After 9 25-30 minute sessions at Texas World Speedway this is what a set of brand new Nitto Nto1's look like:

fronts:



and rears:


Looks like I'll be able to get away with keeping the rears for a few sets of fronts. Although, the outer edge on the rears is getting some pretty good wear. I may need to flip them around on the wheel for maximum life. fwiw, I have 2 degrees of rear camber, and 3.5 deg in the front.

I'm thinking of getting a splitter, so that may put even more stress on the fronts if I get some sort of aero benefit.

I'm not complaining about wear or anything, just sharing. I thought the tires did really well. the last 6 sessions were in near 100 degree Texas heat...

 

Why didn't you rotate them?

 

Both tires look like they have good amount of life left if rotated.

 

The are fine till there are sparks in the turns..........

 

Might be a good practice to rotate after the second run front to rear, and again after every second run. Make sure you give adequate cooling time before rotating.
Torquing the lug nuts while everything is hot isnt going to torque the nuts to spec.

 

9 sessions without rotating? Big no-no.

 

I had a couple of reasons for not rotating:

1: I wanted to see if I could start buying just 2 tires at a time. I would put the new tires in the rear, and rotate the rear to the front. It seems this may not be feasible given that I'm starting to use a fair amount of the outside edge of the rear tires too.

2: I was thinking that the tires were getting "broken-in" to the optimal shape to put as much rubber on the road as possible. Like when you flip tires inside out to get more use? the car sits on a pretty small contact patch for a while, just given the shape it has worn itself into.

3: I figured that the well worn in front tires would have more traction than the rears. The last thing I need in the rear is more traction, and the last thing I need in the front is less.

However, wearing the outside edge of my rear tires the way I am is kind of ruining my plans. Maybe I need to run even more air in them to get them to roll over a little less (already running 33-34 "hot," after more gentle last lap.

More likely though I'll just have to bite the bullet and rotate them after at least every track day (the 9 sessions were spread out over 3 days). Guess that means I need to buy 4 tires at a time again...

 

But if you rotate them then they will last longer, so you'll buy 4 tires less frequently than you would have to buy 2 tires without frequent rotation. Just try putting the fronts in the rear and see how the balance is affected. There's much more wear on the front tires, the heat cycles were likely much stronger, so their overall grip will be affected.

 

9 sessions and your tires are pretty much shoot? yeah you need to learn how to drive....

either you are spinning tires coming out of turns and you need to modulate the throttle better or you are giving too much input and pushing out of the turns....going to fast through the middle of the corner, ie a push....

chad

 

Depends on the track surface as well Chad.

At Willow Springs, if you use a set of front tires on a properly setup car for that long (9 30 minute sessions) without rotating, the front tires will be corded.

Rotate the tires and see how you like it.

 

Your fronts still have lots of life in them. Heck, I buy my NEW tires with that much tread on them. Shaved Toyo's with 4/32's. They are good till they chord. I on a set of shaved toyos I've put 32 sessions, but I rotate them and the car only weighs 2200lbs. I believe the Nitto Nt01's are a very similar compound to the Toyo RA1 as well.

I would say that if you rotate your tire properly those front's have another 6+ sessions in them or more!

 

Willow is pretty brutal on tires.. If its not corded you might have some chunking too.
id say its time for a re surface out there.

 

Looking at tire wear, i'd suggest a bit more Negative camber up front (assuming left=outside and right=inside).

Possibly more rear camber too.

Or you could increase front and rear roll rates and that, might help.

I have never had a rear tire wear the outside like that though...

 

I agree with chad. Unless tms is that bad on tires. Plus running full treads isn't the way to make 'em last. Especially if its real hot.

 

NtT-01s are modeled at 6/32nds

And typically don't need to be shaved like a 8/32 Ra1

 

It's worse than that; not only won't they torque the nuts to spec, but you can stretch the studs, which you really really really don't want to do. BTDT!

Any idea what Nitto recommends? I'm transitioning from the RA-1 to the NT-01, and I assumed they would need the same 38-40 hot, no?

 

I don't know how many times i have, personally done it, and how many times it is done but it isn't an issue.

You think the GA ST/GS, Rolex GT/DP cars let the studs/nuts cool? They don't even tq them.

After doing 1.5 seasons of tire changing during enduros, i vary rarely TQ my wheels when they have been on and off, ket alone leave enough time for them to "cool off"

And have never had an issue with breaking studs, or things coming loose
I do "check" them between session with a tq wrench though. But i hammer them on with my impact and they are good to go.

The only thing i am careful about is new wheels that are painted of have a finish on them, make sure you clean up the surface were the lug and wheel come together.

 

I actually like the way the fronts wore. TWS is mostly high speed sweepers, and one little carousel where you get down around 45mph. I'm sure I spin the tires at least a little coming out of the carousel.

I'll attach a short little vid of one lap of TWS from 2 weeks ago, late-session, with some heat in the tires. It's not a really clean lap, but it's better than my other ones.

http://www.vimeo.com/5981332

 

Is that a GoPro camera? sound quality is horrid.

 

Probably a GoPro. I like mine for how easy it is to setup, but inside the car they are terrible for audio.

 

vid doesn't look like a tire-killer driving wise. track surface looks rough in a few spots tho. i'd say just rotate.

 

Yep, a go-pro. I've been thinking of drilling a hole in the little weatherproof box to get some audio.

Tough crowd around here. First I can't drive, and now my camera sucks...

lol

 

Take online forum advice with a grain of salt, some people are gifted typest M-F and get rolled hard every weekend.