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Be a tyre tester

Want to conduct your own tyre test? Follow our expert tips

	You can do the moves the professionals make when testing

Whenever you talk about testing tyres, most people think it is all about having a brilliant time thrashing a car round a track cutting ultra-low lap times, enjoying plenty of petrolhead fun with lots of smoking rubber.

The reality couldn’t be further from the truth, and many of the assessments can be done safely on public roads. The joy of charging round a circuit quickly fades after nearly 200 laps trying to decide if set number 16 felt better than 15 or 14, all the time aiming to hit your braking and clipping points and keep to the same lines.

While ultimate grip is important, feel is what really counts, as most drivers rarely reach the limit of their tyres. And even in this real-world environment, tyre characteristics vary substantially. So how is testing carried out? We’ve based ours on routines used by professional tyre development drivers.

Generally, they are best done on a track where a full day’s lapping costs about £100. But if this isn’t possible, public roads are an option, as long as you ensure there is no other traffic and you stay within the law. Ideally, you would run through the procedures, then get the wheels and tyres swapped and do the same again, noting the differences. But by regular assessment, you can look out for problems developing.

Do a pressure check first, as a drop of only a few psi can have a dramatic effect on performance. The car and tyres must be warmed up, and a few miles’ driving should be enough. Stick to about 60-70mph and turn off all in-car entertainment, as this will be a distraction.

1 Slow drifts
Make a slow steer to the left from straight ahead, as if it’s a motorway lane change. Sense the lateral forces. Ask yourself if what you feel in your back through the seat matches the steering input. Does it go where you point? Try it to the right. Does it feel the same? Vary the steering speed and look for similar reactions.

2 Steering angle
At the same speed, increase the steering angle and look for the car’s reaction. Does it move immediately? Is there a delay between steering
and action? Is it doing more than required and moving the back of the car? Is it doing less, and not following the line sought by the steering?

3 Stability reactions
When looking for stability, increase the speed of steering input. Does it
wriggle and settle back into line? Does the rear move or the front react slowly? You want a good balance front to back with precise steering that reacts quickly, and no rear movement.

4 Line direction
On a track, the final ‘swerve’ test involves quick steering, then loosening your grip on the wheel and letting the car find its own way back to a straight line. Start at low speeds and build up. The car will settle on a good tyre; on a poor one, you have to make inputs. As before, the rear moving around is not a good sign.

5 Increase speed
Start in the middle of the track, so there is plenty of room for error, and increase speed until tyres reach their limit. How much lock do you have to put on? How does grip vary when you add more? How much steering can you put on before the car steps out of line?

6 Hard braking
While cornering, try braking and accelerating suddenly. Does the car remain stable? Does the rear move? Does the car slide? All the time, you need to be looking for a balance between front and rear grip.

7 Hot laps
During laps, note if grip loss is progressive, the front goes where the steering is pointed and the rear follows. Monitor how performance drops as the tyres get hot. You are looking for the balance to be retained.

8 Comfort
Concentrate on feedback through the pedals, steering and seat. Remember it, as any change can help you spot tyre wear. A noisy tyre on the rolling axle will get worse; on a driven wheel, the wear should even out over 2,000 miles.

How to become a full-time tyre tester
Michelin’s testing team usually comprises engineering graduates who have worked in other departments for a couple of years.

First they need to become skilled drivers in front, rear and all-wheel drive cars. They start on low-grip surfaces at slow speeds, then rate known tyres to ensure they match other testers’ views. Over the next two years, they build up their experience before working with car makers on tyre development. Testers spend around 10 to 15 years in the job.

Tyres on test