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

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

That's more seat time than I get.

Seat time is king; I'd recommend getting a datalogger and a camera or two, so you can study and analyze your own driving between track days.

This. I wish I reviewed video from my recent Laguna Seca trip during the event. Normally I would, but I didn't because I'll likely never drive it ago (it's a wee bit of a drive from Florida - and we had a much better time drinking mass quantities of :beer: ). Watching the video I saw multiple seconds of time I could have gained.

[Mad_Mike]

Originally Posted by BBYZILA

Not my daily driver, i have a RAV4 in addition, but when there is no snow i tend to drive it almost everyday . I drive my RAV in the winter with appropriate winter wheels, FRS stays garaged.

I plan to attend 3-5 track days per season, its quite an expensive hobby..

I think after doing some thinking and researching, I've determined that my skills have not improved enough to a point where I need stickier tires or lighter wheels. BUT i would still appreciate your advice for when I do get to that point.

Thanks in advance!

ALSO: I cannot find a place that sells 17X9 RPF1 5x100 with a 35mm offset, they ONLY carry 45mm offsets. I read these rub, and i would have to purchase spacers.. so why not do them right and get the 35mm offsets to begin with?

+45 only rubs if you have springs or a bad alignment.
If you have coilovers and get an alignment with some negative camber up front they will not rub. +45 won't fit a bbk though.

I believe ft86speedfactory and OAKOS sells +35, I'm sure there are others.

[Mad_Mike]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

.

Mike, I'm new to diagnosing when to upgrade / replace brake pads / rotors and was hoping for your advice on what I'm seeing in in the following pictures. This is after a pdx at Sebring (2nd pdx on the pads and fluid with a few months city driving in between). Carbotech xp10 f/r motul rbf600. I have titanium shims on the front, not the rear. I did not notice any fade that I could tell on the track. 245/40 rs3s on 17x9.

Rear:


Front:


Both driver and passenger sides look the same.

Thanks in advance.

[Deep Six]

Need some non 86 advice pertaining to a 91 300zx that we are currently outfitting for Chump car. Looking to replace the shocks but the rules forbid external adjustability which takes out yellows. I looked on the Nissan forums but there is a void of knowledge overthere.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Deep Six

Need some non 86 advice pertaining to a 91 300zx that we are currently outfitting for Chump car. Looking to replace the shocks but the rules forbid external adjustability which takes out yellows. I looked on the Nissan forums but there is a void of knowledge overthere.

Do you want replacements or do you want to "cheat"?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Mad_Mike

Mike, I'm new to diagnosing when to upgrade / replace brake pads / rotors and was hoping for your advice on what I'm seeing in in the following pictures. This is after a pdx at Sebring (2nd pdx on the pads and fluid with a few months city driving in between). Carbotech xp10 f/r motul rbf600. I have titanium shims on the front, not the rear. I did not notice any fade that I could tell on the track. 245/40 rs3s on 17x9.

Rear:


Front:


Both driver and passenger sides look the same.

Thanks in advance.

Looks like you're overheating the rear slightly, but not terribly. Are you driving with traction control on?

[Mad_Mike]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Looks like you're overheating the rear slightly, but not terribly. Are you driving with traction control on?

Traction control was off all 4 sessions. I did not do pedal dance. Last few laps in last session was in the rain.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Mad_Mike

Traction control was off all 4 sessions. I did not do pedal dance. Last few laps in last session was in the rain.

How many total days do the pads have on them, and how much material is left now?

[Deep Six]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Do you want replacements or do you want to "cheat"?

We are allowed the 2 times rule where you can spend up to twice the cost of an oem part as long as it does not have forbidden functionality.

So........what did you have in mind ?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Deep Six

We are allowed the 2 times rule where you can spend up to twice the cost of an oem part as long as it does not have forbidden functionality.

So........what did you have in mind ?

Oh... something like custom valved non-adjustable bilsteins...

Not gonna be cheap, but ridiculously good and have a well documented "cost" for the actual bilstein damper.

[Mad_Mike]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

How many total days do the pads have on them, and how much material is left now?

I've been dding on them since early april. They have only seen 3 20-minute session at daytona and 4 20-minute sessions at sebring. There seems to be plenty of life left.

[dp1]

Originally Posted by Mad_Mike

I've been dding on them since early april. They have only seen 3 20-minute session at daytona and 4 20-minute sessions at sebring. There seems to be plenty of life left.

Daily driving? They won't get up to optimum operating temps on the street but I have no experience with how much they eat up rotors when cold. I use XP12 and almost exclusively on track, with rare exceptions driving to/from track if I'm not carrying separate track wheels. When heated up properly, they leave a pretty even transfer layer on the rotors.

Per Carbotech:
"...The XP10™ has a very strong initial bite with a coefficient of friction and rotor friendliness unmatched in the industry...Carbotech™ XP10™ is not recommended as a daily-driven street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise."

Doesn't translate to "chews rotors below operating temperatures", pretty common property of track-oriented pads, so hopefully others who used them for daily driving will chime in.

[DocWalt]

Carbotech's pads are notoriously rotor friendly. They've worked VERY well for my track car, I did 2000 miles of driving down to NCM and back a few weeks back with no abnormal wear. Didn't get to go on the track though.... Last summer I went to Pitt Race and back, with no weird wear then either. VERY dusty though, and if the dust gets wet it's going to be VERY well stuck on your wheels and possibly etch the surface.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Mad_Mike

I've been dding on them since early april. They have only seen 3 20-minute session at daytona and 4 20-minute sessions at sebring. There seems to be plenty of life left.

You have plenty of pad left, but did overheat the pad a bit, as indicated by the glazing.