Quote:
Originally Posted by Turbowned
Brake pads: are the OE pads sufficient for track use or should I get a different set and swap them in and out when I get to the track? If so, recommendations on pads for extended weekend use?
Fluid: should I leave the OE fluid in for my first weekend or flush with something like RBF600 right off the bat?
Hoses: standard OK or stainless braided a must?
Engine oil: I probably should've searched on this one, but to be honest, 0W20 scares the crap out of me. It looks like water when it's at room temperature; does it really protect the engine when it gets hot? Does anyone use a higher viscosity like 5W30? I'm coming from German cars which all use 0W40/5W40 so perhaps I'm just paranoid. I plan to change my oil after each lapping weekend; any reason not to?
Oil cooler: I've read elsewhere it's a must. So unless anyone tells me otherwise I'll probably be getting one. Is it possible to move the temp sensor somewhere before the cooler to get a more accurate temperature reading?
Tires: I've elected to go with Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R in the standard size. I work for Bridgestone and get a 50% employee discount so there is no better cost option other than the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 which is marginally cheaper at a 35% discount to me. I am wondering if it would be worthwhile to go to a 225/45R17 instead of a 215, however?
Wheels: I will use my stock Perf Pack wheels and might consider getting a second set of wheels to bring in case I wipe out a set of tires during a weekend or get a puncture. Enkei RPF1 seems like the best cost-to-weight ratio out there. Would it be worthwhile to get a wider wheel like 17x8" instead of 17x7"? I guess that may depend on whether I go with a 215 or 225 section tire, no?
Suspension: I'm trying to keep the car as close to stock as possible and focus on driver mod until I literally cannot go faster on the current setup, but are there any must-do's like camber bolts or something that would be inexpensive and improve the car's on-track character before I get comfortable with the stock setup? I was thinking of waiting until next year to do springs, sway bars/endlinks, camber bolts, and wheel spacers.
Safety: I had planned to get a fire extinguisher and mount it in front of the passenger seat. Any other basic safety equipment I should consider for the car?
Anything else I might be missing? Thanks everyone!  |
Considering you mention having 50 minute sessions, and that you already have some track experience, normal advice may not suffice for your usage case.
Brake pads: Winmax W5 or equivalent brake pad is where I would start. I personally find them a bit overkill for my application but I only have 30 minute sessions. Someone mentioned the GT brake ducts, get those if you find you are managing to get pad fade before you step up to something more aggressive.
Fluid: RBF600 is the minimum I'd consider for a track day. It's cheap and it will hold up fine for the track day but you'll have to perform a partial bleed after every event to restore a solid pedal which gets old fast. On the other end of the spectrum, the high end fluids will run $90/litre but you flush once at the beginning of the season and you're good until next year. I ran RBF600 my first 2 years doing track and switch to Castrol SRF React last year and was very impressed with it and I still daily drive on the original flush I did last year.
Hoses: As others have said, no need to waste money here.
Engine oil: The manual recommends using a 5W30 for extreme use. I run 5W30 during the summer and switch to 0W20 in the winter.
Oil cooler: Considering your use, I would definitely invest in one.
Tires: Considering the discounts available to you, your options are somewhat limited compared to others. Purely anecdotal but I'm on Hankook RS3 and a guy with a Nissan 350Z on RE71r passed me like I was standing still early in the session but I caught up to him and overtook him about 5 laps later after he overheated his tires. If you're chasing lap times, RE71r is unbeatable in it's class but if you want to build consistency, a more consistent tire might be better. Of course, running a tire like this will also teach you more about tire heat management which is an important skill in itself and is why I'm planning to run a tire like this when I finish off my RS3s which have helped me build some consistency.
Wheels: At this stage, sizing depends on what you plan to do with the car. If you just want to go on track and keep costs down, I think going for a 17x7 with 215/45 is a good idea. If you are going to do 86cup or SSC then a 17x8 with 225/45 is good. If you want to go as fast as possible or go STX, maybe get a 17x9 with 245/40 now so you don't need to get one later. Note that you can safely fit a 245/40 on a 17x8 wheel with a bit of pinch so you can still run that size of wheel and be competitive in STX although you may lose a bit of response and feel from the tire compared to running it on a 17x9.
A note about the PP Brembos: Most RPF1s won't fit over the Brembos, I think the 17x8 +45 is the only one that will IIRC. That said, they are such a popular wheel that I personally don't care to run them when there are compelling alternatives in the same weight/price category with better brake clearance like Konig Hypergram, 949 6UL, Apex Arc-8 and 720form GTF1 to name a few off the top of my head.
Suspension: As others have said, start with some camber bolts and get as much negative camber up front as you can but be aware that it's not going to be enough for even tire wear. Most people report needing at least -3f/-2r for even tire wear which isn't possible with bolts alone. You either need camber plates or lowering springs to reach -3 in the front. Most people get springs when the wheel gap starts killing them a little inside lol. Rear lower control arms will be required to adjust rear camber too. I'd vote to just get a set of rear control arms now along with the bolts so you can make those adjustments now and not have to worry about it later. I've used the SPC arms just fine for the last 3 years.
Safety: Go for it, additional safety is never a bad idea.