To flip Tires or not??

[late96]

I'm sure this has been asked before, Is it recomended to flip tires weekly? We run a Hoosier wrs55 and are trying to make them live longer.

[lovinlatemodels]

About 15 yrs ago we use to run them 2 wks one direction and flip them and go 2 wks again. Then we would take a groving gun and recut a new edge by cutting a sliver of rubber off giving it a fresh edge then flip it again and re cut. After that we would throw the tire out. Now this was on a track that was not abrasive and we got great tire wear. Now we did a tire test 10 yrs ago and Hoosier rep said mount tire with serial numbers facing the inside of the track and not to flip them due to the pulling on the cords built in the tires. He said that once you use it if you flip it the cords pull the other direction and can rip causing the tire to fail. Now we run a track thats hard on tires so 2 races and the RR is junked LR about 4 races. So if budget is the problem I would flip them i still do but only on the LR and RF the RR don't make it that long. Hope this helps.

[leadorfollow]

since you're running the wrs55 there is no problem with flipping them since it's a hard tire and you're running off the edges. Just as was stated make sure you originally mount with date stamp mounted to inside of track on the initial run due to the way the layers of rubber were layed down. It all depends on how bad the tire was hurt or how it was cut to say what needs done. If you're running a softer tire like a 1325/d15 or softer I wouldn't flip because you're running on the compound. Just make sure you're cleaning the tires after each race and grinding the old rubber off the surface to get back to a new layer of rubber.

[hpmaster]

I flip my American Racers all the time with no ill effects and regroove them and resipe them too. I run them mostly by stagger size till they are real junk. Then when I have to run Hoosier lm30 or lm40, UMP, I cringe because those seem to be just short of worthless in 1/3 the time of American Racers IMHO.
It is also what I think is help killin racing when you HAVE to buy $160.00 plus a copy of a tire three times as often as another brand. (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) near ruined things in 1981 and 1982 too. Ok so I am too old to still drive if I remember that far back?, tough!:p

[Egoracing]

It is not how the rubber is layed down, Hoosiers are built with camber built right into the tire. I have seen and measured a little over 1/4 inch difference in the inside and outside diameters when mounted correctly. Typically it is not that large but it can be, get them backwards and they can hurt performance. Measure them on 2 sets of block on the inside and outside, When they are close to even or going the other way then flip them. You can have rack conditions where you are running on the compound no matter what tire you have on the wheel.

[JTSjet]

Ego, you could have a point with the camber thing perhaps at some point, but Hoosier will tell you themselves that it is because of the way the tire is laminated is why you should mount with the s/n to the inside of the track. All of my hoosier's currently measure about the same inside and out. i do know the old 6 block steer tires circa 2005(?) were inconsistent from inside to outside and really made a difference if you mounted them incorrectly though. i ran one on the rf once or twice and was glad i didn't throw out my old LSB's.

[Egoracing]

I helped start the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series in Fl, we were a Hoosier sponsored series and sold Hoosier tires, D series and LM series and per Hoosier in 2010 they were still cast with camber in them.

[late96]

So, you either go against Hoosiers recomendation or buy a new tire every 15-25 laps??

[hpmaster]

My opinion is Hoosier doesn't car about racers and never has. They lock up an organization, monopolize the tire market to make as much money as they can. This isn't anything new to them. Like I said before I get 3 times the life from an American Racer by flipping them.

[citiracer]

Until I see signs of a catastrophic failure, I'm going to keep flipping mine.

[Sprint76]

We run American Racers 99% of the time, and flop them every time we run them.

When we run Hoosier only tracks, we also flop the Hoosiers. We contacted our Hoosier rep, and he claims the tires aren't cambered. I haven't measured any yet to see if they are.