MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Modifications & Technical Area => Track Day Technical => Topic started by: Janner_Sy on August 20, 2011, 10:35:46 pm

Title: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Janner_Sy on August 20, 2011, 10:35:46 pm
Whats the deal with slick tyres on track days.  Previously i had always seen guys with slicks having to do their own seperate sessions to the guys on road tyres on track days due to thw big performance difference,

So

What are the normal regulations for slick tyres? Do you need a cage to run them?

If not were do you get slicks from, i hear they use a different sizing system.  Anyone looked at getting used slick tyres or even grooved track tyres from racing teams etc
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: LouCyffer on August 21, 2011, 08:59:25 am
SteveP just used slicks at Blyton.

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,33314.0.html

Pm him & ask him :happy2:
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: SteveP on August 21, 2011, 09:03:36 am
On open pit lane they seam fine allowing slicks and road tyres in the same sessions, the thing I have seen most ask for is the car must had rollover protection, which I presume is due to the higher cornering speeds etc  :happy2:
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: rex on August 21, 2011, 09:33:09 am
Steve, as I understand proper racing tires (slicks) put immense strains on many components of the car. I am thinking about the bushings, bearings. I am really curious if this is true so please tell us if you change any of these soon.
I have currently changed all the bearings on my car because they were really gone (after ~ 1400 mile of track days). I would like to go to slicks but I wouldn't like to change a lot of things to my car often. 
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: danishmkvgti on August 21, 2011, 09:36:27 am
Steve, as I understand proper racing tires (slicks) put immense strains on many components of the car. I am thinking about the bushings, bearings. I am really curious if this is true so please tell us if you change any of these soon.
I have currently changed all the bearings on my car because they were really gone (after ~ 1400 mile of track days). I would like to go to slicks but I wouldn't like to change a lot of things to my car often. 

Rex, remember your car is not as powerfull as Steve's therfore not putting as much stress on these components. So you cannot correlate his experiences directly to yours  :happy2:
One good thing about the car not being that powerfull  :grin:  :drinking:
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: rex on August 21, 2011, 09:40:29 am
 :grin:. Well, I think a more powerful car is only putting more stress only when accelerating and braking.
With a similar setup my car should be faster around bends because it is lighter. And I think that the bigger stress is around the bends for the bearings and bushings.
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: danishmkvgti on August 21, 2011, 09:50:39 am
:grin:. Well, I think a more powerful car is only putting more stress only when accelerating and braking.
With a similar setup my car should be faster around bends because it is lighter. And I think that the bigger stress is around the bends for the bearings and bushings.

mine is 1450kg including me, i can't remember your weight but i don't think that it's so much lighter that it will affect the cornerspeed that much, but we'll have to find out next year  :happy2: i dare you  :grin:
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: rex on August 21, 2011, 10:04:39 am
 :grin:. With the spare wheel and other small thinks it's about 1380kg.
Dare accepted :grin:. So, I guess I'll see next year  :drinking:
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Tfsi_Mike on August 21, 2011, 10:06:42 am
:grin:. With the spare wheel and other small thinks it's about 1380kg.
Dare accepted :grin:. So, I'll guess will see next year  :drinking:

Saw in a pic yours is LHD, where you from Rex?  Do I recall France?
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: rex on August 21, 2011, 10:11:36 am
You'll never guess  :grin:.
I'm from Romania (may see the "RO" on my number plates). Only half a continent away  :grin:.
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: tony_danza on August 21, 2011, 10:40:55 am
Yes, you'll need a cage...

You can get them quite easily, Touring car spares (http://www.touringcarspares.com/Used_Parts/Wheels__Tyres/), Pistonheads (Motorsport Parts section (http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?s=538) or sometimes in wheels and tyres (http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/index.asp?c=199))
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: SteveP on August 21, 2011, 11:59:18 am
Steve, as I understand proper racing tires (slicks) put immense strains on many components of the car. I am thinking about the bushings, bearings. I am really curious if this is true so please tell us if you change any of these soon.
I have currently changed all the bearings on my car because they were really gone (after ~ 1400 mile of track days). I would like to go to slicks but I wouldn't like to change a lot of things to my car often. 

Mine is already poly bushed with uprated engine mounts and will mainly be doing track days, so I am expecting to be replacing more bearings and bushes etc over time that I would if it was just  a fast road car.
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Janner_Sy on August 21, 2011, 03:49:52 pm
Yes, you'll need a cage...

You can get them quite easily, Touring car spares (http://www.touringcarspares.com/Used_Parts/Wheels__Tyres/), Pistonheads (Motorsport Parts section (http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?s=538) or sometimes in wheels and tyres (http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/index.asp?c=199))

Good links there.  Do any of the race series use semi slicks? Be good to have a source of cheap used semi slick tyres
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: simey on January 23, 2012, 12:05:52 am
Yes, you'll need a cage...

You can get them quite easily, Touring car spares (http://www.touringcarspares.com/Used_Parts/Wheels__Tyres/), Pistonheads (Motorsport Parts section (http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?s=538) or sometimes in wheels and tyres (http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/index.asp?c=199))

Good links there.  Do any of the race series use semi slicks? Be good to have a source of cheap used semi slick tyres

VW Cup use hankook slicks, if you want to try a set of Dunlop slicks I've got some if interested. £10 each + P&P
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: allsop83 on July 13, 2012, 11:02:07 am
Is there any problems of oil surge in Golfs when using slicks?

Coming from the Subaru world, as it is a flat 4 when you get high cornering G Forces the oil sometimes sloshes to one side and you get oil starvation leading to engine failure.... :(

Are Golf's pretty much safe from this type of thing?
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: rich83 on July 13, 2012, 12:36:16 pm
Well... i supose that a baffled sump might be the thing to get if you are concerned about oil not being picked up from the sump!
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Tfsi_Mike on July 13, 2012, 12:56:35 pm

Rich if you have some slicks off Simey, Simon at VagCo will take them back to Doncaster for you.

Think the next meet is snetterton in a couple / few weeks.

I'd love to try them but I need to find a touch more clearance up front first
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: rich83 on July 13, 2012, 12:58:19 pm
Me??? Slicks??? Not likely mikey!
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Tfsi_Mike on July 13, 2012, 01:03:39 pm

Absolute brain fart then, sorry.  At least I know Si will bring them to Doncaster for me.  All I need is some cash monies and some arch clearance
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: tony_danza on July 13, 2012, 01:11:19 pm
A lot of track day organisers won't let you run slicks without a cage... Could be very amusing for use at the Pod though.
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: rich83 on July 13, 2012, 01:13:41 pm
A lot of track day organisers won't let you run slicks without a cage... Could be very amusing for use at the Pod though.

Problem is that (i would imagine) using slicks for things like 1/4 miles sprints is gonna absolutely rape your clutch/DSG packs and transmission. It would be quite amusing though, rocking up with just front slicks on.
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: tony_danza on July 13, 2012, 01:38:44 pm
Doesn't really give a true representation of how fast your road car is either, but if beating a time is your thing, that's the way to do it.
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Janner_Sy on July 13, 2012, 05:18:38 pm
Id love to try slicks at the pod just the once to see what my car can do with minimal wheelspin.  Plus wear and tear would be low on mine as you cant launch a DSG7 car at high revs, you take off from tickover
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Jimbo_h on July 22, 2012, 03:11:18 pm
I used a compound slick on my last track day with no issues. Most tracks won't let you use a full slick without full rollover protection. I also don't have mega bhp so it makes a nice diff' around the bends and under braking (and it upsets a few people when they've got a derv stuck to the arse on a trackday :smiley:).

IMO it all adds to the fun of a track day (and doesn't ruin your daily tyres :wink:), I got mine for £50 a corner so a lot cheaper than R888s/R1Rs/RSRs etc

a pic of the tyre

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg715.imageshack.us%2Fimg715%2F3483%2Fp1030369u.jpg&hash=84c65af992704e110afafe1bc9d82228ef24b2d9)

qstn for simey, what size wheels are used in the VW cup
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Janner_Sy on July 22, 2012, 05:19:17 pm
what tyres are they?
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: DFish on July 22, 2012, 07:15:16 pm
These look like tarmac rally slicks. You dont want to be driving these in the wet.  :driver: :surprised:

Fish
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: vRSAlex on July 22, 2012, 08:06:37 pm
Track slicks are rather crap up the drag strip.  Too stiff sidewalls and too hard until warm.

A nice set of drag radials running 10 psi would do the trick.
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: RobH on July 22, 2012, 08:52:38 pm
Track slicks are rather crap up the drag strip.  Too stiff sidewalls and too hard until warm.

A nice set of drag radials running 10 psi would do the trick.

Thats what i was thinking, getting enough heat into them is the problem, driving once in a straight line every ten minutes aint gonna work.
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Janner_Sy on July 23, 2012, 04:57:11 am
whats the going rate for a pair of drag radials then?
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: SteveP on July 23, 2012, 07:56:35 am
qstn for simey, what size wheels are used in the VW cup

They run 240/650/18's  :happy2:
Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: Jimbo_h on July 23, 2012, 09:28:36 pm
what tyres are they?

they're pirelli RS7s 225/650/r18s (medium compund), and yes they're tarmac rally tyres. I've not used them in the wet....yet haha but tbh I don't think I ever will. I think next time I'll go for a hard compound as I reckon the RS7s will only last another 3 full days on track.


They run 240/650/18's  :happy2:

thanks for clarfying steve, thats useful to know

any of you guys know if once the RS7s are pretty much used up for dry track use if you could get them cut for use in the wet? or u reckon they rubber will be too thin by that point?

and yes I agree with regard to 1/4 mile days (not that I do any). These tyres take about 1-2 laps at bedford autodrome to warm up

Title: Re: slick tyres on track days
Post by: SteveP on July 23, 2012, 09:32:47 pm

any of you guys know if once the RS7s are pretty much used up for dry track use if you could get them cut for use in the wet? or u reckon they rubber will be too thin by that point?


I would say too thin and the wrong compound for being cut for wet use, the full wets I have for mine as way softer than the C51 compound Hankook slicks  :happy2: