stevensa

With all of the used Hoosier A and R tires floating around here for sale I am considering picking myself up a couple sets, but would like to get some feedback from experienced users first.

I have read multiple times that these tires will cycle out long before you run out of tread, but I am unsure what this will feel like over time.

Some example input I would like to get uses other tires as a reference as follows:

Hoosier A6:
0-10 cycles – Feel great
10-20 cycles – Feel like a typical NT-01
20-40 cycles – Feel like a good street tire (Kumho XS, etc)
40 or more – Like driving crappy all seasons

This will help me get an idea of what to expect if I made the switch, and also to decide if its worth the investment.

Also, what is considered a heat cycle. One session, one day, reaching a certain min temp in the pits after a session?

Thanks in advance guys!

jlutherva

Well, I can tell ya that by 32 heat cycles, they are as hard as rocks
Fortunately, I corded them by the end of that day.

There's a compound that you can paint onto the tires that help soften the rubber between events. It's called Formula V. I'm going to try that this season to see if I can improve the performance at end-of-life.

Jim

brkntrxn

I assume you are talking about autocross because I have never seen a Hooser A last more than about 20 heat cycles. And that was on a very well balanced race car and used in Time Trials.

As for knowing how it feels: imagine running all weekend and the car feels great. Load up and go home. Several weeks later you unload at your next event, go out for your first session, and spin the car in the first turn. You shake it off as cold tires/cold brain, curse at yourself, get roasted by the cornerworkers and your friends. You go back out and slide the car all over the place again and again. That is how it feels to have a tire that is "heat cycled out".

travisnd

For my car I prefer As to Rs every time. The Rs will heat cycle out before they cord whereas the As will generally be OK up until they cord.

As are like glue the first few heat cycles. Then fast the next 5-7. Then after that they can start getting greasy. Usually after 15 HCs they're no good for running hard.

Playing around in an HPDE they're still fine, but no good for competition. Equal drivers/cars the guy with the freshest Hoosiers wins.

travisnd

You mean like this? Especially at 1:05

drivinhard

I ran a set of 28 HC A6's at VIR in oct and they were still good for 2:05's. One was just starting to cord. Most of those HC's are 2-3 hard laps, 1 in lap of scrubbing/burn outs and one cool down.

I will run them at CMP this weekend

trapp

You gotta love the run-off of that track...I know that would have been a disaster on another track..ie wall/barrier

geerookie

I was surprised when they didn't meet up again after Oak Tree

A's don't heat cycle out, they just get "fun" to drive

But not worth a hoot when you're trying to race someone.

travisnd

Follow me I know a shortcut

drivinhard

he pulled you good on the front straight, how much hp does that thing have?

brkntrxn

LOL, that was me in the red car. I left the pavement at about 110mph. Lots of people fight the car there and end up in the wall on the right or the left. I did drive it all the way to Oak Tree in the grass though!

From what I recall, those tires were not heat cycled out. It was solely due to driver stupidity.


-Kevin

brkntrxn

It had 372hp in that video, but was much heavier than B's gutted car.

I don't think I pulled him so much as I "backed him up in T17".

travisnd

It was the first lap on a cold day and my first time at VIR on the 255s do I was giving him some space!

stevensa

Thanks for the input, so about how many HCs after the first 15 would you say the average A/R can go before it is no longer decent for an HPDE, or less grippy than a standard street tire?

Olitho

A6s = The first few heat cycles make you feel like a superhero. After that they are reasonably fast until the grooves start to disappear and then they get fun.
http://vimeo.com/34277104

R6s = Tolerable for 1 heat cycle and then driving frustration sets in like a growing chorus of fingernails on a chalkboard.

VGLNTE1

anyone know how these heat cylces operate on the Kuhmo V710s?

Solofast

Formula V doesn't work all that well on the current generation Hoosiers. It used to work great on the older generation tires, but the latest compounds don't respond the same way. Bottom line is that it helps some, but not a lot. Don't expect miracles with FV on the current generation of racing tires.

V710's, if you are looking at a HPDE format where you can get some heat into them, have a pretty long life. In that regard they are better than Hoosiers. The reason is that even after they harden up and get slippery, if you can get some heat into them they get pretty sticky again. Of course every event they are a little bit worse, but if you can get them hot they seem to stick decently until they wear out. You have to be very gentle for the first lap or two, or three on old V710's.

Formula V works a bit better on V710's. That's assuming that they haven't changed the compound in the last three or four years. In previous generation tires, like the old BFG's and old Yokohamas, Formula V really brought the tires back to almost new goodness. Those days are gone. You will find that FV helps, but again don't expect miracles or sticker kinds of grip.

Han Solo

I tried some Formula V on some V710's once. Pain to keep treating and retreating by the instructions and I think they might have improved a skoash for one auto-x run. Stuff smells like charcoal lighter fluid to me.

I'll let go of a secret here: I have sprayed mineral spirits on cycled out V710s and A6s the day before and auto-x event and had them feel like new all day. Have not tried it for track use but I expect the same results may be had. I don't do it on new tires but after they start to loose traction I treat them before en event. I use a hand spray bottle to apply. WARNING: The rubber will get messy on the surface when you first apply so do it somewhere you don't have to handle the tires for 20 minutes or so. The spirits will soak in and the tires will feel like new on the surface after a half hour or so.

I bought one set of A6 tires off here and had them put me in the fence. After the mineral spirits treatment I was able to get some autocross life out of them.

I've found V710s to remain more consistent and last far longer than the A6 so I returned to those.

stevensa

YOu mean the V710s mounted on C5Z speedlines you beat me to?

heavychevy

How long can A6's sit in a cold (~30*) garage before it starts to affect them (I.E. get rock hard)? Is a couple of weeks too long?