Heat cycling V710's

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

So, I read that these tires (and many R comps) like to be heat cycled before being run. Whats the recommended procedure? I've got two options that I see as easy. . .

1. We are going to be at the school as instructors, we could easily take a run or two in the Mini during lunch, then just let it sit until the next day. Is this too extreme of a first heat cycle? This only requires me to swap tires once, but for how much these tires cost, I don't mind trying option 2 if it makes them last any longer. . .

2. I could also put them on and drive around on the street for a bit before we come, this would allow them longer to cool and "relink". I suppose this would give her the change to take a couple runs during the school to try them out at full grip. How aggresive of a street drive should I go for (of course staying within all traffic laws)? What sort of speeds (interstate? low speeds?).

Thanks in advance.

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:41 pm

I always did like 80-100 miles at 60+ on my R-comp, that equaled driving to Wilson and back for me.

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

Maybe a trip from Cary to Durham and back on them is in order then, or I suppose we could just drive to Laurinburg on them if she's willing to just park the car from when we get there for the school until we run the autocross the next day.

Keith Vail · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:13 pm

BriceJohnson wrote:

Maybe a trip from Cary to Durham and back on them is in order then, or I suppose we could just drive to Laurinburg on them if she's willing to just park the car from when we get there for the school until we run the autocross the next day.

Don't let the car sit on them once you are done heat cycling them. Take them off the car and stack them on their side. I wouldn't drive into Laurinburg on that dirt path on a set of brand new race tires either.

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

Cool, will do. Is it a problem if its a trip to school (car sits for a couple hours) and then a trip home (and immediately take them off) or should we make it one long trip? I'm new at this whole race tire thing. . .

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:32 pm

BriceJohnson wrote:

Cool, will do. Is it a problem if its a trip to school (car sits for a couple hours) and then a trip home (and immediately take them off) or should we make it one long trip? I'm new at this whole race tire thing. . .

Continuous long run IMHO

RobLupella · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:57 pm

BriceJohnson wrote:

Cool, will do. Is it a problem if its a trip to school (car sits for a couple hours) and then a trip home (and immediately take them off) or should we make it one long trip? I'm new at this whole race tire thing. . .

And no way to avoid driving the dirt path to get to the circuit. the best way is to buy them heat cycled from TRack. I have always had Mark install them on the rims, then drive home (about 40 minutes, then take them off the car.

David Spratte · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:27 pm

I've never heat cycled tires. Ever.

I might, if I have time, drive them around to scuff release compound off of them. But a formal heat cycle? Never. Even without the scuffing you're only going to deal with mold release for the first two sincere turns.

Your first event is plenty of heat. And you're going to take them off the car so you don't have sitting issues.

Driving them on the street to do a heat cycle? I'd rather just run them as is and loose a hypothetical fraction of a second than deal with a newish 710 or A6 that needs a plug or a patch.

I know, I know. But the tire manufacturer also says that a 275 on a 6" wheel is a bad idea.

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

while I'm taking "R-comp-101". . .

Do they like to be sprayed down between runs?

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:56 pm

I used to heat cycle tires, but I never really noticed the difference in longevity that they said could be had from doing it so I stopped. I used to do about 8-10 large-diameter circles in the biggest parking lot I could find, until the outside tires were getting hot to the touch.

Tire Rack says that the tires should cool for at least 24 hours before using them, so if you're going to try it, plan for that cooling period.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:14 pm

BriceJohnson wrote:

while I'm taking "R-comp-101". . .

Do they like to be sprayed down between runs?

The short answer for Kumhos is yes.
My experience has been that they feel better if they aren't too hot. Ideally, I think you search for constant temp across the tire, but that's too complicated for me. I just spray them immediately after each run and hope for the best.

David Spratte · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:29 pm

BriceJohnson wrote:

while I'm taking "R-comp-101". . .

Do they like to be sprayed down between runs?

710: Yes.

A6: Meh? I think most people do. But we haven't found a way to make them fall off pace from heat. After coming to the conclusion that those little micro heat cycles aren't good for longevity we stopped altogether. Maybe a in August. But even then not likley.

JamesFeinberg · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:04 pm

I agree with everything Mr. Spratte said.

We actually managed to completely kill a front pair of V710's by getting them too hot. This was at the Dixie site in Winston Salem and it must have been nearly 100 degrees. We were in a tiny run group and we basically took 10 runs (5 each) on the ~55 second course back-to-back with what couldn't have been more than a minute between runs. I can't ever remember getting a pair of tires that hot in all my years of racing.

At the next event in Sanford, the tires had plenty of rubber left but literally had no grip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Pushing like a dump truck with 2 blown front tires springs to mind. Before the last 2 runs, we swapped tires front-to-rear which put the tiny 205's on the front with the much bigger 225's on the rear. The car was *much* faster but still way off the pace and bordered on being way too loose.

I'm pretty sure that was the worst showing for the Integra at any event since I've owned it. So, yea, I would spray the 710's early and often. And then spray them again.

Jim

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:42 pm

In July-Aug time frame, when it's 100 degrees, I soak towels in ice water and keep them on my front tires. I've seen the heat dry the towels in just a few minutes. Then I rewet them and put them back on the tires. Yes, I've heard the snickers, but what the heck, it makes me feel good. :wink:

JamesFeinberg · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:50 pm

Gwen Baake wrote:

In July-Aug time frame, when it's 100 degrees, I soak towels in ice water and keep them on my front tires. I've seen the heat dry the towels in just a few minutes. Then I rewet them and put them back on the tires. Yes, I've heard the snickers, but what the heck, it makes me feel good. :wink:

That winds up being the most effective method of cooling the tires despite what some "rocket scientists" will tell you about how much better spraying is due to the energy dissipation of evaporation blah blah blah. The towels seems to act as a giant heat sink and it is amazing how quickly they will cool the tires.

You can just smile knowing the people snickering are running around with overheated tires. :wink:

Jim

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