Anyone using OptiGrip?

[Brian C in Az]

http://www.opti-grip.com/optigrip/Opti-Grip.html

http://www.opti-grip.com/optigrip/Product_Videos.html

Anyone using this hardware?

Or something similar?

[Hardingfv32]

Great product at a very reasonable price. Nothing else comes close to it in value. The unit is made by the son of man who owns a large electronic instrument manufacture. He has access to Chinese electronic manufacturing facilities. Had the units apart. Circuit boards in the controller and sensors are well designed surface mount assemblies.

Easy communications with the seller.

Brian

[Pi_guy]

http://www.opti-grip.com/optigrip/Opti-Grip.html

http://www.opti-grip.com/optigrip/Product_Videos.html

Anyone using this hardware?

Or something similar?

Is there something your interested in? I might have stock of it and let it go cheap.
I was a dealer for him with his first company and he closed that turned off all his contact info. I had just found out in the last few weeks that he is still selling stuff, I contacted him with my question of why did you never contact me again since I had bought in as a dealer. His response was "I do this part time".

My opinion would be you would have better results with products from a company like texense.com

[romoman]

I have Texense club level sensors. They are great. Work flawlessly. I also have a brake temp sensor and it has already saved me with somethings. For me, it's better to have a higher quality product that will always perform than a cheaper one that will fail when I need it.

The price is certainly cheap enough but I would wonder how durable the sensors are and it sounds like the support may be less than stellar.

[Neil_Roberts]

In the "something similar" category:

http://thinkfastengineering.com/2012/08/solo-heat/

[Hardingfv32]

This whole unit cost less than a one Texense sensor. The installation is not as simple as the stand alone Texense sensor. These sensors are all 0-5v analog. I research the IR sensors used in these types of instruments and the best parts only cost $15-25, so there is some serious markup with the Texense units. Of coarse there is a little more to these systems than just the IR temp sensor, but that is the most expensive piece.

I have limited time on my system, so I can not speak about durability. I am a retired manufacturing engineer that worked on military flight navigation computers. The sensor module design seemed very robust. I have had good communication with the supplier about the unit's design.

This is a product that never found it's marketing legs. You would never know about it if it were not for Google.

Brian

[Pi_guy]

This is a product that never found it's marketing legs. You would never know about it if it were not for Google.

The size of the unit is too large for formula car installations. The original unit required you to press a button to record tire temps or tire pressures.
Most products & venders that want to be successful display at PRI.

[Hardingfv32]

Sensor measures 1.0" OD x 1.3" length. You do not have to use the mounting bracket provided. Works just fine on any car.

Not going to the PRI shows keeps the price lower.

Brian

[Matt King]

Not going to the PRI shows keeps the price lower.

Brian

Or you can create a market, sell 10x the volume, and recoup your trade show costs in a year.

[Pi_guy]

Or you can create a market, sell 10x the volume, and recoup your trade show costs in a year.

PRI is not that expensive vs the exposure you get.
Road Racing is a niche market, if you do not go to the track and do not hit the largest performance trade in the US. You are not going to sell 10% of anything.

[alangbaker]

PRI is not that expensive vs the exposure you get.
Road Racing is a niche market, if you do not go to the track and do not hit the largest performance trade in the US. You are not going to sell 10% of anything.

So, in short:

You don't sell this sensor; you sell some other sensor.

[Brian C in Az]

In all fairness, Pi Guy did offer to sell me the OptiGrip, he mentioned having some stock that he wants to liquidate. He was honest enough to clearly state that he did not get ANY support from the vendor, and therefore he would spend a little more on a brand that does offer after sales support. For many people, after sales support is invaluable.

This is a niche market, there are many products and innovations that would sell if the inventor marketed the items properly, but many times, the inventor is his own worst enemy when it comes to actually bringing his creation to market. I this that is what Pi Guy was trying to politely say about the inventor of Opti Grip; at least that is how I read it.

I appreciate all the input thus far.

Still wondering if anyone has used this product or another similar product and was it useful? How was it used, how was it useful? Is it a good tool or should I find something else to waste my money on

[Hardingfv32]

The sensors are used to measure the dynamic temperatures of the tire thread surface while in use. Varying opinions on the importance of the surface temp measurement vs other type of tire temps. Not much written on the subject.

I am using it to develop a tire map. What temps provide maximum cornering force for a given side load. Then experiment with all the setup variables to see what their effect is on tire temps.

Can be used to as a driver aid during sessions to know when you are under or over driving your tires, etc.

Brian

[romoman]

I have the sensors from Texense. The only real printed knowledge of them that I have seen is in Jorge Seger's Book (second edition) Analysis Techniques for Racecar Data Aquisition

As Brian said, they are very good for setting camber, tire pressures, and for developing a map of what tire temps are the "sweet spot" for your tires. You can then use that to plan for each track and setup configuration to make your car as fast as possible.

[romoman]

Here is some data to show you some of what you can do. One is the tire temp variation for inside, middle, outside of one tire during a lap. The other is tire temps over the course of a session.

[Pi_guy]

Here is some data to show you some of what you can do. One is the tire temp variation for inside, middle, outside of one tire during a lap. The other is tire temps over the course of a session.

Very neat stuff but one issue is most data loggers at this level do not have 12 free channels.
The second issue is the hardware setup to get 3 temp reading on a tire becomes an aerodynamic nightmare. It works better in a car with fenders as you have a place to mount the hardware with out excessive penalties.

The one place I observed this setup being used in testing on a formula car was the Dyno&testing outfit located in the paddock at VIR, and it was only used during test sessions.

[romoman]

Very neat stuff but one issue is most data loggers at this level do not have 12 free channels.
The second issue is the hardware setup to get 3 temp reading on a tire becomes an aerodynamic nightmare. It works better in a car with fenders as you have a place to mount the hardware with out excessive penalties.

The one place I observed this setup being used in testing on a formula car was the Dyno&testing outfit located in the paddock at VIR, and it was only used during test sessions.

Correct! I would guess most folks who are going to do this would already have a pretty robust system and would add channel expansions and data hubs (in AiM speak) to get them the additional channels. Mounting them is the biggest challenge!

If we just up the budget, we can go for the 8 channel CAN sensor!