I plan on tracking my car 4-6 times a year and just got a new set of rims just for track tires. I'm looking at "max" summer performance tires like:

Dunlop Star Spec
Toyo Proxes R1R
Kumho Ecsta XS
Hankook Ventus R-S3

As I was researching these tires I noticed that DiscountTire.com recommends heat cycling these tires. It specifically says that Kumho recommends heat cycling for the Ecsta XS.

Is this worth doing on a summer tire? Discount Tire says they'll do it for $15 per tire. Not sure if local stores can do it.

 

I thought there was a DIY on this on the tire website. Something to the extent of driving at highway speeds for a certain time then taking the wheels off and letting them sit for at least 24 hours before track use. To save 60$ I would do that

 

Its not so much how its done that I'm wondering about (although I am interested and will look up that DIY) but if it is necessary or actually beneficial for these street tires.

 

Ive never heat cycled any of my sets of star specs or rs3s, and have no complaints on the performance of either tire. Maybe Im missing out then, Id be interested for other to chime in on heat cycling street tires.

 

No need, IMO, to heat cycle street tires. RS3 for summer, Star Spec for colder months.

 

Not enough heat, they need to be brought up to 150ish degrees. I good canyon road may do it, but I don't recommend driving like you would need to, to do it.

 

There is not need to heat cycle any of the tires listed above.

 

Drove my brand new RS-3's on the track this past weekend and absolutely loved them. Pretty much mounted brand new wheels/tires, drove 5 hrs to the track, beat the crap out of them and they completely stuck like glue, and drove 5 hrs back last night. No issues at all and didn't "heat cycle" unless you consider driving 5 hrs on the highway.

I noticed an improvement over my RE-11's in ultimate grip. Highly recommend the RS-3's

 

Really? Better than RE-11s? Interesting!

 

I guess I'll save my money. And I guess Discount Tire is FOS. Tire Rack says nothing about heat cycling these tires.

I'm probably going to get Nitto NT05s, primarily because they are the cheapest. A good bit less than RS-3s and I've already broken the bank on pads (Carbotech), rotors (cheap blanks) and wheels (RPF1 18x9.5 +15).

 

I think even certain R-comps don't need a heat cycle. My V710's lasted over 2 years and 25+ autox events (STILL not corded!) before I retired them because they were heat cycled out. Summer tires would not benefit from it. They already last long enough.

 

Heat cycling a set of new race tires gives you a few more laps or another session before the tire's performance falls off. The rate of fall off will be the same as a non-heat cycled tire and both tires will cord at about the same time, given the same level of use/abuse. Also, the more silicone in the tire compound the less the benefit of heat cycling. Street tires tend to have more silicone then race tires to meet mileage and fuel economy design goals.

BTW... tire stores are trying to upsell customers with all kinds of "race" add ons. Nitrogen, heat cycling, etc. are all sold as performance upgrades to your tires but for a street driven vehicle the benefits are not measurable.

 

One more vote cast towards no heat cycling of street tires needed.

 

Another myth solved