I know that Hoosier reccommends heat cycling the R6 tires, but I'm curious who is and who is not. If your are, do you think you are getting additional heat cycles out of them and if so how many extra? Also, if you are heat cycling, are you having them done by Tire Rack ( or similar supplier ) or the "old fashion way" on track. Thanks in advance for any input the group can provide.

thx.

Mick

 

I don't. I've only had one set HC'd over the last 4 years, and it didn't last any longer, so I stopped doing it. They just don't last very long, however you cut it.

-td

 

I have done both and I agree... no noticeable difference in performance or longevity...

 

Interesting comments. I have it done. Have had the last 2 sets cycled by TireRack, and I think they last longer. I can't say how many, but I notice they wear better, evenly, and might go about 3-4 sessions. So so so much depends on track and driver and conditions that guessing a session number is not easy. It's more important that the Camber and Toe are done RIGHT and that helps as well.

 

cc

that is an excellent point... at my local track, the surface is so bad that heat cycling makes no difference because it is like driving around on a cheese grater...
on tracks with better surfaces, I would still say that any heat cycling improvement is difficult to detect from a perfomance stand point.

 

I don't think the tires perform any different cycled or not. I just think they wear better and last a little longer. Not much.
Track quality has a big deal to do with wear as well.

 

To really heat cycle the R6 I believe you have to do it according to Hoosier's instructions. Having them 'heat cycled' from the 'Rack prior to shipment can never recreate what happens on the road course.

Bish

 

I have had great luck having them heat cycled at Tire Rack. It could be all in my mind as a result of seeing the yellow heat cycle stamps!

 

Same here. If my home track had a surface like Barber or Mid-O, I'd save thousands every year on tires.

 

I have run Hoosiers for the last 12+ years and I can tell you that not only do they last longer when you get them heat cycled, but hey also grip right from the getgo. I have gone through 40+ sets of Hoosiers on everything from a Mazda RX7, to a 600 HP 944 Turbo, a Corvette ZO6 and my present GT2...

I ran back to back tests on a set that were not heat cycled and a set that were heat cycled from the Tire Rack on the same track on the same Weekend and the heat cycled tires were better, faster and lasted longer.

If you read Hoosier's "Care and Feeding" instructions on their R6's, they specifically require that you heat cycle the tires correctly. The reasons are that you need to bring the tires up to a very specific temperature to get the rubber to make the appropriate chemical bonds. If you do not do it correctly, the tires either do not reach the correct temperature within the correct amount of time and never work properly, OR.. you get them too hot and the rubber overheats and you get a "separation" of certain compounds and oils and the tires end up as hard as concrete when they cool down.

I suspect that if you are in a beginner's or intermediate race group or trackday group, you wouldn't push hard enough to know. If you really push them, the difference is night and day.

http://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/warranty/HOOSIER.pdf

Here's their quote:

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.

“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.