Track Tac

Yellow Vega tires

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Fastlight81

Member
Hi, new to the forum, and pretty new to karting. I have searched the post, and I feel like I already know where most answers will go. I just bought a brand new set of yellow Vega tires and van k rimsto go with it. They were not prepped in any way. I read Vega website and it seems like all you would have to do is put the tires on and go racing. It’s stated over and over. Then all you have to do is wipe down the tires with water and dry. I just don’t seem to believe it. Everyone at our track resurfaces and preps. Not sure who all internal rolls their tires but definitely put something on the surface. Why would the manufacturer go through so much trouble to point out no need to do anything, but seemingly everyone does?
The new tires I just put on the kart are set at 5psi right and 4psi left. They all punch with the duro at high 50s. If I leave the durometer on the tire they settle down to about 50. Another concern is my stagger. My previous used vega tires I bough had a rear stagger of 1.25” now it’s only at .75”
Again, I’m new to karting. The tires are for my daughter. If it were for me I’d just go out there and see how they feel compared to the old ones. But being as they are for her, I don’t want to send her out on unprepared tires when I could have just done something to them. I can pay to have the tires resurfaced(is that even necessary on the new tires?). I even have home made prep that I have bought from other karters.
I feel like I rambled on a bit. Trying to ask a lot of questions. Hope I can get some help.
Thanks
 
I switched from Hoosiers to Vegas and like them better. I don’t prep much , maybe track claw or sst5. I would work on the stagger.
 
Stagger needs adjusting with about every set of tires that you do, whether shrinking or growing. At times, the tires will roll out with the correct amount, but more times than not you will need to adjust for stagger.
Yes you prep Vegas, when they first arrived on the market, the big sales pitch was you didnt have to prep these. Didnt take long to figure out these could be much faster when you did put prep with the tire.
 
Thanks for the replies. I liked the answer, you don’t necessarily have to prep the tires, but you can be much faster prepping them. I can accept that. So how do I grow the tires? My last pair I tried to grow them by putting 40psi in the tire and putting outside in the sun for several days and after I brought them back to 5 psi they only grew 1/8” not gonna cut it when I want to grow 1/2 to3/4”.
secondly, tire prep. I read on a previous post to stay away from home made stuff. That’s all that’s ever sold at my track. I’m sure I’ll get a variety of answers. What external tire preps should I try? The dirt banked oval we run in Southern Michigan has every track condition.
Finally, should I have the brand new tires resurfaced right out of the box? I was surprised to see how smooth the tires were. I really wanted to believe I could just slap these tires on and be competitive.
Thanks Again
 
Fastlight81 said:
Hi, new to the forum, and pretty new to karting. I have searched the post, and I feel like I already know where most answers will go. I just bought a brand new set of yellow Vega tires and van k rimsto go with it. They were not prepped in any way. I read Vega website and it seems like all you would have to do is put the tires on and go racing. It’s stated over and over. Then all you have to do is wipe down the tires with water and dry. I just don’t seem to believe it. Everyone at our track resurfaces and preps. Not sure who all internal rolls their tires but definitely put something on the surface. Why would the manufacturer go through so much trouble to point out no need to do anything, but seemingly everyone does?
Because of product liability. No one wants sued for harm or wrongful death, etc. Actually, you'll see other tire manufacturers do this as well. Kind of like molding right onto the sidewall not to exceed a certain air pressure -- when it takes a lot more air to mount these rascals on the size wheels we run in oval karting.
The new tires I just put on the kart are set at 5psi right and 4psi left. They all punch with the duro at high 50s. If I leave the durometer on the tire they settle down to about 50. Another concern is my stagger. My previous used vega tires I bough had a rear stagger of 1.25” now it’s only at .75”
Tires are easy to size with heat/cold/air pressure.
Again, I’m new to karting. The tires are for my daughter. If it were for me I’d just go out there and see how they feel compared to the old ones.
Why not make them right BEFORE going on the track with them?
But being as they are for her, I don’t want to send her out on unprepared tires when I could have just done something to them. I can pay to have the tires resurfaced(is that even necessary on the new tires?).
You can resurface tires on your own. No need to pay someone to do this. Sure, you can, and it may be a better job, but the purpose of resurfacing tires is simply to break open the glaze on them from the manufacturing process or heat cycling from the last race they were used in. Some sand paper, a wire brush, a little effort, can go a long way. Most tire guys will charge $5 or so per tire to resurface them. You may even find a buddy that you race with who will do them for free until you figure out how to do them yourself.
I even have home made prep that I have bought from other karters.
Use home made preps at your own expense. Realize that the commercially available stuff all started out as homebrews/r&d/etc at one time, but with a commercially available prep, they have done all the R&D to make sure that the prep works and doesn't damage your tires.
I feel like I rambled on a bit. Trying to ask a lot of questions. Hope I can get some help.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Ask away. That's what this forum is great at.
I prefer to internally roll all of our Vega stuff.
We have two different internals - basically one for higher bite, and one for low/no bite.
2 external preps - one that adds bite and softens, and one that adds bite but doesn't soften.
Pretty simple and effective prep program.
Feel free to contact us at the shop number below if we can answer any specific questions about our Vega tires and prep program.


-----
🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
31 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
Fastlight81 said:
Thanks for the replies. I liked the answer, you don’t necessarily have to prep the tires, but you can be much faster prepping them. I can accept that. So how do I grow the tires? My last pair I tried to grow them by putting 40psi in the tire and putting outside in the sun for several days and after I brought them back to 5 psi they only grew 1/8” not gonna cut it when I want to grow 1/2 to3/4”.
secondly, tire prep. I read on a previous post to stay away from home made stuff. That’s all that’s ever sold at my track. I’m sure I’ll get a variety of answers. What external tire preps should I try? The dirt banked oval we run in Southern Michigan has every track condition.
Finally, should I have the brand new tires resurfaced right out of the box? I was surprised to see how smooth the tires were. I really wanted to believe I could just slap these tires on and be competitive.
Thanks Again
Click to expand...


Are we talking about Owosso?
Think right sides cut intermediate (leave the shoulders) is what we have used there (and sent up there for customers who run there.)
You need to at least resurface them to break open that molding glaze on them (or run them a couple laps in a paved parking lot to accomplish this old school.)
Search "tire sizing" or "stretching" on here -- lots of good recommendations. You can stretch them 1/2 - 3/4" easily with some air pressure and an hour or two on a sunny day.
There are homebrews out there that may be just fine. Without knowing what's in them and if the guys winning are using the same stuff, you're kind of throwing darts in the dark.
You don't need a bunch of preps -- you need a couple that work. Choose a prep line and "stick" with it (pun intended.)
While you might be able to be competitive with out of the box tires, it is highly unlikely. There IS an advantage to working on your tires, otherwise we wouldn't focus so heavily on it in karting.


-----
🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
31 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
Thanks for the info. I looked into your website Mr. Carlson. Just may have to give you a call. No I’m not talking about Owosso.
I know some guys who can shave the tires, and can break the bead and remount the tires if it necessary to internally roll the tires.
I will look up tire sizing. I’d really like to get that extra 3/4”. I appreciate the help
 
no need to break the bead to add internal . Add it through the valve stem then put on a roller .
If your going to wipe them then they would need to be off the rim - not the recomended or preferred way .
 
SoCo Tire Treatments said:
Stagger needs adjusting with about every set of tires that you do, whether shrinking or growing.
Click to expand...
I rate this as a nifty little spreadsheet for calculating stagger. It will get you real close. It's an Excel spreadsheet (this is just a picture) that's included in nine sheets, A 44 page collection of karting related spreadsheets.
sample picture.jpg
 
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