Tire temp probes

[CL65 Captain]

I have been using one of those cheap IR temp guns to measure my tire temps at the track. Someone was telling me that to really get good readings that I need to get a tire temp probe. Ah, $160???? No thanks.

Anyone ever try a digital meat thermometer? You know the digital probes that are like $20 and probably 98% as accurate as the "Intercomp Racing Temp probes".

 

[RON98]

ghetto

 

[KooLaid]

ghetto

But so is a factory tape deck in a 2005 $90k car. :biggrin:

 

[92 white 0650]

Re: No

a digital meat thermometer?

Hmmmmmmm, haven't heard that one before. I think that it would be difficult to get the meat thermo probe into the tire at the right depth for an accurate reading. And that's not even considering some ham handed brute who didn't know better could possibly puncture the tire trying to get it in. Also, I would question if the meat unit would react quickly or accurately enough when seconds count.

But in the long run, ask yourself how much you've spent on the suspension, tires and track time trying to save a second at the most. A basic $100 tire pyrometer from I/O Port seems like a real cheap investment to me by the time you get to this point in tuning.

 

[RON98]

But so is a factory tape deck in a 2005 $90k car. :biggrin:

what are you trying to say? i have the factory deck.

:biggrin:

 

[stuntman]

Re: No

Hmmmmmmm, haven't heard that one before. I think that it would be difficult to get the meat thermo probe into the tire at the right depth for an accurate reading. And that's not even considering some ham handed brute who didn't know better could possibly puncture the tire trying to get it in. Also, I would question if the meat unit would react quickly or accurately enough when seconds count.

But in the long run, ask yourself how much you've spent on the suspension, tires and track time trying to save a second at the most. A basic $100 tire pyrometer from I/O Port seems like a real cheap investment to me by the time you get to this point in tuning.

+1.

For objectively figuring out your handling in terms of how well you are using your tire (alignment, camber, swaybars, spring rates, damping, etc...), they are more important than a tire pressure gauge (but obviously a tire pressure gauge is more fundamental and if that is messed up, it will affect the handling of the car).

 

[docjohn]

I have the longacre tire probe and it is very short so you don't go too deep.The probe is able to read brake temps so the tip is all you need to get a reading.Your meat probe needs to have greater contact with the thing it is measuring thus your querie is valid but the answer is.. get a probe made for tires and brakes.

 

[nsx2tall]

The quality of the probe mostly lies in the quality of the thermocouple. Temperature range, accuracy and acquisition time are all a factor. However, I do like your idea:

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/tpen_home.html

It's probably better suited for this than other meat thermometers out there. Smaller probe tip and super fast 5 second acquisition time. But you can see that the price goes up for the better thermocouple.

 

[john@johnhudakracing]

Save it for the kitchen. You can get a tire temp probe for as little as $98 online from a reputable race supplier. Nice stocking stuffer.

 

[nsx2tall]

That's good, because I was having a tough time coming up with an excuse to give my wife as to why the meat thermometer was missing.

Do those racing thingies come with an extra long probe for turkey or rib roasts? :tongue: