Good Deal on Tires?

[rs899]

This last weekend, the local U-pull it junkyards had a 50% off sale and I scored a set of 14" alloys ( not sure what the name is, but these were used on the last Cabriolets ) and tires for $20each.

Unfortunately , the car I pulled 2 of the wheels off of must have had really bad shocks.  The tires on these wheels are badly sawtoothed ( the tread blocks are uneven front to back , but even across the tires), but there is plenty of tread.  The tires cost me $10 each, but they make an amazing racket that is driving me batty.

I would like to keep the tires ( I have another 25 days to use them before I need to return them), but I am wondering if the vibrations and oscillations will cost me more in struts what I might be saving in tires.  I am going to keep the wheels anyway as they really help save my Jetta from being really dull ( all blasted dark grey with big bumpers- all one blob)

Anyone know any easy/cheap/free way to correct these tires?  Will they correct themselves since they are on a car with a straight (freshly rebuilt) front end?

[Smokey Eddy]

If they are causing vibrations that you can feel, what you are feeling is what the suspension and shocks and bushings and everything else hasn't been able to filter out and is probably causing some very rapid wear. For the price of proper tires it's not worth it to you to keep those if they are vibrating badly. If it's hardly noticable i would make sure they are balanced and then drive vigorously i guess? taking corners really fast?
I don't see how this can be all that benificial to you.

My final thought is that if they are annoying and if they are very obviously vibrating and moving about they are not worth damaging the parts. It's not just the cost of the parts you may possibly have to replace as a result but also the down time of the vehicle (which im assuming has some value to you) and your time/money...
If you don't care you could just try and find ways to rapidly wear them evenly... which in it's self seems counter-intuitive.

[libbydiesel]

Burnouts?   

[burn_your_money]

Did you get them balanced?

[rs899]

Not yet.  They don't really seem to be out of balance now.  I am hoping that the high spots will rub off first  I have a balancer and a de-mounter, so if I decide to return them I can, but its a hassle to do the work and then still need to find some tires.  I am going to try to figure some way to aggressively work off the high spots.  Best thing I can think of is put the front of the car up on stands, get the wheels spinning in first or reverse at idle and hold a concrete block under the slowly spinning tire.  After 3 days, they might be getting a bit better, or maybe my ears are just getting used to the noise.

[clbanman]

If you have a balancer (I'm assuming spin and not bubble), then throw them on and put a coarse belt sander up against the tire and shave down your high spots.   

[R.O.R-2.0]

If you have a balancer (I'm assuming spin and not bubble), then throw them on and put a coarse belt sander up against the tire and shave down your high spots.   

or just go do some burn outs, as suggested by Andrew!

[rs899]

Nope, bubble balancer.  Wouldn't you know it a spinner showed up cheaply after I already had it.  Still, no regrets until now.

Burnouts? 1.6 NA? Surely you jest....

[Smokey Eddy]

my car spins any size tire i've ever put on it with alarming ease but only ever 1
I need to look into a peloquin not just for burn outs but i think it would greatly improove the performance of my car when i take it to ski hills as i do every winter (sometimes for the whole winter )

[R.O.R-2.0]

Nope, bubble balancer.  Wouldn't you know it a spinner showed up cheaply after I already had it.  Still, no regrets until now.

Burnouts? 1.6 NA? Surely you jest....

oh, they burn out... trust me.

it may only be a 10' long 1 tire fryer, but its a burn out.. lol.

my car also usually only spins one tire. whatever the lightest one is.. when its wet out, both spin. every friggen time. i hate driving my diesel in rain storms. even with brand new tires, and a fresh alignment, it hydroplanes with any amount of boost..

[ORCoaster]

R.O.R writes:

oh, they burn out... trust me.

it may only be a 10' long 1 tire fryer, but its a burn out.. lol.

my car also usually only spins one tire. whatever the lightest one is.. when its wet out, both spin. every friggen time. i hate driving my diesel in rain storms. even with brand new tires, and a fresh alignment, it hydroplanes with any amount of boost..


Hydroplaning is a function of speed, tread depth and water depth is it not.  Speed being the first variable you control and tread depth being the second.  Mother nature takes care of the water depth for you.  You just have to slow down, Boost has nothing to do with it.  You could be under a boost condition at a slower speed and not plane out could you not?  

Although now that I think a bit it might be a torque thing as well and that is why they tell you not to drive with the Cruise Control on when it rains.  The tires hit the water, slow down, the sensor picks up on the reduced speed and tries to compensate and wheeeee, away you go.  Slip sliding away.

[R.O.R-2.0]

R.O.R writes:

oh, they burn out... trust me.

it may only be a 10' long 1 tire fryer, but its a burn out.. lol.

my car also usually only spins one tire. whatever the lightest one is.. when its wet out, both spin. every friggen time. i hate driving my diesel in rain storms. even with brand new tires, and a fresh alignment, it hydroplanes with any amount of boost..


Hydroplaning is a function of speed, tread depth and water depth is it not.  Speed being the first variable you control and tread depth being the second.  Mother nature takes care of the water depth for you.  You just have to slow down, Boost has nothing to do with it.  You could be under a boost condition at a slower speed and not plane out could you not?  

Although now that I think a bit it might be a torque thing as well and that is why they tell you not to drive with the Cruise Control on when it rains.  The tires hit the water, slow down, the sensor picks up on the reduced speed and tries to compensate and wheeeee, away you go.  Slip sliding away.

think of it like this. i have 2 cars, i run the same tire/wheel combo on both. my gasser DOES NOT hydro plane.

my diesel hydroplanes like a MOFO..

same tires/wheels, relatively similar weight..

the diesel hydroplanes. only while you get hard on the boost. when its wet out, its like you greased the tires..

[rs899]

boost?  I got no boost...

[ORCoaster]

I would look to have the best treaded tires on the diesel then R.O.R.  I think it may have to do with the torque we develop down in the lower RPM ranges or the additional amount applied at boost.  Can't say that I can picture what a dyno graphs out for the addition a turbo gives.  But I know that you sure know when it is being delivered.  My son had a wicked Miata, well still has one that was so squirrely on up boost that he had to go to wider and softer/sticky tires.

You might consider doing the same.  Or snipe the ones you have if good on tread.  Any thing to add that momentary grip you need to keep from snapping them free. 

Are we off topic yet?

[R.O.R-2.0]

I would look to have the best treaded tires on the diesel then R.O.R.  I think it may have to do with the torque we develop down in the lower RPM ranges or the additional amount applied at boost.  Can't say that I can picture what a dyno graphs out for the addition a turbo gives.  But I know that you sure know when it is being delivered.  My son had a wicked Miata, well still has one that was so squirrely on up boost that he had to go to wider and softer/sticky tires.

You might consider doing the same.  Or snipe the ones you have if good on tread.  Any thing to add that momentary grip you need to keep from snapping them free. 

Are we off topic yet?

tires are siped, and better than 75% tread..

you do not pass cars, even in a passing lane, when its raining..

when you shoot power to the front end, it goes whatever way is most convenient..