shiners780

When is the last time Hoosier changed their R6 compound?

Also, how old is too old for new tires?

shiners780

No response? Perhaps my questions weren't clear...

Is an R6 with a 2006 date code the exact same compound as an R6 with a 2009 date code? Or did they change the compound at some point along the way?

Secondly, would you accept a "new" R6 tire with a 2006 date code? I was told that's all that is available from Hoosier in 245/45/17. Plausible?

Bull

I don't know of any announced changes in the R6 compound from '06 to now.

Regarding the age of the tires, assuming they were stored properly by the tire dealer, I would be fine with '06s because I would use them up this season. I wouldn't want to use a tire that was more than 5 years old, and less than that is much better. Those tires should be goof for this season and next (assuming you too store them properly).

As to the accuracy of the availability claim, I would verify it with a couple of other dealers, or call theHoosier Product Managers directly (number on the Hoosier website). They have always been helpful to me.

shiners780

Thanks Bob. I will give Hoosier a call to see what they say.

mikew968

I would not be too happy with a 3 year old tire as new. The R-6 should be the same since '06

todinlaw

We just had Hoosier come in and do a talk about tires and mostly the R6. They do not recommend holding the tire for more that two years. That said, if you have them use them, I just would not pay the full retail price for a two + year old tire. Your tires will still be safe but just not the same grip as a fresh set that still have all the oils in the rubber. Compound to my knowledge is the same, at least not advertised as such.

Brian P

It's interesting. If you really believe in the purpose of an initial heat cycle, then the age of the tires should not matter as much (provided that they were properly stored).

daigo

The age of the tires absolutely matters. For that matter, every month that goes by has an effect. In reality, most of us could not tell the difference between a 2 month old tire and a 10 month old tire. But two years? Definitely not the same performance. You would notice this more on a rain tire.

Brian P

Really? What do you base this on? Did you do back to back tests with tires that were 2 years apart?

Granted, I might agree with you here, but I wouldn't say it so definitively without real proof of my own.

daigo

I wasn't looking to debate or offend you. Just offering my experience.

Some of us don't have unlimited budgets to do the type of testing you're suggesting. And after racing for the better part of 20 years I can still humbly say that I don't have the sensitivity of a pro racer driver (to feel small differences) even if I could do back to back tests. Most racers here could not. However, having worked with professional teams for many years I have been fortunate enough to witness amongst many other things, the difference tire age makes at a highly competitive level. Even at the National amateur level such as the Runoffs. Just ask any of the front runners if they would run any tire more than a couple of months old for the final race.

As for my experience in running old tires versus new back to back, yes, I have run tires from a previous season on many occasions in a practice session and a new set for qualifying and race. But as for comparing anything less than a year, no.

Brian P

No offense taken. As I mentioned, I likely agree with you, but to be honest, I've never looked at the dates on my tires. I do know that my lap times have always improved from one event to the next, and it seems improbable that I've always gotten new tires.

Also, I know that I'm as fast on tires with 10 heat cycles as I am on tires that are brand new. I've had people drive my car on tires that had 22 heat cycles and they've nearly set the class record at Watkins Glen on them... Given that, I'm willing to guess that older tires aren't as big of a deal as many might think.

Bull

Two additional thoughts:

1. Is there a "measurable" difference? Likely yes. Is there a difference that can be noticed and utilized by 90% of the people at Des or Club Races? Likely no. Again, this assumes 2-3 YO tires that were properly stored. Of course, if I were preparing a car for a pro race, had a sponsor and available funds, I would run very new tires, just like many other components of the car. (not the case with the PO)

2. If, as the OP was told, there are no newer R6s available today in that size, I would buy and use these '06 tires rather than go without or switch from the R6s. Of course, if newer R6s were available at the same price, I would get the newest available...but that remains to be seen.

tmark

At the risk of being helpful:
Jeff Speer at Hoosier is the guy to talk to. 574.784.3152
-Mark

shiners780

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I just spoke with Hoosier. From both a performance and safety standpoint of using three year old tires, there is no problem as long as they have been stored properly.

According to them, the R6 compound has not changed since their inception in 2006; therefore an R6 with a 2006 date code has the same compound and construction as an R6 with a 2009 date code.

Any tires I have purchased in the past (not R6's) have had date codes within the past 6-8 months. Just wanted to be sure I wasn't mounting tires that were mismatched or potentially unsafe.

Bull

As I suggested in post #3.