Warming up tyres

[bromers2]

In this cold weather is it politically incorrect to do a bit of weaving, safely of course on the roads.

Bit of heat in the Tyres deffinately helps grip levels.

[Whitean3]

I'm no expert, but won't the tyres just cool down just as quickly, given that they are in contact with cold surfaces?

[JLJ]

Road car + road tyres + road speeds + F1 style weaving = monumental waste of time. No impact whatsoever on the grip levels while travelling at 60mph on the B347. In addition, you will look like a complete tool whilst risking the attention of the rozzers.

[GreigM]

For weaving to work you need to be going at a pretty serious pace to begin with, otherwise acceleration, braking and simply continuous high speed are far more effective ways of heating the tyres...

[Anubis]

If you see an F1 car warming up for real (not just on TV) you will notice they make a huge amount of noise warming up since they weave and spin the tyres to get the heat into the rubber. Its like doing mini burnouts but without the smoke.

Your road tyres aren't made of the same compound and no amount of weaving will make a difference.

Book yourself some track time in a go kart and you'll notice the difference between road tyres and racing slicks.

Edited by Anubis on Friday 26th November 10:22

[clorenzen]

Get some winter tyres. They have a softer compound that provides a much better grip.

[jon-]

Traction control off, light up the rears. Far more effective way to get some extremely temporary heat into the tyres.

Any temperature you do get in them will be surface temperature so expect it to disappear very quickly once you start rolling normally on roads.

[neil-f]

Best thing to do Bromers is leave the Strad in the garage during the salty season, it will just ruin your brake caliper pistons etc.
But if you do take it out the tyres will be difficult to keep any heat in during the winter months (and you know how twitchy the Strad is on cold corsa tyres in the summer....)

Edited by neil-f on Friday 26th November 13:39

[GreigM]

jon- said:

Traction control off, light up the rears. Far more effective way to get some extremely temporary heat into the tyres.

great for drag racing - can cause a tragic imbalance if wanting to go round a corner...

[jon-]

GreigM said:

jon- said:

Traction control off, light up the rears. Far more effective way to get some extremely temporary heat into the tyres.

great for drag racing - can cause a tragic imbalance if wanting to go round a corner...

Yes, sorry, my point wasn't so much "follow this advice", more "just drive carefully and according to the conditions because any tyre temperature will be temporary, unless you put serious effort in".

Front tyre temperature is hard work on any MR car.

[ali4390]

My understanding was F1 drivers weave in order to get the tyre smooth by getting rid of mould marks and roughness etc, rather then to get heat into them? Braking hard is a good way to get heat into tyres as the heat from the brakes radiates out (in an F1 car anyway).

[JLJ]

neil-f said:

leave the Strad in the garage....

The OP owns a Strad and asks this question?!

Anyway, here are some suggestions, please feel free to add some of your own.

1. Take the wheels indoors at night and leave by the radiator. (they'll be lovely and toasty by breakfast time)

2. Wrap them in blankets. (15+ tog, anything less would just be silly)

3. Rub Deep Heat into them. (rub in until dry or cream could compromise grip and you could end up looking foolish)

4. Use hair dryer (then quickly jump in and drive off before heat dissipates)

[lambok1d]

Get a grip