370Z Pressures
 

Hey guys sorry to do this here but maybe someone (Ruggles?) can help me out.

I will be instructing a friend this weekend in a brand new 370 base/sport with the big Rays rims and oem tires.

Any suggestions on pressures?

TIA

What track are you instructing at? Temperature? What kind of tires on the car?

It's an autocross school on asphalt. Forecast is 80 degrees. IIRC they are Bridgestone OEM street tires.

Since it's a school we will get a LOT of runs so I want to keep a close eye on the tires.

I took a couple of runs in a 350z on Kumho XSs yesterday at a local event. IIRC, the owner ran 38f/33r. I'd start at around 38/36 psi and adjust from there. The Z cars come with little camber from the factory and you don't want to roll over on the sides too much.

On a related note, holy torque batman! I'm not used to the back end stepping out on power like that Z did. :)

Thanks Teddie!

370 has a lot more plow than the 350 due to the stagger, expect understeer in and power oversteer coming out. The OEM tires are crap though.

The 370 is murder on the outside fronts, I run 40 hot front to try and save the shoulder.

OEM tires are Bridgestone RE050A I believe on the 370Z. Too bad they come staggered that drastically now, the 350Z's were really nice with a square set up of at least 255 widths all around.

Yes they are RE050a on the sport package, Advan Sport on the base.

Yes the stagger suck

IMO that you're asking the wrong questions.

If you're asking about what tire works good with the camber and suspensaion on the 370z, then, you'd be on the right track like mentioning that the XS rolls under which would be fixed with more camber, and then, the right air pressure.

So with a grippy tire and little negative camber, all you can do is pump that bitch up.

That guy that ran 38f/33r; is that measured at 60 degs in the morning, because once the autox starts, I always think in hot temps so these pressures seem low even for that.

I'm running Hankook Ventus V12 which seems softer and grippier than my SPT's with 46 hot front/ 43 hot rear, and I'll try 48 hot/ 45rear since they only worked better when I got to 46 hot front

Might be some more to go. I'll have pics soon if my photo guys mail my cd.

Yep, that's what he has. This is his first event ever, just got the car in December. This will be about seat time and car control (stop snickering!). If he enjoys it and wants to continue with AX, then we'll start talking about alternate tires/wheels.

Thanks for all the advice!

370 runs on average .5 more degree than the 350 (front camber that is), they don't kill the outer fronts as bad as the 350. The factory calls for 35psi all around. I only drove on the RE050a for 800 miles before I sold it, but they are very grippy tires. I think it will be fine for a novice. For a first timer, he won't feel the difference.

this. both local 370s i ran against last year wore fronts faster than i did, but not too bad, and the wear seemed relatively even.

I'm so geeked to get back on course now, thanks.

My RX8 is faster and more natural around the cones than the 370z, but the Z car is goofy juvenile fun. Things seem to come up a lot faster, and you get worn out by the end of the run.

Preach slow entry, manage all that extra weight transfer very gently, and apex hella late so you can roll back onto that lovely go-go juice. And really watch the throttle management because that LSD sucks.

Basically, don't drive like me:
http://i53.tinypic.com/1zh07cj.jpg

What is this lovely "go-go juice" that you speak of? :lol2: :(

Seriously, Z's can be a ton of fun to drive and I used to own a 5spd 300ZX TT many, many moons ago. Best of luck teaching at the school Tom. Personally, I tell all of my students driving "stock cars" to set their tire pressures at ~40psi, and we adjust from there if needed. While some cars may be faster on lower pressures, I find the higher pressures tend to make the car more consistent over multiple runs.

Forty psi hot is not that much, since on a cold morning that would be about 34 psi.

If you're tearing up the sidewalls, keep adding 2 psi until you're not so much.

On a staggered setup or any setup where you seem to plow, you might run 44 hot front and 38 hot - 40 hot rear.

So there you go, don't be shy about pumping em up. Any tire that fits can be inflated to 50 psi cold which would be 56 hot.

It's a performance tires, you don't need to blow it up like a blow up doll. The sidewalls already don't flex much on it.

It depends on the design whether it flexs too much.

Go drive a set of Hankooks Ventus V12's, and tell us performance tires "don't flex much".

Stay tuned; pic coming.

I got your flex right here

http://i54.tinypic.com/2qlzsr9.jpg

^^ lol lol

60 front, 10 rear

too extreme, no body is going to believe that.

Lol, just making a general point

but I have run the early Hoosier radial that high in the front on camber limited Stock cars

:dunno:

I am not a fan of the RE050a, but calling the V12 a performance tire is really pushing it. I bought a set thanks to the stupid hype it got over the internet, it turns out to be a crappy tire with a sloppy sidewall and marginal grip. If I could get just 80% back on what I paid for my barely used V12s, I would do it right now