Old Slicks

A buddy just offered me a pair of slicks to use on the T-Bird.

They are just 9x26 Goodyears. I'm not leaving off a brake or running a big converter so they should work not too bad. But they are kinda old.

My question is, how old is too old? Or is it more to do with the condition of the tire? Are slick date coded like DOT tires?

Thanks for the help guys!

Bill

check the side wall to see if they are all ate up check for dry rot and how much deep hole is left. Thats the 3 i look at hope it helps Jason

Northwest outlaw wrote:check the side wall to see if they are all ate up check for dry rot and how much deep hole is left. Thats the 3 i look at hope it helps Jason

I agree, dry rot is the big thing, followed by how much depth is left and how much bite the rubber feels like it has. If they feel "dried out" I'd pass. There are some compounds that can be applied to bring them back from the dead, but, I've never tried them.

Thanks guys, thats what I was thinking. They have prolly about half the tread (or whatever!) depth in the holes. The sidewalls don't look too bad. They hold air for a few days then need aired up, they don't have tubes.

Bill

I have tried the goop that is supposed to "renew" old slick's rubber compound, it doesn't work. The goop will actually dry out the slicks faster over time from the chemical reaction. And once you start using it you have to keep using it, which further speeds up the slicks drying out.

And like these guys have said the sidewall is real important. You might get a "good" set of tired sidewall slicks to work OK depending on how much power you have. But make no mistake there's "tired sidewalls" and then there's "dry rotted death trap sidewalls".

There's just no substitute for fresh shoes.

X 2 on what Dave said...

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:

There's just no substitute for fresh shoes.

Absolutely right. If you can afford new, by all means go new

Yeah Dave, that goop sounds like snake oil.

The sidewalls don't look too bad for cracks etc.

The car will only be running in the 12's anyway. Maybe I would be better off to get street radials, I need four new street shoes for it anyway. I don't like the thought of a blow-out on top end.

Thanks for the input.

Bill

Nevs wrote:

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:

There's just no substitute for fresh shoes.

Absolutely right. If you can afford new, by all means go new

This is whats been keeping me away from the track, no $$$ for new tires. My street tires are weather cracked big time. I would love to get to the 1/4 and post up some times!! Oh well, all in time.

Bill