Cold weather track tyre pressures and suspension set-up

[JB21]

Really struggled to get heat into my tyres at Oulton on Saturday and it was only around 7 degrees. I'm back there tomorrow and its 2 degrees. Any thoughts how to gain heat into my tyres as there's so much conflicting info online. Some say reduce pressures others say increase, also some say soften the suspension, others say stiffen.

I was running 8 clicks from soft (13 clicks total) rear and 4 clicks from soft fronts (9kg front/11kg rear springs) on Saturday with the RARB on the soft setting but I couldn't get any heat into either pair of tyres front or rear.

Thoughts?

 

[JamesBryan]

Higher pressure to start with.

More pressure = more resistance in the tread = more friction/heat.

 

[JamesBryan]

I don't think the traffic helped either mate, was busy on track to try and get a good few laps in to warm up.

Same problems for my mates in the Meganes on slicks.

 

[JB21]

Cheers mate, will start them around 27 front and 30 rear (normally 25 front/27 rear) and take it from there, and yeah you're right as I didn't get more than 4 laps in a row due to all the red flags, just normally they are up to temp after a lap or 2.

 

[JamesBryan]

Yeah 27/28 and 30 should be ok.

Chuck it into Shell hairpin too and use that to warm up, it'll stick with all the extra camber of the corner.

 

[JB21]

Yeah 27/28 and 30 should be ok.

Chuck it into Shell hairpin too and use that to warm up, it'll stick with all the extra camber of the corner.

Its crazy just how much speed you can take through shell with the asts on, it just spits you out the other end.

 

[JamesBryan]

Its crazy just how much speed you can take through shell with the asts on, it just spits you out the other end.

I know yeah. I can never decide which gear to use.

It's a bit quick for 2nd and 3rd can be a bit slow. Although it may just feel slow, could smoother/quicker.

 

[JB21]

Going to be trying this tomorrow as well as 2nd feels to low for shell, hislops/knickerbrook and lodge. Gonna do 5 laps using 3rd and 5 using 2nd and see the difference.

 

[JamesBryan]

Going to be trying this tomorrow as well as 2nd feels to low for shell, hislops/knickerbrook and lodge. Gonna do 5 laps using 3rd and 5 using 2nd and see the difference.

Try Old Hall in 4th for me as well. I've thought about trying it.

Can brake later and not have to worry about changing down to 3rd and then back on the power.

 

[Sam Linssner]

Had the same at Silverstone today. Higher pressures and softened the suspension a bit. And 2 laps of trying to drive fast to get heat into the tyres without crashing. Didn't have a problem with grip once warm though

 

[JBUK]

You were going quick enough when you shot past me early on, tried to keep up but no chance. What tyres were you running / pressures in the end as I had bucketfuls of understeer all day?

 

[JB21]

You were going quick enough when you shot past me early on, tried to keep up but no chance. What tyres were you running / pressures in the end as I had bucketfuls of understeer all day?

Me?

 

[JBUK]

Had the same at Silverstone today. Higher pressures and softened the suspension a bit. And 2 laps of trying to drive fast to get heat into the tyres without crashing. Didn't have a problem with grip once warm though

Me?

Sorry, I meant Sam at Silverstone yesterday. Added a quote above, apologies for confusion.

 

[Sam Linssner]

Sorry, I meant Sam at Silverstone yesterday. Added a quote above, apologies for confusion.

888r's on the front and 888's on the back. No reason for that just had tyres to use up. I run around 28/29psi when hot. Biggest problem I had was trying to get heat in the rear tyres I kept oversteering. Even span when I clipped too much kurb at Becketts trying to see how fast I could do it

 

[Sam Linssner]

Which car were you in? Glad I wasn't the only Clio there was some serious penis extensions there yesterday

 

[JBUK]

I was on brand new 595 Rs-R and felt like they were overheating, 30 hot too. Understeer city for me, but standard shocks, sportlines, eibach camber bolts. Shakedown for the car before I start throwing parts at it.

I was in the iceberg clio, I think you were 2 garages down from me next to the ginettas? I was garage 10.

Have you got an LSD in yours as looked hooked up on the power?

 

[Sam Linssner]

Yup, quaife diff, bc coilovers and full geo setup for track. Running 185hp.

The Ibiza was next to me that got a bollocking at lunch. We had a very near miss more than once

 

[JBUK]

Yeah, he was right up my arse a couple times and when I was watching he nearly stuffed it up the back of someone in turn 1. Locked up the rears, but was about 2ft away into the braking zone so no surprise.

Would be interesting to see your geo stuff, drop me a PM if willing to share.