. Taking the car to Bloomsburg in January, Pittsburgh in February, and someplace in the Poconos in March means that I get caught in the snow from time to time. I'd not head into a storm on purpose, but as long as you don't do anything stupid, you'll be fine.

Remember that snow and ice fill in potholes to make the dirt roads smoother, and "HE DROVE WHAT???" is a pretty amusing question to overhear twenty times at car club events...

**swexlin** · 05-05-2015

Originally Posted by Bryan Savage

Got just about 7,500 miles on the TA in the last year. Living in the middle of Pennsylvania means participating in events in both the Ohio and PA/WV chapters. It's 4-8 hours of driving for any event, and sometimes the weather turns to crap. Taking the car to Bloomsburg in January, Pittsburgh in February, and someplace in the Poconos in March means that I get caught in the snow from time to time. I'd not head into a storm on purpose, but as long as you don't do anything stupid, you'll be fine.

Remember that snow and ice fill in potholes to make the dirt roads smoother, and "HE DROVE WHAT???" is a pretty amusing question to overhear twenty times at car club events...

Wow. Seriously, between the potholes ad salt, I say again, youre a brave man!