# Rear tires losing traction **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mustang, ford\ **Created:** [December 19, 2017, 7:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483 "2017-12-19T07:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6f9a4e/32.png) [@mage](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mage)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 7:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/1 "2017-12-19T07:25:54Z")
Hi, I have a pair of drag radials on the back of my Mustang, which I only expected to last for 10K miles or so. Now that they have lost most of their tread, I’m noticing traction during launch is starting to worsen. Why is this happening? Less tread should mean more rubber on the road, right? My plan was to stay out of the rain and drive them til they’re bald, but it’s as though the remaining rubber isn’t as good as what I burned through for some reason. Thanks B ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 7:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/2 "2017-12-19T07:31:06Z")
Tread rubber and tire casing rubber are different types of rubber, tread rubber is softer and has more grip. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 10:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/3 "2017-12-19T10:49:23Z")
> [@mage](#): > > Now that they have lost most of their tread, I’m noticing traction during launch is starting to worse Seriously? This doesn’t sound like it should be a surprise. ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/4 "2017-12-19T12:48:45Z")
tell us where you live so I can be sure to stay away from that area… this all sounds very unsafe. ---
**Author:** ![CapriRacer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/capriracer/32/22_2.png) [@CapriRacer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CapriRacer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/5 "2017-12-19T13:03:57Z")
Rubber ages. It gets less flexible and less grippy over time. Heat accelerates this process, so every time you do a hard launch, the tires heat up and the rubber ages a bit faster. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/6 "2017-12-19T15:22:25Z")
Are these tires street-legal with at least the minimum legal tread? If not, you shouldn’t be on the road with them. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 3:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/7 "2017-12-19T15:27:54Z")
Just reminds me of this (and a dozen others): ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/8 "2017-12-19T15:32:29Z")
Rear tires losing traction and had planned on driving until they were bald. Forget if tires should be on road , but should this guy be on the road . I think not. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/9 "2017-12-19T16:30:10Z")
Some interesting reading… [http://www.stangtv.com/tech-stories/wheels-tires/dot-drag-radials-101-what-you-need-to-know-about-drag-radials/](http://www.stangtv.com/tech-stories/wheels-tires/dot-drag-radials-101-what-you-need-to-know-about-drag-radials/) [http://www.dragzine.com/features/interviews/drag-tire-tech-tips-with-mickey-thompson/](http://www.dragzine.com/features/interviews/drag-tire-tech-tips-with-mickey-thompson/) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/10 "2017-12-19T16:48:17Z")
> [@mage](#): > > My plan was to stay out of the rain and drive them til they’re bald, So the thought of spinning out and crashing into some innocent mom with her wee one in the car doesn’t bother you? If you kill someone, that’ll be okay with you? You’re driving very dangerously. I strongly recommend that you reconsider your priorities. I don’t care if you crash yourself into a tree, but you’re endangering everyone else that shares the roads with you. Moms, kids, dads… everyone. ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/11 "2017-12-19T16:53:24Z")
> [@mage](#): > > My plan was to stay out of the rain and drive them til they’re bald Not going to lie, if you spun out and slammed into me and hurt my wife and kids, I’d come after you for everything you’re worth and more if I saw balding drag tires on the back your of car…and I highly doubt I’m in the minority for saying so. Get new, appropriate tires on your Mustang **immediately** before you hurt/maim/kill someone ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 6:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/12 "2017-12-19T18:29:29Z")
> [@pyrolord314](#): > > Not going to lie, if you spun out and slammed into me and hurt my wife and kids, I’d come after you for everything you’re worth and more if I saw balding drag tires on the back your of car…and I highly doubt I’m in the minority for saying so. Unfortunately a lot of people like this are what’s known as judgment proof. Probably doesn’t own a home or have any other asset to loose, so they just do give-a-sh\*t. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-tires-losing-traction/110483/13 "2017-12-19T18:55:39Z")
> [@mage](#): > > which I only expected to last for 10K miles or so. The only way a set of drags is going to last 10,000 miles is to carry them around in the trunk for that long. Put some street tires on it.