Poll: Taking air pressure reading on hot tires.. Off track, or use warmers?

So, I have heard both arguments from multiple tire vendors (Dunlop) here in So-Cal.

Dunlop truck:
A) Take reading when tires are on warmers as it provides the most consistent temperature

Ex AMA racer, now Dunlop vendor:
B) Take reading right when you pull off track as the average track temp may be much higher than warmers

Said nobody:
C) Take reading on cold tires

I am currently taking reading on tire warmers, IMO it provides consistent temp reading and baseline when collecting data. But, the AMA guy argued that point last month that the average tire temp may be much higher than when on the warmers so you may not be operating at the right temp.

I want to see what the beeb has to say about it. So, lets Poll!

 

how about on warmers and off the track, so you can also see how hard you are pushing the tires, I've had instances where pressure has dropped because I wasn't pushing hard enough to keep the tires warm, and where I have been overheating them. (incorrect pressure, setup or incorrect riding etc)

 

I had this conversation with the Michelin rep a couple years ago. He said to take the hot pressure IMMEDIATELY off the track, like in the hot pit, because the tires get a lot hotter on the track than they do on the warmers and can cool quite a bit, dropping the psi, between the cool down lap and the slow ride back to pit.

 

This is why I set the pressure in the AM COLD and don't touch them...

 

Stick checks mine.

 

Is it always the same temperature when you check them? Does it stay that same ambient temperature throughout the day. If so, I want to live where you live!

There are lots of days out there where it may be 30+ degrees difference between morning and afternoon. That's 3psi right there.

 

This question is so subjective. There is no one magic method, and there is information to be gained any method proposed by this poll.

Tire pressures, and how they should be set, is very much trial and error and will be influenced by a multitude of factors. Ambient temp, track temp, riding style, bike type, tire compound, suspension settings, pavement surface, etc. etc. etc.

There is a reason top teams have a guy (sometimes two) completely dedicated to tracking and recording this information (and the resulting feedback from the rider and inspection of the tire) for every single time the bike hits the track.

 

I do on warmers and as soon as bike goes on stand, like guzzi mentioned, i can tell how much pressure im gaining/loosing.

 

Option 4: Take tire pressure readings at the temp that your tire manufacture suggests so you can use their tire pressures.

If you have some target pressure that was given for 170F, measuring the pressure when cold or off the track won’t do u much good. If u don’t realize the temp is wrong and set to that pressure, u r screwing things up.

In that same thinking... if you don’t record temp w your off-the-track pressure, u might not be able to use that pressure another day. Each track and weather conditions can affect tire temp a lot. So 21psi at one track one day won’t be the same as 21psi another day.

 

On the stands is prob too late. An MA Dunlop rep told me every 10F is 1psi on their rear tire. It’s very ez to lose 10F rolling down hot pit and back to your pits, esp if there’s any wind. So your “gaining pressure” measurement could easily be 1psi low.

 

I agree that might be the case, but as a 1 man show it is the best I can do.

 

Yeah how do you manage this if solo at track day? Just curious....

 

Tire gauge on pit wall

 

Pick a tire vendor at your track and follow his instructions to the letter. End of story

 

You don't...it's a damn track day. Set pressures off warmers and go have fun.

 

Whatever method just be consistent.

 

Don't be a dick so you have friends and don't have to go to trackdays alone

 

Just to

Where is this 10F reading coming from though? Ambient temp, tire surface, tire core?

I would be curious to hear from anyone that has consistently used nitrogen and checked things with a probe.