Richor

I got back from a day at willow spring yesterday and was checking my tires today. They are all pretty smashed and melted which was expected but the rear left tire and only the rear left has some gashed all along the tire which I am concerned about. The car had a full race alignment from Darrin at west-end a month ago and I am running a lot of negative camber but the gashes dont make sense. Any thoughts?

Maybe I ran over something? I did go off on turn 9 at about 90 MPH into the dirt but it was smooth dirt and I was able to drive off and continue for 3-4 more sessions.

Pics

Normal expected hpde wear



Weird Gashes that continue all the way around the tire on that 1 spot






And yes I know I need to get some real tires. These BFG KDW's. 300 treadware rating. The tires are 1 month old with 2 hpde's on them

AU N EGL

I may be wrong but looks like the tread is starting to separate.

Richor

^ that should be covered by the tire company right? is that normal?

AU N EGL

Good question.

Could try - Go for it.

Richor

Any other opinions?

C5 Hardtop

Looks a bit like "chunking". I don't know what else to call it, but that happened to me a lot, closer to the center of the tire but I din't have a race alignment.

I'm told chuking is from when the tread overheats, cheap tires or tires not meant for the track do this. BFG's do this, the KDW v1 did that on my camaro.

What is the tire model, I see its a BFG, but is it a street tire?

Richor

Yes its a BFG KDW street tire. 300 treadware rating. As street tire of a street tire you can get. Wonder if they would cover that 1 tire. Its weird that it only happened on 1 side vs on both rears

gkmccready

Any rubber on the fender or fender liner? Is it rubbing at full compression?

Richor

^ great question. I dont think so but that would explain the gashes. Dont know why I did not look for that .. duh. I will check and advise soon

JimbeauZ06

Saw this same tire do this on a Shelby GT 500 after a few laps at Roebling Road. The difference was the tires were newer and the "chunks" were larger. You might want to consider a set of track tires, maybe a DOT Competition tire like Toyo R888 or Nitto 555RII or NT01.

argonaut

I've see this on KDWs as well.

Charley Hoyt

This happened to a set of GY's that I was using for autocross. When it happened to me the tires were quite low on tread.

John Shiels

Looks like chunking which I did to a set of street tires when I first started.

honeybadger

So can you keep driving on that or are the tires junk when that happens?

vettehardt

My dad bought a set of BFG KDs that are doing the same thing only much worse. I think that is one of the problems that alot of the BFGs are having. If i were you, i would try some Kumho XS.

bobmoore2

Chunking means the tread layer of the tire rubber is separating from the carcass layer of the tire. In other words, the tire is starting to come apart from the inside out. Soon the tread will start coming off in chunks (where the term "chunking" comes from). I wouldn't drive that tire another minute on the track, and I'd be careful driving home on it.

WBHighwind

I see this all the time on the center part of the Kumho Ecsta MXs I sometimes run on the track. I dont think it really hurts the tire for continued street use, but I wouldnt track those tires anymore.

Olitho

WSIR is known to be wickedly hard on left side tires, especially the rear. That track, with its 100 MPH average speed and sustained left side loads through the long uphill carousel Turn Two and the even faster contiguous Turn Eight and Turn Nine sections, coupled with the abrasive asphalt that track has in comparison to others and you have an environment that is hell on the one tire.

The chunking I have seen tends to look different than that, but I am not familiar with the BFG. I looks a little like a cut and that is close to where you would possibly get fender rub, but your tire is neither wide enough for that nor is fender rub grooving that incosistent and tattered looking.

It does look like the beginning of some tire separation. Maybe I am dumb, but I would rotate the tire to another position and run it at a track like Buttonwillow or Streets of Willow Springs. Those tracks are not as fast nor as abusive on tires. Then I would keep an eye on it after each session for additional detioration ...but that is only me.

The safest thing to do would be to get a new tire.

I would also echo other sentiments to look for a set of track wheels and tires. I would recommend Kumho's, Nitto's or Hoosiers. Some others like Michelin are good, too.


Oli

Richor

Thanks for all the responses guys. I did not get a chance to get under the car today but I ran my finger under the fender and noticed that the edge of the fender liner on that side felt rough and dilapidated, I then proceeded to check the other fender liners and the edges were smooth. I am pretty sure that was the issue, the fender liner on all the fenders stick out a little. I am going to remove the wheel this weekend and do a little trimming or stapling to make sure it does not rub anymore providing that I am correct and that is infact the problem.

If that is the issue, which im sure it is, I shouldnt have an issue running the tires right? As long as it does not rub/cut anymore I think they will be fine., Opinions?


Oh and Oli, the alignment settings are working amazing. Check out the videos on the wsir thread in socal section. Ran a 1:39:6 bone stock ls2 c6 and as you can see above crappy 300 t.w tires,.

MAG STAR

Nice times even with crappy tires .... you will go much faster with good rubber .... we need to get together ... I live close to you