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01-24-2011, 03:00 AM | #1 |
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Trackday preparation
Hi all,
I have never attended a trackday event ever so pls pardon the newbie questions. I'm seriously thinking of taking my bone stock MC for a trackday session and would like to know if there are some minimum mods that I have to make to ensure a reliable run over a 2 day period. I have heard that upgrades to the braking system (steel hoses, possibly big brake kit) must be made cos the stock system overheats in 2-3 laps. I'm still running the stock contis and I'm not sure if those would be suitable for track work. Do I need to do a full fluid change (engine oil, brake, transmission, diff) before and/or after the event? I'm also worried that the car will develop a whole lot of squeaks and rattles after 2 days of intensive driving... Any input much appreciated! Thanks!
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01-24-2011, 07:00 AM | #2 |
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Honest answer, you don't need to do anything at all for the first time out. If it's an experienced driver behind the wheel, pushing it to eh ragged edge every lap then brake fade might be an issue - otherwise, you'll be fine. First time out you'll have so much to pick up that the stock car will not limit the experience in any way. You might get a rattle here or there but you probably won't - if it's a big concern, probably shouldn't be thinking about tracking it though....
Here I am making comments and I have mods and haven't had the car on a track yet. That said, I have made mods for other reasons, not specifically "so I can track it" - I know several people who do track their cars and perhaps speaking out of turn, I'd say that for the first few times out you'll have no problem what so ever running it as stock. In fact, people will say it's better to run it as stock a few times so that when you do make changes, whatever they may be, you can better judge how they help (tires is a great example - run the stock Conti's till their worn out!! - it won't take long...) Have fun!! What even are you thinking of doing first?
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01-24-2011, 08:00 AM | #3 | |
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Quote:
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01-24-2011, 08:08 AM | #4 |
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Bone stock car is fine on the track.
Change your brake fluid to ATE Super Blue (though you're probably just fine performing a bleed). Check your pads (make sure you have greater than half of the pad thickness left).
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01-24-2011, 09:16 AM | #5 |
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+1 on what the others said
First time out the car stock will outperform the driver for probably your first 1-2 track events. For safety I would recommend putting some good brake fluid in the car and then enjoying the hell out of driving the car like it was meant to be driven. |
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01-24-2011, 09:53 AM | #6 |
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If you haven't changed brake fluid in over 6 months, do that. You don't need to be an expert driver to boil fluid that has been sitting around and absorbing moisture. As others have said, make sure there is enough pad material (should be at least 7mm but that depends on how you drive and the track). I'd also suggest taking it to a trustworthy shop (not a shop that will take your money and do almost nothing) to let them inspect the suspension and other bits to make sure everything is torqued properly unless you are comfortable doing that yourself. These are just safety items. You don't need any performance improvements for your first track day. Also, take a torque wrench and pressure gauge with you and re-torque your wheels and check tire pressures before each session. Shoot for ~40psi hot.
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01-24-2011, 10:39 AM | #7 |
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i took my m coupe to the track for the first time in aug last year, and it was completely stock (including oem continentals) apart from a zeckhausen cdv swap. did 4 sessions of 22 minutes each on a 1.8 mile road course with 15 turns and relatively moderate speeds (110mph max) with half an hour breaks in-between each session. dsc was on for my first 2 sessions and off thereafter.
as everyone has already said prior, bone stock all oem parts will definitely be sufficient. just have a tech check over ur car to make sure safety-wise it'll hold together fine. obtain a helmet and remove anything not secured in the car before heading out onto the track. u will want to add maybe 1 to 2 psi to the tires, and as reference, i use 32psi front and 30psi rear at cold, completely undriven, temperatures, for non-track use. so maybe 34psi front and 32psi rear for cold tire temperatures as a baseline. unless ur oem pads and rotors are severely worn or produce vibrations, u will be fine. i experienced brake fade late in my 3rd and 4th sessions as well as the stock continentals losing traction. make sure u have sufficient tread depth remaining on ur tires as well. if u haven't changed oil in the last year, or the last 6000 miles or so, might be a good idea to get ur oil changed prior. |
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01-24-2011, 10:29 PM | #8 |
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Thanks all for the comments and input.
I will probably just get braided brake lines since these do not cost too much and is something that should go on eventually. Was also thinking of getting better tyres but I think I'll hold off on these since there is plenty of thread left in the OEM Contis. How do the Contis compare to the more current offerings such as Dunlop star specs? I was also searching around for a stiffer sway bar but came up with nothing other than the ground control bars which were originally intended for the M3. I've noted that some members here have encountered fitment issues. Are there any other alternatives?
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01-25-2011, 07:15 AM | #9 |
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The car is perfectly capable in stock form and I'd suggest you track it as such before you start putting money and time in mods. The car, stock, is well beyond an intermediate driver's abilities.
The Contis are ok but don't compare at all to the star specs.
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01-25-2011, 08:52 AM | #10 |
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Don't get ahead of yourself with mods that may or may not help you until you learn the limits of the car with the equipment you have. Brake lines aren't a bad idea, especially if you're going to be in there anyway checking out the pad thickness and doing a fluid flush. Sway bars will likely be completely unnecessary for quite some time.
Star Specs are a great tire with plenty of grip, but the Contis will help show you your mistakes quicker when you're first learning to drive. Once you've got the handling characteristics of the car figured out at the limits, then you can move those limits out with |
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