Tyre depths. A couple of questions
Discussion
12 months ago, a tyre on the Clio RS200 burst. I kept the three remaining tyres and paperwork from Renault say they have plenty of tread: 4mm, 5mm and 6mm...
At the time, rather than fanny about, I just put four brand new Kumhos on the car (it's never tracked or hammered so didn't feel the need to spend on premium ones). It seemed the right thing at the time.
A year and 10,000 miles later, the two Kumho fronts are near worn and one of the rears has a slow puncture. I am now wondering what to do regarding the three spares.
Should I use two or three of the tyres I have left? Again, the car isnt hammered so would it be a problem having three used tyres and one new? To feel the tyres, there doesn't feel or look much of a difference but I want to ensure the car is safe and sturdy...
The tyres are original Continental Sport Contact 2s. Thinking of another option maybe use the 5 and 6mm tyres and buying two new ones (would keep the 3rd as a spare). If so, would I put the new on front or rear.
Sorry to bore everyone with my questions.
Thanks.
At the time, rather than fanny about, I just put four brand new Kumhos on the car (it's never tracked or hammered so didn't feel the need to spend on premium ones). It seemed the right thing at the time.
A year and 10,000 miles later, the two Kumho fronts are near worn and one of the rears has a slow puncture. I am now wondering what to do regarding the three spares.
Should I use two or three of the tyres I have left? Again, the car isnt hammered so would it be a problem having three used tyres and one new? To feel the tyres, there doesn't feel or look much of a difference but I want to ensure the car is safe and sturdy...
The tyres are original Continental Sport Contact 2s. Thinking of another option maybe use the 5 and 6mm tyres and buying two new ones (would keep the 3rd as a spare). If so, would I put the new on front or rear.
Sorry to bore everyone with my questions.
Thanks.
Not very helpful now, but next time swap your tyres front to back every few thousand miles. That way they are always all on roughly the same tread depth. 
I wouldn't worry about a couple of mm different in tread depth on a car that wasn't going to be driven hugely hard, to be honest. Lots of people on here will probably disagree, though.
I wouldn't worry about a couple of mm different in tread depth on a car that wasn't going to be driven hugely hard, to be honest. Lots of people on here will probably disagree, though.
NumberoftheBeast said:
Is mismatching by a couple of mm a huge issue? Don't wanna scrimp but happy if I save a few quid and don't waste what I have.
On a s
tbox that's not ragged around not really so much, but on a performance car like your one I'd be inclined to think twice. Also you need to consider how the tyres have been kept since you took them off the car - are they still in good condition apart from the tread depth?davepoth said:
NumberoftheBeast said:
Is mismatching by a couple of mm a huge issue? Don't wanna scrimp but happy if I save a few quid and don't waste what I have.
On a stbox that's not ragged around not really so much, but on a performance car like your one I'd be inclined to think twice. Also you need to consider how the tyres have been kept since you took them off the car - are they still in good condition apart from the tread depth?
kambites said:
davepoth said:
NumberoftheBeast said:
Is mismatching by a couple of mm a huge issue? Don't wanna scrimp but happy if I save a few quid and don't waste what I have.
On a stbox that's not ragged around not really so much, but on a performance car like your one I'd be inclined to think twice. Also you need to consider how the tyres have been kept since you took them off the car - are they still in good condition apart from the tread depth?I will have a think about it. It's not driven hard (wife's car and a daily runner for me to go to work) but it is a nippy thing if I ever need all that "brute" power!
I might put the 5 and 6mm tyres on and get two new ones.
Thanks to everyone for their input.
Check the manufacturing dates on all the tyres. It's a 4 character code stamped on the sidewall in 2 digit week and 2 digit year format (so 4804 is week 48 2004) If the Contis that came off are more than 6 years old they'll probably not offer much grip but if they've been stored in dry, cool and dark conditions they'll probably be OK. If not I wouldn't bother using them.
As for matching, does the car have a spare and if so does it match either set of tyres you have now? If it's a typical French slung under the rear of the car effort it'll probably be cracked to buggery in any case, but worth checking. Ideally more grippy tyres on the back will make the car slightly safer (more likely to understeer than if you put the grippy tyres on the front)
I'd be tempted to stick the best 2 of the Contis on the front, buy 2 new tyres and stick on the back, run them till the Contis are shagged and rotate the now nicely run in rears to the front and fit 2 new tyres to the rear again. Repeat till bored and you'll never end up with cracked sidewalled rear tyres with bags of tread left again
As for matching, does the car have a spare and if so does it match either set of tyres you have now? If it's a typical French slung under the rear of the car effort it'll probably be cracked to buggery in any case, but worth checking. Ideally more grippy tyres on the back will make the car slightly safer (more likely to understeer than if you put the grippy tyres on the front)
I'd be tempted to stick the best 2 of the Contis on the front, buy 2 new tyres and stick on the back, run them till the Contis are shagged and rotate the now nicely run in rears to the front and fit 2 new tyres to the rear again. Repeat till bored and you'll never end up with cracked sidewalled rear tyres with bags of tread left again
NumberoftheBeast said:
12 months ago, a tyre on the Clio RS200 burst. I kept the three remaining tyres and paperwork from Renault say they have plenty of tread: 4mm, 5mm and 6mm...
The tyres are original Continental Sport Contact 2s. Thinking of another option maybe use the 5 and 6mm tyres and buying two new ones (would keep the 3rd as a spare). If so, would I put the new on front or rear.
Thanks.
I thought the clios came with conti 3s as standard?The tyres are original Continental Sport Contact 2s. Thinking of another option maybe use the 5 and 6mm tyres and buying two new ones (would keep the 3rd as a spare). If so, would I put the new on front or rear.
Thanks.
I've just replaced my back two (from 3s to 5s) because one of the 2 developed a slow puncture too. I've not had one burst on me though. I don't exactly drive like Miss Daisy either.
In my opinion use the spares. Put the 5mm and 6mm on the back and put 2 new ones on the front. The fronts will be the ones under more wear.
deltashad said:
I'd search for the same Conti as the one missing on ebay. Try to find one with similar tread wear.
Put all four Conti's on the car. Discard your front old tyres. Keep the two rears as spares.
Obviously one of the rears will have a slow pucture. get this repaired, or don't.
Why waste?
But the rule I always use is - make sure the driven wheels all have the same spec tyres. The other two (if 2wd) are not so important but try to keep them the same as each other. In an ideal world have all four the same.
Put all four Conti's on the car. Discard your front old tyres. Keep the two rears as spares.
Obviously one of the rears will have a slow pucture. get this repaired, or don't.
Why waste?
But the rule I always use is - make sure the driven wheels all have the same spec tyres. The other two (if 2wd) are not so important but try to keep them the same as each other. In an ideal world have all four the same.
NumberoftheBeast said:
(it's never tracked or hammered so didn't feel the need to spend on premium ones).
I don't understand this way of thinking. The place where you need the best possible grip is when a kid steps off the kerb without looking, not at Castle Combe.The Clio 200 is one of the most fun and focused little cars you can buy so treat it to a matching set of Goodyeat F1 Assyms or Michelin PS3, it deserves better than some mediocre rubber.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff