Heat cycling new tires

[tim997]

I have seen recommendations on the Discount Tire and Tire Rack web pages regarding having certain tires commercially heat cycled prior to initial track or AX use. Does anyone have experience with this or an opinion about it? I just had Yoko AD08's mounted yesterday. I wonder if I should consider heat cycling before they get much mileage or just not worry about it. Thanks.

Tim Peterson

[Jad]

Unfortunately, no easy answer. It depends on driving style, car, goals, tire and many more. I am not familiar with that particular tire, but generally most people do NOT pay for the heat cycling, though some do. It can prolong the life of the tire, much like shaving the tire, but it is hard to tell if it justifies the price/effort. What many people do is take the car for a hard street drive, or very smooth and easy track drive to build heat without sliding the tire and overheating, then let them sit for 24 hours. This is a free way to partially heat cycle the tires.

Everyone has opinions, and there is no absolute right answer, so try it if you want, or just drive and enjoy as there are way to many factors to try to control them all and a few 100th of a second don't really matter at this level...

[tim997]

Thanks for your thoughts, Jad. It sounds like quick run to Julian should do the trick. Tire's full name is Yokohama Advan Neova AD08. Tread wear is 180.

Tim

[Jad]

I certainly wouldn't pay for heat cycling in 180 treadwear street tires. Heat cycling is really more for R compound and slicks than normal tires.

[frequencydip]

Taken directly from Hoosier:

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.

http://www.hoosiertire.com/tctips.htm