Adapting setup to less-than-ideal tires

[KickMe]

Hi X-family,

In two weeks I'll run in the CML offroad masters, an indoor carpet race near Paris. Some of the best French drivers will try to compete with English guests Tom Yardy, Keith Robertson and Neil Cragg.

The race is sponsored by CML, so the mandatory tires are Fastrax Turf Rippers. From what I heard, we will probably miss our Schumacher yellows a lot during the week-end (that was the most polite way of putting it).

Have you ever tried these tires? If there really is a motricity problem, should I use parts of a dirt setup, like raising the gearbox? Or should I keep my base setup and concentrate on my driving?

[elvo]

Use 0° of anti-squat, be near 65% rear weight and don't worry too much!

[Darren Boyle]

We ran those once here in the UK on grass, they are most definately NOT a Schumacher yellow, however they were not too bad. The rubber is weird, comes out of the packet "hard" but the more you run them and move the rubber around the softer they seemed to get, almost like plasticine/blu-tak...

Also, some team drivers have speok about "softening" them too, with several methods talked about, including motor spray on them ;-)

Otherwise as Elvo has said, treat your set up as "normal"

[KickMe]

A little follow-up: I used my normal astro/carpet setup with a brass bulkhead to get back some steering. Like most drivers, I put the tires inside out, cut out the inside reinforcement strips (4 on rear, 1 on front) to soften them. No tire additive allowed for this race.

I found the car very easy to drive gently, but I couldn't pick up the pace without making costly errors. Oh well.

The tires worn out very fast, losing what little grip they had after 10 to 20 minutes, nearly slicks after 30 minutes. Less than the time preparing and gluing them

[YoungChazz]

At some U.S. tracks we get one 5-min run on a tire -- glue up 4-5 sets for a day of racing. At most tracks we get just one day from a tire. New set every race or practice day. Sounds like you got a lot of wear...

[Darren Boyle]

Originally Posted by YoungChazz

At some U.S. tracks we get one 5-min run on a tire -- glue up 4-5 sets for a day of racing. At most tracks we get just one day from a tire. New set every race or practice day. Sounds like you got a lot of wear...

You have never run these tyres Chazz, they are "special"

[KickMe]

I'm used to schumacher and proline calibers: I use 2 to 4 pairs to keep them perfect during a race, but I can use them for training afterwards.

[YoungChazz]

Unfortunately, practice does not make perfect.

Perfect practice makes perfect.

That means the car has to be tip-top when you practice, and that means the same tires you would use if qualified 0.1 second off TQ in the A main. ie, The best there is.

[/tobys]

Agreed Chazz, you've got to practice with the car as you would run it at a race meeting otherwise there is not much point...

[KickMe]

I'm still a long way from perfect, any training is good to take for me. But I get what you're saying.

[YoungChazz]

I too am a long way from perfect -- see the video of me racing. However, I have learned the same lesson Toby has -- the truck must be set up correctly in order for the practice to be of maximum benefit. The difference between setting it up best and just throwing it down is a small addition of time & effort, but not nearly as much as those who don't do it think it is. And I like doing the thinking and the work; that's half the reason I do this hobby. I have the most fun when I'm doing something right -- Just throwing it down and galumphing around doesn't cut it for me -- I want to go as fast as I can, and I want to be faster this time out than the last time. I hate getting beat, so every time out must count for the max.

Having said all that, looking at the way I drive you'd think I'd practice more... It's a matter of time & priorities.