GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Cold Weather Autox

Roald

Go Kart Champion
Location
Ohio
Car(s)
GTI mk 7 2017
I have two more events this year. Possibly more depending on how the fall goes.
Two weeks ago was my first event of the year where temps dropped below 80 and of course the sun is setting earlier and earlier.
We normally get the first car about by 730/745 and here in Ohio the sun is setting at 730 now. Our lot is a good solid surface, however it absolutely does NOT hold any heat.
My first two runs were solid, but by run three the sun was fully behind the trees and the pavement temps were dropping quickly. I couldn't keep temp in the tires. We get about 5-8 minutes between runs so things are cooling off quickly plus we are typically getting breezy evenings right now.
I ran F 41 and R37 to start and adjusted down/out after the first run for f40/R39, but after run three I was fully bottomed out temp wise and wasn't prepared for that with spare air. I do have an air tank, and IR temp probe that I can take.
Our runs are typically around 30-40 seconds.
I'm running 615k+ tires - these apparently like some heat because cold they basically drive like they are made from solid plastic.
The next event is in two days and the high for the day is predicted to be about 60F.

All of that to ask...
How are you keeping heat in your tires? Or even building more heat during runs?

I was planning to start around 38~ all around to build up some heat and see what grip is like. But even still the time between runs might make it moot.
 

xXDavidCXx

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG
38 to build heat is too high, in my opinion. That's near my hot side of the pressure.

Besides the tire you are using is basically crap, so don't expect much from it, but I would lower the pressure more. Don't bother using a tire probe, your hand is enough to indicate relative heating or non-heating after a run.
 

krs

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas, NV
Car(s)
MKVIIS R
I have two more events this year. Possibly more depending on how the fall goes.
Two weeks ago was my first event of the year where temps dropped below 80 and of course the sun is setting earlier and earlier.
We normally get the first car about by 730/745 and here in Ohio the sun is setting at 730 now. Our lot is a good solid surface, however it absolutely does NOT hold any heat.
My first two runs were solid, but by run three the sun was fully behind the trees and the pavement temps were dropping quickly. I couldn't keep temp in the tires. We get about 5-8 minutes between runs so things are cooling off quickly plus we are typically getting breezy evenings right now.
I ran F 41 and R37 to start and adjusted down/out after the first run for f40/R39, but after run three I was fully bottomed out temp wise and wasn't prepared for that with spare air. I do have an air tank, and IR temp probe that I can take.
Our runs are typically around 30-40 seconds.
I'm running 615k+ tires - these apparently like some heat because cold they basically drive like they are made from solid plastic.
The next event is in two days and the high for the day is predicted to be about 60F.

All of that to ask...
How are you keeping heat in your tires? Or even building more heat during runs?

I was planning to start around 38~ all around to build up some heat and see what grip is like. But even still the time between runs might make it moot.

I'd start with a lot lower tire pressure, at least that's what I do.

If you're dead set on trying to keep some warmth in the tire between runs, I've seen people build tire covers out of that heat reflective material that windshield sunshades are made out of. I've had events in the 50's, and I never cared to worry about them, as everyone else is in the same boat.
 

Roald

Go Kart Champion
Location
Ohio
Car(s)
GTI mk 7 2017
It will be my second event with these tires, and I got them because they were cheap and they're way better than the all seasons I was using for this. When these are done then I'll look at actual good 200tw tires.
I'm not entirely sure where to start pressure wise, based on what both of you have said and what I've experienced thus far I assume you're starting around 35/36 all around?
 

xXDavidCXx

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG
I'm not entirely sure where to start pressure wise, based on what both of you have said and what I've experienced thus far I assume you're starting around 35/36 all around?
Sure, it's not that serious when it's cold, just do the best that you can with the reduced grip.

The most important thing to do is to drive less aggressively in low grip situations.
 

MonkeyMD

Autocross Champion
Against the grain here as most recommend more pressure, but I start at 30F / 37R cold. Hot they will get to 35 F / 40 R. I might have to add or remove some air, but those are pressures that work for my car and my tires. I've tried more and less & that's ideal for me.
 

Roald

Go Kart Champion
Location
Ohio
Car(s)
GTI mk 7 2017
I ended up running 35f/36r and had ALL of the grip. After run 2 I got antsy and started messing with stuff, which was mega dumb. Dropped to 34 all around and again, that a huge mistake. I learned a lot last night, about what to do and what not to do. I placed top 20 for the first time amongst mostly the same group of drivers. A ST?U made it to top 10 which was mostly dominated by the frs alike group. And one Civic.
Really happy with my performance, I've just got to stop fiddling mid-race and I think I could crack top 10/15. Overall I am improving in spite of my best attempts to thwart progress :D
 

Roald

Go Kart Champion
Location
Ohio
Car(s)
GTI mk 7 2017
I'd start around 30 psi
Really?
Is this tire dependent? Width dependent? I see numbers all over the place. And then talk about chalking and some seem to think it's a good measure of pressure and others refuse it entirely.
At 35F I was rolling into the arrows on the shoulder. I could have gone down a bit more even than I did in the rear honestly. But I was finally starting to roll down To the arrow on the back.
But felt a definite loss of traction when I went down to 34. Another driver/ in a miata, but still, said something similar. We weren't running the same tires. But he was shocked to hear I was running around 35~
What am I missing? There must be something happening at speed while cornering that I'm not understanding.
 

krs

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas, NV
Car(s)
MKVIIS R
Really?
Is this tire dependent? Width dependent? I see numbers all over the place. And then talk about chalking and some seem to think it's a good measure of pressure and others refuse it entirely.
At 35F I was rolling into the arrows on the shoulder. I could have gone down a bit more even than I did in the rear honestly. But I was finally starting to roll down To the arrow on the back.
But felt a definite loss of traction when I went down to 34. Another driver/ in a miata, but still, said something similar. We weren't running the same tires. But he was shocked to hear I was running around 35~
What am I missing? There must be something happening at speed while cornering that I'm not understanding.

I think you’re doing it right. Keep notes on your pressures, conditions, and how a particular pressure worked or didn’t work.

You’re not going to necessarily figure it out during one event. It might take you numerous events to start getting a good feel. Different surfaces, different temps, cloudy or sunny all have a factor.

Don’t worry what the Miata driver thinks of your tires. Aside from his being round like yours, really you can’t go off what he’s running.

Don’t get wrapped up in what others run from here, with their car and their setup, or their tires. I run at 40f and 43r on RT660’s with about 75° temps or higher.
 

SouthFL_Mk7.5

Autocross Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2019 GTI S
From my experience (and I’m pretty new to autocross myself but have been doing track days on and off spanning a couple decades) is that I like to set and forget for tire pressures. I’ll keep my eye on the wear to make sure that sidewalls aren’t scrubbing excessively, but I like to keep tires as a constant and work on my driving instead.

If your tires at 35psi were rolling over the triangle indicators then from my experience you could probably pump a couple more psi in the tire.

What I’ve learned over the past year is that tire sidewall structure, camber and psi are all related. With more negative camber you don’t need to inflate as much as you would need to with less negative camber (give or take).
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I'm running 38 f 40 rear. I set that pressure for the first run, then bleed down pressure between runs to maintain that pressure for every run. I usually have 2 or three drivers and live in FL, so keeping heat in the tires usually isn't the problem. lol.

You could always build covers for the tires to keep heat in, but 615k+'s need more heat than most 200tw tires, bar the RS4, so I doubt it would help.
 

enobiko

Ready to race!
Location
NE Ohio
Car(s)
2017 SE 6 MT
I ran 38 psi cold in front in August (N. Ohio), and found my PS 4S were rolling over excessively. In September, I upped to 40 psi cold, and felt that I did better. I was concentrating on not over-driving the tires, so maybe that had an effect? Same location, both morning runs before the track fully heated up.
I don't have direct evidence, but stiffer sidewall tires, or increased camber, might indeed allow others to use different (lower) pressures, like SouthFL_Mk7.5 said. Monitor your tires, and if you see evidence of rolling over, trust yourself and increase pressure so it no longer does that and keeps the tread flat on the track.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I ran 38 psi cold in front in August (N. Ohio), and found my PS 4S were rolling over excessively. In September, I upped to 40 psi cold, and felt that I did better. I was concentrating on not over-driving the tires, so maybe that had an effect? Same location, both morning runs before the track fully heated up.
I don't have direct evidence, but stiffer sidewall tires, or increased camber, might indeed allow others to use different (lower) pressures, like SouthFL_Mk7.5 said. Monitor your tires, and if you see evidence of rolling over, trust yourself and increase pressure so it no longer does that and keeps the tread flat on the track.
Depending on the tires side wall and your camber 36 to 42 seems to be the range for the fronts.

With my setup, my car liked...

RE71R 40
V730 36
RT660 38

I was really surprised the V730 liked the lower pressure.
 
Top