Grooving Slick Tires.

[Gordo]

Has anyone had experience with grooving slick tires. I know they groove softs to make a threaded wet tire.

My question is as I'm having trouble getting my slicks up to temp. If I put some grooves in the tire will that make the rubber move around a bit more and generate more heat. More grooves , more heat?

Anyone have anything to offer. Cheers Gordon.

[C.A.R.]

No experience, but yes you can buy the tool for the job or take it to a company that does it.
Perhaps give Russell Stucky a call to find out if he knows of anyone?

 

Edit: I'd suggest 'siping' the tyres as apposed to grooving them Gordo.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Lurch ™

[TomC18]

Or ask him if it will work - may save some time

[Gordo]

Hi guys, I've spoken to Russell a few times about this. And he has seen me at PI a few times. I've only gotten the slicks up to 70deg once, and that was my fastest time. Tracy temp was 53deg in Febuary this year. It's the only tire I can use and only has this compound. 17 in are hard to get. Operating temp for these tire are 70 to 120deg. So I'm not going to get there am I. Bearly in the operating window.

[Gordo]

So Russell never suggested any tire grooving or siping like Lurch said. Which is cutting or slicing with a knife.

[dat2kman]

I have a grooving iron I no lnger need, comes with extra blades. Depth of cut is adjstable

 

You'll find cutting a blck pattern will cause the blocks to move/squirm, and this builds up more heat.

[C.A.R.]

I have a grooving iron I no lnger need, comes with extra blades. Depth of cut is adjstable

 

You'll find cutting a blck pattern will cause the blocks to move/squirm, and this builds up more heat.

Thinking about it, grooving a slick would mean reducing the tyres contact patch with the track surface, which equates to less grip.

 

I'd seriously look at Tyre Siping Gordo, as the sipes don't remove material, but will make the rubber move agent each other generating more friction (heat) when your out on the track.

[260DET]

Siping makes sense to me but what about semi slicks Gordo? Two grooved Hoosiers or Hankooks are basically slicks anyway and in 17" are available in a variety of sizes and compounds. Besides you can then say "Oh I'm only using semi slicks................." 

[24 Dat]

Have you tried Octopus Grip? it might get heat into your tyres, but it will soften them up!

[PZG302]

To make the most of the slicks you have to change the set up of the car to do it right.

 

Changing the tyres to suit the car is arse about. You need to look at pressures before and after, maybe worth dropping a couple of pound all round cold, and get temp readings at outside middle and inside to see what is happening. If the tyre is only getting hot on one edge or the middle, then you aren't making the most of the contact patch.

 

It may also mean a rethink of spring rates, dampers and possible sway bars to get the set up right, or hopefully just a tweak of the alignments front and rear.

[dat2kman]

You groove them in a full cross block pattern ie three longitudinal grooves, and herringbone type diagonal grooves ( sipes!) crossing from centre out, ie Wet/intermediate pattern, each blck about 3"x3"

That'll soon heat them up.

Suggest 3-4 mm deep, as a start.

I've ron grooved Avons in hillclimb over many years, they work a lot better than Semis in a like for like sizing.

[Gordo]

So today I started to groove the slicks. They are 300mm wide so I don't think I'll lose any contact patch on the road. Just hope cutting blocks into the tires will make the rubber move around a bit to generate some more heat.

[PZG302]

That will work as a budget dodgy solution, but if going slicks and serious get the right compounds to start with and get the car set up right.

 

If doing the second hand get what you can for sprints, they will be pretty much shagged unless you get tyres that ave only been roaded, then the grooves and siping won't hurt and will get some extra heat into them but they still won't be as good as new ones in the right compound.

 

Having said that i still use second handies for track days and shakedowns, suspension set up days will be on new slicks after learning the hard way.....

[Gordon Dobie]

I had Russell Stuckey groove the tyres on my hillclimb cars and it worked quite well but if the tyres have been cycled to often ( got hot then cooled down) you will be chasing your tail. Each time the tyre is cycled it cures the rubber and if this is the cause of your problem grooving the tyres can cause the tread to chunk ie tear chunks of rubber off the tread. The ultimate solution is to buy the correct tyre to suit the car.