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      08-29-2010, 12:17 AM   #45
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Originally Posted by r4gs View Post
whoa, just had a gander down my front brake ducts, and there are indeed flaps of plastic covering what i can tell is more than 50% of the outlet! 4 rivets, 2 on each side, not going to be a particularly clean pull. hmm.
I just looked at well, and it's like 75% blocked with these silly flaps of plastic. Crazy. But at least it's easy to fix!
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      08-29-2010, 12:39 AM   #46
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Originally Posted by Finnegan View Post
I just looked at well, and it's like 75% blocked with these silly flaps of plastic. Crazy. But at least it's easy to fix!
Um. If you're going to have air-cooled brakes don't they kinda need access to ... oh, I don't know ... AIR?!
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      08-29-2010, 07:01 AM   #47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Finnegan View Post
I just looked at well, and it's like 75% blocked with these silly flaps of plastic. Crazy. But at least it's easy to fix!
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Originally Posted by Skelekitty View Post
Um. If you're going to have air-cooled brakes don't they kinda need access to ... oh, I don't know ... AIR?!
Crazy Americans...
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      08-29-2010, 09:10 AM   #48
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I don't recall where I saw it, but the premise was that those are not designed for brake cooling.
They are designed to pressurize the wheel well for better aerodynamics across the opening.
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      08-29-2010, 01:03 PM   #49
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Originally Posted by inTgr8r View Post
I don't recall where I saw it, but the premise was that those are not designed for brake cooling.
They are designed to pressurize the wheel well for better aerodynamics across the opening.
Well, it's not a directed flow to a backing plate, so that makes sense when I stop to think about it. But, if it's there to serve a function why defeat the function? Unless there's a good reason not to off the go next weekend!
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      08-29-2010, 01:30 PM   #50
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It does cool the brakes because every time you turn the wheel (which happens often on the track), air goes directly to the brakes. The added piece could serve for another purpose. When you track the car, I did realize less fading through a 25 to 30 minute session with the obstruction removed.

Also I have heard that cars outside of North America don't have this added obstruction.
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      08-29-2010, 04:39 PM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonybest View Post
It does cool the brakes because every time you turn the wheel (which happens often on the track), air goes directly to the brakes. The added piece could serve for another purpose. When you track the car, I did realize less fading through a 25 to 30 minute session with the obstruction removed.

Also I have heard that cars outside of North America don't have this added obstruction.
i agree that the plastic pieces look riveted on and probably aren't designed to be there. the front brake ducts are definitely to help with the cooling of the brakes. am hypothesizing if air is being forced downwards by the forward rotation of the front wheels, hence moving at increased speeds and thus being at a lower pressure. this would mean increased downforce = traction by the higher pressure air that sits above the brake duct outlets in the front wheel wells.

i'll have them properly removed in a couple of weekends since they really look tacked on when peering through the front brake ducts. not to mention it'll be beneficial for the brakes.
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      08-29-2010, 09:26 PM   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonybest View Post
It is plastic. Rumors has it that it's only in North America that it is half covered. BMW didn't want to have ridiculous lawsuits from *ahem* USA owners because so much crap may go in through those ducts in winter and can screw up the braking capacity.
Just checked realoem. Part numbers are the same for european and US models, if that means anything.

51118044701
51118044702

Perhaps a Euro M coupe owner could verify with a picture?
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      05-16-2011, 09:30 AM   #53
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I just came back from an HPDE event at Watkins Glen. Wow What an awesome track.
Right up there with Calabogie and Tremblant. I haven't gone to many tracks yet but will be at Mosport in early June.

I was at The Glen with the Porsche Club / Allegheny region. What a great group of people. Awesome cars to track along with. Too many GT3Rs' and so many race cars too. But I held my own. Got signed off for solo at the end of the 3rd session.

Flat out through the essess is an amazing feeling. My car was performing quite well. I had new OEM brakes and had also installed Vorschlag camber plates. Will be saving on tires hopefully.
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      05-16-2011, 09:55 AM   #54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonybest View Post
I just came back from an HPDE event at Watkins Glen. Wow What an awesome track.
Right up there with Calabogie and Tremblant. I haven't gone to many tracks yet but will be at Mosport in early June.
The Glen is my favorite track. (Though I haven't been to any of the Canadian tracks... yet!) I have over 30 days up there and always manage to find different approaches to many of the corners. For example, my approach to Turn 6 changed completely a few weeks ago when I was up there for 3 days. I used to go in way earlier than I did this time around and would use the camber near the apex. But going in WAY later (like, insanely late) lets you use both the camber and the downward slope to gain a good amount more exit speed.


Also, about that brake duct covering thingy... my theory on why it's here is that without it road grime does get sucked in a bit more and makes a racket in the fender well. I noticed hearing rocks clanking around a lot more once it was removed. Obviously a non-issue to remove it...
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      05-16-2011, 02:42 PM   #55
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Tony, are you still running the Star Specs on the track?
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      05-16-2011, 02:57 PM   #56
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonybest View Post
I just came back from an HPDE event at Watkins Glen. Wow What an awesome track.
Right up there with Calabogie and Tremblant. I haven't gone to many tracks yet but will be at Mosport in early June.
......
Sounds great!!!
'The Glen' is definitely on my must do list.

What event are you doing at Mosport?
It would be great to hook up if possible.
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      05-16-2011, 03:10 PM   #57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Finnegan View Post
Tony, are you still running the Star Specs on the track?
Yes I do and I absolutely love 'em. During a typical lap, the tires and I are having a conversation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by inTgr8r View Post
Sounds great!!!
'The Glen' is definitely on my must do list.

What event are you doing at Mosport?
It would be great to hook up if possible.
BMW Trillium on June 4th and 5th.

check out the Track Thread
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      05-16-2011, 06:27 PM   #58
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonybest View Post
Yes I do and I absolutely love 'em. During a typical lap, the tires and I are having a conversation.


That's what Skelekitty's instructor said to her once she started carrying a decent amount of speed into the corners--"good, you're having a conversation with your tires".

Got to get me a set before my next track day. Mine Sumitomo's (what came with the car) were talking too, but also telling me "listen buddy, we're not track tires, and if you keep doing this we're going to go past greasy and to on to a full melt". I like them for street and they're pretty good in the wet, but they're not up to track work.

Last edited by Finnegan; 06-04-2011 at 05:45 PM.. Reason: "Bad" emoticon grammar
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      06-04-2011, 04:43 PM   #59
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1st day at Mosport. I really love this track. We are so fortunate to have this amount of quality tracks so close. Mosport, Mont-Tremblant, Calabogie... and a little farther... Watkins Glen.

1st and 2nd session under pouring rain. 3rd and 4th on the bone dry.
not only do I have to learn the proper line, but I had to learn 3 other lines based on the conditions. So much data in my brain right now. Exhausted.

This track is so very hilly. And so fast. It isn't hard on the brakes.

Tomorrow is another day. I can't wait.

Mosport is set in a very beautiful area.
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      06-04-2011, 04:48 PM   #60
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I have a great instructor. SHE's very finicky but I know I am improving lots. She will make me take a corner a lower speed every time around until I finally master it. Then and only then I can ramp up speed. The amount of point bys I needed to give today was insane.

Tires are doing quite well. I think the camber plates from TC Kline are helping out on the even wear.
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      06-04-2011, 05:53 PM   #61
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonybest View Post
1st day at Mosport. I really love this track. We are so fortunate to have this amount of quality tracks so close. Mosport, Mont-Tremblant, Calabogie... and a little farther... Watkins Glen.

1st and 2nd session under pouring rain. 3rd and 4th on the bone dry.
not only do I have to learn the proper line, but I had to learn 3 other lines based on the conditions. So much data in my brain right now. Exhausted.

This track is so very hilly. And so fast. It isn't hard on the brakes.

Tomorrow is another day. I can't wait.

Mosport is set in a very beautiful area.


I've found nothing as mentally taxing as driving on the track. Like you said, it produces a unique form of exhaustion. But it's so much fun, and it's a good exhaustion.

Sounds like you are learning a lot! 'Kitty has an instructor this time out again but I don't (was going to put some seat time in to reinforce what I learned last time out). So I'll be taking it a bit easy. I need to do some research (or hit up Kitty after the first session) on wet lines....

That sounds like a very fun and exciting track!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonybest View Post
I have a great instructor. SHE's very finicky but I know I am improving lots. She will make me take a corner a lower speed every time around until I finally master it. Then and only then I can ramp up speed. The amount of point bys I needed to give today was insane.

Tires are doing quite well. I think the camber plates from TC Kline are helping out on the even wear.
Alignment settings now? Up to -3.0 front? I'll be running -2.5 front this time out zero toe; -1.8 rear (Monday), with Star Specs (235/265) on the stock wheels. Would have loved to put 245/275s on some Apex wheels, but we blew the budget on safety stuff (better helmets, shoes, gloves).

Sounds like you have a great instructor! Mine did the same thing the last time out, slowed me way the heck down until I got the line right on each corner. Got to point quite a few people by too (good exercise for my left arm). But I was much faster by the end of the day and had several perfect laps (braking/line perfect) the last two sessions. Not "fastest", but building a foundation for getting faster! Sounds like you are too!

Enjoy Tony! Great to hear from you!

Last edited by Finnegan; 06-04-2011 at 08:55 PM..
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      06-04-2011, 09:41 PM   #62
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonybest View Post
I have a great instructor. SHE's very finicky but I know I am improving lots. She will make me take a corner a lower speed every time around until I finally master it. Then and only then I can ramp up speed. The amount of point bys I needed to give today was insane.

Tires are doing quite well. I think the camber plates from TC Kline are helping out on the even wear.
Tony, I think this covers it:

Why we go to the Track:

"The reality is that the line between a butt-puckering near-miss and a life-altering event is absolutely razor thin. We put ourselves in a
thousand potentially disastrous situations during every lap around the track. Our brains and our bodies are constantly dealing with a flood of
sensory input and making decisions and adjustments in real time.
In many way, that's what makes the sport so appealing. That intense level of physical and mental concentration, much like a "runner's high,"
is a powerful narcotic that sinks its hooks into our brains from the moment we clip that first perfect apex."
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      06-05-2011, 06:32 PM   #63
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Tony, a question.

How are your StarSpecs holding up, especially with all that track time?

I wore out my current (DW) tires and seriously looking at the StarSpecs.
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      06-05-2011, 06:58 PM   #64
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FYI, Tire Rack has an 80 dollar rebate on Star Specs right now.

I'm interested in what Tony has to say on the longevity. 'Kitty's have about 6/32 left after 9K miles and two track days (granted she wasn't thrashing them the first couple of times out).

Ship, are you thinking about a set for the summer/track and one for the winter (like DWS)?
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      06-05-2011, 07:19 PM   #65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shipkiller View Post
Tony, a question.

How are your StarSpecs holding up, especially with all that track time?

I wore out my current (DW) tires and seriously looking at the StarSpecs.
While you're at it, consider looking at Hankook RS-3s. I got about 10k out of them with 5 track days and 20-30 autox runs on my S2k.
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      06-05-2011, 07:50 PM   #66
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I was one click away from buying the StarSpecs from TireRack today, but I am now looking into Niito NT-05's. I am going to upgrade to 245/275 from 235/265.

The $80.00 rebate was almost the clincher... but the NT-05's are cheaper still..

Decisions, Decisions ......
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