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      07-08-2017, 12:39 AM   #1
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Tire pressures for track day

So I'm looking forward to my first track day and was wondering if or how I ought to alter my stock Pirelli summer tire pressures for best performance.

Thanks to all for sharing their wisdom.
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      07-08-2017, 01:29 AM   #2
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Believe that if you open the drivers side door it says the right tire pressure for below 100 mph or above. I think it's the yellow sticker.
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      07-08-2017, 01:33 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by Mr.F30 View Post
Believe that if you open the drivers side door it says the right tire pressure for below 100 mph or above. I think it's the yellow sticker.
Mine gives the tire pressure for above 100 mph in the manual.
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      07-08-2017, 02:28 AM   #4
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Believe that if you open the drivers side door it says the right tire pressure for below 100 mph or above. I think it's the yellow sticker.
Mine gives the tire pressure for above 100 mph in the manual.
I get that and would follow that advice explicitly if I was driving the autobahn. In the case of track day, I do expect to exceed 100 mph on the long straights but average speeds will be much less.

I was particularly wondering if cornering would be improved by going _down_ in pressure a few psi.
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      07-08-2017, 10:54 PM   #5
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Good to see you heading out for a track event. I was at PR yesterday with the ACNW group and ran my Bridgestones in the low 30s. If you're running with the BMW club next week, I would ask Jeff Butler who puts on/helps out with the event, his recommendation.
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      07-08-2017, 11:01 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BXL4 View Post
I get that and would follow that advice explicitly if I was driving the autobahn. In the case of track day, I do expect to exceed 100 mph on the long straights but average speeds will be much less.

I was particularly wondering if cornering would be improved by going _down_ in pressure a few psi.
If you're tracking it and going above 100 on the straights I would go with the manufacturer recommendation. You might experience more understeer with lower pressure as the sidewall will flex more. Lowering the pressure to increase grip by enlarging the contact patch is a common practice more in off-roading applications. Maybe try something that is slightly higher than normal driving but a little lower than the 100+ mph pressure and try it out first, then adjust the psi accordingly.
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      07-09-2017, 01:18 AM   #7
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Dont worry about it too much. Set them at the OEM pressures and then listen to your instructor. As the day progresses you'll be letting air out as the tires heat up and pressure increases. On your first track day you'll be concerned more with learning the line and learning how to brake than extracting much performance out of the car. If the tires are especially stiff or soft your instructor may advise you to adjust the PSI's accordingly if the sidewalls are rolling on you, but overall just set em to OEM and watch/learn how they behave as they get heat into em.
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      07-09-2017, 02:44 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MickAv8r View Post
Dont worry about it too much. Set them at the OEM pressures and then listen to your instructor. As the day progresses you'll be letting air out as the tires heat up and pressure increases. On your first track day you'll be concerned more with learning the line and learning how to brake than extracting much performance out of the car. If the tires are especially stiff or soft your instructor may advise you to adjust the PSI's accordingly if the sidewalls are rolling on you, but overall just set em to OEM and watch/learn how they behave as they get heat into em.
Thank you. That makes a ton of sense.
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      07-10-2017, 07:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BXL4 View Post
So I'm looking forward to my first track day and was wondering if or how I ought to alter my stock Pirelli summer tire pressures for best performance.

Thanks to all for sharing their wisdom.
what size are your tires?


with my original 225/45/18 and 255/40/18 MPSS tires, i typically dropped my PSI from 34 cold to about 30 cold PSI for my track days
they would usually heat up to 37-38 PSI during the actual runs

i haven't done a track day with my MP4S 245/40/18 square setup yet
but i just did 2 autocross days
i started off at 36 PSI all around and eventually let out the air to be 38 PSI when hot
when the tires cooled, i was at 30.5-31 PSI
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      07-14-2017, 12:22 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XKxRome0ox View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by BXL4 View Post
So I'm looking forward to my first track day and was wondering if or how I ought to alter my stock Pirelli summer tire pressures for best performance.

Thanks to all for sharing their wisdom.
what size are your tires?


with my original 225/45/18 and 255/40/18 MPSS tires, i typically dropped my PSI from 34 cold to about 30 cold PSI for my track days
they would usually heat up to 37-38 PSI during the actual runs

i haven't done a track day with my MP4S 245/40/18 square setup yet
but i just did 2 autocross days
i started off at 36 PSI all around and eventually let out the air to be 38 PSI when hot
when the tires cooled, i was at 30.5-31 PSI
225/45/18 runflat Pirellis. Original tires. Thanks for the reply.
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      07-17-2017, 02:21 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MickAv8r View Post
Dont worry about it too much. Set them at the OEM pressures and then listen to your instructor. As the day progresses you'll be letting air out as the tires heat up and pressure increases. On your first track day you'll be concerned more with learning the line and learning how to brake than extracting much performance out of the car. If the tires are especially stiff or soft your instructor may advise you to adjust the PSI's accordingly if the sidewalls are rolling on you, but overall just set em to OEM and watch/learn how they behave as they get heat into em.
Great advice... although I still remember my first track day, my pressures getting way too high by the end of the last couple sessions.

Figuring out good starting pressures depends on many variables - first and foremost, your specific tires and sizes - but a typical hot tire pressure target is 38psi. So if you're running in hot summer weather, then starting at around 30-32 psi "cold" is a safe bet.
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      10-03-2017, 02:39 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MickAv8r View Post
Dont worry about it too much. Set them at the OEM pressures and then listen to your instructor. As the day progresses you'll be letting air out as the tires heat up and pressure increases. On your first track day you'll be concerned more with learning the line and learning how to brake than extracting much performance out of the car. If the tires are especially stiff or soft your instructor may advise you to adjust the PSI's accordingly if the sidewalls are rolling on you, but overall just set em to OEM and watch/learn how they behave as they get heat into em.
So according to my instructors:
There are little triangles along the sidewall. The tire shoulder should roll enough to just clip the tops of the triangles. If the wear is well above the triangle, decrease presure to let the sidewalls roll more, well below increase pressure to stiffen up.
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      10-03-2017, 06:07 PM   #13
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Did 6x20 minute sessions on PSS's at Area27 this summer and I found that 30-31psi front, and 33-34 rear, cold was about right. Would come in hot anywhere from 37-40psi. This is a fast "laguna seca" type of track...
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