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Old 09-11-2010, 03:27 AM   #17 (permalink)
Push370zzz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott @ RA View Post
Used race tires, R-compound tires, slicks, etc are more often NOT worth the headache. There are too many variables to be concerned about....
Like:
A) Are you getting a matching set off of the same car, used in the same session?
B) How many heat cycles are on them? The more they are heated up and cooled down the harder they get.... Also remember some tires get hotter than others (its not likely they will be evenly heat cycled)
Be sure to try to pick out the tires yourself and use a durometer to measure a few different points on the tire, etc.

Generally its just not a great idea to get used slicks, unless either you just don't care, or you know VERY much what you want and what you are doing.... I have seen this practice of getting used tires go wrong more times than it has gone right... Just be conscientious.
I can understand that, however, I purchase the slicks that have over 3/4 of tread depth remaining. They are rarely used for more than a few sessions/heat cycles, so for 1/3 to 1/4 the price it's absolutely worth it. You can think whatever you want, but I can go through two or three pairs of the slicks and have a lot more fun than a street tire for the same price. The company who sells them hand selects them based on different parameters to make sure that the tires are in as good of shape as new, just with less tread.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott @ RA View Post
Glad to help..... But it's not usually the best of ideas to only replace 2 performance tires (or any R compound, especially Hoosiers). The balance will be thrown off being that the used rear tires will have many more heat cycles and will be significantly harder and less responsive, slower to heat up, etc than your new front tires will.
This decision will likely yield you a set up that is much more prone to oversteer, and the tires are likely to "come in" or get up to temperature at much different points....
Since you already decided to just get the two new (softer stickier) fronts and leave (much harder and heat cycled) used rears........ Just be aware of the effect you may get.
I wouldn't be doing it unless the rears were in great shape, which they are. I have not experienced any issues with different heat up points or whatever. I'll keep an eye out for what you're warning me of, but chances are I'll pay $800 less per set of Hoosiers and deal with a little imperfection
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