Tire problems at first track day

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

There is no need to have an alignment done when switching tires and/or wheels.

I don't understand why so many people believe otherwise as this question keeps popping again and again ...

Nah...you've just been on this forum since the era of dialup internet. Lol

[nicknaz]

It just so happens that some members have 18s as their track set and 19s or 20s for the street. and discuss street versus track alignments (because of the specifics of the track alignment, not the tires diameter) so I can see how someone just getting into tracking would think the diameter was the cause.

[Highlander-M4]

Although I am quite late in thread and the dead horse has been flogged to bits and pieces, here's my 2c:

- on the turns at end of long straights, scrub more speed on the straight line braking rather than in the trail braking phase. Do trail brake, as you need to load the fronts to get proper slip angle and generate mechanical grip, but scrub more mph on the straight braking.

- get Camber plates and if you re lazy set them at -2.5 on the front for both on and off track. It is a good compromise for both street and R compound DOTs and helps increase grip. Also reduces chunking when you overdrive the tire when coming in too hot

- listen to your front axle more on the tight turns. At the apex you may be giving it more throttle before you get to unwind the steering wheel. In practice it may feel great and fast (and often is!) to use understeer on some turns so you can use all the track and rotate the car faster to align with the next straight, BUT street tires overheat with this technique WHILE R compounds remain at optimal temp.

In other words tire wear profile isn't that much different between street and race compounds, but some errors on the track do accelerate wear in street tires.

For the braking issues mentioned on the thread, when on the track all electronics should be off. When driving on the track without massive brake ducts to cool the rotors, brake management is essential. Brake management means keeping track of how much time you use on the brakes and how much time you re off the brakes to give em a freaking chance to dissipate the heat accumulated at the last turn before you dive bomb the next one. Since street cars don't have cooling right into the rotors, you have to be conscious of your brakes on the track. And you can't do that with MDM applying micro braking all the time and not letting the freaking rotors and pads take a breather. MDM is for street driving canyon roads to ensure you don't fly off into the sunset. But not for balls out track laps.

Brake pads help deal with the heat better, but do not deal with the issue

Hope it helps.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Highlander-M4

In other words tire wear profile isn't that much different between street and race compounds, but some errors on the track do accelerate wear in street tires..

I disagree on that one.

I use up 40tw r tires in noticeably fewer hours than 200tw street tires

[Highlander-M4]

By "wear profile" I meant the pattern, not the amount of tread shaved off. Naturally softer compounds wear faster, but I am talking about the type of wear.

[OhioRiderAaron]

Originally Posted by Highlander-M4

By "wear profile" I meant the pattern, not the amount of tread shaved off. Naturally softer compounds wear faster, but I am talking about the type of wear.

That's how I read your original post as well.