Wheel vibration after trackday
Discussion
Hey guys,
I used R888r tyres for the first time on track the other day. Car drove there perfectly and performed great on track all day. But on the way home, the car developed a vibration at speed. Coasting didn't make it go away (so not drivetrain) and it was unaffected by brakes. Stopped to check all strut mounts, wheel bearings, lug nuts etc and all good - but there was a lot of rubber pickup and 'furling' around the grooves on the front tyres. Is it possible that this could cause the issue?
I'll stick my other set of wheels on at the weekend and see if it goes away. But is such behaviour from gummed up track tyres normal after a trackday?
Cheers!
I used R888r tyres for the first time on track the other day. Car drove there perfectly and performed great on track all day. But on the way home, the car developed a vibration at speed. Coasting didn't make it go away (so not drivetrain) and it was unaffected by brakes. Stopped to check all strut mounts, wheel bearings, lug nuts etc and all good - but there was a lot of rubber pickup and 'furling' around the grooves on the front tyres. Is it possible that this could cause the issue?
I'll stick my other set of wheels on at the weekend and see if it goes away. But is such behaviour from gummed up track tyres normal after a trackday?
Cheers!
As suggested it will most probably come off if you drive it in the rain... I have seen (at a track) people wetting the ground and driving round in circles to the same effect.
My MINIs rears are currently afflicted after a hot day at Snetters… but it doesn't really affect anything tbh.
My MINIs rears are currently afflicted after a hot day at Snetters… but it doesn't really affect anything tbh.
I would bet on a lost wheel weight ahead of accumulated rubber deposits.
I have had them come off my track car on the road - the flying weight hit the floor under my feet and felt like I had run over a spanner.
However, I am not clear - was it like it from the moment you left the track, or did it start during your journey home?
I have had them come off my track car on the road - the flying weight hit the floor under my feet and felt like I had run over a spanner.
However, I am not clear - was it like it from the moment you left the track, or did it start during your journey home?
Heathrow said:
Worth checking the wheel carrier (hubs) too. I've experienced a cracked hub once after a track day.
Wheel bearing might be another reason.
Worth inspecting everything wheel/suspension related properly before your next track day.
Yeah I went over the car this weekend and all hubs, bearings etc were good. Stuck on the other set of wheels tyres and it drove perfectly. So issue definitely down to the wheels. Lots of melted rubber deposited around the inside, but I couldn't see any telltale signs of missing weights - no 'clean' bits or adhesive residue. Wheel bearing might be another reason.
Worth inspecting everything wheel/suspension related properly before your next track day.
QBee said:
I would bet on a lost wheel weight ahead of accumulated rubber deposits.
I have had them come off my track car on the road - the flying weight hit the floor under my feet and felt like I had run over a spanner.
However, I am not clear - was it like it from the moment you left the track, or did it start during your journey home?
Thanks QBee - as above really. Difficult to tell if it was immediately after I left the track or someway during my journey due to the speeds at which it became noticeable. I have had them come off my track car on the road - the flying weight hit the floor under my feet and felt like I had run over a spanner.
However, I am not clear - was it like it from the moment you left the track, or did it start during your journey home?
motorhole said:
Heathrow said:
Worth checking the wheel carrier (hubs) too. I've experienced a cracked hub once after a track day.
Wheel bearing might be another reason.
Worth inspecting everything wheel/suspension related properly before your next track day.
Yeah I went over the car this weekend and all hubs, bearings etc were good. Stuck on the other set of wheels tyres and it drove perfectly. So issue definitely down to the wheels. Lots of melted rubber deposited around the inside, but I couldn't see any telltale signs of missing weights - no 'clean' bits or adhesive residue. Wheel bearing might be another reason.
Worth inspecting everything wheel/suspension related properly before your next track day.
QBee said:
I would bet on a lost wheel weight ahead of accumulated rubber deposits.
I have had them come off my track car on the road - the flying weight hit the floor under my feet and felt like I had run over a spanner.
However, I am not clear - was it like it from the moment you left the track, or did it start during your journey home?
Thanks QBee - as above really. Difficult to tell if it was immediately after I left the track or someway during my journey due to the speeds at which it became noticeable. I have had them come off my track car on the road - the flying weight hit the floor under my feet and felt like I had run over a spanner.
However, I am not clear - was it like it from the moment you left the track, or did it start during your journey home?
Or a flat spotted front tyre by locking up under braking. R888's are relatively soft so a lock up will ruin them.
The easy way to check. Vibration at high speed or a specific speed is wheel balance. Vibration or bump as the wheel rotates at low speed then becoming a vibration at high speed is a flat spot or marbles on the tyre.
The easy way to check. Vibration at high speed or a specific speed is wheel balance. Vibration or bump as the wheel rotates at low speed then becoming a vibration at high speed is a flat spot or marbles on the tyre.
If tyre / wheel sizes are same front to rear you could swap.
Generally lack of balance shows up more on the front wheels. Based upon the result of that you could re-balance. Or if you are feeling flush, get all 4 wheels re-balanced.
Just make sure you have driven enough to get the marbles off and picked off the rubber inside the wheel with your hands if needed. Clearly not doing so would run the risk of going or of balance again.
May be worth inspecting the wheels for cracks too, particularly if you have been riding the kerbs.
Generally lack of balance shows up more on the front wheels. Based upon the result of that you could re-balance. Or if you are feeling flush, get all 4 wheels re-balanced.
Just make sure you have driven enough to get the marbles off and picked off the rubber inside the wheel with your hands if needed. Clearly not doing so would run the risk of going or of balance again.
May be worth inspecting the wheels for cracks too, particularly if you have been riding the kerbs.
What does the surface of the tyre look like? I'd say its the tyre melting and then moving that's causing the imbalance.
I don't rate 888's as even though they may have legal tread depth after a trackday if you get pulled by the police your risking 3 points as the tread disappears under the melted rubber so being called a road legal track tyre is a bit of a misnomer.
Not road legal
When they get too hot they turn into slicks, this is the from the rear wheels of a 231 RX8 that was driven hard with a 50+ degree track temp at Brands in an afternoon session.
Road legal once scraped
I don't rate 888's as even though they may have legal tread depth after a trackday if you get pulled by the police your risking 3 points as the tread disappears under the melted rubber so being called a road legal track tyre is a bit of a misnomer.
Not road legal
When they get too hot they turn into slicks, this is the from the rear wheels of a 231 RX8 that was driven hard with a 50+ degree track temp at Brands in an afternoon session.
Road legal once scraped
Edited by untakenname on Thursday 9th August 10:54
Trouble is, slicks seem a nice idea, but worn out R888s simply have no grip at all.
Last airfield day I did, the lap ended with a 180 degree turn on the main runway. When my R888s ran out of grip I had so much understeer (in a 1 tonne rear wheel drive car than normally spins if you provoke it), that i needed the full runway width to make that turn.
You make a good point about the police, and I would add that your own safety, or the safety of pedestrians, is at risk on tyres with no grip. I always trailer my car now, if you are tracking a saloon car at least chuck two spare road wheels in the back.
Last airfield day I did, the lap ended with a 180 degree turn on the main runway. When my R888s ran out of grip I had so much understeer (in a 1 tonne rear wheel drive car than normally spins if you provoke it), that i needed the full runway width to make that turn.
You make a good point about the police, and I would add that your own safety, or the safety of pedestrians, is at risk on tyres with no grip. I always trailer my car now, if you are tracking a saloon car at least chuck two spare road wheels in the back.
Well I had em rebalanced and all good.
Yeah my tyres look a lot healthier than those in the photos! My E30 is pretty light and even caning it round Oulton in 30 degrees hasn't destroyed the tyres. If I feel them beginning to go off it's time for a break. And they get checked between every session.
I have a spare set of wheels with R1Rs on for when there's any real chance of rain, either on track or on the way there/back.
Yeah my tyres look a lot healthier than those in the photos! My E30 is pretty light and even caning it round Oulton in 30 degrees hasn't destroyed the tyres. If I feel them beginning to go off it's time for a break. And they get checked between every session.
I have a spare set of wheels with R1Rs on for when there's any real chance of rain, either on track or on the way there/back.
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