I moved one of the cars for the first time in a while and the brakes were rubbing. I assumed it was just slightly seized brakes from lack of use so to it for an Italian tune up to put some heat in the callipers and free everything up.
When I got back I raised each wheel and spun it to check it was free. All was good until I got to the fourth wheel where I spotted this in three places around the wheel. Re-check the other tyres and they were all perfect including the other car wheel fitted at exactly the same time.
The fact it was in three places suggests not simple tyre damage but proper tyre failure but any suggestions why?
Bit of gue and some gaffa tape. Another 200k in those.
That, my friend, is the rubber perishing due to age! The rubber hardens with exposure to weather and UV, and will start to split, especially along the edge of the tread where it joins the wall. Those need mending with new ones, immediately, if not quicker!
They are downright dangerous, a sudden blowout is highly likely.
Should I say anything about username appropriate?
Ooh wire wheels. What are they on?
I am looking on Vintage Tyres right now for replacements. Seems strange it is just the one and only 4 years old but it spent most of last (sunny) summer parked up with that tyre exposed so maybe.
Bit of ArmorAll and it'll be fine.
Whats the date code on the sidewall?
Bet they are quite old and probably past best
I am looking on Vintage Tyres right now for replacements.
Why?
It's a Z3 IIRC? Ok the wire wheels won't be helping the handling, but surely it's designed around nice square modern tyres?
It’s a Z3 IIRC?
If it is it's had quite the body kit fitted.
oops - sorry, I appear to be repeating myself!
Yup , Z3 in a pretty frock. Wire wheels mean tubes. Tubes mean most modern tyres are not suitable and most modern places glue weights on but for wires you need to old hammer onto the rim ones to get the weight sited correctly.
only 4 years old
Not too fussed about the handling as it is a tarty little car for fun rather than trying to be a sports car. The turn, wait for the tyres to react, and then squirt all adds to the fun.
Thats a tyre fault - delaminating , lucky you spotted it , more dangerous on the back where you notice it last, on the front you should get a warning via the steering wheel.
...Wire wheels mean tubes...
Bit of Tesa 4289, bit of sealant through the valve... 😉
Wire wheels mean tubes. Tubes mean most modern tyres are not suitable and most modern places glue weights on but for wires you need to old hammer onto the rim ones to get the weight sited correctly.
They'll use knock-on weights if you ask them, I have to as there isn't clearance inside the rim on a midget for glue on weights with the track rod end.
There are a few options for tubed tyres, although some of them are at the Chinese domestic brand end of the spectrum.
Yeah - a lot are speed limited to 97mph or similar or some are 'van and track' rated which I think again is a speed thing.
I did gulp a bit when I saw the amount of delamination but only AFTER I had done my Italian brake warming exercises which involved a private road and repeated acceleration and hard braking to heat everything through followed by a journey home 'making good progress'.
There are some Avons but they are £300 each so currently thinking of going for these : https://www.vintagetyres.com/shop/tyres/maxxis-ma-1-20mm-wsw-205-75r15-97s
There's also Pirelli Cintuatro and Michelin XWX, but they're also ~£250 a corner.
I'm sure there's other options as one of my jobs last summer was taking them to be fitted. But they might have been onto tubeless wire wheels. I did think it was weird that people were paying ~£1k for wheels then fitting cheap tyres though. Although for the price of some of those classic options you could get knock-on minilites.
What's the hub setup with? I'm guessing there's a knock off adapter bolted to the original hub? Or are they bolt-on wheels with a fake knock-off (knock off knock-off's??)
TBH it that damage looks like the delamination you used to sometimes get on remoulds back in the day (they don't still do them do they?). As a child I remember a remould my dad had fitted on his old Hillman taking itself apart on the M6, happy days!
Z3 in a pretty frock.
beauty in the eye of the beholder, etc etc.
Wheels were eBay steal. Man said he had "8 Astin Martin Wheels" (his spelling mistake) and had a starting bid of £100 but no pictures. I contacted him and he said they were spares from an Aston Martin 4/5 that he no longer owned. He agreed to a buy it now as there were only a couple of hours and no-one else had even looked at it. I turned up with £100 but it turns out he thought he had said £100 each. I pointed out that he hadn't said that and amazingly he gave me 7 wheels for £80. He couldn't find the 8th so knocked £20 off the price. 1 wheel was rotten, one wheel was quite badly buckled but 5 were fine so I have a set of 4 plus spare for £80.
Hub adapters were used to fit.
I later realised that the Aston Martin had 16" wheels, not 15" so these were either off a super secret prototype Aston Martin and worth millions or from a Big Healy
Tyres need to be used regularly to last, the flexing keeps them supple. It's made worse with cars that are stored over the winter as the tyre 'sets' in the position it's left in so the bottom is squashed. When they're moved in the spring the rubber can crack immediately, especially if the tyre is old (over 5 years or so). The tyres on my Mini's date code are all 3114, so 7 years old and I'm contemplating changing them even though the rears still have their mould markings and the fronts have less than 1mm worn off them (7mm depth). I'll see how they are after a run to scrub them up a bit as they have no cracks whatsoever right now but even then I'll be paying close attention to them before every use. I think the tyres have been on the car 4 years though as the rims were manufactured in 2017 so they will most likely be changed for next year anyway.
If you're not doing the mileage to wear them out in under 5 years then budget for replacing them around that time, they're a major safety item at the end of the day.
Could also be MGB V8 wheels, they were 15" IIRC, although I can't remember if they did a wire option.
Hard to tell from a side on pic, but the tyres look quite wide for those wheels which might have contributed to the sidewall flexing?
nickc - Ok. I will revise that to a Z3 in a more distinctive frock 🙂
Reluctant - Yep. It was moving the car to give it a quick once over safety check that revealed the sticky brakes. I really should have checked the tyres before the quick 'fast run' but fortunately I lived.
It does look like the other front brake hose will need replacing too. I did one side replacing the original with Cupra Nickel last summer but the drivers side looked ok and the drivers side is much more bends and fiddly to fit so I left it but if I am sticking it up on angle stands to clean and service the callipers I might do the remaining three brake lines.
I'd be asking verdstien on their opinions
Just checked the tyre date and it is 1612 so they are nearly 9 years old. I was about to get shouty with the tyre place I bought them and found out I bought them early 2013. It was the fronts I replaced in 2017.
Doesn't time fly?
At 9 years old I'd say you've had good use out of them. How come the fronts wore out before the rears on a RWD car? Sounds like you should used the loud pedal a bit more often!
Possible ozone damage
https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/car/all-about-tyres/tyre-care-maintenance/storing-tyres
it spent most of last (sunny) summer parked up with that tyre exposed so maybe.
High temperatures and lots of UV, then lots of frost and cold during the winter, and sat without moving...
I think that’s your culprit.