This probe (in conjunction with any of the multitude of compatible meters) makes it possible to measure the temperature of the rubber in a tyre.
I am not a racer, but I wanted to find out how my tyres were wearing before they actually wore. Tyres wear because of friction with the road, and friction generates heat. If the tyres are getting hotter than necessary then they are wearing more than necessary.
Typically as soon as I arrive home after a long drive I measure the temperature of the tread of each tyre near the inside, in the centre and near the outside. Ideally, all 12 readings should be very similar. If the inside and outside are higher than the centre then the tyre pressure is probably too low. If the centre is higher than the inside and outside then the tyre pressure is probably too high. If just the inside front temperatures are higher than all the other temperatures then there is probably a problem with toe-in. If the inside is high, the outside low, and the centre in between, then suspect camber.
Readings stabilise within a few seconds, so it is possible to take all 12 measurements before the tyres cool off significantly. The nice thing about this kind of pyrometer (compared to an infrared thermometer) is that it measures the temperature under the surface of the tread, which retains its temperature much longer than the surface.
This pyrometer has a fixed pin that penetrates about 5mm into the rubber. I have seen others in which the penetration depth ......
