I'm getting ready to start using my Hoosiers and I'm assuming it would be a good idea to get a tire pyrometer. Now infared or probe? Any specific brand? Any other tools that I should get and learn to use to get my tire pressure and temperatures right?

 

Probe - measuring surface temperature is not indicative of the actual temperature, a probe is pushed into the tread so it measures the temperature a couple of millimetres down, which is much more representative.

IR guns are very useful for measuring brake temperatures though, particularly when the wheels are hot enough to give you blisters :-)

I keep both with me.

Charles

 

This is interesting; the group I run with just went through this question on our forums a few weeks ago. The general consensus is right inline with what ACM is saying.

The only noteable difference is that people were finding the the IR units "good enough" if they grabbed their tire temps immediately after car came off the track. The data wasn't as good as a probe, but it was still useable at a "hobbyist" level.