Quick and dirty guide to track prepping your car

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

YMMV. There is no one right use. Most people think our intervals are too long, especially for a car that sees the amount of track testing ours does (virtually every weekend).

For clarity is this mixed track/DD usage? Straight or 90% track usage? More like the average person who uses this as their only car with something like 5/95 track (or hard running)/DD miles?

Would be an awesome endorsement for following what's recommended in the owners manual if you guys are confident, the only issue you guys have really had is the DI seals correct?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

For clarity is this mixed track/DD usage? Straight or 90% track usage? More like the average person who uses this as their only car with something like 5/95 track (or hard running)/DD miles?

Would be an awesome endorsement for following what's recommended in the owners manual if you guys are confident, the only issue you guys have really had is the DI seals correct?

It's mixed usage, but with copious amounts of track testing.

Remember, actual on-track miles are not THAT high, but the load is much higher.

Also, remember that we get our fluids tested, and are, literally, using the most expensive fluids available. If you want to run this kind of interval, DO NOT do it without gtting your fliuds tested at an appropriate lab.

[regandr]

Please let a former Skip Barber school instructor and 30 year SCCA racer (including a regional championship) make a few suggestions :
1. do absolutely nothing to your car before your first NASA or SCCA track day. that's right, nothing.
2. the reason for this advice is you need to experience what your car and YOU can do, right out of the box, before you make any changes
These are fabulous track cars - STOCK !!
Let me give you a real-world example:
I have run 44 track days in my STOCK BRZ. the ONLY mod. to this car is a set of BFG G-Force Rival tires. I regularly run at Miller M.S. Park in SLC with guys who have spent $10000 + on their cars for superchargers, coil-overs, wings, aero skirts, wheels, yadda, yadda. They are all SLOWER than, or only very slightly (in the dry) faster than my STOCK car !! and I am old enough to be all of their fathers !
All of them should have spent their hard earned $$ on a pro drivers school : Skip Barber, Bondurant, etc. and learned how to drive first. Any a__hole can hammer the throttle on the straight. You become smooth, fast and a much better driver in the corners.

[Sleepless]

Fine advice, but this thread is about prepping the car...

[Special_K]

Sorry in advance for being a ****, but why the fuck do you keep saying 4/32" tread instead of just 1/8"?!?!... My inner engineer just died a little bit.

Other than that good writeup though.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Special_K

Sorry in advance for being a ****, but why the fuck do you keep saying 4/32" tread instead of just 1/8"?!?!... My inner engineer just died a little bit.

Other than that good writeup though.

Because tread is measured in 1/32" increments...

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by regandr

Please let a former Skip Barber school instructor and 30 year SCCA racer (including a regional championship) make a few suggestions :
1. do absolutely nothing to your car before your first NASA or SCCA track day. that's right, nothing.
2. the reason for this advice is you need to experience what your car and YOU can do, right out of the box, before you make any changes
These are fabulous track cars - STOCK !!
Let me give you a real-world example:
I have run 44 track days in my STOCK BRZ. the ONLY mod. to this car is a set of BFG G-Force Rival tires. I regularly run at Miller M.S. Park in SLC with guys who have spent $10000 + on their cars for superchargers, coil-overs, wings, aero skirts, wheels, yadda, yadda. They are all SLOWER than, or only very slightly (in the dry) faster than my STOCK car !! and I am old enough to be all of their fathers !
All of them should have spent their hard earned $$ on a pro drivers school : Skip Barber, Bondurant, etc. and learned how to drive first. Any a__hole can hammer the throttle on the straight. You become smooth, fast and a much better driver in the corners.

Not even brake pads?

[Special_K]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Because tread is measured in 1/32" increments...

Even so, do people honestly say they have 16/32" of tread and not just a half inch? I believe the tolerance cutoff is 1/32" not the measurement standard... Anyway, off-topic move along.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Special_K

Even so, do people honestly say they have 16/32" of tread and not just a half inch? I believe the tolerance cutoff is 1/32" not the measurement standard... Anyway, off-topic move along.

Yes, you always say you have 'x/32' tread remaining when referring to tread depth. If you've ever seen a tread depth measurement tool, they are marked in 1/32" increments.

seriously.

Lowest common denominator isn't always faster either.

[stockysnail]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Not even brake pads?

He must not be braking hard enough since my first couple times out I used the stock pads and had lots of fade as they got too hot.

On a side note Mike I have AX6 pads for the rear, but my fronts are shot along with my rotors (new stock rotors already installed). I'd rather just buy new front pads for track days for now until I save up enough for the AP racing endurance kit. I'm assuming XP10 is what you'd recommend for the front on RE-11a tires with 250whp? My rear AX6 pads have lots of life left.

[Special_K]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Yes, you always say you have 'x/32' tread remaining when referring to tread depth. If you've ever seen a tread depth measurement tool, they are marked in 1/32" increments.

seriously.

Lowest common denominator isn't always faster either.

Fair enough, you guys keep doing whatever you do... At my work 1/64 is the smallest common increment, but I know that if I denoted a part as 8/64" instead of 1/8" I'd get slapped from here to next week

[Apex_BRZ]

Originally Posted by Special_K

Fair enough, you guys keep doing whatever you do... At my work 1/64 is the smallest common increment, but I know that if I denoted a part as 8/64" instead of 1/8" I'd get slapped from here to next week

It's not doing whatever we do...it's the way tire industry measures tread depth. I work in the tire industry. It's all I've been doing for 10 years. Tread depth is measured in 32nds, always. Just the way it is and has always been.

Now, if you're measuring distance for something? Well...yeah, no sense in using 16/32, 8/16, 4/8, etc...

[Special_K]

Originally Posted by Apex_BRZ

It's not doing whatever we do...it's the way tire industry measures tread depth. I work in the tire industry. It's all I've been doing for 10 years. Tread depth is measured in 32nds, always. Just the way it is and has always been.

Now, if you're measuring distance for something? Well...yeah, no sense in using 16/32, 8/16, 4/8, etc...

I would say that's the exact definition of "doing whatever you do". Tire guys use 32nds... ergo. keep doing whatever you do.

[zdr93523]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Not even brake pads?

I know @regandr and he only runs upgraded brake fluid and tires. He does a VERY good job of keeping up with me and @enivid, even with his nearly stock car. It is a testament to his skill and experience.

For what it's worth, I have a great pic that my wife took of three of us standing around listening to Don drop knowledge on us. We appreciate his instruction and apply little tidbits of information at every opportunity. My braking has become smoother (my biggest struggle regarding weight transfer is smooth brake release), Andy had a revelation regarding his tire pressures, and I'm not sure what Mike is doing but he sure is thinking hard in the pic!

IMG_4350 by zdr93523, on Flickr


And yea, we spent a lot of money on the cars, but half of the enjoyment in owning these cars is playing with them, whether it is driving or modding. At least we don't have non-functional mods.

@regandr Why don't you compete in TTD and win some tires or brakes or whatever contingency program you want to participate in? What were your times on the West track last month?
@CSG Mike What's the typical time separation between the NA Stock class and FI Super Mod cars in 86 Cup? 8 seconds is about the average from what I can surmise. So, we're not exactly throttle hammering a___holes (like GTR & 911 Turbo drivers) like it has been insinuated.