Track Tac

tire needling

Yep, those would both be true. It also helps to build heat to get the tire up to a better operating temperature.

Use it similarly to when you would want to sipe the tire -- big advantage is that with needling, the rubber doesn't tear away like it typically does when you sipe. You can also re-needle as often as you want.
It works great at getting prep down deeper into the tire (especially on thick rubber - Burris, Hoosier, Vegas, etc..)
The reason Earl doesn't see it used as much is that he's at mostly Maxxis tire shows anymore since Maxxis has pretty much bought up the south east. Maxxis tires are synthetic (plastic) rubber and are made thin enough already that they dissipate heat well. If he were stuck up here in no-bite Burris territory, he'd see needling a whole lot more often. :)
Not that you can't needle Maxxis, just not how you typically work a Maxxis - most scuff them, then roll them internal and just hit them with a PRW. Now, if you're trying to make a Maxxis work up here and you're already putting 120cc inside, you would do well to work them from the outside as well and needle the prep in from the outside rather than loading the tire up all internally.




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Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cuts
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com

Celebrating 25 years of service to the karting industry
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
Around here it was more of a Firestone thing.... It seems to be most effective when pan rolling tires to help get the chemical a tad deeper,, but the real reason (in my opinion) it's more effective when pan rolling is most likely because it helps to absorb a little more of the "active" component(s) vs absorbing mostly just the carrier portion of your prep.

PH
 
Well I have two brand new right sides. Have no idea how old they are. Never mounted. Didn't know what to do with them
 
Just not many dirt tracks in the midwest that bite up enough to use them. Owosso, MI comes to mind. Most of the indoor tracks are Burris only rules - so that wipes them from the possibilities.
 
That's pretty much it. I spin the tire around 300 rpm on the tire lathe (slower is better) and hold the needler on top of the tire or about 1 o'clock. Needle just the contact patch. Use enough pressure to penetrate the tire, but not poke through the cords. I've also got the adapter to needle from Larry Jones, but I rarely use it -- I prefer to use the hand held model that we sell. I have a better feel for the depth I'm needling when doing it by hand. For some real hard tires (road racing, enduro, club pavement tires, etc), the extra leverage of the Jones needler on the lathe is helpful for sure.
 
Thanks Brian. Mine didn't come with directions and I'm sure other people wanted to know also. I've always been afraid to push too hard. I end up with little dots in the tire and always wondered it I did any good.
 
I have to run maxxis els'. I know they are a hard compound, and can be difficult to take prep when new. Will needling help?
Alan
 
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