Track Tac

ELs too soft

J

jllee05

New member
Any one have a problem with ELs being too soft??
Pretty sure I had this problem Saturday night, just wondering if anyone else had experienced this,and how the kart acted.

Tia
Jonathan Lee
 
Typically the kart will develop a tight feel or push, also EL's will usually squall in the corners when too soft.
 
You can absolutely get them too soft. Like stated above, you will get that dreaded 'locked down' feeling a few laps into the race, and if the track has good grip, you will hear the tires squalling. It's tough to get them too soft for a local Saturday night show though, but definitely possible, IMO.

-Andy
 
My situation was much different. Kart was extremely loose. Kart setup was correct , we checked it when we got home
as soon as I'd turn in, back would start to come around.
My tires were 5-8 pts softer than the leader, who was .49 secs faster.
Right sides were rolled 4oz. Left sides 2oz.
Any ideas?
 
jllee05 said:
My tires were 5-8 pts softer than the leader, who was .49 secs faster.
Click to expand...

If this is true, I'd say you answered your own question then. You must have been too soft. If your setup is really spot on but you were a half a second off and you know you're 5-8 points softer on the duro for a fact, why are you asking?

Karts can do crazy things when your tires are off, I just stated what has happened in my experience when too soft. We don't know what kind of track you're running, banking, track surface, your setup, your stagger, anything. Would it be possible to maybe bolt on a harder set after all the features are over and run a few laps? Again, I'd say you already have your own answer though if you know what the winner's tires were punching.

-Andy
 
Rear stagger was 1.25"

My reasoning for asking this question was to maybe shed some light on, and put some info out there on a tire that many find very difficult to figure out. Id love to have found a thread on this for "before-hand knowledge " prior to prepping tires for a week.
Ive talked to some that say a durometer isn't needed on EL's, and others that, they use it just as much as they would on burris or blues/pinks.
It was my understanding that, the El was a brick and that main focus was to put bite in them, without softing....apparently the prep line and usage procedures I was using dnt work, and id hate to have some one else make the same mistake.
 
I don't know what track you race on, but I have never been above 1" rear stagger on EL's. Too much rear stagger will cause a kart to be too loose. Also, was there enough bite in the tires?
 
When I first started running ELs, I didn't use the durometer. This year in particular, I've had to be much more precise in my prepping program to compete and run where I want to run. I don't know if the people telling me not to use the duro were misinformed, or if the compound of the tires changed or something, but they do seem to take prep better now. I normally run over an inch of stagger, and have run 1.25" before with success. I'd say you've already hit the nail on the head as being too soft though. I've also seen that those ELs can get goofy when they get 'old' as well, even as early as 3 months after mounting.

-Andy
 
smlrt97 said:
When I first started running ELs, I didn't use the durometer. This year in particular, I've had to be much more precise in my prepping program to compete and run where I want to run. I don't know if the people telling me not to use the duro were misinformed, or if the compound of the tires changed or something, but they do seem to take prep better now. I normally run over an inch of stagger, and have run 1.25" before with success. I'd say you've already hit the nail on the head as being too soft though. I've also seen that those ELs can get goofy when they get 'old' as well, even as early as 3 months after mounting.

-Andy
Click to expand...

Agreed, usually after 8-10 main events the sidewall fails. IMO.
Durometer on EL's usually 65-68 when best. @ 75-80 degrees.

Hopefully this assist you.
KB @ VENOM Juice
venomjuice.com
 
I assuming since your from Chattanoonga that your racing at dawgwood, and 1.25 is way to much stagger for dawgwood. I would say you need to be 7/8" to 1" depending on your chassis
 
The 1.25 rat stagger was the suggestion from the chassis builder, who's has many races there, but I'll give reduced staggera try.
 
jllee05 said:
My situation was much different. Kart was extremely loose. Kart setup was correct , we checked it when we got home
as soon as I'd turn in, back would start to come around.
Click to expand...
might I express a different idea? "Kart setup was correct"??, but apparently it wasn't, at least not for the time you're talking about. Tracks change, weather changes, air density changes, any one of these things could mean a change in setup was required. I wouldn't think one set up could be just right for all situations.

It's called tuning, and tuning is tough. (Al Nunley)

From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
 
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