I bought my CS used and the previous owner did a few autoX's with it. The front tires are worn on the outside and just look like ****. I'm assuming he ran low air pressure. There is plenty of tread left in the center. I check the pressure just about each time I drive so I know they are running at 32 lbs when I drive it (19" classics). Am I in danger with these worn tires or is it just a cosmetic thing? No chording is present. Also, I'm going to be doing a few DE's at the end of the summer so I'm still getting to know this car. Should I consider these "learning" tires and replace before my first track day? After a track days? Replace when center tread is worn? Buck up and get the deed done now?

Thanks in advance for the help.

You can search threads under competition concerning tire wear but I'd definitely replace before track events. Last thing I want to do is be driving at high speed during a track event with even the slightest concern about my tires. How many miles on the tires? I just got new rear tires (one had a flat) at 14,000 miles. Still had 30% tread remaining.

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Papa in Austin

"be young, be foolish, but be happy!"

2007 Speed Yellow Cayman S

Hey, thanks for the reply. I have 7600 miles on the tires so they have plenty of tread left. It is just the outside fronts that look a bit ugly. Just thought I'd try to get a feel for what others would do. My buddy says new tires all around if you are going to do it. Not just the front. I've only put 1000 miles on the car myself.

Thanks again.

Mike

Mike - I've seen both inexperienced and quite experienced people chew through a set of front PS2s down to the cords in a weekend autocross school. They seem to be particularly vulnerable, and together with the understeer that's dialed into these cars from the factory, it can be a nasty situation. People seem to want to go through turns too fast, and rather than swap ends, the car will just push, scrubbing off plenty of rubber. Despite the trend for most folks to replace the rear tires to fronts in a 2:1 ratio, many people who are doing AX and track events on the PS2s, are finding they're replacing their fronts more often then rears.

If the rears seem fine, just replace the fronts... if you look at the rubber around the outside of the fronts where it's worn, and it has a sort of blue hue to it, the cords are not far away - I'd replace the fronts now, if that's the case.

brad

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21-year PCA Member
PCA DE Instructor

Thanks Beez. I'll replace the fronts. Hopefully I won't ruin them as well my first time out at the track! Can't wait until September (too hot in AZ now).

I agree w/ beez. I had to replace my original front 19" MPS2s at 3k miles after my 2nd autocross, but the rear tires made it to 20k miles before I picked up a nail. After dropping $650 on a pair of tires, I bought 18" track rims and don't use my street tires on the track

Are you in AZ region or SAZ region? I'm in SAZ but did all of AZ's DEs in the last 12 months as well as all of ours (and a few from Carrera region!) Hope to see you at SAZ's 2 day DE at Arroyo Seco in Deming NM in Sept!

Greg

Since it sounds like you have some time - you should also consider getting your car onto an alignment rack and have your alignment done. You can dial out some of that factory understeer with a good alignment, particularly more negative camber in the front will give you better turn-in and more bite. For DEs and Ax, I also increase the inflation of the fronts so they are running at around 44-45# when hot - that's around 39-40# cold.

Here's the figures for the alignment I had done - I don't use the car as a daily driver, but I do drive long distances to events, and I've not noticed any unusual tire wear on the insides with this set up.

brad

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Specs as delivered on the car when we started:

Left Front : - 0.3 camber, 7.4 caster, .08 toe

Right Front: -0.4 camber, 7.6 caster, .04 toe

0.11 total toe, 0.02 steer ahead


Left Rear: -1.4 camber, 0.33 toe

Right Rear: -1.6 camber, .12 toe

0.45 total toe

0.10 thrust angle

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What we changed it to:

Left Front : - 1.0 camber, 7.4 caster, .04 toe

Right Front: -1.0 camber, 7.6 caster, .04 toe

0.08 total toe, 0.00 steer ahead


Left Rear: -1.4 camber, 0.09 toe

Right Rear: -1.4 camber, 0.09 toe

0.18 total toe

0.00 thrust angle

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21-year PCA Member
PCA DE Instructor

Beez/Gemars,

Thanks for the stats. Did you get your alignment changed at the dealership? Gemars, I'm in Phx so I'll probably hit my local scene first to get some experience before heading into NM. Thanks for the advice on the tires. I'll probably get a set of 18's if I plan to track the car more than a couple of times a year (which I hope too!). I need to see what these PCCB's will really do.

Thanks again for everything. Great site. Love the car.

Mike