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Using Temp Data to Go Faster
There are many reasons we take tire temperatures before, during, and after on track sessions.
Tire Pressures
Now to make sense of the temperatures in terms of suspension tuning you want to optimize tire pressures. We know the hardest working part of the tire will be the hottest. So if the tire temperatures show that the middle of the tire is hotter than the outside of the tread (a temperature variation of more than 10 degrees), the tire may be over inflated.
Too much pressure can cause the center of the tire to bulge, resulting on most of the contact patch being in the center of the tire. If you see temperatures like this, reducing tire pressure can even out the temperature of the tire.
Optimizing Camber
Using the same theory about tire work and temperature relationships, we can learn about camber settings. If the outside of a tire is the hottest, it may mean the car does not have enough negative camber. The lack of (negative) camber means that in turns the car is riding on the outside of the tire causing it to work the hardest.
To correct this, simply increase the cars negative camber. The result should be even tire temperatures, a car that doesn't understeer through turns, and most importantly, faster lap times.
Overheating the Tires
This is straightforward; the tire temperatures will let you know if you are overheating your tires. While this is fairly intuitive, most people don’t check tire temps. For the $100-$200 it costs for a pyrometer, there is no reason not to ensure you aren’t going to ruin a brand new tire.
Tuning the Chassis
Tire temperatures can be a very useful tool in determining flaws in the suspension set up. If your car is overheating the left front tire, not only will the tire not survive, the suspension settings will need to be changed. Your car needs to be fast for the entire race, not just a few laps while the tires are fresh. Changing camber, jacking corner weights, increasing downforce (where applicable) and even changing your driving style may be in order.
Tire temperatures are not the only tool to use for suspension analysis, however, having a good pyrometer and knowing how to use it will help you improve your lap times. You'll make better use of your tires, and ultimately you'll go faster. Go back to Part I.
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