Why has nobody done this: Water spray system for tires

Common problem: Your tires are too hot because you got loose, or because your tires just aren't up to how long you've been out on track. So you have to take it easy for a couple of minutes to let the temperature decrease, and that sucks especially if you're actually in a race.

Apparently easy solution: Water spray nozzles pointed at the tires. Pressing a button to spray the tires will rapidly cool them and on a dry day they'll be dry again in seconds.

Could be especially convenient for the autocross crowd who likes to spray their tires with garden sprayers between runs. Could also be useful for extending tire life for the drift & burnout crowd (although it will reduce smoke...still, great for drift practice).

Why has nobody done this?

Good idea, but tank size and weight could be an issue.

The tank wouldn't need to be that big...depends on how much you want to carry. An average car washer tank carries plenty. I was thinking the wide-pattern spray nozzles on recent GM vehicles that make it impossible to see where you're going when you wet the windshield would be ideal.

Folks have, but mostly for burnouts

http://www.twoguysgarage.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-2616.html

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-719103.html

I suspect the rulebook is the biggest reason this hasn't been tried - it is something that sounds like a tech inspector might think it's dangerous, or would violate rules against spilling anything on the track.

I was thinking about the track spillage issue...many rule sets allow brake or IC / radiator water spray and this isn't any worse.

flashback to topgear driving up a volcano

For autocross it's probably not allowed in Stock/Street, SP, and ST classes because the rules are structured as "if it isn't explicitly permitted, then it's forbidden".

GRM did it to an AE86 for a do-rift-o event, but they wouldn't let them run it.

I can see getting a black flag for dumping fluids on the track.

Maybe tire CO2 spray then?

GM offered a system like this back in the 60's, to help with traction in winter. It was the option V75 Traction Compound Dispenser. You can see more here: http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=419018&page=all

I agree most tracks would frown upon this. It would probably take quite a bit of water to cool the tires down at speed, thus leaving water on the track.

Nothing like getting your tires wet during a race.

You would never want it to accidentally deploy in the middle of a run, so having an on-board system isnt worth the risk. (it could cause an accident)

Honestly, I have thought on hot days having a water box to pull through post-run would be nice as opposed to garden sprayers.

Maybe get some big old towels, wet them and run them over. BAM tires cooled.

Yea, I don't think I want any of my tires getting wet in dry conditions when I'm autoxing.....then again, mine always seemed to stick even better as their temp went up.

spraying water only cools the surface, not the core, which remains hot.

captdownshift wrote: flashback to topgear driving up a volcano

Didn't they spike theirs with Vodka?

Dr. Hess wrote: GRM did it to an AE86 for a do-rift-o event, but they wouldn't let them run it.

Wow! Good memory Dr. Hess! That was at least 10 years ago now. The system we installed in the AE86 was a 5 gallon water tank anchored into the hatch, hooked up to a marine bilge pump-- activated by a switch on the dash. It worked well, but pumped a ton of water onto the tires. It probably would have been a better set-up with a finer spray nozzle at the end of those hoses. It would be a fun set-up for hooning around in an underpowered RWD car, (like the AE86) as oversteer was a switch-flick away!

Dr. Hess wrote: GRM did it to an AE86 for a do-rift-o event, but they wouldn't let them run it.

Came in here to post this.

DaveEstey wrote: spraying water only cools the surface, not the core, which remains hot.

that's why you (at least I) start spraying after the first run … but then I'm running Toyo R1R's and you HAVE to spray

jstein77 wrote:

captdownshift wrote: flashback to topgear driving up a volcano

Didn't they spike theirs with Vodka?

Yep, to keep it from freezing.

Slightly off topic.... Ford used something like this on the brakes for the Group 2 Capri (early 70s)

wbjones wrote:

DaveEstey wrote: spraying water only cools the surface, not the core, which remains hot.

that's why you (at least I) start spraying after the first run … but then I'm running Toyo R1R's and you HAVE to spray

Yes, if you wait until the tires get greasy it's too late. With my Hoosiers I'll usually let them sit after the first run and start spraying after run #2.

oldeskewltoy wrote: Slightly off topic.... Ford used something like this on the brakes for the Group 2 Capri (early 70s)

For brakes maybe. The GTR guys do this for brake cooling all the time at the track.