Falken RT660 tire splice line

[Bugs]

I swapped out my Falken RT660 track tires for my daily-drivers. This Falken set has two Laguna Seca track days on them and maybe 100 miles of subsequent road driving (because I was lazy about getting them swapped off). When I inspected them, I found a splice line on one of the front tires. I've not seen this before.



In doing a bit of research, it seems that this is not that unusual for RT660s. It also appears to not be particularly concerning. Do you agree?

I have previously read (but ignored as esoteric) advice that says performing a heat-cycle before tracking new tires would improve the rubber bonding, minimizing the splice-line development and make the tire more robust and durable overall. I have never done this, but maybe I should. How would I accomplish this? Would a 10-minute spirited drive on a nearby winding road suffice? Is there a tire temperature and duration target I should shoot for?

 

[Mad Hatter]

Heat cycling is worth it for slicks, but am not that sure it makes a big differance for 200TW tires. It really should be done at the track as you need to get up to track temps. 10min would be about the minimum. I for one, do not drive at 9/10 on the street any more. Just to much that can go wrong. Then again my 9/10 is totally different then it was 15 years ago, would have scared myself silly .

 

[Bill Pemberton]

This has been a concern with Toyo RRs , also, for many years and like the Falkens it does not appear to be overly concerning , though it is easy to see , as a consumer, that it looks bothersome. Toyo does a credible job in that they address it right in their literature , along with data on mounting and more. Interesting to note is the RT660 has a new tire coming out and it will have both less and different banding. Toyo has already got a new tire out ( the R ) which will replace the RR in most cases , though at present only a limited number are available - this should all change in 2025.
Thanks for posting and I did have a similar issue with a set of Toyo RRs and I went on to run them 3 more weekends before I got fed up with them ----- they were still lasting but they are slow, ha! The word is the new R will wear well but is a faster compound.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Pretty common on Hoosier slicks and with Pirellis. I've never had any fail because of it, but it is disconcerting.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Thanks Tire Guru, I am sure hearing it from you that makes alot of folks a bit more at ease!

 

[FilxNZ]

From what I have read over the years 200TWs benefit from a scrub in / heat cycle to extend their life. e.g. Nankang talk about it for their CR-S here

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Nankang is pushing it in the US also. I do feel it has a benefit for the 200 TWR tires , since the crazy things are stickier than a set of Hoosier R6s a decade plus ago!

 

[FilxNZ]

I agree Bill, especially the "Super 200s". For people like me that are track day hacks and don't get an opportunity to do a couple of laps on a circuit just to scrub the tires, I try and do 60 miles at at least 60mph on a fresh set of tires, then leave them overnight before any track use. Might not be as good as a proper scrub / heat cycle on track but it should help.

 

[blacksheep-1]

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[Bill Pemberton]

Many of the Autocrossers in the Nebraska Region of the SCCA are only 5-60 miles from the Lincoln Airpark ( Lincoln, Ne. ) so they simply drive to the site. Being able to use the large expanse of concrete where the Solo Nationals is run means we get and idea about wear with the Super 200s, and it seems the guys who drive on their Yokes or Bridgerocks before their first autocross seems to help with the life of the tire. You are scrubbing off the casing film anyway and letting the tires sit and cure a bit for a week or more is beneficial. 24 hours is good, but my old Tire Gurus ( none as legendary as BS1 though, ha ) tell me if I can let them rest a week or two , that really works the best. Who knows, but I have followed that recommendation for years and I seem to get decent wear almost all the time.

 

[Dave_W]

I've done a few minutes of figure-8s in the high school parking lot at night if I can't get Tire Rack to heat cycle tires. The key to heat cycling is to build heat in the carcass through flexing, without sliding the tire and overheating the surface.