[hayesee]

I am heading to Watkins Glen this weekend and just got a pair of toyo ra-1's for $200 in stock sizes. I have run the glen about 20 times but never on R compound. What pressures should I start with and what should I look for on the R compounds to know I am at the right pressures.

Thanks,
mike

 

[BSWhelchel]

http://features.evolutionm.net/article/evomfeatures/46

 

[Nick 95 6sp]

If somebody here have actually used them on the track, obviously their advice would be more applicable than my speculation. I do recall a couple guys here saying they used them, maybe Manni but not sure if it was on a road course, not sure who else. I've never run on the RA1's but that air pressure guide above seems like a reasonable place to start. I've heard that if the RA1's are not shaved, hard track use can tear chunks of them out.

Usually a good thing to do with any track tire is to chalk the sidewalls from the tread contact area and up the sidewall, so you when you come back in you can see if/how the tire might have rolled over a bit and adjust tire pressure accordingly.

Have a great time and be careful ...but fast I'm jealous, IMO Watkins Glen is almost like the heaven of road courses. I want them to dig a hole in the bog and bury me there in my car when I die.

 

[turbomx5]

you said you got a pair? do you mean 4?

2 r compounds should make for an interesting day on track...

 

[hayesee]

you said you got a pair? do you mean 4?

2 r compounds should make for an interesting day on track...

Thanks for the reply's and yes I did get 4....

Mike

 

[in2twins]

Start at 28-30 cold, try for 32 hot all around. Measure temps right after you come off the track. If you have a pyrometer, look for fairly even temps across the tread, if your alignment is right, and you are not over inflated. High center readings(you take out/center/inside temps) indicate overinflation, you will toast even RA1s if you run too much pressure. Look for even temps front to back, but not side to side. Even pressures hot all around. LMK if you have other questions. If it is cold out, you may end up starting as low as 25-27lbs. After the meet, let it all cool down. Record your cold temps on every corner, that way you have good cold start temps for that track next time. You may see a large range, this is normal, ie RF26 RR28 LF28 LR31 . If you are making a bunch of power, be extra careful about over inflation. Also, if you are understeering, soften the front with dampers, then tires(if your temps are even), and if you are Oversteering, do the same in the rear. SOFTER IS BETTER if it works Regards, Carl

 

[$upraMan]

I've had good luck with 38-40 hot on both my s2000 and the z06 which would be consistant with the above suggestion of starting at 28-30 cold (there is no way that you only pick up 2-4 psi as the tires warm up, more like 8-10 psi).

 

[bart97]

One thing to consider is that ideal pressures are different for different cars so what works great for an S2000 may not work great for a Supra. Hoosier tire recomends 1 psi per 100 lbs of car wieght, so on that S2000 around 28-30 is consistent but on a supra in my track experiance depending on what my car weighed during the particular event I varied between 31-34 psi cold the lower psi has been this year due to the slim fast diet I put my car on, 3080lbs.

 

[hayesee]

hey guys,

Thanks for all the help. After my first day here I was starting at 32lbs cold and they are working great. Very even were and great grip....

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[in2twins]

interesting, my car(Supra) works perfectly at ~32 hot. At ~36-38 hot I wore through the center tread in four days of aggressive driivng at Thunderhill. At 32lbs, they last for to five times that long. Tred temps are perfect, within 8* across the tread, and temps were between 180-205. Anyway, I think my slow but fun slide'm around loose style has a bit to do with why lower pressures work better for me. I am going to have RA1s on both my street, and my track wheels, so I will be experimenting. Glad it worked out for you, Later, Carl Byck

 

[bart97]

Possibly the ra 1s have a different pressure they like than the hoosiers.