Road temperature versus grip

[blue burner]

Hi all,

We've been out and about all year but now starting to push it again with the warmer sunnier weather but I've noticed the grip I normally get is not as good as it was. Tyre pressures ok(read ChrisAs post with interest - Goodyears all round on mine) and road conditions good but she was not digging in and bunny hopping the corners as well as I would expect. I had a couple of eye openers but power off resolved the issue - is it common for goodyears to go off whilst tread remaining good or is it just that the road surface is not yet up to the task/temperature?

Any ideas?

Ruth

[Sporting Bear]

Road and tyre temperatures will still be very low this time of year

Tyres or suspension could be worn but why not take it easy until the weather really warms up and there's less moisture about before suspecting any faults (unless you're below 3 mm any where on the tread in which case change the tyres)

Depending on how you drive or show off you could have worn the rear tyres ragged

[shortshift]

Worn tyres don't necessarily mean poor grip. Tyre tread is only useful for dipersing water if its wet. The more rubber on the road in the dry, the better the grip. That's why worn tyres with little or no tread, assuming they're not down to the cloth, are good for dry track days. The tyre compound of most road tyres is fairly consistent and doesn't change characteristics in the same way that softer compound racing tyres do. I think the lack of grip you're experiencing is, unless you've got a mechanical problems like a loose anti roll bar, down to low ambient temperatures. It should improve as it warms up. I'd check the suspension though just for peace of mind.

[Sporting Bear]

All shortshift said is correct but I think it needs the context of driving on public roads

shortshift said:

Worn tyres don't necessarily mean poor grip. Tyre tread is only useful for dipersing water if its wet.

As we're in England it can be wet anytime so you're going to need tread just in case

shortshift said:

The more rubber on the road in the dry, the better the grip. That's why worn tyres with little or no tread, assuming they're not down to the cloth, are good for dry track days.

Quite agree, good for on a track

shortshift said:

The tyre compound of most road tyres is fairly consistent and doesn't change characteristics in the same way that softer compound racing tyres do.

Very, very occassionally you can get a road tyre that wears unusually

shortshift said:

I think the lack of grip you're experiencing is, unless you've got a mechanical problems like a loose anti roll bar, down to low ambient temperatures. It should improve as it warms up. I'd check the suspension though just for peace of mind.

Totally agree, and check tyre pressures using an accurate guage never trust the ones at petrol stations

Have fun but drive safely whether you're on a track or public roads, it's expensive and it hurts when you come off either

ETA: it's also important to get exactly the correct tyres with the correct compond as some tyres have the same name but different componds for different vehicles

Edited by Sporting Bear on Tuesday 3rd April 10:33

[Blue Burner]

Thanks guys really do appreciate this. Well tread is ok and don't suspect suspension as car is only a year old so it looks like waiting for ambient temps to increase is probably the answer.

I quite like the idea of a track day to test the limits as well and have to admit this was recommended following a drive and ride day I had a while back.

Are Goodyears generally the preferred tyre overall?

Cheers,

Ruth

[Tamster.]

Hi, my Tuscan is sometimes lively on the twisties running Goodyears, have dropped the tyre pressures from 28psi to 24psi for more stability, also having the suspension/geometry set up this month to see if theres room for further improvement, will let you know the outcome.

[Sporting Bear]

Tamster. has a great suggestion, if the geometry is wrong getting it corrected will make a world of difference to the feel and handling of the car

Altering the tyre pressure is something you could try but monitor the tyre wear, pressure too high and the centre part of the tyre tread wears first, pressure too low and centre of the tyre wears the least, you want even wear across the tyre as that means the tyre is in proper contact with the tarmcac

I'm not a big fan of track days, I only like them if I can drive someone else's car, I'd suggest an experience day with track cars and instructor as a start

Open track days can (ONLY SOMETIMES) have a few track fanatics trying to persuade you to turn your car into a track machine

A real hard day on a good track could leave some cars with illegal tyres and very worn brakes for the drive home

All above in my opinion only

[blue burner]

Thanks guys.

Look forward to hearing more Tamster and best of luck.

I also have to admit to same concerns about wear and tear on the car following a track day. The type of day I am looking for is one where I can understand the limits of the car (and me!) with plenty of space to play with. In the meantime will enjoy the great weather!

Take care