Tire surface temp... what are you guys using to measure that?

I have been looking around and see people using the "temp guns" to meaure surface temp of thier tires. What is a good one to buy? As well what temp are you shooting for off the track? 165 to 185? I know there are variables but 140 is to low and 200 is to high... I was just looking for a ball park answer.

 

Surface temperature IR guns have their place, but proper tire fellas are using a probes. Longacre makes a reasonably priced one if you're so inclined. Also, the WHEN of sampling temperatures is more critical than the method. In real time, IR surface works. Right off the track, you'll want a probe.

 

Surface temp is for the track. Use a piercing probe for tire carcass temp [emoji1303]


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If you are really serious about tracking your tire temps, use a proper tire pyrometer. An infrared temperature gun just isn't accurate enough to be of any use.

http://949racing.com/using-a-tire-pyrometer-949-Racing.aspx

 

Gentlemen thank you .

 

Got one ordered from the link you posted thanks again.

 

I was looking at these with an Arduino an LCD for on-track measurements. Cheap and easy for DIY. Not sure how well it would work though in the real world.

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/amphenol-advanced-sensors/ZTP-115M/235-1332-ND/3974093

 

I was always curious during those long delays at pit out- From the time you strip off the warmer, until the green flag, how much heat do you actually lose? if the tire has been on the warmer for 45 min, the carcass and rim are usually pretty hot....

 

Trackwagon. I have a tire probe, you are welcome to borrow, and see if it is useful, before buying one. Have a good $300 digital tire gauge and tire dutometer too.

Bought it all from a former tire guy.

 

IR gun would show a fairly substantial temperature loss. A probe would show a lot less. We had an IR data logger that shot surface temps at 5 different locations on the rear tire and during a single lap at Summit Point, we saw an operating range of something like 80 degrees on the right shoulder. I'd have to pull up the data for exact numbers, but the right shoulder was spiking at like 220F in the carousel and cooling to 140 or 150F on the front straight just before the braking zone.

 

So is every tire going to have a different suggestive carcass temp?

 

Never underestimate the measuring capacity of the tip of your tongue. Whether testing a 9 volt battery, how frozen a flagpole is or the off-the-track temperature of your front brake rotors, nothing beats the venerable "taste" test.

 

For Pirellis, operating temperature differences are the primary differences in the compounds. Very generally speaking, the "softer" the compound, the higher the operating temperature.

This is why we'll often have different pressure recommendations for different compounds on the same day. We'll generally run an SC2 rear a bit higher than we would an SC1 or SC0 to control carcass flex and, subsequently, heat.

 

So I've been looking at BBS for a while and since I'm in the great white north, retired, and I guess a bit bored I'll chime in. And Hi Mike

Track Wagon, what are trying to do? Are you just understand if your tires are up to temp or over heating?

Mike-Guy, Tire companies are never going to give you suggestions for carcass temp. The reasons are third fold. First reason is it's not really relevant outside of a official tire testing session by engineers and a group of top level riders and bikes. Second it confuses people from their first and MAIN focus. And third the MAIN focus (again IMHO) is for the rider is to get your tires on warmers that work (165f-190f) about 45-60 min before you go out, make sure your gauge works correctly, and checking your hot psi rise right off the track and look for a 1 to 3 lbs. rise and no more than that. If the tires are there with the rise and you have correct suspension settings, correct pressures, and correct for the condition compound choice you will make your live so much easier. AND be able to go FASTER.

After 20 years of probing tens of thousands of tires I firmly believe it has a use but not it's NOT the tell all for a club rider to focus on. I hope this helps a bit. Time for dinner, bye.

Jeff

 

Hey Jeff!

 

Hey Jeff!

 

Yes just trying to see if I need to add or take away pressure to get then to the proper temp.

 

Hi Mike, and Peter and man do I need to spell check better

 

Hi Track Wagon

I would suggest looking at hot psi rise and skip the probe. In general DOT and slicks start giving grip around 120F. So when it's cold out getting them up to temp is a matter of patience because there is no physical way to trick the tires into giving grip when it's cold out. If you ride and it's 50 out with tires just off the warmers you are only going to decrease tire temps UNTIL the track and ambient temps come up, and the tire guys don't have a magic compound in the truck that can beat nature.

On the opposite side when it's extremely hot out grip generally is not a problem but choosing the right compound and set up to maintain the grip is. If the bike is right with the best compound for the conditions you are not going to need to change psi MAYBE 1 or 2 lbs. to keep the rise in control. If you need to do more than that look at set up and your tire gauge for accuracy.

see ya
jeff