Got a track related question? I'll try to answer.

[treedodger]

I used this:
Heatshield Products 340001 Thermaflect Tape 1-1/2" Wide x 3'
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GJQAK0/
and I used stainless steel safety wire to help hold it in place on the lower ball joint.
I used this to cover the wheel speed sensor.:
https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Tape...dp/B01FROBUXE/
After a 20 months, it's still in place.

I've been running GT Radial SX2's (TW260). A stickier tire will generate a higher heat load on the brakes.

[slowmow]

All,

I've searched here and the web generally, and see lots of good advice about not using summer tires in temperatures below 45F, 40F, or freezing, depending on who's answering.

My question is about track days - I'm in a situation where an upcoming track day will like start near 40F degrees, and heat up to 50-55F during the day. Is it better to bite the bullet and get some cheapish A/S tires just for this, or use the summer tires because they are going to heat up plenty anyways? Sorry, this is such a noob question - last year was my first at the track and I was on A/S tires at the beginning of the season.

Thanks for your advice...

[14stu]

Originally Posted by slowmow

All,

I've searched here and the web generally, and see lots of good advice about not using summer tires in temperatures below 45F, 40F, or freezing, depending on who's answering.

My question is about track days - I'm in a situation where an upcoming track day will like start near 40F degrees, and heat up to 50-55F during the day. Is it better to bite the bullet and get some cheapish A/S tires just for this, or use the summer tires because they are going to heat up plenty anyways? Sorry, this is such a noob question - last year was my first at the track and I was on A/S tires at the beginning of the season.

Thanks for your advice...

Your summer tires will be fine. Summer tires don't do great when it's cold but that's mostly due to chemical changes in the compounds at low temps. At the track, you'll get em up to temperature and the ambient doesn't really matter.

I've had no problems running Hankook RS4's or Bridgestone RE71r's at track or autox events where the low temperatures started out near or occasionally below freezing.

[slowmow]

Awesome, thanks 14stu!!!

[peaches]

Originally Posted by slowmow

All,

I've searched here and the web generally, and see lots of good advice about not using summer tires in temperatures below 45F, 40F, or freezing, depending on who's answering.

My question is about track days - I'm in a situation where an upcoming track day will like start near 40F degrees, and heat up to 50-55F during the day. Is it better to bite the bullet and get some cheapish A/S tires just for this, or use the summer tires because they are going to heat up plenty anyways? Sorry, this is such a noob question - last year was my first at the track and I was on A/S tires at the beginning of the season.

Thanks for your advice...

Tires do work if you use them well (get them hot), I run with people who use slicks in that weather and they're fine. One of the reasons people advise against it is because the low temps affect the rubber itself, which in turn will reduce the efficient life of the tire. The tire will still have tread but the compound will get hard. Hard tires are less sticky.

Now that doesn't mean that after doing that once your tires are done, it means that the compound will degrade a bit faster. If you wear out the tires within the season then it's not a problem at all. If you expect the tires to last 2 or 3 seasons AND you keep doing that, then they just won't perform as well by season 2.

This is why people who live in cold areas keep their slicks inside (not in the garage) during the winter, to avoid exposure to the cold temps. It just reduces the life span.

[HaXx]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I drive flat out.

How many times more effective is an oiler cooler at keeping engine oil temps down vs a seibon FA hood on a jrsc c30 for novice track duty/260whp? Is the hood scoop cooling effect negligable compared to a dedicated oil cooler?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by HaXx

How many times more effective is an oiler cooler at keeping engine oil temps down vs a seibon FA hood on a jrsc c30 for novice track duty/260whp? Is the hood scoop cooling effect negligable compared to a dedicated oil cooler?

Infinitely. A hook scoop does nothing by itself to cool the oil.

[deca]

Last year was my first season of autox and track days, I ran 225 Continental ECS with TRD springs and front camber bolts. Front camber unfortunately capped at 1 degree and I believe the rear was sitting very close to 2 degrees on both sides. For the coming season I picked up a set of Verus camber plates and am planning to run 225 Hankook RS4s with 3 degrees in the front.

My question is what should I realistically expect from this change? I know that the tires will have significantly more grip, but with the alignment will I still experience the same terminal understeer at a higher limit or will the handling shift to be more neutral or even go toward oversteer?

[14stu]

Originally Posted by deca

Last year was my first season of autox and track days, I ran 225 Continental ECS with TRD springs and front camber bolts. Front camber unfortunately capped at 1 degree and I believe the rear was sitting very close to 2 degrees on both sides. For the coming season I picked up a set of Verus camber plates and am planning to run 225 Hankook RS4s with 3 degrees in the front.

My question is what should I realistically expect from this change? I know that the tires will have significantly more grip, but with the alignment will I still experience the same terminal understeer at a higher limit or will the handling shift to be more neutral or even go toward oversteer?

Understeer/oversteer is more of a function of toe than camber. The added grip will be nice (RS4's are good but not great autox tires, they are fantastic track tires though). You should see less camber wear and a little better handling (most will probably be a placebo effect, but there might be some actual gains).

[deca]

Originally Posted by 14stu

Understeer/oversteer is more of a function of toe than camber. The added grip will be nice (RS4's are good but not great autox tires, they are fantastic track tires though). You should see less camber wear and a little better handling (most will probably be a placebo effect, but there might be some actual gains).

Yeah I've read that the RS4s don't really heat up fast enough for autox runs, but track is definitely my main priority. I'd like to eventually be time attacking.

My toe was zero front and very minimal toe in on the rear. Should I zero out the back if I'd like the car to rotate more or would I have to start going toe out on the front?

EDIT: dug out my alignment sheet, looks like it was .02 degrees toe out in front and .08 degrees toe in rear.

[14stu]

Originally Posted by deca

Yeah I've read that the RS4s don't really heat up fast enough for autox runs, but track is definitely my main priority. I'd like to eventually be time attacking.

My toe was zero front and very minimal toe in on the rear. Should I zero out the back if I'd like the car to rotate more or would I have to start going toe out on the front?

Toe out in the front helps with turn-in while zero toe or toe out in the rear makes the back rotate more freely. I wouldn't recommend any rear toe out (or definitely any more than like 1/16th).

It all depends on what you are trying to fix and what handling characteristics you're chasing. I like a slight toe out in the front and neutral toe in the rear, car turn in well and rotates more than enough for autox without becoming too much of a handful at the track (I've also got just over -3* front and -2* rear camber, just for reference).

I run RE71r for autox and RS4's for the track. The RE71r is faster than the RS4 at autox by a noticeable amount and is faster at the track for the first 3 or so laps. After 3 laps the RE71r is greasy and the RS4 is still banging out supper consistent laps. The RS4 lasts 2-3x as long at the track (my last set made it to 20 trackdays) than the RE71r, which can be ruined in a single day if you overheat them and just keep beating on them (I wore a sticker set down to the wear bars in one day).

[deca]

Originally Posted by 14stu

Toe out in the front helps with turn-in while zero toe or toe out in the rear makes the back rotate more freely. I wouldn't recommend any rear toe out (or definitely any more than like 1/16th).

It all depends on what you are trying to fix and what handling characteristics you're chasing. I like a slight toe out in the front and neutral toe in the rear, car turn in well and rotates more than enough for autox without becoming too much of a handful at the track (I've also got just over -3* front and -2* rear camber, just for reference).

I run RE71r for autox and RS4's for the track. The RE71r is faster than the RS4 at autox by a noticeable amount and is faster at the track for the first 3 or so laps. After 3 laps the RE71r is greasy and the RS4 is still banging out supper consistent laps. The RS4 lasts 2-3x as long at the track (my last set made it to 20 trackdays) than the RE71r, which can be ruined in a single day if you overheat them and just keep beating on them (I wore a sticker set down to the wear bars in one day).

What kind of toe values are you looking at for the front? Is it dramatic enough that it would be a problem for tire wear on a street driven car? I don't mind buying a new set of tires each season and keep the car in the garage as long as salt is out.

I think I'd mostly just like to neutralize the handling so it doesn't feel quite as much like the front gives up so much quicker than the rears. I don't want the back end to start flying all over the place and get myself into trouble, but I think I'd like the car to just rotate a little easier and be able to get the back out without having to force it quite so hard.

[14stu]

Originally Posted by deca

What kind of toe values are you looking at for the front? Is it dramatic enough that it would be a problem for tire wear on a street driven car? I don't mind buying a new set of tires each season and keep the car in the garage as long as salt is out.

I think I'd mostly just like to neutralize the handling so it doesn't feel quite as much like the front gives up so much quicker than the rears. I don't want the back end to start flying all over the place and get myself into trouble, but I think I'd like the car to just rotate a little easier and be able to get the back out without having to force it quite so hard.

I've got an eighth of an inch out in front and neutral in the back, but you have to balance with the rest of your suspension to make the whole setup work as a system. I don't notice any toe wear during daily driving, but I don't have much of a commute and often drive on my autox/track tires during the week when I've got events on back to back weekends.

Depending on the course and conditions, one end will almost always lose grip first. Front end push can be a setup problem or an input issue, as can midcorner/exit oversteer.

Try it out, there are lots of places that have deals where you can do multiple alignments for a set price, or you can try with the string method. Try a couple of setups and see what works for you.

[strat61caster]

I found the car to be very neutral with stock everything except -3 degrees camber up front and -1.5 degrees rear, zero toe front and slight toe in rear. If you're stuck with -2 or more rear more camber up front to balance imho.