SurferX

I'm getting a set of wheels/tires for swapping out to use only on the road course (HPDE) and possibly auto-x. I'm afraid of getting a new set of street tires and taking chunks out of the tread blocks again so was wondering if any of you have had street tires shaved before. I'm not talking about totally shaving all the tread off, I just want to get the tread down enough so the blocks won't be so huge and vulnerable.

I don't want to run race tires yet as I'm still pretty much a beginner and would like to keep learning on street tires for awhile. I know some places like TireRack offers shaving/heat cycling of their race tires but I am unaware of the process involved with doing this for street tires, if it is even possible to do. If it is, any suggestions for places in SoCal (O.C. area) that could do this would be appreciated.

.RJ

You can shave street tires, but you have to start with a brand new set. Once they have been on the street, cant be shaved anymore.

Warren

If you're running Falken Azenis, they won't chunk as long as you don't overdrive the tires for the first day or so. If they start chunking, that's your warning sign that you are overdriving the tires.

edit: moral of the story? Manage your equipment.

Warren


[Modified by Warren, 2:14 PM 3/11/2003]

SurferX

I was for sure overdriving my tires, I have much to learn

Hracer

Yeah you can definitely get your street tires shaved (when new). The WC guys have been doing that with the toyo street tire (and you can also bet they were driving those tires pretty darn hard, too ).

mityVR6

Just out of curiosity, why can't used tires be shaven? Could anyone explain how it's done?
-Adam

Willard

I would like to hear this also.

Suprdave

Is it because they have already been heat cycled?

Todd00

Most shops won't shave used tires because something might be in the treads and screw up their blades on the machines when the unit makes the pass to skim the rubber off.

Can't say that I blame them.

Hracer

All tires have to be new before being shaven (not just street tires). The reason as I heard is that anything but a new tire will damage the "shaving" machine with the embedded particles in the rubber.

edit: too late by 1 min.


[Modified by Hracer, 8:44 PM 3/11/2003]

Willard

But it 'can' be done... you just gotta buy a new blade... or find a place that does not care.

MaddMatt

I *think* Tirerack will shave a tire for you. A friend of mine bought some AVS Int. a few years ago and got one set shaved for track.

This is some of the best advice I've ever seen on this board, and a LOT of racers that frequent this forum need to learn how to do this...


[Modified by MaddMatt, 6:21 PM 3/11/2003]

phat-S

Oh I totally agree. Often times we tend to think the equipment under/about us can take abuse/hardship that its just not designed for. Good call guys.

Catch 22

I'm with ya there phatty. I never have managed to get a handle on that whole thing. For some reason I seem to get more competitive life out of Hoosiers than many other folks, but I tear up brake pads left and right. Sometimes a set or two in one day.
I just can't get a handle on it. How can one guy be so easy on his tires and so brutal on his brakes simultaneously?

Man. This stuff is hard.
I'm going back to the Kills forum. Its fun over there.
My favorite kills forum quote of the day (so far) - "This forum is about street racing... all posts in here from the past 3 days are about street racing... why do so many people in this forum hate on street racing." -- jz
Is this officially a conundrum? I didn't pay much attention in school and can't remember.

Victor Penner

You can have tires "buffed" also instead of being shaved with a blade. Modern re-capping plants have computer controlled machines that can be controlled to the 32nd of an inch and also to your contour if you don't want the footprint perfectly flat. The tire doesn't have to be new but it does have to be unmounted. My friend/team mate has been doing this for 2 seasons with his Toyo RA-1 and it has worked great. I am switching to TOYO this year from Hoosier and I will be getting "buffed" as well.

Victor Penner