Any of you have any experience using tire conditioners? Being as my current set of tires have 10+ heat cycles and I plan to use them for another 10; and after that I have a pair of "take-offs" for the 2006 season, I'm wondering if I should "pump 'em up" with some tire conditioners. Does that stuff work / not work / work for 5 laps then you're off on the grass / give you cancer.... or (shhhh) illegal? Last weekend, when I was testing with the go-karts, they all used that stuff.
Tire Conditioner
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 Chris San Jose |
Tire Conditioner |
Lead | |
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Posts: 63 (08/18/05 21:14:30) INDY Car Pro Racer |
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NSXted |
You've even got us beat!! | ||
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Posts: 514 (08/18/05 21:55:11) F-1 World Champion Racer |
"10+ heat cycles and I plan to use them for another 10; and after that I have a pair of "take-offs" for the 2006 season"
Chris, you da  man!!! This weekend at Infineon, us really hard core backmarkers are about to engage in a fetish orgy of old hard rubber abuse. We really love it when that brilliant blue starts to shine and we're still a long way from the cord, but I gotta say, going for 20 cycles is even out of our league.  I'm impressed.....I think. As for the tire goop, I've heard it's expensive, time consuming, tricky, messy and rumor has it, doesn't last very long, if it works at all. And not to mention illegal. In short, a PIA and I'm sure not something the FM kings of old ever did. But hey, we're gypsies in the palace now, so, like having your hat brim curve up and to the left, we can do whatever we damn well please. I guess you can be the goop tester. And I'll continue to sit around and make smart ass remarks. Ted |
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Chris San Jose |
Re: Tire Conditioner | ||
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Posts: 63 (08/19/05 08:39:46) INDY Car Pro Racer |
Ironically, I measured the rubber depth when brand new = 5mm. After 10 heat cycles their still at 4mm. OK, so that means I'm not working the tires yet..... but while I'm learning the lines and how to shift, I got no problem sticking with these. The only thing is, the car starts drifting wide in areas like T-Hill T1 and T8. I like you're comment about the blue color. Maybe I should name my racing team "Deep Blue Racing" after the color of my preferred tire tread. Testing at T-Hill with the Karters was a blast. For $200 I got 7-30 minute sessions. That's 3 1/2 hours of track time in one day. Too bad the FM's don't coordinate test days so we can practice together.
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Racerweav |
Re: Tire Conditioner | ||
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Posts: 89 (08/19/05 09:35:02) F-1 Pro Racer |
Chris and Ted,
Speaking of tires, I have a set from the Laguna National with 5 laps of qualifying and a 20 lap race on them if either of you are interested. They're probably good for another 30 or 40 cycles!!  I probably won't have the motor back in the car in time for the Sears Point event in early Sept., but I will definitely be at the next Laguna event. Email me if your interested: whweaver@jgparker.com Bill |
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Chris San Jose |
Re: Tire Conditioner | ||
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Posts: 63 (08/19/05 10:08:47) INDY Car Pro Racer |
Ted, I'll let you take a stab at Bill's tires. I just picked up a set of "take-offs" from Garrett (of Phoenix) at the Laguna race. However, I think the best way to handicap the FM field (in the interest of good competition) is to make Bill use our "take-offs". In that case, we can set a limit at, say, 30 heat cycles. : )
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Hohndo |
Re: Tire Conditioner | ||
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Posts: 123 (08/19/05 10:50:39) F-1 World Champion Racer |
In the interest of competition, Bill should use our take offs soaked in our tire conditioner of choice (used motor oil) ....
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Racerweav |
Re: Tire Conditioner | ||
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Posts: 89 (08/19/05 14:47:34) F-1 Pro Racer |
Wow Mike.....that hurts!! But it would be fun.
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glenn cooper |
Re: Tire Conditioner | ||
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Posts: 615 (08/19/05 16:55:33) |
Chris, You may be (are) in uncharted water. Anyone I've known over the years in FM has about 3 cycles before the inside edge wears off. The profile change in addition to the heat cycles that bake/boil/broil/char/ the "oils" and good sticky components are what is responsible for the grip diminishing. Once they go away, grip is gone. Can you use the trackclaw? Sure, who'd know? Will you be able to get rubber built back up on the inner edge of the tires? No.
Are you currently fast enough to actually wear the tires out? I dunno. Will you get fast driving on old/soaked/profile changed tires? No. Is going faster a priority? I hope so. Bottom line? If you are trying to win, you won't unless you are on fresh rubber, or everyone at the track is on old rags, and your's are the best of the heap! GC |
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NSXted |
WD-40? | ||
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Posts: 501 (06/14/08 22:44:23) F-1 World Champion Racer |
So, today I'm hanging out with my good midpack buddy, who shall remain nameless, and we're getting bead seats poured in his garage. (Troy Stevens is
'the man' for for bead seats but that's another topic for another day) So while we're watching Troy work his magic on my seat, my buddy is
cleaning off his tires, spraying WD-40 on them and wrapping them in cellophane. So, we get to jacking our jaws about whether or not WD-40 is a "foreign
substance" meant to "gain an advantage." I surpressed my need to go off on how vaguely some of the GCR's were written and define exactly
what an advantage may or may not be. Troy winked at him and said, "hey, you're just doing it to preserve the life of the tire, it's not really
tire goop". To which my buddy nodded, "Yeah, that's the ticket, just keeping the oils in the rubber." So, anyone think that WD-40 is
tire goop or if not, does it in fact help preserve the tire along with wrapping it and storing in a cool dark place?
Ted FM #13
Shoe String Racing |
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Hohndo |
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Posts: 123 (07/01/08 12:50:43) F-1 World Champion Racer |
If it is magic goop and does help preserve, then hose me down and wrap me up. .
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