Tyre pressure on track days
Tyre pressure on track days
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Yellow sub

Original Poster:

41 posts

256 months

Saturday 7th April 2007
quotequote all
I'll be on the HTTT Paul Ricard in the South of France on sunday.
I was wondering if anyone could give me advices on the tire presure to have on hot conditions, I have experienced it affects a lot the handling when you do nothing (after 2 or 3 laps) but to know exactly why is another matter.
Thanks

MK2 S

tussie

70 posts

245 months

Sunday 8th April 2007
quotequote all
Hi: I run mine on 32-34psi, even at that pressure you get excessive wear on the shoulders, though. The 255 tyres are a bit wide for the 18in wheels, unfortunately

the gazman

1,686 posts

244 months

Monday 9th April 2007
quotequote all
Take a guage and pump with you and keep all the tyres at 38psi hot would be my advice.

yellow sub

Original Poster:

41 posts

256 months

Tuesday 10th April 2007
quotequote all
Thank you for the reply.
38psi is, I think, 2.62 bars, where tire pressure (on the owner's hand book) recomended is 2.18 bars. Is my conversion all right ?
I was told to lower the pressure when going hot to stay at 2.2 bars ?????

GreenV8S

30,999 posts

308 months

Tuesday 10th April 2007
quotequote all
I don't know what your normal road pressures are, but unless you already have experience of your car's handling and tyre wear and track, or get specific advice from somebody with that experience, I suggest you keep the tyres at their recommended road pressures. This will mean letting air out as they heat up, in which case it is important that you do reinflate them as they when they have cooled down before you drive home. Some specific tyres, especially low profile ones, may need extra pressure to stop the beads distorting. Tyre road pressures are unlikely to give you the absolute optimum grip, and may not give you the best possible handling, but they will do pretty well in both respects; it is very easy to make things a lot worse by running too much pressure. Monitor the temperature of your tyres and the rate of wear and don't let yourself push them too hard, you will also be keeping an eye on pad and disc wear, temperatures and fluid levels.