Mangroa

Hoping to do my first trackday in the S next month. Just going to do a novice evening at Bedford.

My fronts are at the limit on the inner edge, rest of the tyre width has a lot of tread.

Its only about 2.5 hours track time, also my first time so wont be going nuts.

So, should I replace my fronts now, or wait until after the trackday? How much wear should I expect over a couple hours? I guess that actual time burning around will be a lot less than 2.5 hours.

Brakes have pleanty of wear left in them. What else should I be doing to prepare? Fire extinguisher, etc required?

CiderBoy

Would not think you'll get through much tread on a novice day. 2.5 hours track time will give you just over an hour of hooning.

If it were me, I'd get them done before in this instance. The last thing you want is loads of over steer from having no grip at the front.

Bedford is a really nice surface, so it should just break the new tyres in nicely.

Enjoy!

Nick

Dembo

You'll wear the outside edges on the track anyway, so I wouldn't worry too much about the inside being worn. I'd stick with the old and replace them afterwards.

Don't worry about preperation as long as everything's in good order. Just check your oil before and when you're there, and be wary of the brakes starting to fade and always do a cool down lap. Bedford is pretty hard on brakes, and not so bad on tyres, especially if you're a novice.

Xd

I got through 1.5 mill on a 1st Lotus academy day, that was with a lot of tight cornering over 4 hours. I think you'll be on the limit at the end, a suggestion would be to get someone like event mobile to turn up at the end of the event to replace your tyres.

CiderBoy

Agree with Dembo actually.

I read your post too quickly and had assumed the fronts were pretty well gone. If you have plenty of tread bar just the insides you'll be fine!

Nick

Ultra_Nexus

Definately after. Road tyres tend to have segmented areas or blocks where the treads go between bits of rubber. These agitate and warm the tyre. Excessive heat causes graining. This is where your tyres fall apart whilst giving you no grip, a bit of a crap trade off i'm sure you'll agree. Getting tyres that are on their last legs will give you better more consistent handling. Plus the added benefit that you will not give a stuff if you wreck them!

I'm sure you've heard it in F1 a million times: 'My tyres went off 3 laps after new, but then came back 10 laps later and I was able to push.'
Same rules apply. The grooves wear down and the tyre doesn't move about as much.

spankley

dreamer

If you're at the limit, being on the track wouldn't worry me, it's the next month and the journey to/from the track with potentially illegal tyres that would...

gaddafi

I've decided to go with the Bridgestones

so if anyone wants some cheap legal tyres watch out

see here:

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=390083


I'll put some pics up later - probably on f/s

CiderBoy

Remember that North Weald is VERY abrasive but Bedford is not.

Add on the fact that what Andy gets you doing is very tyre hungry and I'd argue that tyre wear on the 1st Lotus day is much worse than at Bedford.