New Tire heat Cycling

[Lunatic]

I have a new set of Nitto NT-01 tires coming for my FRS. Do I have to heat cycle these tires the way I have to heat cycle my Avon slicks, bring them up to temp for 20 to 30 minutes, then take them off the car and let them set for 24 hours before using them again?
Or can I just put them on and go do laps all day?

[Lunatic]

bump

[ZionsWrath]

Interested in this. I plan to buy a set of wheels with AD08R and wondering do I have to break in on the street or can I just mount them at the track new and start doing laps. (I'm novice HPDE)

Not try to thread jack OP, just interested

[Celadrielas]

For best consistancy, I heat cycle all new tires. Even my economy tires. This is done because some tires will feel spongy here in AZ during the 10,000,000 degree summer days and we have monsoon seasons. So, for example, it was 111 yesterday until about 4-5 o'clock, then it rained for an hour-ish and the temp dropped to 86 degrees. The rapid heating and cooling makes even the stock tire feel like it wants to roll the bead.

Hope this helps.

[ZionsWrath]

I don;t know what heat cycling is or the effects but after 3 track day I find my OEM tires chirp quite easily. I'd like to attribute it to my increased confidence/ability but at the same time I feel they do it at a very low "limit"

[Lunatic]

I talked with Roger at Roger Kraus Racing Tires today and he said for best performance all track/street tires should be heat cycled.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Lunatic

I talked with Roger at Roger Kraus Racing Tires today and he said for best performance all track/street tires should be heat cycled.

This.

Hoosier's recommendations for their DOT-R compound tires:

Tire Break-In Procedure

Proper break-in will not affect initial performance but will increase the competitive life of the tire.

The procedure can be broken down into phases.

1st phase: The initial run

2nd phase: The length of the time the tire is allowed to “cure”

The Initial Run Heat Cycle

R6 Roadrace

The first laps for the tire are critical for setting up the durability and competitive life. The first session should consist of no more than 10-15 minutes of running. The early part of the session should be run at an easy pace, with the speed gradually increased until the end of the session. The final lap should be run at the fastest possible speed. The intent is to achieve maximum tire temp on the last lap. At this point the car should be brought in and the tires allowed to cool at a normal rate.

During the initial run-in process, the inflation pressure should be 3-5 psi higher than you would normally use. The best progression would have the driver taking 4-7 laps to accomplish this break-in. Each lap should be approximately 7-10 seconds a lap faster than the previous lap. The goal is to have the tire temp as high as possible on the last lap without “shocking” the tire during the warm up laps. In essence, no wheelspin, late braking, or sliding. The last lap should be at, or very close, the maximum possible.

A6 Autocross

For autocrossing, the A6 does not need the same break in procedure as the R6. The A6 needs a minimal scuff-in session before the first autocross run. This“session” can comprise of simply driving around the event site at minimal speeds on the A6 set of tires. By scrubbing off the newness of the tread (no or minimal shininess remaining) prior to your first competitive run, the A6 tires will be more consistent in handling, grip and responsiveness on the first run. If this is not completed, running on un-scuffed A6 tires on your first run may result in the tires not gripping properly, or feeling like they “skate” over the course surface. You are welcome to run 3 – 5 psi higher when scuffing in a new set of A6’s, but be sure to reset them to the correct operating pressures before your first autocross run. As you compile autocross runs on your new A6’s, they should become more consistent in run times.

“Cure” Time

After completing the initial run phase, the length of time the tire is allowed to set is possibly more important. The barest minimum for this process to be beneficial is 24 hours. (Not “the next day”). Any less than this is a waste of time. The best situation would allow a week before using the tire again.

Proper tire management is a difficult process. To accomplish this almost always requires a second set of wheels. The payoff is greatly increased competitive tire life.

Following the recommended break-in procedure will require a lot of planning to make it work. The benefits to doing it right include greatly increased tire life as well as consistent performance and durability under stress. Please make an effort to educate your team on the importance of this. It can save you a lot of money.

[Lunatic]

Good wright up, similar to what I have done with my Avon's in the past.
Thanks for sharing.