Heat Cycles

[Tim wilkinson]

I am currently running on rs4’s. They are 295/40zr18. How many heat cycles will these tires take before they completely lose grip?

 

[Bill Pemberton]

You will get a plethora of answers since heat cycles with any tire are contingent on :

1. Time on track ( amount per session)
2. Track surface ( rough of smooth)
3. Temperature outside ( heat or cold ) and track temperature ( hot or cold ).
4. Running in the rain
5. Track speed
6. Driver speed --- novice , experienced , Pro

These are just a few of the parameters, so to a degree it will be up to you to a degree. Over a period of time , though, even though some tires have tread left owners notice the rubber is getting stressed out from heat cycles and even age. No magic formula , but I have always found the best way to get a little idea is to talk to folks with similar cars at the tracks you run.

I run at one track that I get twice the wear of anywhere else, and even the tires heat up during a track session than other places ---- so a heat cycle there is completely different than the two other tracks I run. Good luck and have fun.

 

[byronj]

I consider myself "NOOB" on 4 wheels and with my tires i do not exceed 20 heat cycles on track. I do drive to the track and that is a heat cycle but not a track heat cycle so I would say I get 24 total and I think that is too many since I raced street bikes when I was done with a set of tires after 6 cycles. But as Bill stated. you will receive a lot of different responses

 

[blacksheep-1]

Yeah, I can't help you here, since about 3 cycles, is all we get out of them and then they go to track day guys or for extended practice days.
What I can recommend is one of these, which I keep in my tool kit at the track so I can map wear vs hardness along with everything else I measure. This won't work as the tires are hot and coming off the track, but once they cool, is when you need to check them.

Tire Tech: Use A Durometer To Track How Hard Your Race Tires Are

All those hours invested trying to get everything just right. It is all about maximizing the friction between the race track and the small contact patch.

www.onedirt.com

 

[blacksheep-1]

and BTW "needling" is illegal in most series so don't go getting any ideas