Track day n00b - tyre pressures and suspension settings ??

[Twitter69]

Hi,

Out for my first (hopefully dry) track day on Fri at Mallory . . . last one was a 50mph max washout! 

Is anyone able to offer any advice on best tyre pressures and Bilstein adjustable suspension settings ? Ariel Atom 2 245bhp running Yoko A048's - 15" at the front, 16" rears.

Any advice gratefully received . . . thanks in advance,

Lee M.

[Alex Brandon-Smith]

Hi Lee, can understand your frustrations after a washout at Brands recently I ended up with a second set of wheel and cup wets!

Tyre pressures you should aim for 12/14 front rear. I tend to start there and then check them as I come in for a run and let out a psi or two if they are up from that as they will be for the first few runs. Eventually you'll then reach a pressure which keeps them at 12/14 once hot.

As for suspension settings, personal preference really based on how bumpy it is and how much you want the car to move about etc. I like to run mine fairly hard, especially on the rear but some may want it slightly softer. On track I'd certainly try at 6 or 7 and see if you can wind it up a bit as it gets hotter. Back the back off it off it gets a bit more greasy on track or if you find it's skipping about in the heat a bit.

I am certainly not a track god though so if someone comes up with some other great advice then have a listen.

[Twitter69]

Wow, you mean 12/14 PSI ??

Like, about half what a normal car would use on the road ??

Never expected that! - will be like screaming 'round on a set of wibbly wobbly balloons!!??

[dc5ian]

i set mine at 16/18

[Toilet Duck]

Running AO48's on track,  I aim for 11psi front and 15psi rear,  these are HOT pressures so not dissimilar to Alex. However,  I always run the rear suspension slightly softer than the front,  regardless of the actual setting.

Good luck for the weather 

[Northnoble]

[quote="Twitter69"]
Wow, you mean 12/14 PSI ??

Like, about half what a normal car would use on the road ??

Never expected that! - will be like screaming 'round on a set of wibbly wobbly balloons!!??
[/quote]

Factor in the fact the car is at least half the weight of most normal cars....and the two halves will make sense!!

....personally I run with slightly higher pressures 14/16 but its the same range!

[Alex Brandon-Smith]

The A048 do run a hard tyre wall hence the softer pressure than the AD08 for example (which are 16/19). The factory also recommend 12/14, even for road use. I tend to start 12/14 then drop accordingly when they are hot.

[Toilet Duck]

[quote="Alex BS"]
The A048 do run a hard tyre wall hence the softer pressure than the AD08 for example (which are 16/19).
[/quote]

Sorry for slight thread derail, but are those pressures for the AD08 hot or cold measurements? I run AD08's on the road and for airfield days on a second set of alloys but have never been 100% sure of the pressures to use. I've been running 19/24 Front/Rear COLD and that seems ok, but then again I don't push anywhere near as hard as on the track 

[Alex Brandon-Smith]

[quote="Toilet Duck"]
[quote="Alex BS"]
The A048 do run a hard tyre wall hence the softer pressure than the AD08 for example (which are 16/19).
[/quote]

Sorry for slight thread derail, but are those pressures for the AD08 hot or cold measurements? I run AD08's on the road and for airfield days on a second set of alloys but have never been 100% sure of the pressures to use. I've been running 19/24 Front/Rear COLD and that seems ok, but then again I don't push anywhere near as hard as on the track 
[/quote]

16/19 should be hot I believe. I set them there when cold when I had them and didn't really change them terribly much, even at track and they were fine...even wear and worked well.As you say though, you can't push so much on those compared to A048.

The A048 were vastly better on track as you'd expect, but letting some pressure out to maintain 12/14 hot was perfect. They feel a bit wooly until up to temperature though so wait for them to warm up.

[autobackup]

I thought that this thread would benefit if I put up an image of the page from the Atom 3 handbook in regard to the recommended tyre pressures!

[Alex Brandon-Smith]

Doesn't say what tyres though!

[autobackup]

Alex

You are quite right

- but, given the fact that the factory usually supplied Yoko Advans as standard, I would rather suspect that these figures from the Atom 3 Handbook won't be too far out!

[Toilet Duck]

I got this from the factory about 4 years ago, not sure if they have "tweaked" any of the settings since then (I know I have!):

[img width=542 height=768]https://s14.postimg.org/d3uznhv5d/ATOM_factory_geo_1.jpg[/img]

[Alex Brandon-Smith]

And the handbook was written by Bruce! Ha ha. I'm chatting to Tom tomorrow. I'll confirm what is recommended for each type of tyre and report back.

[dc5ian]

ask em if they have tried the new r888r