Essential items for automotive racing modification and upgrade - Basic knowledge reserve for hot-melt tires
An outstanding runner needs not only a strong physique but also a pair of suitable shoes. Similarly, a car can exhibit excellent driving performance. A powerful engine system is the core, but the tires that go hand in hand with it also hold a crucial position. Tires modification has become a compulsory course for car enthusiasts. However, when it comes to tire modification, many car owners have wrong psychological tendencies such as blindly following trends and brand worship when modifying tires. One must decide based on the actual situation of one's car and the driving conditions.
The key points that are generally required for street tires, apart from having good grip and drainage properties necessary for daily driving, are mainly comfort, durability and quietness. In terms of current tire manufacturing technology, the grip provided by street tires comes from the friction force generated when the tire tread comes into contact with the road surface. This aspect is closely related to rubber properties. Generally speaking, the softer the rubber material, the better the grip, but it also wears out more easily. Therefore, every tire manufacturer has racked their brains to conduct research on rubber materials, trying to find the best rubber that can balance grip and durability.
In terms of comfort, it is related to the structure of the tires. Especially in the part of the tire edge (rim), on tires of the same size, the greater the strength and hardness of the tire rim, the less the deformation, and relatively speaking, the shock absorption effect of the tire itself is not as good as that of a softer tire rim. However, although a softer tire rim can provide a more comfortable road feeling, it is not as good as the former in terms of handling. In terms of drainage and quietness, it is related to the tread pattern design of the tire. Usually, for better drainage and quietness, the tread patterns of street tires are designed to be more complex. However, relatively speaking, the area of the tire blocks with such complex tread patterns is smaller, and the grip is not as superior as that of large tire blocks.
Tires can be classified into street tires, performance tires and hot-melt tires. When choosing tires, one must make the selection based on the usage habits and demands of the vehicle. Racing tires are only for use in races and are definitely not suitable for ordinary roads.
When it comes to racing tires, their primary task is to provide the vehicle with the maximum grip and handling performance. Besides the drainage requirements of street tires, comfort, durability and quietness are not the key points. Therefore, the design starting points are completely different. To provide the best grip, racing tires use softer rubber to generate greater friction with the road surface. Another major difference from street tires is that once the rubber of this type of tire reaches the working temperature, it will melt to form a sticky state, thereby further enhancing the grip. Therefore, these tires are also called "Semi-Slick Tires".
In terms of tread design, racing tires are mostly designed with no tread or very simple tread patterns in order to achieve the largest contact area with the ground. These tires are commonly known as bare tires or heat-melt tires with simple patterns. The sidewall structure of racing tires is also much stiffer and stronger than that of street tires to provide better lateral support and handling performance. However, bare tires have no drainage effect, so tire manufacturers also introduce rain tires with drainage patterns. These tires have softer materials and lower effective working temperatures than ordinary racing tires. They wear out very quickly when used on dry roads. Moreover, to cope with special terrains such as sandy roads, snowy roads, and asphalt roads with poor grip, tire manufacturers offer corresponding racing tires for selection.
As for how to distinguish between racing tires and street tires, the simplest way is to look at the tread patterns and materials on the tire surface. The tread patterns of racing tires are fewer, and the tire surface feels sticky and soft when touched. Besides, some tire models may have more tread patterns, but in essence, they are closer to the material of racing tires. At this time, the Treadwear wear index (TW value) is usually used for determination. Generally speaking, a TW value above 140 is defined as a street tire, while a value below 140 is considered a racing tire. The actual treadwear index of racing tires usually remains below 100.