radial

Hi all,

I've got some old Bridgestone Potenza tyres that were made in 2012 so they are past their best for sure. Just replacing them with Pirelli's now.

BUT, the question is, what about using those old tyres for a few track laps?
I know they are past their best, and I probably shouldn't push them too hard, and I probably won't get many laps.
Just thought I might be able to get a few go's round on the old ones before I bin them... don't really want to use £800 worth of new rubber on the track... my wallet isn't that deep yet!

Is there any big issues with doing that on older tyres?

cds72911

The track seems to me like the worst place to use up an old set of tires. You are likely to be pushing your car closer to it and your limit than you ever would on the street, so you want top performance. Any failure could be catastrophic and potentially costly. 800 pounds is likely to pale in comparison to the cost of damage to your vehicle (and potentially the vehicles of other drivers) should you have a failure on track. A new set of tires is cheap insurance to avoid this and to get the most out of your track time. Racing is a costly hobby.

maj75

The temperatures and forces your tires will see on the track are much higher than on the street. If they are not good enough for the street (and those are definitely past it) don’t run them on the track, unless it’s one of those silly drift competitions where the tires are supposed to blow up anyway...

Gofishracing

.

radial

Just a thought.
Figured that would be the consensus.
Thanks for the input all.

wsrgklt

I have a set of old tires on my original rims from the previous owner. Once my car is running well again, I’m thinking of mounting the old wheels and tires, finding a safe location, and doing some epic smokey burnouts until the cords are showing.

Prelude Guy

Assuming your tires are just older but still have a decent amount of meat on them, you will be perfectly fine using them on the track. It doesn't sound like you are in the advanced group or anything like that either.

Imo000

With all that weight over the rear tires, it isn't easy to do burnouts in a 996.

Looneybin

you "MAY" not even pass track tech inspection if they have old date codes and are showing signs of sidewall cracking.
maybe use them for an autocross??

ttt123

I did my first track day couple weeks ago... no way would I ever try that with out good rubber.. that was intense, and fun

dkraige

My official position as a DE instructor is that this is a very bad idea and you should't do it.

My unofficial position as a cheapskate is that you'd be just fine. If you're in a novice group running at a reasonable pace, with an instructor keeping you from abusing the car, and the tires don't have any obvious dry rot, cracks, or blisters. If you're an expert driver running at a fast pace, you'd probably still be fine from a safety perspective, but you'd be disappointed at the performance of the tires since they won't be as soft and grippy as when they were new.

Here is some sage advice on life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag1I...=youtu.be&t=51

Gofishracing

I don't get into cars with old tires ....

808Bill

How would you plan to get home in the unlikely event one blew and you crashed?

dkraige

Totally agree. This is pretty much true of any track event if you aren't trailering your car, and something everybody should consider before going to the track. Any mechanical failure, crash, etc. could leave you with no way home. Have a rental car company on speed-dial, or bring a friend with a 2nd car But mostly, take good care of your car and drive within your limits so you go home happy

Prelude Guy

The same way he would get the car home if he had any other type of failure.

Anything can fail on a car when you push it hard. Even a brand new tire can blow out. That's the reality of tracking cars and the risks we take.