As usual, I don't understand the concept of the question!
Most Formula 1 cars produce more grip than your kart does.... why don't THEY say they are getting 'too much grip'? If your kart produces TOO MUCH grip, then how come Formula 1 cars with MUCH more grip are NOT trying to throw away grip down to the level of your kart....?
The point of the above is to show that, in racing, it is UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE to have 'too much grip'.
What I am saying is that you are not thinking about the problem correctly!
If you still don't think that's true....ask yourself the following question..... are you REALLY saying that, if we could produce sets of tyres JUST for YOU that gave a 100% greater grip (at front AND rear) (and they were legal to use, of course) that you would REFUSE to use them because they would produce EVEN MORE GRIP....? I can assure you that if we produced such things and gave them to a competitor who knows how to USE them...... they'd EAT you!
In the 1980s.... such tyres DID exist and they were called 'Qualifiers'.... they produced LUDICROUS levels of GRIP to the point where, if you didn't WIDEN the chassis, the karts would ROLL OVER! They only lasted for 1 or 2 laps... perfect for qualifying.... but NOBODY refused to use them...... Why didn't THOSE drivers complain about 'too much grip'?
If you still don't believe me, go and get a second-hand (but decent) set of HIGH grip tyres (from another class) and TRY them and watch what happens to your lap times!
If you mean that you have 'too much grip at the REAR'.... that is POSSIBLE but even THAT needs to be thought through clearly. When you say: 'Too much grip'.... the question HAS to be: 'too much grip ....compared to WHAT????'
What that statement REALLY says is that you can have too much grip at the rear COMPARED TO THE FRONT.... and there you see the problem......
Restating your question.... you should be asking yourself .... how can I reduce the effects of UNDERSTEER (lack of front end grip) as the race proceeeds....?
Handling in a kart is a 'trade-off'. If you increase rear-end 'grip' then it can overwhelm front end grip and vice versa. The FIRST answer SHOULD be it INCREASE the grip at the other end..... it should NOT be to REDUCE the grip at the 'grippy' end. Again, if you think I am wrong, then why wouldn't you simply consider the cheapest option of spraying your rear tyres with WD40 half way through the race..... THAT would 'reduce your grip'..... You can see, such an answer is LUDICROUS because you don't REALLY want to reduce rear grip.... do you?
So....in your case... first find ways to INCREASE the FRONT grip!
Check your tyre pressures, the tyres, the camber, the caster, the stiffness of the chassis, front track width.... etc.. Assuming all the standard methods of increasing the front grip don't work, then you need to do a 'trade-off'. Sacrifice SOME of the rear grip by sharing it with the FRONT end.....move some weight FORWARD..... it won't need to go far forward if the chassis is manageable in the first part of the race. That's usually done by moving your lead (if you carry any) by moving the seat FORWARD. You'll be surprised how much effect that movement will have..... test that for yourself BEFORE moving the seat.... Wait until you get this effect again and try leaning FORWARD in your seat....... be careful..... you'll find the front REALLY grips and then the back will LET GO....
On the subject of Mag Wheels: be assured that half the kart drivers will tell you their effect is beause they heat-up faster and the other half because they heat-up slower.... they can't BOTH be right..... Other will tell you it's becasur their air volume is smaller, becasue they are lighter, because they dissipate heat faster, they absrb more heat, change temp faster/slower. Before now, we have had REAL experts (those who WIN) telling us it's because of X when what they claim is the EXACT REVERESE of known physics! Doesn't that make you want to question if it's all just a BIT too much 'hype'?
By all means, buy mags and TEST them.... be also assured that another make, model, style of mags will NOT produce the same effects. Many of us suspect the 'advantages' of Mag wheels is in the different way that are constructed making them 'flex' diferently from AliAlloys.
Ian
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Full Mag Wheels, Would they help? by 'RWR' (25 Oct 2010 @ 17:58)
