I tried doing a search but found almost nothing. Just wondering how many guys were using these at the track and if they thought they were useful. What adjustments do you make based on your readings?

Thanks for any info...

 

I just got one for Xmas. Mainly for autocross -- tire uniformity temps. I expect air pressure and camber are the two main adjustments indicated.

Also curious to see how warm brakes and tires get on the track. And then what the effect is when I add vents.

 

They're worthless if you leave them turned on, run the battery down, and then look like an ass when you loan 'em to a friend, right Stuart?

 

Well, you're right about the first part -- they don't work worth a damn with a dead battery. I don't know if I'd go quite so far as looking like an ass, however -- maybe navel lint.

 

Where is a good place to buy one? I have wanted to get one for a while.

And to the question of how to use them, I'm also interested in using it at the house as I continue to improve my insulation.

 

I got my probe pyrometer here. On the first try, they sent me an IR pyrometer by mistake, so you may want to be extra clear which one you want.

http://www.solotime.com/default.asp?page=1694

 

From The Racing and High-Performance Tire by Paul Haney: The pros want to measure temps down to the cords. As a temp probe is pushed into the rubber, friction heat is generated. Gary Blalock of Michelin will push the probe several times into the rubber to get the probe up to temp, then let it sit until the temp goes down, to rid the friction heat.

Hot in the middle, take some air out. Hot on the edges or cold in the middle, add some air, per this book. I am thinking those with a groove of wear in the center or not touching the edges and run 30s should take some air out of the tires. I run mid 20s cold on Victoracers and RA1s on a lightened S2000.

I am using infrared pyrometer to get a general idea of temp difference across the tread, usually after cooldown laps, thinking the tread will cool down somewhat uniformly, understanding that the higher temp areas might cool faster as well. I'll use that, handling charactreristics, wear indicators on the tread and shoulder edge to try to figure out optimal pressures.

The IR pyrometer is great for around the house, and measuring for the heck of it, wine bottle temps, etc.

 

I though the IR types were not very useful and that the probe types were what you wanted? Is that correct? My wife got me one for my birthday (I just pick the one I want and she will order it) but I am not sure which type to get.

 

For a dedicated tire temp measuring device that is more in line with what is really going on with tire temps, your wife did well, imo.