Rubber on tires

[cuda6666]

One of my students from Monday is concerned about what I assume to be a persistent buildup of track debris (rubber) on his stock Michelin Pilot Sport tires.

We noticed a vibration and rumbling noise during one of the later sessions, and could see lots of rubber stuck to the tires. I told him it would wear off quickly on the street, but he says it's still there after a 10 hour drive back to Baltimore. The car is a 2005 Porsche Carrera S, so I doubt the vibration is from a wheel bearing or drive train problem. We also did not drive the car particularly hard dirung the school.

Any ideas?

[jlwhorf]

Built up rubber can be removed easily with a heat gun and a putty knife.

Jonathan

[chaos4NH]

Built up rubber can be removed easily with a heat gun and a putty knife.

Jonathan

Well, that all depends on your definition of "easy". Takes me 15+ minutes or so per tire, but it can, as you said, be done.
When I was running street tires, and driving home on them, I found it more notieable than the same rubber build up when running on the track.

[Tsurara]

Does/Did he have the "sticky-weight" wheel weights? I used to burn those off of my wheels all the time before I started to use the foil tape on top of them, when they fell off I would get vibrations. Have him check all of his wheels to see if they fell off, might just need a rebalance.

[StephanAlfa]

This same student came to see me (Porsche driver) I told him heat gun with putty knife or just go back on track and it should come of if the build up is not excessive.
You are right about a weight possibly coming off and causing the vibration if everything else being equal.

Sam: need to get a better heat gun and/or putty knife = 15 minutes is a long pit stop!

[Subw00er]

For the rear a good burnout works.

I used to get that a lot when I used road tires (Goodyear Supercar F1). I really liked it - I'd come back from a race event with more rubber than I arrived with! Free rubber. It would take about 2-3 weeks for it to wear off on my daily driver and then it would still be in the ridges a bit. There was sometimes a slight vibration, but generally it applied itself smooth.

The harder he drives on the track the smoother it will get applied.

I also noticed that for whatever reason, when I drove in the rain the stuff came off quite quickly and would actuallly come off in long strips that would hit the wheel well and make a terrible noise. The first time it happened to me I was worried I messed up my car. The strips of rubber were 5+ inches!

Tell him to try and drive in the rain a bit. I think the cooling effect of the rain hardens the rubber and then it seems to want to peel off of the oem rubber. Worth a shot..

[agrabau]

Tell him that he must sell the car now. It is never going to be the same.

I am ready to offer him $5700. USD.

[StephanAlfa]

Tell him that he must sell the car now. It is never going to be the same.

I am ready to offer him $5700. USD.

I'll offer US$ 5,701

[enjoythemusic]

I'll offer US$ 5,701

$5702

Is it me, or does the Mich Pilot PS2 and Cups tend to really like to pick up lots of crap and hold onto it more than other tires? One of my track friends said Mich P-series seem to be that way.

Agree to check the weights and also see if any rubber is stuck on the inside of the rims. Lastly, i had some rubber build up/stuck within my brake rotors inner center once and it took me forever to figure that one out to solve an imbalance!

And yeah, rubber flying off the tires and smacking the fenders makes an awful sound! Easy solution... go open wheel

[Stynger]

And yeah, rubber flying off the tires and smacking the fenders makes an awful sound! Easy solution... go open wheel

Then you can hear it hitting your helmet.

[TroyV]

I'll offer US$ 5,701

$5702

Is it me, or does the Mich Pilot PS2 and Cups tend to really like to pick up lots of crap and hold onto it more than other tires? One of my track friends said Mich P-series seem to be that way.

So THAT's why PSC's cost so damned much money. It is a tire that grows over time as opposed to wearing out. I can see the used tire ads now... 275/80/17's...formerly 275/40/17's.... So much tread left, you must raise ride height to fit.

[enjoythemusic]

Then you can hear it hitting your helmet.

True dat, but it solves the banging fender situation

Have not had much hit the helmet this year other than squashing bugs.