Keeping in mind different people like different setups, in addition to not all of us () have the same alignment. I have done a fair amount of testing at the track and for my car, for my style of driving, and for my R-compounds I have found 2 pounds less in the rear to be a nice compromise between the back sticking or stepping out. Based upon some of the apex speeds being 75 mph plus I'll take a bit less oversteer than I would prefer in the slower corners so I have that added stability in the high speed corners.

Keeping in mind I have never really run S-02s on the track, I find I take the opposite approach on the street. I actually run the rears about 2 pounds harder so as to make sure they are running as cool as I can get them so they last a bit longer. The irony is the backend is a tad more prone to oversteer, but the slow speeds on the street sort of make it fun. It's great to do a power slide coming onto an entrance ramp or slide the backend out going through an intersection. After all, my motto is a squealing tire is a happy tire.

So a guage that is accurate to single pounds is critical for me. And as I said before, I have been using the same dial guage on my car since I got it, so it almost does not matter if it reads 32 and the tire is actually 34, what's important is how the car feels and I keep using the same gauge.

 

It was a Brookstone that I have used for years and incorrectly believed it to be accurate.

 

I think I'll pass up the $6k calibration machine. BTW, I don't follow your last comment. Naturally you will get repeatable results using the same gauge unless it's total defective. Apparently the one I've been using has been reading 4 pounds high right along so I've been running my tires 4 pounds lighter than I want. Like Matt, Doug, and the others I want exact readings and exact pressures.

 

Good link. I always use 60# gauge because I like being able to read them clearly and add/remove as little as 1/2 pound at the track. Now I'm trying to remember when I might have tried using it on something that exceeded the limit........ it didn't take me long. My new bike tires have a 80# limit. I'm pretty sure that's how I screwed up my Brookstone gauge without even thinking about it. Thanks again for that link; hopefully I will not make the same mistake twice.

 

This is the one I bought last fall.

http://www.intercomp-racing.com/detail.cfm?ItemID=64

 

On my last trip to BeaveRun, I started with 34 cold all around, dropped the rear pressure by about 2 pounds after noticing more tail-happiness than I liked, and found the results pretty good.

(Full disclosure: this was only my second time to the track, so take the observation for what it's worth).

JonasM

 

For the street I run 32/32 cold. For the track I start out 34/34 cold. The last time I did hot tire temperature readings with pirometer this setting was ideal with the OEM tires. However, conditions change. When this happens I typically start to drop pressure in the rears by a pound.

 

How was the event? I see the rain held off the first day. Did you enjoy and even more did you pick up any good tips?

 

Tire pressure is so tricky - they vary greatly unfortunately. Even if you find one that is 'true', drop it once and it could affect your readings.

One simple option is that once you find a good shop w/ a 'true' reading (I don't know how that's verifyable), compare that to your gauge. Note the approx air temp (they say 1# for every 10 degree fluctuation, seems high but definitely an issue. I've even found that if one side bakes in the sun all day and the other stays in shadow there's a difference) and make sure the tires are 'cold'. Now you have a new reference for your target pressure w/ your gauge.

At any temperature, one way to check is to compare all 4 tires. They should all be very close if you're running the same front/rear.

BTW, this is my first car (20 yrs) w/ alloys that has endured NYC potholes and has not developed rim leaks. Awesome!

 

It was excellent. The rain held off almost completely, and it stayed cloudy and cool. I really had a good time.

On the second session, there was a kid with a brand-new Civis Si - no mods, stock tired. I was impressed with how he ran with us. He had to let me pass, but the speed differential was not as much as you would think. That Civis is an admirable performer right off the showroom floor.

I think next time I really want to get an instructor to go out with me. I had fun alone, but being such a beginner, I could use some advice.

Oh, and I mentioned my tire pressure observations because I'm running stock S-02's, which Doug did not have info on.

JonasM