inman20k

iTrader: (3)

I have raced a lot of foam touring. But I am looking to get into the rubber side of things and i have a few questions.

How long do rubber tires last on carpet and on asphalt?

How many will I need for a race weekend?

How should I prep the tires for carpet and asphalt?

Should the seam and glaze get buffed off before you use them?

Should they get cleaned between runs?

Do new tires fall off as far as lap time go after the first run or do they stay consistant?

How do I know when they are worn out?

cherokee

iTrader: (1)

Those are some very good questions, I would like to add one more. What is the softest compound out there?

Playing with a 2wd touring car and need some super grippy tires for the back.

Thanks

94eg!

iTrader: (17)

The softest compounds are always the ones with the lowest temp ratings. Be careful though. On asphalt, the softest tires quickly overheat after a couple laps and become greasy (unless it's VERY cold out). Then there is no traction to be had...

The trick is to choose the right tire for the temperature of the track. Then the tire stays grippy through the whole race. As far as front & rear balance, you should get that tuned via setup. Of course you could also run a harder (warmer) tire up front...

To the OP: I clean tires after each run with simple-green mixed with water. Then soon before your run add your choice of tire sauce and let it stand for a while (5-15min). Then scrub off the tire sauce and clean the tires again with simple-green. Your tires will be so sticky you cannot get them back in a plastic bag...

BTW: I race old RP30 tires on outdoor asphalt and I've run the same set an enitre season. We run stock motors on a Soda prepped parking lot. The best tires have been Sorex RP & CS. I do want to try the Muchmore Absolutes too. I wasn't a big fan of the JACOs (on prism wheels).

Idealy you should sand off that middle mold line. I never do. And don't worry about the glaze. Just clean them good with simple green and towel...

Here's a good tire article:
http://www.nexusracing.com/newsdesk_...newsdesk_id=50

mok

iTrader: (9)

My experience is Sorex 20/24Rs on carpet are good for around 4 race meets before they start to lose grip. Add another 2-3 meets on top of that before you're sliding all over the place. 24s wear better than 20s, but lose a little grip and are more suited to slightly warmer temps.

On asphalt, again I have used mainly Sorex 28/32/36s. 28s provided good grip but seemed to tear up more readily than the harder compounds. The sets I used only lasted a few race meets. 32s are going strong after 4-6 race meets as are the 36s.


For club racing I tend to like having a couple different compounds to play with but I really just settle on one set and run them until they die.


Why race with traction compounds or other tricks that soften the rubber when you're not allowed this in most sanctioned races? But if you really care and are allowed to do this at your track, then a few companies make traction compounds, but WD-40 and sunscreen will also soften the tyres up.

As for treating old tyres to get some extra lifespan out of them.. coat the rubber tyre in glycerol and leave for a few hours, working it in a few times. This replaces the natural oils already present in rubber and can stop them from going off.


I personally dont do this as I use the resulting wear patterns to adjust camber etc and check for inconsistencies. A pro might dremel flat the seam to maximise contact patch right from the first time the tyres hit the track.


Maybe use a moist rag to wipe off dust and dirt when racing on asphalt. Carpet doesnt really leave much carpet fibre behind thats worth worrying about. In most cases, I wouldnt really bother cleaning between runs.


I would say the first couple of race meets are the best. Each race meet after than and you'll see a progressive drop off on the grip and your car will move towards a more taily feeling setup.

Experience and knowing how long they've been used for are about all I go on when determining if they are worn out. I can tell differences in tyre age and grip levels now and instinctively know when to replace.

Thats my 2 cents anyways, hope it helps

-Mark

mok

iTrader: (9)

I havent seen anything softer than a Sorex 20R, but given that different brands have different compounds and temp ratings, you might find that a 24 from one manufacturer is harder than a 28 from another and visa versa.

-Mark

track-attack15

True dat.