So, now that 85% of the phreaks in here are getting so big into auto-x and tracking, how are your tires holding up? I hear typical wear is about 5 or 6 auto-x events before they need replacement. Anyone notice the wear? With the few I have been to already, I am noticing my tires wearing rather rapidly. This will be expensive. :(

I can't say that I noticed, but I've only been to 1 event...

But, it wouldn't suprise me if you only got 5-6 Events... :eek:

This is going to add up...

I'm seeing wear but not bad. Yes faster then just street use but I'll get the whole summer out of the set so I'm not complaining.

I'm seeing wear but not bad. Yes faster then just street use but I'll get the whole summer out of the set so I'm not complaining.

But he is seeing faster than usual wear on his clothing...

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:stickoutt

Racing can be very stressful.

Tire wear will definitely increase. A huge factor is the surface of the site where you race. There are folks that go through a complete set of r-compounds in one Wendover event. The E-Center surface has way less grip as you know by now, but therefore it is way easier on the tires.

The other factor is the alignment of the wheels, which can make a big difference. Autocrossers like negative camber, which may increase the tire wear on the inside of the tire. You can have your tires flipped to even out the wear.

I'm not talking about air pressure, but I do want to mention that driving style and skill level also make a difference. If you constantly overdrive your car you will plow through a lot of turns, essentially abusing your tires as breaks. Also if you go crazy and take this more as a drifting event, practicing your power-slides, that obviously is hard on your tires.

In other words, as you get faster and less abusive of your car and smoother with your inputs, that will reduce a bit of the tire wear.

I'm switching to cheaper street tires going from BS PS03 to Kumho MX. Racing on r-compounds is part of the cost of the hobby. For schools I use street tires.

In other words, yes, you have to pay to play. :)

I've thought about having my tires flipped (right to left, and left to right), but have heard some negatives to that. I think the point that one mechanic made was that flipping the tires puts stress on the structures holding the tires. A tire partially worn due to negative camber which is flipped will then react with positive camber on a structure trying to impose negative camber (does that make sense?).

Your view would be appreciated. (I've been looking for an excuse to get to WheelWerks as one of my rims got a bit scraped at the airport recently.)

My falkens wear pretty quickly. The good thing is that I can get them for about $80/tire.

:( That's why I don't race AutoX. I will drag once in a while, but current bills have the priority over new tires...
In addition to that, the stresses that it puts on the rear shock mounts and differential mounts on the Z3 have been well documented. I'd rather not have to deal with those kinds of issues in the future. :help



So, now that 85% of the phreaks in here are getting so big into auto-x and tracking, how are your tires holding up? I hear typical wear is about 5 or 6 auto-x events before they need replacement. Anyone notice the wear? With the few I have been to already, I am noticing my tires wearing rather rapidly. This will be expensive. :(

I was just laughing at JBs tires. My rears are toast after this weekend.

I get about 80-100 runs on 245 Hoosiers. I had 64 runs on my last set before I pulled them for the Kumhos. They could be flipped and last another event or two. Hoosiers wear much worse than Kumhos. Especially if you don't have camber.

I'd easily get a full season out of street tires. But as Uli said, the smoother you are the longer they are going to last. Go plowing into every corner and you'll be lucky to get a single event out of Hoosiers.

If you only ran at the ECenter, you could go for a decade before wearing out your tires ;) Seriously though, I'd guess that one Wendover event is probably equivalent to 5 ECenter's.

... Go plowing into every corner and you'll be lucky to get a single event out of Hoosiers. ... .

... If you constantly overdrive your car you will plow through a lot of turns, essentially abusing your tires as breaks. ... .

But can anyone tell me why my front tires were gone after two days at Wendover? :rolleyes

I have some pcar turbo twists and hankook ventus z211 coming in the mail. Tires with numbers in the name are going to make me really fast.

You all should have learned this in the 1990 smash hit featuring John C. Reiley & Cary Elwes: Days of Thunder.

I know I did.

...
I'm not talking about air pressure, but I do want to mention that driving style and skill level also make a difference. If you constantly overdrive your car you will plow through a lot of turns, essentially abusing your tires as breaks. Also if you go crazy and take this more as a drifting event, practicing your power-slides, that obviously is hard on your tires.

In other words, as you get faster and less abusive of your car and smoother with your inputs, that will reduce a bit of the tire wear.
...

I think I have about 2000 street miles on my tires, maybe less.

After 2 schools, a couple events in Wendover as well as the E Center I figure I've eaten up 1/4 of thier life. Fronts seem to have taken a bit more of a beating then the rear :(

You all should have learned this in the 1990 smash hit featuring John C. Reiley & Cary Elwes: Days of Thunder.

I know I did.

kinda like when I announce to my wife that "I'm dropping the HAMMER"
and she kindly replys: "NO YOU'RE NOT!"

:lol

Just do it. :thumbup:

We lost some tire at wendover. Maybe because the car was being used twice as much as usual. but its all worth it.

GO GO Fuzions!!!!!


Ha ha those tires surely got a beatn'. :lol

I think I lost the rears sometime around the time Ethan (front wheel maniac) decided to power slide my car on my second run. :lol


now it's wheel and tire shopping time!!!!!

FWIW: Flipping tires is common practice.

If you go with agressive negative camber to maximize turn-in performance you will find yourself flipping tires.

If you want maximum wear out of your tires you would go with the factory alignment and follow the factory tire rotation recommendation.

I've thought about having my tires flipped (right to left, and left to right), but have heard some negatives to that. I think the point that one mechanic made was that flipping the tires puts stress on the structures holding the tires. A tire partially worn due to negative camber which is flipped will then react with positive camber on a structure trying to impose negative camber (does that make sense?).

Your view would be appreciated. (I've been looking for an excuse to get to WheelWerks as one of my rims got a bit scraped at the airport recently.)

I've thought about having my tires flipped (right to left, and left to right), but have heard some negatives to that. I think the point that one mechanic made was that flipping the tires puts stress on the structures holding the tires. A tire partially worn due to negative camber which is flipped will then react with positive camber on a structure trying to impose negative camber (does that make sense?).

Your view would be appreciated. (I've been looking for an excuse to get to WheelWerks as one of my rims got a bit scraped at the airport recently.)
A symetrical tire can be mounted on either side with no ill effects on the internal engineered structure of the sidewall.

If I am understanding the mechanic's point you are trying to make, it is incorrect. A tire will withstand the cornering force of the vehicle on either it's right or left side. An asymetrical tire could do this as well. Due to the outside sidewall generally being thicker "blocked" than the inside; the tread pattern might be less efficient but it can still work if you are on a strict tire budget.

A symetrical tire can be mounted on either side with no ill effects on the internal engineered structure of the sidewall....
True, but I think the point is more about the rubber itself.

Actually, the elastomer breaks and rebinds based on curing temperature alone and assistied by sulphur sites. You don't need mechanical energy to accomplish annealing, other than when you use it as a source of frictional energy to convert to the necessary cure temp. Annealing is a metallurgical process, not a mechanical one.
I doubt that the rebinding of the elastomer will majorly depend on the way the tire was mounted.

In other words, if the tire wear suggests flipping don't hesitate to do so, unless you have money to burn.

I believe my mechanic's point was more about potential negative effects on the tie rods and other structure supporting the wheel. These structures are attempting to impose a negative camber on a flipped tire that is reacting with positive camber. The result is much more strain than if the tire has no wear or has not been flipped.

My guess is that a car that runs ARRROUNNNDD 175 mph, has tie rods that wouldnt care if the tire is pushing or pulling.


This does explain why I wasnt going as fast as I should have last weekend. Every one of my tires is going the wrong way. :eyecrazy. It has nothing to do with me overdriving. :)

I believe my mechanic's point was more about potential negative effects on the tie rods and other structure supporting the wheel. These structures are attempting to impose a negative camber on a flipped tire that is reacting with positive camber. The result is much more strain than if the tire has no wear or has not been flipped.
So the uneven tire wear is bending the tie rods is your concern? (obviously exaggerating a bit here). I'd be happy to take my chances on that one considering what the suspension has to take all day long from the road. ;)