Tires? Preping?

Walspeed

New member
I've been racing for a little while now. Still don't quite understand the tire/prep game. It seems like today if you have a newer chassis with a decent setup but if your tires aren't dead on you might as well pack up and go home. I've found all kinds of info on what to change on the kart but what about tires? Just looking to pick up some general info on the tire game. Any solid advice is much appreciated!
 
If you don't have a mentor to learn from, pick a line of prep that has good customer service and ask lots of questions.
 
Palmetto speed shop has a line of preps and on the old site had a complete set of instructions for each ones use and Matt could be reached on the phone to explain them and if you were at the same track you could go and see exactly what he was useing and doing to his tires
 
I race in SW missouri on maxxis tires on a local kart shops prep program. Standard stuff in the program yellow blue green red inside. I do ok when the track has moisture but when it's dry slick or if the track bites up more than usual I'm out to lunch and I just don't understand the tire to track read I suppose to be more specific.
 
I race in SW missouri on maxxis tires on a local kart shops prep program. Standard stuff in the program yellow blue green red inside. I do ok when the track has moisture but when it's dry slick or if the track bites up more than usual I'm out to lunch and I just don't understand the tire to track read I suppose to be more specific.

When you say "out to lunch"; can you be more specific. Do you just get slower while still having a good handeling kart? Does the kart become loose or develope a push? How aggressive are you prepping?
 
When I say out to lunch I mean the kart just doesn't have the speed it has when the track has moisture. It's hard to explain but the kart drives good a little loose center out like it just gives up grip in the rear when dry slick. I have to let out early let the kart roll through and karts behind are beating my bumper and I have to give up the spot. In a situation of long green run when track is dryer but has bite the kart still feels like it loses rear grip and slows center out.
 
If it were me I would either increase cross as the night goes on and the track goes slick OR decrease rear stagger. Decreasing rear stagger will help let more weight get to the RR at/or and just past the apex. That added weight will help settle the rear of the kart and allow you to be back in the throttle sooner than you otherwise have been. It could be a multiple choice of things really. These are just two easy to do at the track adjustments. If you adjust rear stagger try and do so at the left rear. This adjustment will do a couple of small things at once......increase cross and effectively; although it be small, it will have some affects of deceasing camber to the RF.
 
Find something and stick with it dony change every week . You just need to experiment with what you got and find out how it works the best
 
track tac black sand mixed with acrysol is good trackside prep for when the track gets dry, dusty, dry slick or all of the above, i use this mix alot and have had the same problem as you. Kart is on rails when the track is tacky or has moisture but gets hard to keep the rear under control as the track dries out. Its all in your air and the prep you use for the conditions. Wrong prep and wrong air will just make things harder or worse.
 
I've been racing for a little while now. Still don't quite understand the tire/prep game. It seems like today if you have a newer chassis with a decent setup but if your tires aren't dead on you might as well pack up and go home. I've found all kinds of info on what to change on the kart but what about tires? Just looking to pick up some general info on the tire game. Any solid advice is much appreciated!

You have to have them tested - its not complicated. Any siding installer or plastics handler should be able to help you. You want to have the tires tested for lb/weight on a dunnston scale. If you test a tire below 35, you are looking at "melty" grip. Higher than that, you get that tight, predictable, break-free feel. A little prep on either will bring it all out. You just have to be patient.
 
You have to have them tested - its not complicated. Any siding installer or plastics handler should be able to help you. You want to have the tires tested for lb/weight on a dunnston scale. If you test a tire below 35, you are looking at "melty" grip. Higher than that, you get that tight, predictable, break-free feel. A little prep on either will bring it all out. You just have to be patient.

Huh ?? What are you talking about?
 
wow! and i thought prepping was as simple as wiping the tire! what's a dunnston scale? why would you weigh a tire? what's melty grip? if tight was predictable and you reach a break-free feel, isn't that the same as saying....over do it and your toast?
 
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