Afternoon All

My first track day was Hullavington a week ago and was a useful exercise in turning my almost road illegal front tyres into slicks on the shoulders; with the rears also now road illegal but you can see tread on them.

However, being in the lucky position of having 2 sets of wheels, i was able to swap all 4 wheels to brand new rubber at the end of the day and drive home.

I now plan to keep one set of wheels & tyres for track and one for everyday use.

Trackdays are obviosuly a very good way to finish off end of life tyres and on the next day i will probably turn the old rears to slicks too; but I don't think just doing 2 track days in close succession every 18 months or so when my road tyres need replacing is going to satisfy my craving!

• How far can you push tyres until they become completely useless and/or dangerous?
  
• Obviously at the first sign of canvas i'd stop but is this already too far?
  
• Is there anywhere you can buy road illegal tyres that would normally just be recycled?
  
• Would i have to rely on a very helpful tyre fitter and hope that they save the tyres anytime something with a suitable size comes along?
  

Hullavington was a great day (and as i neede dnew rubber anyway worked out really cheap) but i'd hate for track days to be off limits or cripple me financially because of rubber costs but I also wouldn't particularly want my over use of one set of tyres to mean i have a blow out, destory a wheel/suspension, go off track, crash into something/someone, explode and/or die.

There must be a cheaper way around it?!

Cliff

Tyres should be fine up to and probably beyond when the metal strips start showing through. I wouldn't have any worries about pushing the slick I created at Hullavington a little further on another dry trackday.

Tyre places have to pay to get rid of used/scrap road tyres, I'm sure you could pick up some on-the-limit tyres at the correct size for free, just pay them to refit them to your track day wheels, just remember they'll only last one or two track days if they're "on the legal limit" already

Jase - that is all i wanted to hear! i think i'll push them to the sight of canvas and then get rid.

Ed - that was the plan - call round the local indy fitters - "excuse me, could you swap this really dead tyre for that not so dead one for a nominal fee?"

See you at Colerne!! (and maybe Mallory! )

the problem you will have though is , how many tyres in the correct size will the tyre fitters have done in the previous month , not many i'd say , the Fabia VRS size is quite rare , only 1 or 2 other cars with that size iirc

so unless you go to say 205/50WR16 i think you will be struggling

I would also question in this day and age of "where there's blame etc" whether a tyre fitter would be happy to let you have "illegal" tyres on the strength of you telling him/her that they are "for track use only".

the problem you will have though is , how many tyres in the correct size will the tyre fitters have done in the previous month , not many i'd say , the Fabia VRS size is quite rare , only 1 or 2 other cars with that size iirc

so unless you go to say 205/50WR16 i think you will be struggling

very true - stupid awkward standard sized tyres! Here's hoping for an influx of Ibizas Polos and Fabias with bad tyre wear in my area!

However asking all the tyre fitters to keep any that crop up back for me rather than pay to get them recycled can't - the worst they can say is no! (hopefully! :eek:)

the other alternative is to run over sized tyres for track days - maybe on a differnent set of wheels (like those from a mk4 golf?)

I would also question in this day and age of "where there's blame etc" whether a tyre fitter would be happy to let you have "illegal" tyres on the strength of you telling him/her that they are "for track use only".

Agreed however the cash of swapping illegal for illegal might win them over. It's a win win situation for them as they make money where previously they wouldn't and i'd happily sign any disclaimer they wanted.

Again I can but ask nicely.