bml376

Last weekend while doing track prep, I found that my LR tire had a screw in the tire (NT01). The screw did not puncture the tire. In fact, I adjusted the pressures back to my "street" driving pressures and its held pressure just fine the whole week.

Question is, should I trust the tire? or replace it? There is still life in the tire as far as tread and compound goes.

My second set of track wheels has a fresh new set of NT01, ready to go, but I also just hate to waste tires that still have life in them.

Thanks.

Matt Romanowski

How deep was it and where? Sometimes the object doesn't get though the tread block, but t could be deep enough to get to the cords.

bml376

Thanks Matt for the reply. The screw I pulled out, was about 6-7 mm and it punctured close to the outside of the tire, in one of the larger sections of the contact patch.

Olemiss540

Why not rotate in the old 3 tires and use them up? Can you throw on the new set until they are similarly heat cycled and then swap in old to mix them up?

Matt Romanowski

6mm deep in the tread block should be fin3.

GVA-SFO

@bml376
I think you should not ask us for that one. This is way too much responsibilities.
If yourself, you have less than a pure 100% sure feeling, i.e.: even a single doubt, then go with to a good tire shop to discuss with a real tire specialist.
I would not count on "us" for such decision !
Very sincerely.

GVA-SFO

Now, if still you would like to ask me, here is my position:

NEVER take ANY chance on tires. These are one of the most important pieces of our car. And like for brake pads, where the good track rule should be to not use pads when less than 50% remain, simply because the heat path goes from rotor to pad to caliper pistons and ..to liquid ! In this path, the pads “meat” is the best temperature isolation.
Or : if we can do that for the pads, ..we definitively should also do that for the tires, ..and never wait to go on “end of rubber” !

In my side, I had a kind of similar situation. While inspecting my NT01 (before going to the tragic day in Laguna Seca two weeks ago), I found a kind of “funny cut”, not as low as up to the cords, ..but a cut, still ! These NTs would have been good to probably 2 more track days !

I simply decided to throw them out, and used another new set that I had, i.e.: BF Goodrich G Force R1 (BF Goodrich ..is Michelin !!)

Btw, do not ask what I "prefer", (i.e.: NT or the "R1"), the first day of these “Michelin”, ..was a pretty bad day !

OK, it is true, ..this is much more than two cents !
But..

Frank 993 C4S

gbuff

My tire guy says if it's on the last block of tread next to the sidewall he will not repair it, if that's what it needs......and this is for the street.

I'd take it in and pull it off the rim to see exactly what you've got--better safe than sorry, especially if I'm near you on track if/when it fails.

Gary

g-50cab

wheels tires and brakes - don't take any chances at the track =

Quadcammer

Take a pic, im sure its fine

dan212

Not sure I would trust the tire. That's me. It's not enough to just fill it and see if it holds pressure.. Drive it ***** out and see if it holds. If this idea makes you nervous you have your answer.

But it does sound like you have some wear in the tires and that where a strong opinion comes in. Mixing a fresh tire with a tire "that still has life" is a bad idea. Unless the suspect in question only has a few cycles on it replace in pairs

bml376

Thanks for all the suggestions. I just put on a fresh brand new set for my upcoming track day. I'll likely toss the old set, or perhaps use them on a skidpad or autocross where the stakes are lower if the tire were to fail.

Olemiss540

Why would you toss 3 perfectly good mounted track tires? Once your 4 new tires are heat cycled in, you can rotate in the 3 that have no damage and use them up.

This sport is uselessly expensive without throwing perfectly good stuff out the window IMO.

mark kibort

they are more than likely, just fine. whats the worst that can happen, if it starts to leak, you might be down a few PSI at the end of a session. pin holes do not cause blowouts and if it not down to the cords, there will be no issues. have you ever tried to put a radial plug into a tire? if the tire has ANY steel belts, this is the strongest part of the tire. you NEVER see blowouts in the tread area, always in the sidewalls. personally, i would not worry about it at all.