Proper rotation of race tires

[M3 Number 86]

just recently got R1S and wowsers. Now I'm wondering if there is a proper way to rotate?

What I've done in the past:
After first day, rotate them diagonally (FL goes to RR and so on).
After second day, rotate front to back (FL goes to RL).
The next day, cross again.
The next day front to back.
Now all the tires have been on all four corners. Somewhere in between these I will flip the tire on the wheel if the insides or outsides are wearing more.

I've been told some go diagonally all the time and some people with hoosiers will go front to back then flip on the wheel.

Is there any particular way you guys run? Let's say most days are clockwise so we keep a constant. I'm trying to get the best crack cocaine high as possible aka don't burn that shit!

[roastbeef]

i'm a novice on the subject, but i don't think there is a "one size fits all" rotation practice.

so far, i have had pretty good luck with eyeballing my tires and determining placement based on how i know the track is going to wear them, and how my car is going to wear them based on the way the car is setup. we all know how much proper camber effects front tire life, and i think this is going to vary heavily on individual suspension setups (front and rear).
i think i told you the story of having almost-done nt01's at willow springs. knowing how my car wears tires at this specific track, i placed the tires with the most meat in the appropriate areas. corded all four pretty evenly.
before this, i wasn't 100% sure what i was doing, but seeing how little tire was unused (i didn't flip them- it would have been a waste), i'm going to continue to practice what worked for me.

did you heat cycle yours at all? i have always just put my nt01's on and went to work, but the R1S seems to be a more peculiar tire...

[M3 Number 86]

I eyeball as well but in general do this pattern given if I'm running cw. ACS I may switch between sessions because that oval destroys the right side tires.

[roastbeef]

i do put the meatier tires on the outside for acs, but i have never rotated mid-day. i also noticed acs takes a toll on the inside of the driver's side rear tire.

[admranger]

Assuming no nasty shoulder wear, I'd rotate the coldest temp tire to the hottest temp position. You are taking tire temps, right?

[dogbone]

I would not run R1S in the same position all day. I usually rotate the them after every 2 sessions. I never ever run in them in the same corner more than 3 sessions in a row. I know it's a pain in the ass, but rotating a couple times per day is the best way to save them.

[Datka]

I see most of you run square set up.
What about staggered set up rotation?
I always try to fit widest possible tire in the back for obvious reasons.
I guess the only way to rotate them is left to right and vise versa on the same axle...

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by admranger

Assuming no nasty shoulder wear, I'd rotate the coldest temp tire to the hottest temp position. You are taking tire temps, right?

I think the x pattern does that.

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by dogbone

I would not run R1S in the same position all day. I usually rotate the them after every 2 sessions. I never ever run in them in the same corner more than 3 sessions in a row. I know it's a pain in the ass, but rotating a couple times per day is the best way to save them.

Ok will do that from now on. Only ran four so skipped one swap so far. These tires are freaking nuts though lol

[redpriest]

Originally Posted by M3 Number 86

Ok will do that from now on. Only ran four so skipped one swap so far. These tires are freaking nuts though lol

Told you

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by M3 Number 86

Ok will do that from now on. Only ran four so skipped one swap so far. These tires are freaking nuts though lol

hehe yeah, I ran R1S for the first time in Nov 2015. That's when I set my previous best of 1:49.0. I have been quite happy to run them since.

I think the R1S is the best value for the money out there. It satisfies a cross-section of requirements better than any other tire I know of:

-Cost: At $1300 for a set from Tirerack, it's competitive or cheaper than Hoosier ($1500) or Hankook TD ($1350).

-Lap Times: The R1S is basically as fast or faster than any non-slick tire including Hoosier A7.

-Number of hot laps in a row: R1S holds up lap after lap after lap without getting destroyed or greasy. TD's need a break between hot laps or you'll destroy them. A7's get greasy after 2 hot laps and you have to exit the track.

-Heat cycles: I get 14-16 heat cycles before one of the tires starts showing a bit of cord. I assemble the remaining uncorded tires into scrub sets and get at least another 5 heat cycles. For such a fast tire, I think this is very good. Honestly, I hate driving a fast tire that has slowed way down due to being heat cycled out. It's annoying. So I wouldn't want a tire that can do 40 heat cycles if the last 20 are crap.

-Number of fast heat cycles before lap times slow: the first 10 heat cycles are very fast. The fastest lap I ever ran on an R1S was on it's 8th heat cycle. Heat cycles 10-16 are still very fun. No personal bests happening on these heat cycles, but still very fun to drive. Once you're out to 20 heat cycles, they're still fine to drive, but I'm hungering for the high grip again. Time to switch!


When you look at these different criteria, the R1S holds up very well in all categories--better than any other tire I know of.

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by dogbone

hehe yeah, I ran R1S for the first time in Nov 2015. That's when I set my previous best of 1:49.0. I have been quite happy to run them since.

I think the R1S is the best value for the money out there. It satisfies a cross-section of requirements better than any other tire I know of:

-Cost: At $1300 for a set from Tirerack, it's competitive or cheaper than Hoosier ($1500) or Hankook TD ($1350).

-Lap Times: The R1S is basically as fast or faster than any non-slick tire including Hoosier A7.

-Number of hot laps in a row: R1S holds up lap after lap after lap without getting destroyed or greasy. TD's need a break between hot laps or you'll destroy them. A7's get greasy after 2 hot laps and you have to exit the track.

-Heat cycles: I get 14-16 heat cycles before one of the tires starts showing a bit of cord. I assemble the remaining uncorded tires into scrub sets and get at least another 5 heat cycles. For such a fast tire, I think this is very good. Honestly, I hate driving a fast tire that has slowed way down due to being heat cycled out. It's annoying. So I wouldn't want a tire that can do 40 heat cycles if the last 20 are crap.

-Number of fast heat cycles before lap times slow: the first 10 heat cycles are very fast. The fastest lap I ever ran on an R1S was on it's 8th heat cycle. Heat cycles 10-16 are still very fun. No personal bests happening on these heat cycles, but still very fun to drive. Once you're out to 20 heat cycles, they're still fine to drive, but I'm hungering for the high grip again. Time to switch!


When you look at these different criteria, the R1S holds up very well in all categories--better than any other tire I know of.

Have you tried the R1?

[admranger]

Originally Posted by M3 Number 86

I think the x pattern does that.

Not necessarily. Had one track where the FR was hot and so was the LR. Probably happened right before my diff needed to be rebuilt. It was the oddest thing. Been 10 years ago so I can't remember where it was (BW CCW maybe so I was getting wheel spin coming down the CW turn 2? Fuzzy memory on the track but I remember chasing that temperature oddball situation all weekend).

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by M3 Number 86

Have you tried the R1?

No. Went straight to R1S. I learned about R1S from Dan Avon an E46 M3 guy who is really fast. After the driving the R1S, it didn't seem to make any sense to pay the same money for a version of the tire that is supposed to be slower. As I mentioned before, getting more heat-cycled-out sessions from of a tire is not a bonus for me. I keep a set of scrub tires around when the conditions on track are not ideal and I don't want to burn up better tires for no reason.

[1MOREMOD]

I pull them and evaluate. Most worn usually is front right so that one goes to left rear. I go by which has most outer edge wear or inner edge wear. Rears usually get bit more inner and fronts more outer