Drew182

I'm heading on a 4000km (2500Mile) trip in my 09 Z06.
It's going to be fairly hard driving, It will be me and a few of my friend on bikes heading from Ontario to deals gap and back.

I have only owned the car for a few months now and am not sure if I have enough tread on my rear tires. It measures about 3/32 on the outside and 1/8 on the inside.

I don't plan on smoking the tires but will definitely be hard on them.

Any insight from someone with experience would be appreciated.

I don't want to buy new tires premature if i don't have too.

ByByBMW

How many miles on the tires now?

Drew182

Just under 12,000 miles I think, I've only put about 600 on them since I bought the car.. So I'm assuming there the original tires but not certain.

LanceFitzgiben

for a trip of that magnitude I would put new tires on the car - x100 if it has the original goodyear runflats

psp6158

I would be afraid of the rain you will probably experience on a 2500 mile trip, these things are a handful in perfect weather, much less a damp or wet road... have fun

Drew182

Ya. You guys are probably right, new tires would be smart!

Now.. I'm worried if I don't replace them with runflats, and I not having a spare, I could be stranded in the middle of nowhere. But I'm guessing even with runflats you won't be able to make it too far and would definitely have to drive careful.

Thanks for the replys
This forum is a great resource, especially for noobs like me

Lawdogg

Mich. Pilot Supersports! Carry a tire plug kit and small air compressor.

erichg1000

I myself would have no problems with doing a 2500 mile trip with 40-50% tread left. Assuming 8/32 beginning tread.

JoesC5

Go with a new set of Bridgestone RE050A runflats that start out with 10/32" of tread before you leave on your trip. I have 13,000 miles on mine and have 8/32" of tread(the starting point with the OE Goodyears) remaining.

With that wide of tires, you want a lot of tread depth if you hit some rain. It's all about your safety.

GOLD72

Be aware that you may get cord break-thru on the front tires before they reach the tread wear indicators!!!! Very typical of all C5 & C6 corvette models due the wide tires and aggressive factory alignment. If out of alignment, the front tires will go even faster. With the same mileage front to back, the front tires will usually suffer cord break-thru at the inside shoulder before either the front or rear tires are worn out.

Every time I have had to buy a set of four vette tires, it was due to front tire cord break-thru:
01Z two replacement sets over 49k miles
06Z two replacement sets over 48k
08 coupe first set replace over 15k (son's car was out of align)
07 vert first replace set at 25.5k

My point is that the front tires may be closer to the end then you realize.

Jawnathin

3/32nds on the outside and and 4/32nds on the inside? That is plenty.

Tires only start with approx 8-10/32nds to begin with.

That is 33-50% of life left.

-Op-

+1 This, always.

Drew182

I checked my front tires and they have plenty on them with fairly even wear.

I think I'm going to not change my tires, but definitely grab a patch kit and a small compressor.

I'm sure I will need a new set when I get back.

As long as there isn't a serious downpour, I Just need to drive smart on wet roads.. and if there is a downpour, I'm sure my friends on bikes won't want to ride anyways.

Thanks for the help

jedblanks

They start with 8/32 and 3/32 is worn out.

So
8/32 100%
7/32 80%
6/32 60%
5/32 40%
4/32 20%
3/32 0%

HOXXOH

OEM is 8/32 and 0 is worn out. Wear indicator bars are at 2/32 to provide a warning only.

Hard driving works better with less tread, but safety on a 2500 mile trip should, IMHO, take precedence.

JwT

Your supposed to be able to run for fifty miles at 55 mph on run flats. I wouldn't be without them, and I still carry a small compressor and plug kit.

erichg1000

I will gladly take anyone's 3/32 tires if you were gonna throw them away. I'll pay shipping (I use them for drifting)

jedblanks

Drifting is one thing. Driving 2500 miles is a completely different thing. Typical drivers get 10,000 miles on 8/32. And you want to send this guy 2500 miles with 3/32.

Gary '09 C6

the contact patch of the four tires combined is something like 24--32 sq. inches ? that is all that is keeping your car
on the road...why chance it ?

if the tires are the original GY runflats, I would replace with new runflats (Bridgestone, Firestone, Michelin, etc)
and have a proper alignment (Pfadt performance street specs) done before starting out. The driving experience
alone on new, better rubber will be worth it...

Bill Dearborn

Like most Z06s the outside of your rear tires is wearing more than the inside. The rear comes with a fair amount of negative camber from the factory so it isn't a camber issue since that would be wearing the inside of the tires not the outside. You may be running just a little too much rear toe in. May want it closer to zero toe in.

A couple of years ago I faced the same issue driving to South Carolina in the spring. Rear tires were worn about the same as yours. Hit a lot of rain but didn't have any real issues doing 70+ in the various downpours. When I got back the outside tread of the driver side tire was corded and the other one was a shade better.

2/32 is the minimum tread depth for tires (that is the height of the wear bars that go across the tread). In the US a number of states will give you a ticket if the wear bars are showing.

Bill