Tire temperature guage

[David Wilson]

What does everyone use to check or monitor tire temperature?

i see this on Amazon and it made me wonder how I can tell if my tires are up to temp

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZME9Q2...I3LT57X6FCNH35

[MadMaxAtom]

That stuff is crap. If you are serious about tire temps you need one like this:



They run about $100 on Ebay-- link---> NEW LONGACRE RACING TIRE PYROMETER,ECONOMY,50635 | eBay

[David Wilson]

Yea I thought it was crap. + - 3C temp accuracy is pretty piss poor accuracy

[MadMaxAtom]

It's not so much the range of accuracy..it's the method that those things use to determine actual tire temperatures: they don't. Reading the temperature of the air in the tire is useless.
You must use a pyrometer with a needle probe to get the true temp of the tire. Even an infrared heat gun isn't going to be as accurate as a probe: When you come off the track into the pits,the outer surface will already be cooling and you need to sample the layer just under the surface. That's why good sensors have probes. The best way is to have an assistant ready with the pyrometer to check it right as you come off the track,the sooner the more accurate your finding will be. By the time you bring your car to a stop,unlatch your harness and arm restraints and hop out,your temps will be off by 20-30 degrees.You can try to guesstimate the actual loss, but its much more accurate to have someone with you to do it..and keep a log so they can write down the numbers. When you are setting up your suspension, tire temps are very important information that tell you just how that tire contact patch is working on the track surface. Too cold/hot on the inside..too cold/hot on the outside..or (hopefully) even across the whole tire contact patch. It takes time and effort,but there is no other way to exceptional grip and even tire wear.