Eric Linnhoff writes:
<<<The Team T/A test compared sets of tires prepared in the following
ways.
1. Not heat cycled
2. Heat cycled by regular driving for 100 continuous highway miles 3 to
4 weeks in advance of the track test
3. Heat cycled by regular driving for 100 continuous highway miles 48
hours in advance of the track test
4. The Tire Rack's Heat Cycling Service 48 hours in advance of the track
test>>>
Too bad they didn't also use the method that is prescribed by Hoosier.
That is to gradually drive the car from 50% to 100% over the course of
3-4 track laps and then let them sit for at least 24 hours, preferably a
week. According to them you must exercise the tires at the limits for
the procedure to have full effect just as the Indy car and Winston Cup
teams do before a race. It would have been interesting to see a real
test that includes this procedure instead of one that was intended to
make the $15 per tire 'processing' look good...
Also, next time you order from Tire Rack, ask for shaved tires that are
not heat cycled. Chances are you will get heat cycled tires anyway
without having to pay the extra money...
Paul Foster
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