What's the best setup to learn
 

Hey guys,

I started doing track days and autocross this year. For first track day, I went with all stock car, for 2nd track day I did ferodo pads DS2500, SRF brake fluid, camber bolts, and alignment (camber front -2.4,-2.4 rear -1.4,1.6, toe front 0 rear 0.1). I did car control clinic on that and then one autocross.

I don't want to be the fastest guy on track or even have fastest twin. My main objective is to learn to control oversteer, learn the limits. I assume lower the limits are the better (safer). I was thinking about getting 17"x8" wheels and 225 tires like hankook RS4 or GT radial SX2 just for consistent performance during laps.

I have been debating about getting ohlins road and track with ohlins camber plates in future for the direct feel they supposed to give.

I use this car as a daily but I am not dependent on it, I also have another car but trying to keep this usable for road as well. I do not have set budget, I am doing as many events I can, not limited by budget but time. Not looking for any power mods in particular.

Thoughts?

I would just spend more time at the track. You probably don't need much in the way of modifications

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Thanks.

I do think current mods helped it be a little better. For future, tires are going to wear out sometime. The reason I am considering wheels is I would much prefer 17" wheels, the cost is very minor after factoring in I can sell 18" wheels plus I assume tires would be cheaper for every following change. I would be looking for low grip but consistent tire.

Ohlins are just in back of mind.

As was already said, more track time. The great thing about our cars is that they do really well in stock form. The mods that people do are because they are either really serious about their track time or they are really serious about modifying their cars. More seat time will help you decide which of those people you are if not both of those people.

My thought has been to drive the car as-is until I can see that the car is limiting me.

How do you know that the car is limiting you? If you can run the same track/s on a regular basis, with time and coaching, your lap times will drop. Usually, in some big chunks initially. When you start to plateau, that is when you want to start looking at the car's performance.

Once you see that plateau, start reviewing the coaching and the laps that you have already done. What areas seem to keep coming up? Do your coaches comment on braking a lot? If so, maybe you can not feel some of what they are describing because you need bads that give a better feel? Do they talk alot about getting the front tires loaded up more as you turn. Perhaps that's an indication that you need to address some understeer in the car. Whatever the case may be, focus on your skills first, and then you will know when the car becomes the limiting factor.

A better car can make it easier for you to go faster. However, there is far more to learn by you making a lesser car go fast.

Go fast, take chances.

What about tires though? Would you suggest get PS4 again when these wear out probably end of this year?

To clarify, I am not saying car is limiting me neither I am saying I want to make car more capable. I believe GT radial have even less grip than PS4 but stay consistent in performance after heating. More camber in front meant more oversteer at lower speed making it easier for me to learn my objective.

I am neither. I did brakes for safety, I did camber bolts to lessen tire wear, lessen understeer that BRZ has. For tires, 17" are cheaper and comfortable, 225 has more options that's why I am looking at after market wheels, it would make ride better as well. The tires I am looking at have slightly less grip than stock pilot sport 4 as well, looking at those options as they seem to be better for learning.

I would definitely upgrade brake pads to a more track oriented pad when you start melting the DS2500s (won't be long)


225 RS4s are a great choice for a general lapping tire, though they're not very good in the wet at all.

Thanks. Not good in wet would be a big deal breaker in PNW area, especially for track day. Would pilot 4S be able to be consistent for 20 min session?

I'd point you to the Conti ECS for a good rain tire, daily, and able to do some track time. Also some autocross too. 225 on an 8" is solid for learning, plus tire costs.

They're really good for a street and rain tire, but won't be the fastest out there on track days / autocross, but I get that's not you're going for anyways.

As far as the rest of your setup - it's completely fine. The DS2500's are likely not going to be great longer term as you get more advanced on the track. They're great for the street and autocross for their modulation, but aren't intended to be a track pad.

The camber is great - you'll need that for tire wear. I'd keep it simple and don't do a bunch of other modifications. Eventually the suspension will wear out and then you can consider if you do want to get something like coilovers and get more advanced, or get some type of a stock-ish replacement strut/shock and refresh some bushings.

Start by leaving everything alone and go autocrossing a bunch until you can correct any driving mistakes and show improvement on your times.

Then, figure out what the car needs that is limiting you from being faster.

When you start to add modifications, do one mod at a time and then go drive the s**t out of the car to determine what are the new limits of the car (and your driving).

Tried autocross, while it was fun, it was big waste of time. I spent 1.5 hour to go there, 2.5 hours of seating and 1.5 hour drive back for 7 minutes of seat time. I don't want to do that again. I can spend money but not time.

I don't want to make car faster, that was my whole point. I want to make myself a better driver with lower risk (that's why I am looking at low grip but consistent tires). I want to keep limits low and approachable, so that I don't chase mods, as once I put grippy 200rw tire, I would need brakes and then I would need track oriented coilovers, oil cooling and then reliability issues as I am pushing car way above it's limit.

Unfortunately, auto-x is one of the best places to learn car control in safe place. Try looking for other groups that put events on, and don't completely toss auto-x out the window. Also try and find the smaller events, as some regions have one or two "big events" with large turn outs and then many small events where you can get more seat time.

You could also consider trying drifting, many of those groups do intro to drifting events where you will learn to better control the car when in an "oversteer" condition.

Thanks. Not tossing autocross yet, I found a one day school with hopefully I get more seat time. Definitely I enjoyed those 6 laps/7 minutes of driving, used track mode without worrying.

I looked in to drifting before as well and found open drift event but not classes. Seems like that's the way to go. Do rally classes help?