Landracing Forum

Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => SCTA Rule Questions => Topic started by: 32vertex on September 16, 2010, 07:04:29 AM

Title: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: 32vertex on September 16, 2010, 07:04:29 AM
Hi guys,

We're building a bellytank lakester for V4F class, 32 Ford banger, and plan on running 15x4 Goodyear frontrunners on all corners. Off course we'll get new ones. We plan on Speedweek 2012, so the tires are at least two years old before they wil ltouch the salt.
I am not in the shop at the moment, so I am not even sure there's a datecode on the pair of Goodyears we already have.

I couldn't find anything in the rulebook, nor this forum; how old can new tires be, and still pass the Tech inspection ?

anxious to learn !

Erwin
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: Stan Back on September 16, 2010, 11:09:01 AM
Why risk damaging them during the build?  Get some mini-spares or something at a junkyard and buy the tires last.
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: nrhs sales on September 16, 2010, 11:40:42 AM
Stan is a wise man indeed!!
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: RichFox on September 16, 2010, 01:10:10 PM
As an answer to your question, I have seen quite old tires, in good shape, run without question. Keep them in a dark, dry, cool place inbetween events and don't spin and they should last for years.
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: jimmy six on September 16, 2010, 06:14:48 PM
I wish I had tires that were only 2 years old...Some of mine are over 30.............. :x..JD
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: interested bystander on September 16, 2010, 07:33:21 PM
I've been bitin' my tongue surpressing an answer. Thanx for opening the door Jimmy.

I feel sorry for ALL newbies- but here goes:

When DID they run Indy cars at Monza?  Was it 1957 or 1958?

When did they stop running 18" wheels at Indy?

You'll get used to us, Erwin, keep the faith. You'll get more GOOD advice from Landspeed posters over the long run!
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: RichFox on September 16, 2010, 09:19:17 PM
I didn't want to come up with any specific numbers in case the nanny's are paying attention.
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: Richard 2 on September 16, 2010, 09:53:28 PM
The new front runners you buy are probably far from new. Most front runners on the salt are many many years old. The tires are alot tougher than you might think. I have seen a pair of tires spun down to the cords on a 250 mph run and still be perfectly round and full of air.   
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: Jonny Hotnuts on September 16, 2010, 11:05:11 PM
Quote
I have seen a pair of tires spun down to the cords on a 250 mph run and still be perfectly round and full of air.


The reason they were still round and full of air is BECAUSE they were spun down to the cord.

~JH
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: 32vertex on September 17, 2010, 06:02:05 AM
Hi all,

almost all answers very usefull (hehehe, I can take some flack, don't spare me because I'm a newbie, LOL !), but the real question is: do the Tech-guys declare a GO or NO-GO based on the age of the tires ?

I could email KiwiSteve 'bout it, but I thought I could get an answer on here, with all the experience and knowledge in abundance.

erwin
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: RichFox on September 17, 2010, 07:53:12 AM
As long as you don't mind flack- Gee. I thought we were pretty clear but the answer is NO. I have never seen or heard of a car being written up because of age. Condition will be an issue. But not simply age in my experience
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: bvillercr on September 17, 2010, 11:33:22 AM
As long as you don't mind flack- Gee. I thought we were pretty clear but the answer is NO. I have never seen or heard of a car being written up because of age. Condition will be an issue. But not simply age in my experience

ditto to what Rich said. :cheers:
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: panic on September 18, 2010, 01:06:00 PM
Tires change composition over time due to ozone, ultraviolet, and simple gas-out.
Use an opaque sealed plastic bag (blocks both air and light), keep cool, but the petro chemical constituents will boil out of the surface no matter what unless the bag is pressurized. The cord strength is slower to decay, but if the rubber bond is weakened the tire will chunk.
 JM2ยข? If someone showed up on the line with a tire sidewall colored gray (not black), and you could dig a crumbly hunk out with a fingernail, it should be DQ.
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: 32vertex on September 20, 2010, 05:29:39 AM
allrighty, crystal clear now ! :-)
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: desperate on September 25, 2010, 09:48:53 AM
'32, this is something that I've wondered about too. I'm doing an Indian bike http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,7976.0.html and got hold of the basic motorcycle rules. I guess they're different than for cars, but seem extremely strict, stating that tyres (English spelling, sorry) must be no older than 10 years and must also be speed rated to correspond with the speed of the record you're going for. The tyres on my bike are 9 years old, from a top quality manufacturer, and look like new, with zero defects and no tread wear, but by the time I get to Bonneville they'll be 11 years old. The rules I have say the date markings WILL be checked. I can't afford 2 new tyres. How strict is the tyre rule?
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: panic on September 25, 2010, 10:28:35 AM
How many friends have you got on the tech line?
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: Seldom Seen Slim on September 25, 2010, 10:45:35 AM
I've never had the opportunity to discover how strict is the tire age rule -- but I know that when I'm teching bikes I not only check the date code -- but highlight it with a silver Sharpie to make it easy for everyone else to find it again - since all of the inspectors look (or are supposed to do so) for it.
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: Milwaukee Midget on September 25, 2010, 12:13:51 PM
Stan's post (#2) is spot on.  Try to find yourself some similarly sized tires to push the thing around the shop with.  Especially with a lakester, where the tires are completely exposed.

I don't know about you, but I'm constantly dropping things, spraying paint, using solvents, and I'd much rather mess up an old, worn 145 SR 15 Volkswagen Bug takeoff than a race tire. 

Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: NathanStewart on September 26, 2010, 03:03:27 AM
Just as another point of input, we run tires that are way older than me but probably not as old as Rich Fox and they get through tech just fine because they're in good condition.   :-D
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: RichFox on September 26, 2010, 07:47:28 AM
Now if I could just get through inspection.
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: Stainless1 on September 26, 2010, 08:49:18 AM
'32, this is something that I've wondered about too. I'm doing an Indian bike http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,7976.0.html and got hold of the basic motorcycle rules. I guess they're different than for cars, but seem extremely strict, stating that tyres (English spelling, sorry) must be no older than 10 years and must also be speed rated to correspond with the speed of the record you're going for. The tyres on my bike are 9 years old, from a top quality manufacturer, and look like new, with zero defects and no tread wear, but by the time I get to Bonneville they'll be 11 years old. The rules I have say the date markings WILL be checked. I can't afford 2 new tyres. How strict is the tyre rule?

The bike rule is enforced... when the rule was 5 years, they pre-warned me that that was the last year I would be allowed to run on those tires.   Then they changed to 10.  I would plan on having everything within the rules since you are traveling a long way to race.  Remember to comply to the rules for the record, not the speed you intend to run....
Title: Re: tires and age: how old can a new tire be, and still be legal ?
Post by: Avanti Kid on October 04, 2010, 07:46:34 PM
To help protect my cars race tires, during the off season I jack the car up on stands to take the weight off the tires and let a little of the air out till next race season starts!!