Track Day Tyres
Discussion
Having never put a car on a circuit before, could those that have tell me what
you do about tyres?
1) Do you just use your road tyres and if so, on new tyres, roughly how much
would a track day shorten their life span?
2) How many of you change wheels / tyres for an event and than change back at
the end of the day?
Thanks in advance.
you do about tyres?
1) Do you just use your road tyres and if so, on new tyres, roughly how much
would a track day shorten their life span?
2) How many of you change wheels / tyres for an event and than change back at
the end of the day?
Thanks in advance.
Graham,
I have done a fair few track days on my So2's and there is little sign of wear. - the edges get feathered but soon return after a bit of road driving.
HOWEVER...if you do bruntingthorpe or similar where it is massively abrasive or you are going somewhere where you do donuts/tail slides/ sideways action, dont expect the tyres to last the pace.
I would say only about 5% of tvrcc track dayers bring along spare tyres. You could always do the whole hog like dave haslam, who opens his passenger door and out pops 4 slicks....
I have done a fair few track days on my So2's and there is little sign of wear. - the edges get feathered but soon return after a bit of road driving.
HOWEVER...if you do bruntingthorpe or similar where it is massively abrasive or you are going somewhere where you do donuts/tail slides/ sideways action, dont expect the tyres to last the pace.
I would say only about 5% of tvrcc track dayers bring along spare tyres. You could always do the whole hog like dave haslam, who opens his passenger door and out pops 4 slicks....
Wear is very dependent on the circuit, driving style and conditions. Somewhere like Mallory kills the rear n/s as it is providing most of the grunt round Gerrards. Last couple of times I've been there, the 520 ate the rear 
You can go for semi slicks etc but they are diabolical in the wet and if you are going to learn I don't see the point as the standard road tyres are more than adequate in all conditions.
The slicker the tyre the more strain you put on the transmission and brakes and to be honest the geometry set up for slicks is totally different to that for road tyres if you want to get them to work for you. Slicks are great when they grip but breakaway very very quickly and you can get the issue of what happens if it is wet or hails.
As for cheap as chips... A decent set of slicks in Cerbera sizes will set you back about £1000. I use second hand ones for testing because of the costs. Bought 6 dunlop slicks last year for £125. Not perfect but good enough to go play.
I have a small trailer I hook upto the 520 that carries a set of slicks, and a set of cut slicks for those wetter moments which is how I get round the how do you carry three sets of tyres etc.
You can go for semi slicks etc but they are diabolical in the wet and if you are going to learn I don't see the point as the standard road tyres are more than adequate in all conditions.
The slicker the tyre the more strain you put on the transmission and brakes and to be honest the geometry set up for slicks is totally different to that for road tyres if you want to get them to work for you. Slicks are great when they grip but breakaway very very quickly and you can get the issue of what happens if it is wet or hails.
As for cheap as chips... A decent set of slicks in Cerbera sizes will set you back about £1000. I use second hand ones for testing because of the costs. Bought 6 dunlop slicks last year for £125. Not perfect but good enough to go play.
I have a small trailer I hook upto the 520 that carries a set of slicks, and a set of cut slicks for those wetter moments which is how I get round the how do you carry three sets of tyres etc.
DustyC said:
If you have a set of used tyres that are on the limit of being road legal, can they be used?
You can but the level of grip is greatly reduced because of the low tread levels and this is particularly bad in the wet.
As Alistair says... what happens when they become illegal through tread wear? Some track days have tyre supplier come and fit tyres so that you can go home on a nice new boots. This is quite a sensible way if you don't want the hassle of taking a spare set down.
Alistair H. said:
If you have a set of used tyres that are on the limit of being road legal, can they be used?
as long as they are not beyond the limit for the drive home.....
Sorry should have explained myself better.
I have a new set of S03s on the car.
I also have the old S02s which are barely legal (perhaps even illeagal).
Wanted to get an old set of wheels to stick the old tyres on to use for a track day. Will have a support car so no worries with carrying them.
What I wanted to know is; will the track day organisers let me on with the S02s which are barely legal?
Basically, I didnt want to ruin my new boots in one hit!
If they are barely legal and are not good on the public road where you normally drive much much slower, why do you want to use them on a track where you will be driving a lot lot faster and therefore rely on the tyres to keep you on the black stuff far more?
If they are barely legal. Bin them.
If they are barely legal. Bin them.
Its the backs that are barely legal. Thought Id give them a good send off but you are probably right.
Whilst on the subject though, how much does tread contribute towards grip on a smooth, warm, dry surface?
Im not trying to be clever. I was just wondering that if these tyres were of a soft compound they wouldnt work much worse once warmed up.
Please excuse my ass for talking but Id still like to know the answer
Whilst on the subject though, how much does tread contribute towards grip on a smooth, warm, dry surface?
Im not trying to be clever. I was just wondering that if these tyres were of a soft compound they wouldnt work much worse once warmed up.
Please excuse my ass for talking but Id still like to know the answer
edited: I was about to delete all this and type "OK thanks" but I thought Id leave it here for general debate and see what comes up!
I realise that slicks are a different material and apply traction in a different way (ie stick) I just wondered if some road tyres would work as slicks (if very poorly) if the compound and temperatures were right.
I think of Treaded tyres working as...urm...
Best way I can think of to describe is in an extreme way. So a treaded tyre works in the way that a tractor tyre works in mud. Each starting face of the raised edge pushing against the surface to create the forward movement.
So then, what can I do with 2 x 245/45/17 tyres with 1.7mm of tread?!!!
(Apart from a huge burnout and wreck the rest of the car that is).
At the moment they are bump stops incase I go to far in the garage. Perhaps thats where they will remain!
>> Edited by DustyC on Friday 30th April 13:23
I realise that slicks are a different material and apply traction in a different way (ie stick) I just wondered if some road tyres would work as slicks (if very poorly) if the compound and temperatures were right.
I think of Treaded tyres working as...urm...
Best way I can think of to describe is in an extreme way. So a treaded tyre works in the way that a tractor tyre works in mud. Each starting face of the raised edge pushing against the surface to create the forward movement.
So then, what can I do with 2 x 245/45/17 tyres with 1.7mm of tread?!!!
(Apart from a huge burnout and wreck the rest of the car that is).
At the moment they are bump stops incase I go to far in the garage. Perhaps thats where they will remain!
>> Edited by DustyC on Friday 30th April 13:23
you can only get them through dunlop motorsport, they won't sell direct to teh public, you need to go through a retailer with an account with the motorsport division. I pulled a few strings to get mine, but don't know how many i can get without having to become a retailer.
I personally don't hold the same view as steve heath on worn tyres .. I've previously done all my S track days except one rainy oulton on very worn road tyres, and have passed many a 5 litre griff / tuscan / cerbera.. Ive not noticed any grip reduction, but maybe I'm not sensitive enough .. all I've noticed is that I can pass griff 5 litres, tuscans and cerberas
I think it's an excellent way to see off a set of tyres and I say go for it and have fun.
*too many kill-joys these days* .. if you wanna do it, just do it only the road legality issue after the event should make you have a set of good ones for the drive home.
I personally don't hold the same view as steve heath on worn tyres .. I've previously done all my S track days except one rainy oulton on very worn road tyres, and have passed many a 5 litre griff / tuscan / cerbera.. Ive not noticed any grip reduction, but maybe I'm not sensitive enough .. all I've noticed is that I can pass griff 5 litres, tuscans and cerberas
I think it's an excellent way to see off a set of tyres and I say go for it and have fun. *too many kill-joys these days* .. if you wanna do it, just do it
only the road legality issue after the event should make you have a set of good ones for the drive home. shpub said:
No is the basic answer. As the tread reduces, so does the grip. The best thing is to bin them.
Not quite the case
A new tyre the knbbles flex & get worn off very quickly, as the tread reduces in height the flexing becomes less & the tyre behaves more like a slick.
The grippiest road tyres once warmed up are when they are 3-1mm (but not in the wet)
When I put spyders on my Cerbera, I kept the old wheels for track days with a set of Dunlop Super Sports tyres. They're probably similar to the ones Jools recommended, a road legal slick with some tread. There's a warning on the tyre about driving thru standing water but otherwise I've found them to be superb in wet and dry conditions. About 3 seconds a lap around Donington National circuit last year in fact (1.28 to 1.25)! Temperature needs to be above 7 degrees C though otherwise they don't work so well.
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