Recommendation on Street, sticky tires 17"

[wrogers55]

Originally Posted by priobe

What do you mean by heat cycling the tire before you mount them.

Nitto NT01s are actually a road race tire and need to be heat cycled at least once before you work them hard. If you don't do this either on or off the car, they won't last long at all.

This is normal procedure for any road/oval race designed rubber compound. Simply put, and there is a lot more to it, the rubber needs to be heated up to the point the polymers start to cross link and build "strength" in the tire, 225 to 250 F is the range for most applications. After the tire is heated, under rolling pressure is ideal and that is done by machine, it will cool and the cross linking process begins and continues for quite a while. It's better if you can give it a week or so to fully cure out.

Most distributors that provide the service put a little red "O" on the tire sidewall to indicate it has been heat cycled. Without this, the tire will grip just fine, but the rubber will roll or "peel" away very quickly, usually on a micro level. With it, probably last 3 or 4 times as long and actually grip better as the rubber will micro gear with the road surface much better and keep its integrity without rubber peel.

American Tire or Discount Tire (same company, different names in different parts of the country, no connection on my part and not a recommendation, just info.) offer this service and probably many more if you ask up front.