Does Rubber Deteriorate when hot ?

[CalaisRider]

I have Falken F452s all round on the Calais. The tyres are very good in both wet and dry conditions and I have been quite happy with them. They have had a hard life doing many strip runs and Motorkhana Days.

I did a Motorkhana championship round about 4-5 weeks ago and the rears got repeatedly lit up and smokey. Since that time I've noticed the rear of the car has been quite skatey. The tyres have only just worn down to the minimum tread depth markers.

Hence my question, if you light up Street Tyres is it likely that the grip of them will deteriorate, or is it just a result of the treads wearing down that has caused the recent skateyness of the VE? This is totally aside from bald tyres as these are certainly not what you would call bald.

I did get two new 255/35/20 same brand same type yesterday but haven't driven far on them yet.

.

[Carbon]

Pete

How many sets of rubber have you been through since having the 20's on?

My car has done 18000 k's and I have had 4 punctures in 8 months. The tyres are worn down to a few mm above the depth indicators.

Two tyres have just have just had sidewall damage found (vertical rip) and Bridgestone dont want any part of it. They say that it is pothole damage. So how do I prove that.

I have a hankook on as a spare at the moment (the rest are the factory Bridgestone RE050A's and with it on the car feels real squirmy. I gather that is because they are different treads and biting differently.

But what to do. I can buy a set of Nankangs and have them fitted and on the car for $1000. Prices head north from there. But I dont really need 4 at the moment. But the Bridgestone replacement is $875 for the one tyre. I honestly cant see that a tyre is nearly $600 better than another.

I need to do something because this squirmy feeling is quite off putting and doesn't give me confidence in the car.

[CalaisRider]

Yeh Adam I've tried and worn out quite a few - how many I couldn't even guess..

I honestly don't think the Bridgies are as good as the Falken F452 pattern. Thats why I keep lining up for the Falkens (this is my 3rd set in succession), they are a mid-range cost but have top notch performance in both wet and dry.

The best I've had were Toyo Proxes T1R (they are absolutely exceptional) but like the Original Bridgies, they are a rediculous price in 20". The RE55S were great on my 18s when hot, sticky as buggery, but really only a Track/Circuit tyre (I took em off as daily driver duties as they are hellishly noisy, and tram track on street roads). Oh yeh I had a set of Federal of some sort in there somewhere but didn't make much impression on me (maybe I needed to top level ones).

Just remember mate, that you have have spent all that money on suspension and handling for your VE - the only thing holding you to the road is your tyres. Just my opinion, but unless the Nankangs have dramatically improved their compound, I wouldn't touch em as it would hinder that trick suspension of yours.

If yourse is getting squirmy, then maybe its just a wear factor of tyres and when the treads get to the indicators they just go off like that. Like you, I hate that squirmy feel as you never know under what conditions they are going to slip.

[Carbon]

So you don't have a problem with different tyres front to rear

[CalaisRider]

Not sure what you mean by different front to back mate. I always run same type/pattern front and rear. I do run 255/35/20 rather than the stock 245. :)

Awwe sheizers, I just found the below. They are bringing out Toyo Proxes R888 in 20s. Awwe mumma they are semi-comp tyres, sticky as super glue.


STREET-LEGAL MOTOR SPORT TYRES
PROXES R888


Motor sport tyre with low void ratio for optimum dry grip. Large range of sizes to suit rim diameters from 13" to 19". New 20" sizes arriving soon.

http://www.toyo.com.au/MotorSport2.htm

[Carbon]

Sorry, just meant different brand/pattern front to rear.

And isn't there a difference between rolling diameters when running 255/30/20 instead of 245/35/20 therefore putting speedo out

edit: just re-read your post. You answered it. That means I need all four replaced or shell out for a new Bridgey

[fx160]

i wouldn't think that they have gone off from heat pete
more likely that it is just because they have low tread
or could be a build up of traction compound and melted ruber( from drags )
i used to have to clean the build up of the front tyre on the bike every month
would get to about 3 mm think
but if it was that i would that driving on the street would clean them

kev

[drunk_kev]

you loose grip as the tread wears down pete

some one like kruza might be able to explain it further

[EQUIPE-T]

I need to do something because this squirmy feeling is quite off putting and doesn't give me confidence in the car.

hahaha come drive my VS for a week and you'll have the utmost confidence in your VE haha :D, i got about 50% tread left on my RE92's, but the recently found a nail the rear drivers and the front pass., also found out ( via the 4 didgit stamp date bob jane showed me ) that the tyres are over 10yrs old :eek:, they offer literly no grip in the rain ( 1cm or throttle = wheel spin, 1inch of throttle = sideways crossed up down the street in the wet) in dry they tend to lump travel into corners ( kind of a juttery feeling ya get ) useless bloody tyres because there so old lol

but in answering Pete's question it all depends on the tyre, but 70% of the time its cause of lack of tread ( until ya find that tyre that really offers no grip at all once its been smoked )

[Kruza]

when a tyre gets a bit "skatey" as ya say pete, especially when on limit bars, they will be skatey due to no rubber contact on the road..hence why they added them to the tyres when made..

now, if ur gonna do race track/ street attack types of events, ya best to run a semi-comp tyre, for grip, traction, and contact to road surface..
road/ street tyres arent meant to be smoked up on these type of days, as the compounds are totally different to a semi-comp..

if i was you pete, id get a set of semi-comp tyres for the track/ street, and a set of road/ daily use...

it may cost ya a bit to have 2 sets, but have a look at ur wallet when time comes to replace the road tyres in 3 months.. ya know what i mean? lol:p

[Kruza]

you loose grip as the tread wears down pete

some one like kruza might be able to explain it further

dam bro, i just typed this up, and i see ya posted for me to say..:)lol
all good.......