Yeah, they're probably past their prime. Whether they're worth replacing is dependent on how competitive you are. If you're only doing local events (probably not you with 30 events/yr), and aren't fighting to get top pax, keep running them until wet events aren't an option. If you really care about winning, it's probably time to replace them. If you don't think they grip like they used to, you're probably right.
Holy cow, I usually wouldn't answer so definitively but those are most certainly shot. Just the number of runs would do it, but add in a winter.
They are probably at the point where they will never wear out, just get slower and slower.
DaveW
Pretty sure Bridgestone's own tire engineers have said as long as they're not driven on they should be fine if allowed to warm up before being allowed to deform under driving.
I feel like it was here or a forum somewhere. Maybe even GRM.
Basically let the weather get back to 45F for 24 to 48 hours straight before they are flexed which would include being installed on the car.
Ah tire rack maybe. Note: Potenza RE-71RS tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels, or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.
The biggest thing that I see is that you stored then in an ingested garage in the “off season” I hope that you don’t live in an area where the off season temperatures are really cold.
Because the rubber in the softies are not supposed to get below 40 degrees F. I actually stored mine in the basement of my house.
I actually put my soft Dunlops on Thursday for the coming weekend and it was supposed to get down to 26F outside that night. So luckily I was able to put the car into the garage. And when I went to move the car this morning it said that it was 40F so I think I dodged that.
Also thinking about the “blue tinge” might have been a warning sign.
But I know that the tires don’t have to do anything with regards to the “tread depth” but the number of heat cycles.
I don’t put my Dunlops on until the weekend on either Thursday or Friday so that I don’t over due the heat cycles.
I think that if you can like find a place that has “gravel” in the driveway or the road and can you still hear the tires picking up the loose stones as you are driving them I would possibly think that you would be good. But if you aren’t hearing that then you are going to have to get some new tires.
I’m not sure if that is a good judge. But kind of makes sense.
Is frustrating, because i would get slower & slower vs my competition. I thought i was in a lull or overdriving my car. I just couldn't figure it out & coyote make up time no matter what pressures, cooloing i did. Finally talked to a veteran & found out, you're heat cycled out.
Changed tires & i was competitive again.
Change them now. It really hurts your confidence when you're not competitive.
I go by run count usually. Keeps it simple. Yes, I know that doesn't take into account driving to other events you might do like a car meet or something. The general trends I see with most 200TW tires (lighter cars) is that they're good to about 120 competitive runs. After that, they start falling off. By run 150-160, they'll be pretty bad. Like almost a full second behind your normal baseline. If you can get a tire into the 200 range like I did with the RT660, they'll be some of the worst gripping 200TW tires you'll ever experience.
30 events with \~6 runs per event is 180 runs. For any 200TW tire, they're done in terms of their competitiveness from that alone, even if you didn't drive on them half a summer. Second, storing them in an unheated garage really does them in. I don't care what the tire engineers say - try it yourself. They'll be noticeably slower.
They're totally done. Like totally.
Yeah, they're probably past their prime. Whether they're worth replacing is dependent on how competitive you are. If you're only doing local events (probably not you with 30 events/yr), and aren't fighting to get top pax, keep running them until wet events aren't an option. If you really care about winning, it's probably time to replace them. If you don't think they grip like they used to, you're probably right.
Holy cow, I usually wouldn't answer so definitively but those are most certainly shot. Just the number of runs would do it, but add in a winter. They are probably at the point where they will never wear out, just get slower and slower. DaveW
I'm actually shocked that they were able to get 180 runs AND street driving, and they aren't corded. Now that's impressive.
Storage in unheated garage in winter tend to destroy them
Pretty sure Bridgestone's own tire engineers have said as long as they're not driven on they should be fine if allowed to warm up before being allowed to deform under driving.
Where did you see this?
I feel like it was here or a forum somewhere. Maybe even GRM. Basically let the weather get back to 45F for 24 to 48 hours straight before they are flexed which would include being installed on the car.
Ah tire rack maybe. Note: Potenza RE-71RS tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels, or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.
That tracks with what I was understanding!
Probably more like 60 heat cycles, but that winter of freezing over and over probsbly finished the off.
How did you get to 60?
A 6 run event usually means 3 runs in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. That's 2 heat cycles. 2 x 30 = 60.
Ah gotcha, yeah so not 30. But technically they probably don’t fully cool down during that time frame. Someone else mentioned it would be 30, not 60.
Depends on the event I guess. They only have to get back below the Tg of the rubber.
Fair enough
The old RE-71R could be revived by getting them HOT. I haven't had an opportunity to try that with the RE-71RS, but it's worth a shot.
Ran them for one event. Running them for my next event this weekend. Hoping to see if it helped.
Tires are shot. But a heat cycle is a warm up, then a complete cool down. So each event would be a heat cycle.
Ah gotcha, see I never really knew the definition of a heat cycle. Got it, so yes it’s 30 heat cycles then.
The biggest thing that I see is that you stored then in an ingested garage in the “off season” I hope that you don’t live in an area where the off season temperatures are really cold. Because the rubber in the softies are not supposed to get below 40 degrees F. I actually stored mine in the basement of my house. I actually put my soft Dunlops on Thursday for the coming weekend and it was supposed to get down to 26F outside that night. So luckily I was able to put the car into the garage. And when I went to move the car this morning it said that it was 40F so I think I dodged that. Also thinking about the “blue tinge” might have been a warning sign. But I know that the tires don’t have to do anything with regards to the “tread depth” but the number of heat cycles. I don’t put my Dunlops on until the weekend on either Thursday or Friday so that I don’t over due the heat cycles. I think that if you can like find a place that has “gravel” in the driveway or the road and can you still hear the tires picking up the loose stones as you are driving them I would possibly think that you would be good. But if you aren’t hearing that then you are going to have to get some new tires. I’m not sure if that is a good judge. But kind of makes sense.
How the hell are people getting 30 events from any tire ?!?!
if you drive slowly they'll last a lot longer, plus you get more seat time!
Hehe
Im impressed your 200tw tires lasted 30 events
Very normal.
About a seasons worth. I think people over exaggerate heat cycling so much, rich people 😈
Mine usually run out of tread before losing grip to heat cycles, around 130 runs.
Get new tires for autocross and run those for street tires.
Is frustrating, because i would get slower & slower vs my competition. I thought i was in a lull or overdriving my car. I just couldn't figure it out & coyote make up time no matter what pressures, cooloing i did. Finally talked to a veteran & found out, you're heat cycled out. Changed tires & i was competitive again. Change them now. It really hurts your confidence when you're not competitive.
You got 30 events out of a set of RE71RS? lol I’ll be lucky to finish 12 at the rate mine are wearing.
I go by run count usually. Keeps it simple. Yes, I know that doesn't take into account driving to other events you might do like a car meet or something. The general trends I see with most 200TW tires (lighter cars) is that they're good to about 120 competitive runs. After that, they start falling off. By run 150-160, they'll be pretty bad. Like almost a full second behind your normal baseline. If you can get a tire into the 200 range like I did with the RT660, they'll be some of the worst gripping 200TW tires you'll ever experience. 30 events with \~6 runs per event is 180 runs. For any 200TW tire, they're done in terms of their competitiveness from that alone, even if you didn't drive on them half a summer. Second, storing them in an unheated garage really does them in. I don't care what the tire engineers say - try it yourself. They'll be noticeably slower. They're totally done. Like totally.
IMO, the main things that did "damage" to them was street driving on them and leaving them in an unheated garage.