Tires going off

[Pittenger5]

So Ive been thinking, and I'm sure its a question that cant be answered easily, but Ill give it a shot. Why do tires go off? I mean, theoretically the rubber compound goes through the whole tire evenly. Is it stuff getting picked up off the track working its way in? Or some other strange phenomenon.

[Kurlon]

I think it's the heat that works more than just the rubber on the surface that kills a tire before the tread disappears.

[Garandman]

http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/tires.php

[Doc]

Heat removes the oils and makes the tire harder?

[Kurlon]

Heat removes the oils and makes the tire harder?

You might be on to something here, heat removes the oils from the tanks in my house too!

[legalspeed]

Heat cycles increase the vulcanization (hardening of the compound bonds) thus, giving you a harder, less grippier compound.

BTW, same thing happens to your brake pads.

[Pittenger5]

Heat cycles increase the vulcanization (hardening of the compound bonds) thus, giving you a harder, less grippier compound.

BTW, same thing happens to your brake pads.

Ok, I can see that. Then how do they go off during a race? Just get TOO hot? I would think there's a "terminal velocity" of the amount of heat in a tire during a race, but I could very well be wrong there as well.

[Karaya One]

Heat cycles increase the vulcanization (hardening of the compound bonds) thus, giving you a harder, less grippier compound.

Modern tire compounds are much less susceptible to this. This is why you can run some DOT's all the way past the tread wear bars, over multiple events.

[JudyGT]

You might be on to something here, heat removes the oils from the tanks in my house too!

ha ha