16 replies to this topic

[davew]

I talked with the Hoosier tire reps at the Runoffs last week. This is what I was told:

SPEC MIATA BASELINE SET-UP

-3 camber front
-2.5 camber rear
+3 to +5 caster (equal on each side)
zero toe
Hot psi 38+
start wet tire pressure 2-3 psi higher than dry pressures

[Johnny D]

I just went to there site and clicked Spec Miata.
http://www.hoosiertire.com/rrtire.htm
Scroll down to the bottom and you get...
Set-up information (like you just gave)
Tire Care (Heat cycle) Tire temps, etc.
J~

[Alberto]

More on this link too:
http://www.hoosiertire.com/tctips.htm

No insight on heat cycles?

[Glenn]

I talked with the Hoosier tire reps at the Runoffs last week. This is what I was told:

SPEC MIATA BASELINE SET-UP

-3 camber front
-2.5 camber rear
+3 to +5 caster (equal on each side)
zero toe
Hot psi 38+
start wet tire pressure 2-3 psi higher than dry pressures

F/R both at zero?

[FTodaro]

Is the contingency going to require Hoosier stickers, like Toyo required?

[dmathias]

Frank, contingency is likely for national SCCA races only. So if you are running nationals and plan to finish in the top 3, then yes, you should have the required number of Hoosier stickers.

Personally, since I only run regional events I refuse to advertise a product for free (i.e. no regional contingency program), so I won't need to put that ugly-ass Hoosier logotype on my car. Old English?, really?, is it a tire company or a newspaper.

[Muda]

Remember Tire Shoppe?

[Ron Alan]

More on this link too:
http://www.hoosiertire.com/tctips.htm

No insight on heat cycles?

I would guess this is hugely dependant on driver and cycle time. My guess is fast drivers will wear out Hoosiers before cycle out and the opposite for the guys further back I'm sure many have run Hoosiers in other classes for years...maybe someone can lend their experience here?

[trey]

About a year ago I was asking Mike @ ISC Racing about how the Hoosiers performed on their ( ITA/S ) cars. He said like , we don't heat cycle or wear them out , they get flat spotted before that

[FTodaro]

I would guess this is hugely dependant on driver and cycle time. My guess is fast drivers will wear out Hoosiers before out and the opposite for the guys further back I'm sure many have run Hoosiers in other classes for years...maybe someone can lend their experience here?

Our region allows open tire in regional races so many of us have ran Hoosiers, my experience is in agreement with what I read on the web, if you like to slide the car the Hoosiers will not last. comparing the RA-1 to the Hoosier at mid Ohio this is my observations. The Hoosier for me did not last long. I got like 1.5 weekends out of a set. I suspect it was because i was driving them like a toyo where i like to slide them a little.

Hoosiers tech sheet discusses that the tire does not like to be slid. I found that the Hoosier was grippier faster than the RA-1out of the box but for me with my style after the tire got hot it went away. The toyo for me would come on at about the 20 min mark and I could start keeping up with the Hoosiers and then they would come back to me.

Now that we are going to be required to run them in the national events, I am going to try and change my driving style and not slide them. there are guys in 1.6's that love them. they get 18 or so HC out of them. My heavy 99 and my heavy foot did not seam to get along so well.

If I could get a few more HC out of them I would be happy but 1.5 weekends is not cutting it.

This may also be track specific I have heard comments that Mid O may also be a contributing factor, but I always felt that track was easy on tires compared to some.

[Jim Drago]

Frank
While I am no expert... The Toyos don't like being slid either. Check the classifieds under my name and tires.

Seriously, if you are sliding the car on any tires, the car is not handling correctly, a controlled drift is about as much sliding as you should be doing. Anymore than that you are losing time, heating up the tires which will then cost you even more time, lots of time.
Jim

[FTodaro]

Frank
While I am no expert... The Toyos don't like being slid either. Check the classifieds under my name and tires.

Seriously, if you are sliding the car on any tires, the car is not handling correctly, a controlled drift is about as much sliding as you should be doing. Anymore than that you are losing time, heating up the tires which will then cost you even more time, lots of time.
Jim

Jim I do not disagree with that at all, and I have been working on being a little "smoother" easier on the tires. I do have a tendency to get a little more wheel spin than i should on the exit going to the gas to quick or not modulating off the throttle on some faster corners that that the car would push. I should maybe drive someone car some time to see if its just me and my foot or a missed set up. I can say however that the Toyo's took my abuse better than the Hoosier, but I will also say, by experience that they Hoosier is a little more easy to flat spot. I run the Hawk blue's and a few times when I had the tires hot and came into a brake zone heavy I have flat spotted the right front on a right hand turn in.

I was just thinking tonight that next year when I run the Hoosier that I will have to look into maybe a little less aggressive brake pad or get my shit together and smooth out my inputs.

Again, likely my harsh inputs. Just pointing it out that the tire may take a little more finesse.

[Rob Gibson]

38 psi sounds way too high. Our baseline is 34. Get over 36 in them and it's like you're on ice. Granted we run the R6, but all evidence says that the SM6 is just a rebranded R6.

All the alignment specs are pretty close to our baseline though. Maybe a touch less camber.

[joeg5982]

The SM Hoosier is just a branded R6.

[dmathias]

The guys at the front will tell you that they will buy the same number of Hoosiers as they did Toyos. When you can afford a new set for each weekend the brand doesn't matter.

A 'little guy' like me, that ran 1 or 2 sets of Toyos all season, and part of the next season, will see their tire cost go up. In my experience, when Hoosiers cycle out - they're done, whereas Toyo are generally useable until they cord.

[Qik Nip]

I've been through three sets of SM6's in the last two seasons (and probably five sets of RA1's). Denny's observations that the Hoosier "cycles out" before it wears out (versus the opposite for the RA1) seems to be true. I have only run both of these tires at Mid Ohio, VIR and Nelson Ledges, but in all three locations, a plus ten cycle Hoosier was at least one second slower than a similarly seasoned RA1. On the other hand, a one cycle SM6 was consistently a half second faster than a one cycle (with both rested a week) 3/32" RA1.
Rick
P.S. I've observed the Hoosier builds less air pressure than the RA1 and seems to like being run hot at 38 psi.

[Motor City Hamilton]

P.S. I've observed the Hoosier builds less air pressure than the RA1...

Only agree with this statement Rick, through my experiences. You are running the Hoosiers at a bit higher pressures than me, so could be some of the difference?