I prefer what feels right to me, I can use other people's figures as a rough guide but until I've put their theory into practice, I have an open mind. I will say that I was a little surprised when I saw their numbers lol.Have you tried to get tyre data off of a manufacturer's website before Let me know when you find anything more detailed than rolling circumferences or (at a stretch!) operating windows for pressures and temps.
Interesting thread, but it just reinforces my opinion that by far the best way to go about tyre pressures is to just forget theory & set them when hot. So many variables to account for, that theory takes too long compared to a few installation laps.
Only when you have a lot of constants (a driver that works the tires sufficiently, a setup that doesn't change massively) and some past data is it viable to start making improvements to any predictions based on PV=nRT. When you really think about it, you realise that not a single letter in that equation is a simple one.
The average hard compound racing slick (sports & production, no idea about formula cars) has an operating window of what, 80 - 100 degrees Celsius. How many club racers let alone track day drivers achieve that surface temp with the sort of ambient temp we get in the UK.
Oh yeah of course, I hope I didn't come across as rude - no intent. Promise!
But if CS was only full of things that you & the likes of chip didn't know, then there'd be nothing in between for us mortals!
Lol, I don't know a lot really, just old.
I know that backwards is not good.
Well that's why I was surprised, the Avons used in British GT (I think you did the GT4 class a few years back, or am I making that up) seemed to hate anything north of 90 & Dunlops in the smaller sizes look like they'd absolutely destroy the shoulder if they got anywhere near that, whereas Pirelli quoted 80 - 110 degrees for the equivalent tyre
You had much useful advice from emailing? I know the trackside advice can be fantastic, but most people aren't fortunate enough to be buying several new sets at each circuit. I know as an Engineering student you've got far more interest than most, but would you say you put more thought (vs track time) into tyre pressures than most higher-level club racers? It would seem you need a season or two worth of data before you can use PV=nRT more accurately than simply dropping hot pressures throughout FP sessions.
Indeed! It's a cliché but they are the only contact patch... My favourite bit is going backwards. You can determine so much about how the car is working from wear patterns, graining size direction etc really quickly. Probably less interesting for you, since you can tell what the car's doing because you're the one fighting it
I love you.
Isn't a bit of trial and error or even common sense the way to go for your average trackday goer?
I just picked my pressures cos it sounded good in my head. The car felt good to me so I'll go with that again. It's a shame I turned them blue but I dare say that was down to the 30 min session at the end of the day where I was really pushing. But in my defence I was having lots of fun.
Lol, I don't know a lot really, just old.