Wheels & Tires - Heat Cycling Drag Radials?

Well i keep hearing people talking about heat cycling your new drag radials... i think its just a bunch of hoopla.

i called mickey thompson and they have never heard of such a thing, unless everyone is talking about the initial burnout.

can anyone shed some light on this???

I'm not really sure if it works, or the process of doing it. But, Discount Tire Direct posted in another thread lastnight saying this.


If you decide on the 555R Drag Radials, I would suggest haveing them heat cycled. Heat cycling bonds the molecules in the rubber extending the life of the tire. We provide this service for only $15.00 per tire.

I'm not really sure if it works, or the process of doing it. But, Discount Tire Direct posted in another thread lastnight saying this.

I don't know about the rest of you, but that sounds like a marketing thing.

I don't know about the rest of you, but that sounds like a marketing thing.

thats what im saying, you can barely trust those dip shits to make sure your lug nuts are not loose or 120ft lbs, your crazy if you think im handing my brand new mickey's over to be "heat cycled"

Heat cyling "R" compounds for Autocross or road race tires does help them live longer and perform better.

That being said, I think a burn out in the water box is far more harsh than the gentle build up of heat in the tires mentioned above.

Personally I would not spend the money on it for my DR's.

yeah, i was told that check all the local stores and that some offer it and some dont, well i called every americas tire in a 50 mile radius and some of the guys didnt even know what i was talking about, like i said earlier, i think its a bunch off hoopla.

they only heat cycling for me is done in the burnout box LOL....just a marketing tool ...

I heat cycled my Nitto DRs when i had them on my mustang. Made them last about 3 times longer.

This is how a heat cycle works. Do a nice hefty burout, prolly about 15 seconds or so you want them to get HOT. Then you let them cool down for 24 hours. You are treating the rubber.

This artivle explains it more

Heat Cycling
Any DOT race tire is extremely sensitive to the first heat cycle of its use. The first heat cycle can determine performance and wear characteristics. The compounds in a new race tire are “green” and its chemical make up is not fully stabilized.

During the first heat cycle, the tread compound stretches as it heats. The heat can also cause changes at the molecular level. During a heat cycle, bonds are broken and reformed that help to make the tread compound more stable.

The benefit of this process is a tread compound that lasts longer and provides better traction. However, if the first cycle is not performed correctly, the tread may develop irregular compounding, leading to poor wear and inconsistent traction.

Some racers try to heat cycle their own tires, with mixed results. This involves bringing the tires up to race temperatures and then “resting” them for 24 to 48 hours while off the vehicle. This process can be inconsistent as the tires may not heat evenly on the four corners of the car. Also, temperatures across the tread face are not always uniform due to camber and scrub. Plus, if this is the owner’s only set of tires, it is inconvenient to mount and dismount the tires before using them to race.

Some DOT race tire suppliers offer heat cycling services, and use machines that heat the tire by applying a load (no artificial heat). These systems generate uniform temperature build up throughout the tread, a condition not achievable on the track. Because there is no cornering involved, there is lateral scrubbing and virtually no loss of tread during the heat cycling.

I heat cycled my Nitto DRs when i had them on my mustang. Made them last about 3 times longer.

This is how a heat cycle works. Do a nice hefty burout, prolly about 15 seconds or so you want them to get HOT. Then you let them cool down for 24 hours. You are treating the rubber.

This artivle explains it more

[/b]

yeah i read that on the discount tires website, and then tried to select that as an option when buying dr's and there was no info nor a box to check to pay the extra 15 dollars or so to stamp your tires with some logo, so i dont know just like ive said earlier just a bunch of bull shit.

i have called and talked to mickey thompsons tech guys and they have never heard of heat treating or heat cycling a drag radial, the only advice they gave me is for the first burnout just do it very mildly just till i get a little smoke, then roll out and stage, and the following burnouts should only be a bout 2 seconds long. depending on track temperature and so forth.

and what testing or documentation did you do to come up with your nittos lasting 3x longer?

a lot is depicted on tire life, for drag radials its going to be staging, and tire pressure .

and what testing or documentation did you do to come up with your nittos lasting 3x longer?

a lot is depicted on tire life, for drag radials its going to be staging, and tire pressure .
My mustang at the time was a DD. i had at least 20 track passes on the tires drove on the everyday and they last me about 25K miles

My mustang at the time was a DD. i had at least 20 track passes on the tires drove on the everyday and they last me about 25K miles

what kind of 60's?

what kind of 60's?
:lol: it is a mustang. the best i trapped with my 97 GT every bolt on possible, full exhasut, 4.10s...

I ran a 14.01 @ 96.28 with a 1.75 60' :(

and to answer your other question. At the track i would fill the fronts to 40 psi, the rears to about 13 psi. On the street all around got 34 psi

gotcha, so you noticed a substantial increase in the life of your dr's when you had them heat cycled? so who heat cycled them for you?

gotcha, so you noticed a substantial increase in the life of your dr's when you had them heat cycled? so who heat cycled them for you?
Yes i got more life out of them. I heat cycled them. All i did was do a hefty burn out abotu 15 seconds, then let them cool down for 24 hours

Yes i got more life out of them. I heat cycled them. All i did was do a hefty burn out abotu 15 seconds, then let them cool down for 24 hours

oh, we all know about staging them, were talking about paying extra money and getting the "heat cycled" at a factory or tire shop or something.

oh, we all know about staging them, were talking about paying extra money and getting the "heat cycled" at a factory or tire shop or something.
doing a burn out and letting it sit over night is being heat cycled

i know i know, were talking about if its worth it to have them done already, so they are supposedly heat cycled better

This is interesting, subscribed!

bump, does anyone know?

My first set of nittos had 15k miles on them nd about 30 passes on them. I sold them with 1/32nds-2/32nds. I "broke them in" by just driving normal for the first 50-100 miles. My second set of nittos I drove them normal for a 30 minute trip at speeds between 45-65,parked it and the garage and then the next day I romped on them. I got about 15k on these and they look like slicks, and they never been to the track. They were different size tires maybe that has somthing to do with it though. The first set were 245/60/16's, the second were 285/35/18's.

Here's a link that will help explain the benefits. We actually started offering this service because we had so many request for it. I hope this helps.

Heat Cycling (http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoHeatCycling.jsp)

Here's a link that will help explain the benefits. We actually started offering this service because we had so many request for it. I hope this helps.

Heat Cycling (http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoHeatCycling.jsp)

right.... we have been over this, you said you offer it, where in the checkout section is the box? what store in so cal does this, i called literally 25 with some guys never even hearing of this "service" i just need some solid answers to point me in the right direction.