Newb Tire Help

[Special Ed]

#419033

I run the R7s and love them. 315 30 18 front and 345 30 19 rear. I currently have 15 sessions on them and a lot more left in them. The grip is outstanding.

[13COBRA]

#419043

Special Ed said:
I run the R7s and love them. 315 30 18 front and 345 30 19 rear. I currently have 15 sessions on them and a lot more left in them. The grip is outstanding.

Have you always ran slicks? I guess I’m just nervous about heating them up enough to start, without being too hard on them.

Any hints or best practices to ensure I get them as close to optimal as I can?

[Special Ed]

#419072

I tracked a couple of times with corsa’s, the difference is night and day. I run about 70 to 80 percent the first lap and then have at it.

[13COBRA]

#419088

Special Ed said:
I tracked a couple of times with corsa's, the difference is night and day. I run about 70 to 80 percent the first lap and then have at it.

Beautiful. What tire pressures do you start at?

[Special Ed]

#419126

29 cold and 31 hot

[13COBRA]

#419127

Perfect, thank you.

They’ll be here next week. I won’t have another track day until November.

[Shannon Whitehead]

#419132

13COBRA said:
Have you always ran slicks? I guess I'm just nervous about heating them up enough to start, without being too hard on them.

Any hints or best practices to ensure I get them as close to optimal as I can?

Nick, years ago I was nervous going from shaved Kuhmo’s to Hoosiers for the fear of rapid break a way too.

You’ll be fine and they will stick and feel great. Use your head until you get comfortable.

But, if your going that route, you need to trailer, you don’t want to drive them to the track unless you’re very close. (they will cut easier and you don’t want to add additional heat cycles).

To start, you want to adjust the pressures down and run 1 full lap at 60-75% to bring the tire temps up. If I don’t know the track, or if the temps at tracks I know are cool, I start at 29 psi all around, then look to keep them to a max of 36 when I pull off the track. As the track gets hotter during the day you’ll want to adjust the starting pressures downward to compensate. You also want to adjust all 4 corners as the tracks vary (some are harder left or tight, or front and back).

Your 18 set up is the best way to go, offering more tire choices and that’s what most G4 folks use.

Hoosier fronts are either 295 or 315, the 315 has more bite, but if your suspension is too low, you can get a rub in the front.

Track dependent, the fronts fall off in 12 sessions or less, you can usually make the rears last 50% more.

Once you go this route you’ll never go back to street tires. Just bring $$$, new Hoosiers are great but they will fall off. good luck, Mike

[13COBRA]

#419136

acrvprc said:
Nick, years ago I was nervous going from shaved Kuhmo's to Hoosiers for the fear of rapid break a way too.

You'll be fine and they will stick and feel great. Use your head until you get comfortable.

But, if your going that route, you need to trailer, you don't want to drive them to the track unless you're very close. (they will cut easier and you don't want to add additional heat cycles).

To start, you want to adjust the pressures down and run 1 full lap at 60-75% to bring the tire temps up. If I don't know the track, or if the temps at tracks I know are cool, I start at 29 psi all around, then look to keep them to a max of 36 when I pull off the track. As the track gets hotter during the day you'll want to adjust the starting pressures downward to compensate. You also want to adjust all 4 corners as the tracks vary (some are harder left or tight, or front and back).

Your 18 set up is the best way to go, offering more tire choices and that's what most G4 folks use.

Hoosier fronts are either 295 or 315, the 315 has more bite, but if your suspension is too low, you can get a rub in the front.

Track dependent, the fronts fall off in 12 sessions or less, you can usually make the rears last 50% more.

Once you go this route you'll never go back to street tires. Just bring $$$, new Hoosiers are great but they will fall off. good luck, Mike

Thanks Mike.

I already trailer to the track as it is. I’m about 1.5 hours from the nearest track and with my alignment I didn’t want to be at cords by the time I got to the track.

I went with the 315s in the front, I have stock height Gen IV ACR, do you think I will have any issues with rub? Luckily my local track was just repaved last fall, so it’s extremely smooth. I was able to get 22 sessions out of my R888Rs, and to be honest I could probably get 3 more out of the fronts; the rears have 6-9 left as well. I’m just ready to go a little faster.

[Shannon Whitehead]

#419139

If your not real low then you should be fine. Just check after each session, look for tire on the wheel well and look for any grooving on the upper sidewall. but, at stock height you should be fine.

As far as sessions, the Hoosiers may last as long without cording, but you’ll notice their not as sticky after 8 sessions. Good idea to swap sides after a few sessions, or after the first day of a two day even. Keep a close eye on the fronts, especially the inner section for cording. Rears will last a long time before cording, unless you have a track with long, multiple sweepers. Good luck, once you run the Hoosiers you’ll never go back to street tires.

[13COBRA]

#419141

acrvprc said:
If your not real low then you should be fine. Just check after each session, look for tire on the wheel well and look for any grooving on the upper sidewall. but, at stock height you should be fine.

As far as sessions, the Hoosiers may last as long without cording, but you'll notice their not as sticky after 8 sessions. Good idea to swap sides after a few sessions, or after the first day of a two day even. Keep a close eye on the fronts, especially the inner section for cording. Rears will last a long time before cording, unless you have a track with long, multiple sweepers. Good luck, once you run the Hoosiers you'll never go back to street tires.

Thanks for the advice! I’ll keep all of that in mind!

[Shannon Whitehead]

#419842

Special Ed said:
29 cold and 31 hot

Your tire pressures only change 2 degrees from cold to hot? lol. You should be getting at least 6-8 more psi when hot

[Shannon Whitehead]

#419843

13COBRA said:
Have you always ran slicks? I guess I'm just nervous about heating them up enough to start, without being too hard on them.

Any hints or best practices to ensure I get them as close to optimal as I can?

Remember, Hoosier R7’s and A7’s are not “slicks”, they are DOT legal tires. The R7’s warm up in 2 laps, your 3-4 lap will be your fastest. The A7’s need very little warm up, i go balls out halfway through my fist lap. Your 2nd lap will be your fastest.
Until you get the hang of it, i would take tire temps religiously and keep a log book. Do this for a few track weekends and you’ll learn fast what your car is doing, what pressures you need and what alignment changes you may need.

[13COBRA]

#419844

Arizona Vipers said:
Remember, Hoosier R7's and A7's are not "slicks", they are DOT legal tires. The R7's warm up in 2 laps, your 3-4 lap will be your fastest. The A7's need very little warm up, i go balls out halfway through my fist lap. Your 2nd lap will be your fastest.
Until you get the hang of it, i would take tire temps religiously and keep a log book. Do this for a few track weekends and you'll learn fast what your car is doing, what pressures you need and what alignment changes you may need.

Thank you for the advice, noted!

I guess I meant “closer to slicks” than the R888R’s/Corsas I’ve run.

[Shannon Whitehead]

#29126

I’ve just started tracking my ACR this year, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I have been running the R888Rs (295/30-18 and 345/30-18) and have 0 complaints! I’m going to either order another set but increase the fronts to 315s….OR switch to R7s in the same size.

What are the pros and cons of running slicks? My competitive-self just wants to go faster, but I don’t want to put myself at risk either.

Thanks for bearing with my newb questions.

Nick

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