Track Tac

Why not just run treads?

M

Mcarlson8

New member
I live on the west coast and everywhere that I run around here runs treads(clone, open) but all the talk back east and UAS here is slicks with a prep program. What is the significance on running slicks with a prep instead of just running treads? Obviously we can't get prep here in california so I'm just trying to figure all this out. Thanks
 
So, am I right or wrong that the clone engine and all parts are made in China..? Why not run this motor I guess.. Everything else in America is from oversea's. Why not the karting industry also..
 
Flwbyu50621 said:
So, am I right or wrong that the clone engine and all parts are made in China..? Why not run this motor I guess.. Everything else in America is from oversea's. Why not the karting industry also..
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How does this have anything to do with the OP's topic?
 
The reason the clones out here run treads is the fact that it's in the rules. Most tracks Central Valley north run the NorCal Clone rule package which stipulates a treaded tired. It was instituted to take the tire and prep game out of the picture and keep costs down, which it does. The UAS karts are on an open tire with prep which is almost always going to be faster but comes with a steeper learning curve and increase in cost.
 
Mcarlson8 said:
Would you care to elaborate? And if it's faster, why aren't guys running slicks here out west.
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Forward drive = SPEED they generate much more forward drive, there's NO if they are faster, guess CA strict laws might have something to do with it, I'm sure it's more than they just don't want to go faster out there.
 
PBR Allstar said:
The reason the clones out here run treads is the fact that it's in the rules. Most tracks Central Valley north run the NorCal Clone rule package which stipulates a treaded tired. It was instituted to take the tire and prep game out of the picture and keep costs down, which it does. The UAS karts are on an open tire with prep which is almost always going to be faster but comes with a steeper learning curve and increase in cost.
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When done properly, can be very very beneficial. Big cars do it on treaded tires, same with kart tires :).
 
Clones, animals, flatheads, etc..don't have enough horsepower for treaded tires. When the back end tracks with the front end and the tires are not spinning, then the more tire touching the ground (slicks) equals more grip. When your slinging it sideways with enough horsepower to spin the tires while trying to generate forward bite, then treaded tires would be faster.
 
Roll speed is where I see the advantage of the slicks over treads, along with less weight to begin with. A properly prepped slick will run circles around a properly prepped or unprepped treaded tire on the same kart, same track/conditions, same everything but tires, its been proven more than I can remember
 
I think this is a great topic. I came from running stock cars before karts so treads is what i know. I run a UAS kart wich makes it a bit different then a stocker but I still get the same answer. "oh slicks will always beat a treaded tire" Here is my view on it and I have not tried treads but I will this year. I always feel people are just saying that slicks are faster because thats what they here, or thats what they are told. Does anyone have facts? Has anyone done lefit testing? I dont mean some saturday night guy testing either. I mean guys along the lines of Mullis, Knoff, or any other guys that win alot on there own tire actually tried to prep up a tread and see the difference? Has hoosier tire done a study from there tread to there slick? I can say a wooden wheel is faster then a slick and if im a good enough salesmen and spread the word enough before long people will be on wooden wheels. I cant say one way or another wich is faster but someone in this world has to have proven facts on paper that can be shared. Look at sprint karts (yes they have more power then a clone or flatty) but they are all on treads. Dont you think if slicks are faster they too would be on them? Idk the answer but its always a good conversation.
 
Sprint car tracks are a lot different than go-kart tracks most of the time, what gives traction on one versus the other is the reason between treaded tires and slicks. Before the go-kart tracks started prepping their tracks the high hp karts such as opens etc ran treaded tires, but when they showed up at real good prepped tracks they just could not compete with the outlaw karts that ran slicks. Duquoin Il indoors was a good example of how the tires change on the outlaw/open class just over a couple years.
 
I think it all really depends on track surface on which tire to run. Here on the west coast there only is one track that I would not take my slicks to, that I know of.
 
Petersracing06 said:
I think this is a great topic. I came from running stock cars before karts so treads is what i know. I run a UAS kart wich makes it a bit different then a stocker but I still get the same answer. "oh slicks will always beat a treaded tire" Here is my view on it and I have not tried treads but I will this year. I always feel people are just saying that slicks are faster because thats what they here, or thats what they are told. Does anyone have facts? Has anyone done lefit testing? I dont mean some saturday night guy testing either. I mean guys along the lines of Mullis, Knoff, or any other guys that win alot on there own tire actually tried to prep up a tread and see the difference? Has hoosier tire done a study from there tread to there slick? I can say a wooden wheel is faster then a slick and if im a good enough salesmen and spread the word enough before long people will be on wooden wheels. I cant say one way or another wich is faster but someone in this world has to have proven facts on paper that can be shared. Look at sprint karts (yes they have more power then a clone or flatty) but they are all on treads. Dont you think if slicks are faster they too would be on them? Idk the answer but its always a good conversation.
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Been proven, NASCAR, F1, Indy, etc.
If treads were faster, then why do they choose slicks?
I'm friends with Jerry, Jamie, the guys you mentioned, and yes its been proven.
 
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