Breaking-In New Tires

To achieve optimal performance, every new tire requires a period of time for breaking-in. So, whenever you get new tires, you should be careful about immediately pushing their capabilities.

The primary reason you need to break-in your tires is because during manufacturing they are coated with a release lubricant. This happens during the curing process to prevent them from sticking to their moulds. Some of this lubricant remains on the surface of the tires and can cause a reduction in traction until it is completely worn away. Usually, about 500 miles of easy driving (accelerating, braking, cornering) will allow the lubricant to wear off.

Also, tires are manufactured with several layers of materials including rubber, steel, and fabric. Giving the tire some time to break-in will allow these different components to work together in order to deliver the maximum performance and ride quality for which they were designed.

Finally, if you have just replaced your tires, it is probably because your old tires had very little tread depth remaining. Tires with very little tread depth will tend to respond a bit quicker because there is less tread to flex during cornering and rapid turning. Tires with a deeper tread will tend to flex or "squirm" a bit more, which will feel slightly less responsive than your older tires, even if you have replaced your old tires with the exact same brand and model of tire.

In summary, be prepared to go easy on your new tires for a few hundred miles so that they can be properly broken-in.