It's important to check the tires on a regular basis

[Erik]

From the inside tire of an RS6

:bigeyes: :vhmmm:

http://www.rs6.com/gallery/data/503/2HC20040018.JPG

[gjg]

Contis?

this looks pretty scary - tire looks like it has enough thread left .....

[Erik]

Yes they are Contis. MUCH better than the Eagle F1s they were replaced with.

[Klint]

Reminds me of the Firestone and Ford Explorer Fiasco over the last several years...They had the tread depart from the rest of the tyre, in a similar fashion causing many accidents/fatalities.

I believe it's important to check the tyres regularly, because nothing can save you from a tyre failure at xxx amount of speed.

[Klint]

Just one question - I can't see it from that picture.

Is the damage actually on the wall of the tyre or on the top? :confused:

[gmbh6]

good reminder. :mech:

[JP4]

Originally posted by Klint
Just one question - I can't see it from that picture.

Is the damage actually on the wall of the tyre or on the top? :confused:

To me it looks like the tire is separating right where the tread meets the side wall.

JP4

[Nordschleife]

The 19 inch Conti Sport Contact 2 tyres fitted ex-works by quattro have a load rating of 96, which is correct.
Running for prolonged periods at speeds in excess of 280 kph is tough on tyres. If a wheel is slightly out of balance, that will put extra stress on the tyre.
I have known tyres which look perfect to an external inspection but which have turned out to be destroyed inside, because of such stresses.
With the 19 inch rim and the Conti tyres it is easy to damage the rim as the rim sticks out from the tyre side wall, rather than vice versa. Curb scrapes can cause imbalance at speed. Similarly, improperly adjusted tyre pressures cause problems, one reason the car comes with a tyre pressure monitoring system.
I recall one owner scraping his rims three times just getting the car out of his underground garage, for people like him the oversized Yokohama AVS Sport tyres have attractions, firstly they are an excellent tyre and secondly they have a solid rim protecting strip which helps save the wheel from curb rash.
In Germany, the car's papers specify which summer and winter tyres are approved for the car and if you are not using them, then you have to have an approval certificate from the tyre manufacturer, otherwise, if you are stopped, you are in trouble with the police and your insurance. This sounds like a draconian regime, but do you want tyre trouble at high speed?

R+C

[sturs6]

My driver front tire had done the exact same thing.

[Erik]

Just for the record.

The Conti Sport Contact 2 is not the problem, this could happen to any tire.

But don't replace them with Eagle F1s. They look good but they degrade the car so much it's ridicilous.

P Zero Rosso or Conti Sport Contact 2 would be the best in my opinion.

[Klint]

Checked over the 325 yesturday...

- All tyres have like melted rubber residue on the outer sides of the treads, just wondering what has caused this to happen?

- The fronts are suffering from small gashes/cuts/cracks, again just wondering what has caused the tyres to do this? The rears so far have no sign of this, but I'll be taking all the wheels off later today to grab some pictures and to check the insides.

BTW - I'm running Michelin's Pilot HXs all round.
.

[sturs6]

Originally posted by Erik
Just for the record.

The Conti Sport Contact 2 is not the problem, this could happen to any tire.


Yes Sir,
I had the Dunlop tire that is happened to.

[Matteus]

Originally posted by Erik


But don't replace them with Eagle F1s. They look good but they degrade the car so much it's ridicilous.



hi Erik,
are you speaking just for the RS6? or are you speaking for all cars?
We've got Eagle F1's on our 320CDI, and now I was wondering if we did a bad buy?
The tyres now have about 10.000kms, but we are pretty happy so far with the performance of them.
I can't really compare them with any other tyre, except the standard ones from the 320 wich were the P6000.


thx,

matteus

[Erik]

Originally posted by Matteus
are you speaking just for the RS6? or are you speaking for all cars?

They suck on the RS6. Handling was very bad compared to the Contis.

Rumor has it that one of the RS6s in Highway Challenge was on Eagle F1s. Check the video?

[Klint]

I know it's off topic 9unrelated to the rs6) but I was hoping someone could help me with this...

Here's a couple pictures of some small (?) tyres defects I've spotted on the front right tyre, when I took it off yesturday.

This first picture shows a couple gashes caused by something penetrating the rubber....one to the far right of the picture and one in the centre, is this 'damage' dangerous?

[Klint]

Also, all the tyres are showing like a melted rubber residue on the outer sides of the treads...What's caused this to happen?

I powerslide the car pretty often both on and off the tarmac (you wouldn't believe how addictive it becomes!) and I like to hit the twisties hard, so have these antics caused the rubber to heat up and melt? Is it normal? etc.

Is it a cause for concern? :confused:

[JP4]

Originally posted by Klint
Also, all the tyres are showing like a melted rubber residue on the outer sides of the treads...What's caused this to happen?

I powerslide the car pretty often both on and off the tarmac (you wouldn't believe how addictive it becomes!) and I like to hit the twisties hard, so have these antics caused the rubber to heat up and melt? Is it normal? etc.

Is it a cause for concern? :confused:

The small gouges/gashes are going to happen just from the tire rolling over debris on the road. It should be a problem as long as the debris doesn't penetrate into the cord area or all the way through (in which case the tire wouldn't hold air.

The scrubbing and melted rubber at the edge of the outer tread blocks is indeed the result of your driving style. What will eventually happen is that you'll expose the tires cord at the edge well before the tread on the rest of the tire is worn down. Make sure you have sufficient tire pressure to help support the tire during your "sporty" driving sessions but be careful as overflation causes it's own problems.

Please keep in mind that I'm not an expert and this is just my opinion based on what I can see in the photo's.

Hope this helps!

JP4

[SpinEcho]

Originally posted by Erik
They suck on the RS6. Handling was very bad compared to the Contis.

Rumor has it that one of the RS6s in Highway Challenge was on Eagle F1s. Check the video?

That's interesting, and too bad. Are you talking about the F1 GSD3's? I have been very pleased with these tires on my Corrado - maybe they aren't as good in 19" size (can't imagine why that would be).

[JAXRS6]

Originally posted by SpinEcho
That's interesting, and too bad. Are you talking about the F1 GSD3's? I have been very pleased with these tires (Goodyear) on my Corrado

You're not alone:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/max.jsp

Then again, I'm not sure I agree with all of the Tirerack findings. My Pirelli P Zero Rossos have never disappointed on traction, wet or dry, and only after 23,500 miles am I needing to replace them within another 500 mi or so -- pretty good wear for a performance tire in my opinion. Certainly not significantly worse than the Bridgestone Potenza S03s on my B5 S4, even tho the Tirerack table would lead you to believe there are big differences.

But I'm only considering Pirelli and Michelin for replacement tires, since the only other brand available in the US that will fit properly in 18" size & has the Audi-recommended Heavy Load designation is Dunlop -- and members here have posted re chunks coming off their Dunlops during track use.

[Erik]

Originally posted by SpinEcho
Are you talking about the F1 GSD3's?

Yes.

Once you get used to a tire you think it is good.
Until you change. Esp. if you change from a good tire to a not so good tire. Remarkable difference.

[Nordschleife]

be very careful when comparing tyres. The plant they are made in makes a huge difference, especially if its in Decatur!

There is one model of the Goodyear F1 tyre which is reported to be ok in Europe, its the one with the alphabet soup in the name.

As far as chunking goes when at the track, if you avoid running over the curbs and rumble strips, the propensity to chunk will be reduced.

Audis benefit from tyres with very stiff sidewalls, if you can get a load rating that is higher than 96, you may be pleasantly surprised.

A very good tyre, such as the Yokohama AVS Sport, as available in Europe, works well even if you have to roll the fenders because you have gone oversized. Oversized has an additional benefit in that it offers better protection to your rims. Most of the guys who take their Audis to track days in Britain and Europe prefer the mrs lennon, as this tyre has become known. understand that these guys drive on the track under rules which allow for rather hotter laps than is the norm in the land of the free.

R+C

[Klint]

Originally posted by JP4
The small gouges/gashes are going to happen just from the tire rolling over debris on the road. It should be a problem as long as the debris doesn't penetrate into the cord area or all the way through (in which case the tire wouldn't hold air.

The scrubbing and melted rubber at the edge of the outer tread blocks is indeed the result of your driving style. What will eventually happen is that you'll expose the tires cord at the edge well before the tread on the rest of the tire is worn down. Make sure you have sufficient tire pressure to help support the tire during your "sporty" driving sessions but be careful as overflation causes it's own problems.

Please keep in mind that I'm not an expert and this is just my opinion based on what I can see in the photo's.

Hope this helps!

JP4

Thanks John,

The information is kindly appreciated. :thumb:

[SpinEcho]

Originally posted by Erik
Once you get used to a tire you think it is good.
Until you change. Esp. if you change from a good tire to a not so good tire. Remarkable difference.

I'm sure that's true, but I've only recently changed to F1 GSD3's on my Corrado, so it's hardly a case of getting used to them. Before, I ran Potenza S03's, which as far as I'm concerned, are nothing close to what they are cracked up to be. Before that, I ran SP9000's (same as what's on my RS6) - decent road tire, good in the wet, but certainly NOT the last word in performance road tires and nowhere near as good as the F1 GSD3's.

I've never run PZero's, but I've heard only good things about them. I'll be trying them as the next set on my RS6. Do they flat spot (temporary) as badly as the SP9000's?

[avdh]

Check your toe-in as well

My RS6 came from the factory with -0º12'.
That's like the front tyres pointing outwards in a straight line. (like a duck :))
It also wears the inside of the tyres very quickly.

I now have +0º09'. I have lost just a bit of steering response (turn in) for very tight corners, but have gained in stability and precision on straights, medium and large corners

[7:53 RS6]

Originally posted by SpinEcho
I'm sure that's true, but I've only recently changed to F1 GSD3's on my Corrado, so it's hardly a case of getting used to them. Before, I ran Potenza S03's, which as far as I'm concerned, are nothing close to what they are cracked up to be. Before that, I ran SP9000's (same as what's on my RS6) - decent road tire, good in the wet, but certainly NOT the last word in performance road tires and nowhere near as good as the F1 GSD3's.

I've never run PZero's, but I've heard only good things about them. I'll be trying them as the next set on my RS6. Do they flat spot (temporary) as badly as the SP9000's?


When i chose tier to a HEAVY car like the RS6 i look first at the Turn In abilety of the tier and the hardnes(stregths) of the side wall and grip of course. If its loud on the road or not do not bother me.
(It may have something to do that i like inspiering driving:) )

Some time i buy a not so expensiv tier becuse using so many up,and that always make me regret.

The turn in ability on GSD3 and side wall and grip is no where nere the preformans of the Contis sport contact2.

Its not fear to compre the GSD3 on a small car like the corrado. They may preform, but not on RS6. Conti is way better on RS6.
In fact i think contis are very good on RS6(not loud even)


:)

[Speedou]

And you have to find right tires for every car. Sport Contact 2 work (very) fine on Saab 9-3 but they don't work on Saab 9-5. Grip and handling are very good, but 9-5 just doesn't go straight anymore :(

[Erik]

I just discovered Sport Contact 2 is stock on the new Volvo V50 as well.

[Benman]

Originally posted by Nordschleife

A very good tyre, such as the Yokohama AVS Sport, as available in Europe, works well even if you have to roll the fenders because you have gone oversized. Oversized has an additional benefit in that it offers better protection to your rims.

R+C
I guess my question to you Nordschleife would be: What is a good size to use (besides 255/45) with the factory 18' rims. Of course a high load rating still applies. Thanks:cheers:
Ben:addict: