Slick tyres for trackday

[monsterchub]

Hi All, Ive recently bought a 1.6 Caterham Roadsport which came with a set of minilight style rims. I'm doing my first trackday soon and would like to stick a set of lightly used slicks on just in case the weather is dry & hot (fat chance of that you say!!)Can anybody recommend makes and sizes as I haven't got a clue. All 4 rims are the same size 14" X 7" Thankyou

[HustleRussell]

I don't fancy your chances of finding a ready supply of part worn 14" slicks to be honest... 13" is where it's at. What's wrong with the usual trackday tyres anyway?

[downsman]

A dry sump is a good idea if running slicks.

[F355GTS]

downsman said:

A dry sump is a good idea if running slicks.

Essential I'd say, even sticky 888's etc can cause surge/ starvation

[BertBert]

monsterchub said:

Hi All, Ive recently bought a 1.6 Caterham Roadsport which came with a set of minilight style rims. I'm doing my first trackday soon and would like to stick a set of lightly used slicks on just in case the weather is dry & hot (fat chance of that you say!!)Can anybody recommend makes and sizes as I haven't got a clue. All 4 rims are the same size 14" X 7" Thankyou

I presume you mean the car's first trackday, not yours personally?

[casbar]

I used to run slicks on track days all the time, also had some wets. Brilliant fun. But think 13" is the way to go. I used to get mine from a company that supplied Formula Renault. Lightly used were about £40 each.

Needed to do the maths so the road tyres and slicks didn't alter the ride height too much and mess up handling, but it works. Only comment, you really need a dry sump if running slicks as the cornering forces are higher.

[subirg]

You'll need 13" wheels!

Personally, i wouldn't bother as the performance gains of used slicks over good condition zzrs or r888s is marginal - and in fact I have seen used sets perform less well. It's just not worth it.

Dry sump advisable for all the above tyre combos

[nicemd]

Go slicks! If you find yourself a supplier of second hand slicks it is both cheaper, faster and more fun than with any r-tyre.
(until it rains that is...)

[radical78]

I have a 16k Caterham with Apollo tank and sponge sump baffle have run the slicks from the radical on it several times round croft and raced it on the banked track at rockingham with no oil starve problems. on the right day slicks are worth about 3 or 4 seconds a lap and the speed you carry through corners is amazing the problem on track days are cold mornings green circuits and damp tracks you waste all day trying to get heat into the tyres and some days its just not worth the hassle

[monsterchub]

I have the dry sump fitted and yes the cars first trackday, Ive previously done 3 trackdays in my noble.

Edited by monsterchub on Friday 29th April 22:03

[rubystone]

monsterchub said:

I have the dry sump fitted and yes the cars first trackday, Ive previously done 3 trackdays in my noble.

Edited by monsterchub on Friday 29th April 22:03

So your biggest issue is to find 14 inch slicks then. They're great fun and progressive in their break-away, but if they've had too many heat cycles, regardless of the wear indications, they're not very nice.

[monsterchub]

13" rims it is then! 6" fronts 8" rears?? Has anybody got a decent set they want to folg?

[HustleRussell]

On a 1600k I'd probably just go 13x6J all 'round

[monsterchub]

Managed to get hold of a set of 13" minilites 4 x 175 x 55 now what tyre size/compounds should I be looking at ?

Edited by monsterchub on Monday 2nd May 09:16

[BertBert]

what about the ex-formula-renault slicks here...
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/trrmotorsport/simplyt...

[rubystone]

BertBert said:

what about the ex-formula-renault slicks here...
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/trrmotorsport/simplyt...

Yes, I used to buy FR slicks. Good vfm if you found a set that had just been used for practice

[BertBert]

rubystone said:

Yes, I used to buy FR slicks. Good vfm if you found a set that had just been used for practice

wonderful isn't it? I have just given up on the slicks bought at the beginning of last season!

[hufggfg]

monsterchub said:

I have the dry sump fitted and yes the cars first trackday, Ive previously done 3 trackdays in my noble.

Edited by monsterchub on Friday 29th April 22:03

Without meaning to be insulting or piss on your chips, I would think that over to slicks on your 4th track day is massively overdoing it.

I've probably done 20 track days, plus a season of racing, and I definitely don't feel any need to put my Caterham on slicks, and have a feeling I never will.

At this stage there's just SO much more performance to find in the car through developing your driving, going on to slicks would be one of the last things I'd do after I'd improved my driving a lot, then other suspension/setup changes on the car.

Remember as well that running slicks is a lot more expensive, not just because generally they cost more, but the higher loadings transferred to the car in both lateral grip, and under breaking, means that everything else will wear out faster too.

Edited by hufggfg on Friday 6th May 15:01

[HustleRussell]

Plus, car which is set up to exploit slicks isn't going to feel, handle or stop nice on radials.

[F355GTS]

HustleRussell said:

Plus, car which is set up to exploit slicks isn't going to feel, handle or stop nice on radials.

The FR Slicks are radials