Think these tires are toast?

Edit: Just realized I didn't post this in GRM section like intended. If possible this can be moved.

Before plopping down cash on my second set of tires in just a few months, I figure it's worth seeing what the masses think. I've got about 70 autocross runs, 1 full track day, and around 3000 miles on these rt615k+ tires. My alignment has been set at -3.5 degrees of camber up front, which has been wearing the inside edge way quicker than the rest of the tire. I swapped the front to the rear midway through mileage to help curb the wear, but I'm not able to flip these so that's all I could do.  Saturday I adjusted camber to a less aggressive 2.7 degrees, but figure it's too late. I've got another day at Hallett scheduled for the 21st and just don't think these will last the 2.5 hour drive there, full day lapping, and 2.5 hour drive back.

Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

Untitled by hatchethairy, on Flickr

Flip them on the wheels. They will be good for a couple of more runs. 

2.7 degrees of camber might still be too much. I'm running just under 2 on the G35 and it wears tires like this:

In reply to Toyman01 :

I've thought about flipping them, but I don't think the tire shop will do it. Maybe if I bring the wheels up there not on the car?

Right now my rear is right around 2 so I want to have a smidge more up front, so I may still drop it a little more. I'm going to monitor wear and heat much better with the next set.

Take an extra set of tires and wheels and run them, unless it rains.

In reply to Donebrokeit :

Working on buying another set of wheels, but need to wait a couple months before I can get to that point. For now these are all I got.

Moved 

Toast.  Not safe to drive on the street.  God help you if you hit rain on the way home.

I realize this is GRM and safety is generally poo-pooed, but I’m amazed with stuff folks try to get but with.  Your life and the life of others on the road are worth more than trying to get one more day out of thrashed tires.

New set coming in Thursday. Local Firestone shop got me a great deal on another set of rt615k+ mounted/balanced out the door with an additional $100 off with a coupon. I would flip and run these on the track only, but even the wear bars in the middle are almost gone. I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on a track set of wheels, but trying to be patient and find the deal that works for my needs not just the price.

Toe wears tires more than camber. 

maj75 said:

Toast.  Not safe to drive on the street.  God help you if you hit rain on the way home.

I realize this is GRM and safety is generally poo-pooed, but I’m amazed with stuff folks try to get but with.  Your life and the life of others on the road are worth more than trying to get one more day out of thrashed tires.

And to think of all the times I died driving R888s in the rain, on the street or at the track. Or driving R1Rs, that were on the wear bars, on track in the rain.

This is actually my ghost typing since I've been dead for years. 

I don't think that safety is "poo-pooed" here. I think most realize a comment like yours is WAY over the top/grandstanding.  

z31maniac said:

Toe wears tires more than camber. 

Agreed, but with zero toe it's probably not my cause as far as I can tell.

z31maniac said:

And to think of all the times I died driving R888s in the rain, on the street or at the track. Or driving R1Rs, that were on the wear bars, on track in the rain.

This is actually my ghost typing since I've been dead for years. 

 

I don't think that safety is "poo-pooed" here. I think most realize a comment like yours is WAY over the top/grandstanding.  

QFT

At the OP, did not know you only had one set of wheels. Good call to buy new tires.

Donebrokeit said:

Take an extra set of tires and wheels and run them, unless it rains.

This, they'll probably be bald by the time you get back home but for track use, but that's called using them completely. I don't throw out tires that still have treads, I just don't run them in the rain. Ideally I run them 'till they start showing cords or overheating too easily.

I was in a similar boat a couple weeks ago at Gridlife. My 225 Rival S tires were wearing the outside shoulders out because I don't have enough camber, so I flipped them on the wheel even though they're asymmetric. I made it through about 6 more track hours that way, and didn't die when it deluged at Road Atlanta, though I did bring a backup set that I borrowed from a friend just-in-case at Gridlife.

Those look pretty good for a track day tire.

Would not want to run in rain, but I'd think you have a track day or 2 left in them!

Reduce camber.  Increase caster.     Reduces wear, improves handling.

 Tires are on the death watch.

In reply to z31maniac :

My thoughts exactly. This guy has no real world experience in this scenario. Hell, You can drive slicks in the rain. Just have to be.... what’s that word..... COGNIZANT. 

iceracer said:

Reduce camber.  Increase caster.     Reduces wear, improves handling.

 Tires are on the death watch.

I'm already around 7 degrees of caster with an offset bushing plus the plates adjusted to the max. Unfortunately the only thing I can really change is camber.

I also wonder how much a stretched tire effects the wear? These are 235 40 18 on a 9.5" wide rim, with the next ones will be jumping one size up to a 245 40 18.

Stretch and squeeze, within a sensible range, has very little effect on wear.

Since you have a generous amount of caster already I'd say that suggests even more that you need to bring your static camber closer to zero, I'd say try -2deg.

_ said:

In reply to z31maniac :

My thoughts exactly. This guy has no real world experience in this scenario. Hell, You can drive slicks in the rain. Just have to be.... what’s that word..... COGNIZANT. 

I don't know about that, but there seems to be this desire to be outwardly "OMG I'm safe and you are an idiot" nowadays. 

I've driven both Star Specs and Pirelli P-Zero's in slush before, not because I wanted to, but because I had to. Slow down, leave extra space, etc. I don't get the "these tires suck in the rain" because you can't drive 95 mph on the interstate in a torrential downpour without some hydroplaning. 

Drive to the conditions, whether it's the street or the track. 

In reply to GameboyRMH :

I've got an autocross Saturday and Sunday this weekend. I'm afraid to go the extreme opposite of what I've been running, so I'll try the 2.7 first on Saturday and adjust accordingly. If it requires only 2 up front I may consider taking a 1/2 degree out of the back.

Tire pyrometer is a much faster and less expensive way to find out what your tires really want (you can make changes before they wear out instead of after)

In reply to z31maniac :

I’ve driven slicks in the rain. Just like you, I didn’t want to. But it wasn’t impossible and wasn’t unsafe. I just had to know what amount of pedal pressure would lock up the front tires. It’s no worse than driving in the snow and ice, and we do that all the time. Dangerous? Nope. Stupid? Could be. 

Any inexpensive pyrometer suggestions? I'd get infrared from HF but some people say it's not accurate enough with the amount of cool down by the time you park.

In reply to _ :

I more meant not sure he doesn't have any real world experience. Just that some feel the need to be overly pious online these days.