I am amazed that you got a set of Hoosiers to last that long. I have been running them for the past few years and I have had the same issue as you. Pretty much, you are starting the tire pressure out too low and/or not letting them come up to temp before you really start to push the car. The underinflated/cold tire when pushed before it is up to temp, caused the sidewall to flex, especially with the rear engined car, with all the weight back there.......the tire sidewall cannot handle the load and you see tread separation. You are extremely lucky you caught it before it **** the bed out on the track.

Whether you buy new ones or used ones, you need to let the tire come up to operating temp (depending on ambient temp and how much braking your do) BEFORE you start to push it. This should eliminate the issue. As for # of heat cycles, I thought 8-10 is the sweet spot, then they begin to fall off. I am surprised that you got so many heat cycles out of them.

As for tracking the tires for such a long time, the tire is the only contact patch you have with the track, is it worth a crash and/or injury to use a set of tires for sooooo long? Isn't your life worth more than a set of tires? If you are OCD as I am about my car, then why would you want to tread on thin ice for something so critical to your health and safety and the safety of your car (let along your track colleagues)? I would suspect you are not using the cheapest helmet, right? Same logic should apply to tires.........

and yes, simply put speed costs )a lot of) money, brake pads, rotors, tires, fuel.....they are all go into the "consumable" column and disappear quicker, the faster you get....GL

 

Thank you everyone for the responses, good info!

Rick,
I have been learning a lot about pre-track inspections and continue to add to my pre- and post-DE checklist. Thanks for your input.

I can't imagine cording a tire after 2 days, but of anywhere I've been CMP would do it. Thanks on the thought about over heating the inside edge. I'm not running anything radical camber is -3/-2 F/R and Toe is pretty neutral at 0.03/0.04 F/R

John, thanks for this. I'm running a 295/30-18 on the rear right now and it seemed like a really tight fit. I was hesitant to go to the 315/30-18. Have you had any issues with rubbing? What size are you running up front? The Hoosiers I've got are a 245/40-18 and I have the slightest rub on the fender liner when at 135 deg of wheel input.

 

Country, I had read about low pressure and low ambient temps. What do you consider too low? The lowest temp on Sunday at VIR was 45F or so when I got my first session and I had the tires at 30 psi front and 29 psi rear. Didn't really push until half way through the 3rd or 4th lap. Came off track with them all at about 36.5 psi hot.

Totally agree and as I said above I'm pretty new to the Hoosiers so it's a learning curve for me. I'm checking the wear every session and I had heard of some using them for longer and they weren't getting slick at the end of the sessions so kept going. I'm actually glad that I found the splits. Now I can get them replaced and know where I am starting.

I noticed you are in a 996 as well. Do you mind telling me what tires and sizes you are running? Thanks!

 

Inspection before, after, and DURING the event. I got caught up with instructing and data and distracted from keeping a close eye on my car. Don't be that guy. Doesn't sound like you are. I'm impressed with your attention to detail.

 

Trojan:
I ran R6's, now R7's (18") 245 front, 295 rear. As for ambient temps, I would only be concerned if it is very early season around here or very late season, otherwise, you should be fine. I start my tires around 26/28 and have had no tread separation issues, but do not push them until about the third lap, depending on the amount of hard braking that I have done. Hot, they come in around are 36/38......I have heard the arguments about running them as high a pressure as you can handle....doesn't work for me....also, run them lower pressures and more grip?! Also, doesn't work for me. As a side note, if you are running used tires, you don't know the previous owner's prior usage. For example, I used to buy used take off's and had frequently experienced you issue. The best determination was that the tires were run hard, at lower pressures to due qualifying laps. So, there was plenty of tread, but the tire was severely abused. One thought to also consider, if the original owner did not mark left or right, and you are putting them on "backwards" the belts "seat" a specific way based on direction of rotation, if they are swapped for the "wrong" side, this could enhance the issue you are seeing.

On a side note, I have been told by a couple of drivers with whom I have a tremendous amount of respect, due to their demonstrated abilities and it seems that the Pirelli P Zero's are the new tire to get. A bit more expensive, last twice as long and overall more better grip........we'll see......you might want to consider them as an option....... I am thinking of heading that way next season, as the car is hibernating, now.

 

I would run out of room on the tire to even mark down 28 cycles ......I am lucky if I get 6 - 8 heat cycles out of my Pirelli's

 

Thanks, but it really helps that this community provides very valuable information/experience to those of us who are just getting started!

Thanks for the info. Assume you are talking the P Zero Trofeo Rs. They have a wear rating of 60 which isn't far from the 40 of Hoosiers (R6s anyway). Looks like a nice tire.

 

Trojan:
not so sure they are the Trofeos........Tire rack doesn't carry them, gotta get these P Zero's from JX2 or maybe Bob Woodman

 

Would Not be the Trofeo's. Looks like it is the Pirelli slicks.........

 

I just switched to the Pirelli DH slicks and I get 6 - 8 heat cycles out of them. I would not recommend the tire for the budget conscious. I switched from the cheaper Yokohama slicks after numerous recent tire failures so would not recommend those either. In my opinion, the Hoosier R7s are the way to go for the budget conscious advanced DEer.

 

I have a 235 in front. But we've got the front really dialed, so they stick well.

With 315s in the rear, we needed to roll the fenders pretty deep, but it all works.

 

I'd like to quote you on this the next time I tell Joanie I'm ordering more tires.