Go Kart Tires - Understanding the Facts Will Improve Your Racing Success

A very crucial issue when setting up a fast go cart is the tires. Selecting inferior go kart tires can transform a winning go cart into a losing one. If you want to increase your go kart racing satisfaction, and triumph more often, you should be aware of the particulars about go cart tires. When you are fighting for position through sharp turns you need to understand that you will be able to hug the road without sliding or drifting and that you won't drop behind the other drivers due to poor grip.

There are two kinds of go kart tires, grooved and slick. Slick tires are manufactured for dry race courses while grooved (with treads) tires are for karting in wet track situations. Tires with treads are also known as rain tires because when racing conditions are wet you will get considerably greater grip with a grooved tire. Without this type of tire it is next to impossible to compete on a watery race track. Racing with slick tires in wet weather conditions will cause sliding all over the place, but tires with treads will allow you to enjoy driving even in watery situations.

The grooves, or treads, help to displace water. What's more, because there is less rubber actually hitting the race track it will lessen the amount of sliding or drifting. They are manufactured from a unique combination of rubber and additional compounds that increase road grip while reducing the amount of wear. This makes it possible to race fast in watery weather conditions while increasing the tire's lifespan.

Go kart tires without any tread are known as slicks and are used for driving in dry conditions. When driving on a dry race track they provide superior traction. Since they have no tread more rubber will in contact with the track. This will give the go cart much greater grip in dry conditions, particularly through the turns.

Slick tires are also manufactured from rubber with special compounds that wear less and enhance grip. Many well-known makers of go kart tires are Bridgestone, Dunlop, and Mojo. They create some of the most popular varieties, but there are different companies that create great brands too. So which are best? Normally, the only way to answer that question is by trying out different brands. Driving with different tires from different makers will be able to help you resolve which one is best for your needs.

Several items should be watched diligently when kart racing and tire pressure is amongst the most crucial. Being certain your tires are filled with the proper amount of air will diminish wear and tear and improve lifespan. As a bonus, the proper amount of pressure will increase traction. Roughly 14 psi to 16 psi (pounds per square inch) is a standard pressure in slick tires.

It is essential to be aware that psi will get higher in hot weather conditions and drop in cold weather conditions. If you start a race with 15 psi it can easily rise to 18 psi in exceptionally hot weather. In colder weather conditions the pressure will plunge. To be as successful as possible you should be aware of the weather and track conditions so that you will be able to maintain ideal pressure. Normally, as a result of cold weather conditions, it is a standard practice to pump up a tire with 1 psi to 5 psi more than when the temperatures are high.

As soon as your tires get excessively worn they should be replaced. It is normally a simple task to recognize when a replacement should occur since your ride will be rougher, the road grip will get worse, and you will ordinarily start to slide and drift through corners. If you still don't know when to replace them look at the small tire holes. They all have small holes that become shallower as the rubber wears out. If these small holes become too shallow the tires should be changed.