Author Topic: Tire Break in period - is it real? (Read 4836 times)

Gentleman Jack · « **on:** April 11, 2011, 12:52:12 PM »

Calling All Experts!

Many of us here are just getting to the point where we need to replace our factory tires with some better / other units. I did quite a bit of research on this and as always, there were a ton of opinions. The leading vote getter for straight summer tire was by far the Star Specs. But, they were out of my price range. I did some shopping and research and decided to act on a sale on the Yokohama S-Drive in stock size. However, I never really focused on the break in period. See here for the results of ignoring the break in period:

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php/topic,6645.msg96591/topicseen.html#new

So my question to everyone, and an attempt to help Treeman (who JUST purchase new PS3's at the time of this writing) and everyone else who may need some good solid opinions / facts on tire break in periods:

WHAT IS THE PROPER BREAK IN PERIOD / METHOD for Street car tires? I know racing tires will have slightly different efforts required, if we could keep this thread to street tires, that would be great.

Thanks to all in advance!

GJ
Just trying to keep someone else out of the rail.

ChopTop · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2011, 01:25:39 PM »

Thanks for posting GJ, it's not a subject I've even heard of before.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=5

DaveOC · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2011, 01:41:15 PM »

Quote from: ChopTop on April 11, 2011, 01:25:39 PM

Thanks for posting GJ, it's not a subject I've even heard of before.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=5

500 miles? I always knew new tires had to be scrubbed, but I always figured that for 10 - 15 miles, not 500 miles. Of course, this is the first car I've ever owned that invited you to exercise the tires to their limits with fair regularity . . .

Kelu · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2011, 01:46:42 PM »

I know new tires have a protective coating for the period when they are stored and shipped until sold and installed. Coating which will be wear in about 100-200 miles maximum.

Critterman · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2011, 01:54:46 PM »

OH YEE OF LITTLE FAITH, shame on you for doubting my word. Bring your skate board, you will need it to get to Joe's

And I quote from the great tire guru's:

Quote

NOTE: Be careful whenever you explore the capabilities of your new tires. Remember that every tire requires a break-in period of 500 miles for optimum performance.

JimVonBaden · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:55:39 PM »

This is a pretty common issue with motorcycle tires. More than one rider has thrown their bike down the road hot rodding it on new tires.

I suspect that on cars it is less an issue so long as the pavement is warm and dry, and normal driving is attempted.

On the other hand, a mile down a gravel road is how I have always broken in a new set of motorcycle tires. It would likely work well on a car too. Oh, and conventional wisdom for bikes says that break-in is more a function of heat cycles than "scrubbing" them in.

These days the old "release agent" blamed on slick new tires is not nearly the issue it used to be.

ALL IMHO. Take it for what it is worth.

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/us/en/continental/automobile/general/techdocs/breakin_en.html

Seems like there is more of an issue of them slipping on the rim than anything.

Jim

NormSky · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:59:02 PM »

TR will heat cycle race rubber, otherwise a 15 minute session at the track would do similar. Street rubber is harder compound and will require more effort to bring up to temperatures or time based on miles.

Arabas · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2011, 03:07:28 PM »

what i know to be a rule is to be gentle on the new tires (no hard acceleration or hard cornering)
so as to allow them to wear out evenly according to how the camber is set. i second what Kelu says about protective coating. the general rule i follow is 150-200 miles (we say 200km).
i am always cautious when adding new parts or replacing parts (i.e. new tires) and i am pushing the car step by step to learn how the car reacts with the new parts.
it is a general truth that a car behaves a bit differently with new parts (i.e. new tires, a brace etc etc).

so IMHO, yes, tire break in period is true...

Uranium-238 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2011, 03:56:19 PM »

My general rule of thumb has always been to do a light burnout after installing new tires, followed by some sudden aggressive turns. (All done in a safe parking lot or something similar) Figure those will wear the mold film off the tires pretty quick.

Divingsolo (formely Randy@DDM) · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2011, 04:58:53 PM »

Light' em up
Heat' em up
Let' em cool

then drive

SHiNY · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2011, 05:19:56 PM »

This is actually an interesting thread. I never knew about this, thanks GJ.

Gentleman Jack · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2011, 05:58:25 PM »

Quote from: Critterman on April 11, 2011, 01:54:46 PM

OH YEE OF LITTLE FAITH, shame on you for doubting my word. Bring your skate board, you will need it to get to Joe's

And I quote from the great tire guru's:

Critter,

The funny part is I was actually TRYING to follow this advice! And the damn thing still went round. As I said in the OP, more trying to educate the folks that are following me, so they don't follow me TOO close...

I listen to everything you say, as long as you say it in my good ear.

So far, DDM Randy has the best advice... I think after the insurance adjuster takes a look, I'll go find a big empty lot and roast em a bit. Then I will have to go home and rotate them, and then roast them again.

GJ

Treeman · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2011, 06:25:32 PM »

I can't find it now, but when I got my winter tires from Tire Rack, they sent along more info than what I see in the link above on tire break in. It is not just losing the coating on the surface but the binders between the belts and other materials. Taking it easy the first 500 miles lets all that set in much better and so the tire works more as intended and lasts longer. If you reread the info on the link, you can kinda read that into it but it was much clearer in what they sent me. So, I am going with the take it easy for 500 miles bit.

GJ, the reason you have plenty of company to join is that we are driving torquey, short wheel-based cars. As I found out autocross, it does not take much punch in at tight corner to spin them on dry. Add something slick and boom.

G8TR · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2011, 08:32:30 PM »

I had never heard of this either, thanks for the thread GJ.

kennysabarese · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2011, 07:18:43 AM »

Quote from: Randy@DDMWorks on April 11, 2011, 04:58:53 PM

Light' em up
Heat' em up
Let' em cool

then drive

what about the fronts?

Uranium-238 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 12, 2011, 07:49:05 AM »

Hard cornering will heat up the front tires, especially if you've got a stock setup where it's really easy to make the front end plow.

Or after lighting up the rear tires you can rotate them to the front and go at it again.

kennysabarese · « **Reply #16 on:** April 12, 2011, 07:51:30 AM »

Critterman · « **Reply #17 on:** April 12, 2011, 09:10:17 AM »

Just make sure there is nothing absolutely nothing around you you won't mind hitting while you are doing this.

Gentleman Jack · « **Reply #18 on:** April 12, 2011, 10:48:11 AM »

I was "working" the rear tires last night. The spin very quietly! I like that! No stuck pig noises when making smoke... I got a few good burn outs done now it's time to rotate and do it again.

GJ

Critterman · « **Reply #19 on:** April 12, 2011, 10:55:56 AM »

You are spinning the release agent. go back and look hardly any rubber on the road is there.

Brad Kenny · « **Reply #20 on:** April 12, 2011, 11:20:11 AM »

I think what Critter is saying in Critter-ese, "Go do it again GJ... Need more spinin' and more smokin', especially if you expect me to pick you up at the airport and beat CT to DBG's!"

Critterman · « **Reply #21 on:** April 12, 2011, 01:43:38 PM »

I can re-explain it in simple language if you both like.

You can do what the #$%^Y you want to but not on my watch. There is the right way, the wrong way and my way. You #$%^ best be #$%RT^Y& doing it my way, or I will have your $%^ &*I $%^& mister. You understand me?

I know CT understands what I said, but for you Steven I will explain it further:

Don't listen to the experts, do things your own way until it involves me, then you will do it my way and be glad you did. Or you can just do it my way the first time an avoid this little talk.

TomatoSoup · « **Reply #22 on:** April 12, 2011, 02:33:54 PM »

"Thus spake Zarath-upervisor"

JimVonBaden · « **Reply #23 on:** April 12, 2011, 02:57:46 PM »

Wow!

Jim

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Author Topic: Tire Break in period - is it real? (Read 4836 times)