how to warm rubber tires
 

I'm wondering what the procedure is for warming tires and do you put traction compound on?

warming tyres
 

Put them in the oven gas mark 5 for 40 minutes if you want them crispy.Leave for another 20mins and turn up the heat.That should do it.

Sounds delicious

Thanks for the smart A$$ reply!

Use tier warmers and yes use traction compound

And put them on LOW and SLOW.. Just like Ribs.


This is a not a smart a** reply. If you put them on the last minute at a high temp, you are just going to overheat the outside of the tire, which will wreck your first couple of laps. If you put them on at a lower temp, for longer (15-20 mins) you will heat the entire tire, and insert. This means you wont have to worry about your tires cooling off as you wait for the race to start, and your traction will be more consistant in the race.


Cheers,
Shawn.

Thanks for that info. What temp should I be setting my warmers at. Do I put tractoin compound on before I put the warmers on the tires.

If I remember correctly, I always set mine to around 25-35 deg C. I found when I was running touring in the summer time, the traction was best at the end of my run, so I would take the tire temp, and then add 5 deg C to that.

Shawn

apply traction compound, wrap napkins around tires and keep them with the warmers on top.

Thanks for the help guys I've been doing this blind as I'm the only one that has warmers at my track.

I run my warmers at about 60deg C.

It really depends on how much time you have and if you are doing double traction compounds (under and top).

Apply the compound, wrap in napkin(tyre tissue) then put the warmers on, and wait. When you're ready to go, wipe the traction compound off before you get going.

Warming the tyres is one reason, but I think the main reason for using warmers is to "bake" in the traction compound.

Just a few thoughts.

Oh, and I did read in a magazine here a while ago an article from one of the tyre manufacturers. Here's the translated and abbreviated version.

1. Clean your tyres.
2. Apply the under traction compound.
3. Wait 5 minutes.
4. Wrap with paper and apply warmers.
5. Wait around 20-30mins
6. Remove Warmers and paper. Wipe excess compound off the tyres.
7. Apply top traction compound.
8. Wait 5 minutes.
9. Wrap with paper and apply warmers.
10. Wait around 20-30mins
11. Remove Warmers and paper. Wipe excess compound off the tyres.
12. Go win the race :)

I remember reading it and thinking "eeehhh you have an hour just to get your tyres up." But one of the fast guys said "yeah, that's about right. If you're only using one compound, then it's half the time."

I have done the full list a few times, and those tyres really do grip.

Here's how I do it
 

About 15-20 minutes before your run, apply a very heavy application of traction compound, wrap paper towel around tire, slide cup over tire, set temp to either track surface temp + ~5-8*F or temp your tires after a full run and add ~5-8*F.

As mentioned, you want a slow, steady heat to get not only the carcas warm, but the insert as well. This will make for a more consistent run, and make the car more consistent from run to run.

Once you get on the track, do 3-4 good hot laps, pull off to the side, and just before staging for the qual or main begins, do another 2-3 good hot laps, and you should be good to go for the entire run.

If you start and finish good, you're there. If it takes some laps for your tires to 'come in', then set your warmer up another 5-8*F. If your tires start OK but 'go off' before the end of the run and get loose, you are overheating your tires and need to go up one in compound (eg. if you're running 28s and they get loose 3 minutes into a 5 minute run, try a set of 32s properly warmed).

In the end, realize that it's a moving target as temps and traction levels change throughout the day, ESPECIALLY outside! Take notes and adjust accordingly.