Track spec BRZ

[Levibrz]

Hello, I'm new here, I some have questions regarding my desire to make my car track ready.(disregard budget)

Ive done a fair bit of digging trying to find exactly what Im asking but I ahvnt had much luck.

Im currently completely stock and am wondering where I should start.

I've been reading that smaller wheels such as 15's or 16's are great for track due to the better unsprung mass, and a tire pair to match with respect to the brz's stock weight distribution(unless it's not as important). This would be a separate set of wheels and tires specifically for the track.

Suspensions upgrades;(Control arms, shocks, springs, tie-rods, brake components, sway bar, and anything else I Amy be missing.)

Basically whatever is necessary to make the car as track capable as it can be.

thanks:

Sorry if this is a lot or phrased oddly!

[CSG Mike]

Check out:

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25485

[Grady]

What? I thought it was Turbo it first, then blow engine and complain about how shitty the FA20 is?

[NoHaveMSG]

I thought it was ask how to get faster, get told seat time. Ask same question 3 years later and not be happy with the answer.

[blsfrs]

IMHO: The only things you need for you first 10 track days are: Track pads (I use Carbotect xp8s), High temp brake fluid (Mutel 600), Summer radial tires (Hancook Ventus). Most folks still recommend oil coolers (except that one guy on the east coast). I use a HANS hybrid because I'm old and don't want to damage my neck in case I screw up.

[Qwimby1]

You don't mention how much track experience you have. That would figure into the things you'd want to have going to the track. I think it's generally agreed that it's not a good idea to put these cars on the track without an oil cooler. I would add to that an oil pressure and oil temperature gauge. I absolutely wouldn't want to be out there without those.


Then of course the minimum standard stuff applies: track pads, freshly bled breaks with the proper fluid, a thorough pre-track inspection of running gear, hoses, belts, coolant, check for leaks and anything loose.


If you're just starting out, my advice would be to wait and then add the suspension upgrades you mention incrementally. You'll benefit if you learn to get the most out of the car that you can in stock form, and there aren't many of us who can do even that. As you progress, tack on some new stuff. IMO, one of the cheapest, easiest and best early mods you can make is bigger sway bars. You'd be surprised how much they add, and there's no tradeoff.


Another thing that most people might not think of is five-point belts. I think our existing seats are exceptional, at least for me, and belts that hold you in place make your driving measurably easier and more efficient. One of the best drivers I ever had the misfortune to run against, improved his lap times on virtually every track we ran merely by changing the seat he used. Dedicated track tires and wheels would be near the top of my list as well.


Just one man's opinion FWIW.

[blsfrs]

Originally Posted by Qwimby1

You don't mention how much track experience you have. That would figure into the things you'd want to have going to the track. I think it's generally agreed that it's not a good idea to put these cars on the track without an oil cooler. I would add to that an oil pressure and oil temperature gauge. I absolutely wouldn't want to be out there without those.


Then of course the minimum standard stuff applies: track pads, freshly bled breaks with the proper fluid, a thorough pre-track inspection of running gear, hoses, belts, coolant, check for leaks and anything loose.


If you're just starting out, my advice would be to wait and then add the suspension upgrades you mention incrementally. You'll benefit if you learn to get the most out of the car that you can in stock form, and there aren't many of us who can do even that. As you progress, tack on some new stuff. IMO, one of the cheapest, easiest and best early mods you can make is bigger sway bars. You'd be surprised how much they add, and there's no tradeoff.


Another thing that most people might not think of is five-point belts. I think our existing seats are exceptional, at least for me, and belts that hold you in place make your driving measurably easier and more efficient. One of the best drivers I ever had the misfortune to run against, improved his lap times on virtually every track we ran merely by changing the seat he used. Dedicated track tires and wheels would be near the top of my list as well.


Just one man's opinion FWIW.

One comment on seats and seat belts. I was in a DE2 classroom session and a young fella was quite perturbed because his in-car instructor asked him to use his car's 3 point instead of the 5 point that he had for the driver only. The passenger seat had 3 point restrain. The classroom instructor said that he would have refused to ride with that student for what should have been obvious reasons. The young fella didn't seem to understand the concept.
The moral of this story is to provide your passenger/instructor with the same level of safety that you give yourself.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by blsfrs

One comment on seats and seat belts. I was in a DE2 classroom session and a young fella was quite perturbed because his in-car instructor asked him to use his car's 3 point instead of the 5 point that he had for the driver only. The passenger seat had 3 point restrain. The classroom instructor said that he would have refused to ride with that student for what should have been obvious reasons. The young fella didn't seem to understand the concept.
The moral of this story is to provide your passenger/instructor with the same level of safety that you give yourself.

That is pretty common. I think every group that offers instruction has this on their website that I have seen.

[alex87f]

Originally Posted by Levibrz

Hello, I'm new here, I some have questions regarding my desire to make my car track ready.(disregard budget)

Ive done a fair bit of digging trying to find exactly what Im asking but I ahvnt had much luck.

Im currently completely stock and am wondering where I should start.

I've been reading that smaller wheels such as 15's or 16's are great for track due to the better unsprung mass, and a tire pair to match with respect to the brz's stock weight distribution(unless it's not as important). This would be a separate set of wheels and tires specifically for the track.

Suspensions upgrades;(Control arms, shocks, springs, tie-rods, brake components, sway bar, and anything else I Amy be missing.)

Basically whatever is necessary to make the car as track capable as it can be.

thanks:

Sorry if this is a lot or phrased oddly!

As someone else pointed out, start with the obvious and then upgrade as you go.

Pads & Fluid
Then tires
Then an oil cooler (or at least a good temp gauge, if you're a track novice your endurance will run out faster than your oil heats up)
Then wheels if you still feel like it
Then headers / E85 / etc.

If you do all this you'll be in for about 5 grand, and will have done the 20/80 part of your Pareto.

Then you can start looking at the 80/20.

[nissanfanatic]

Originally Posted by Qwimby1

Another thing that most people might not think of is five-point belts. I think our existing seats are exceptional, at least for me, and belts that hold you in place make your driving measurably easier and more efficient. One of the best drivers I ever had the misfortune to run against, improved his lap times on virtually every track we ran merely by changing the seat he used.

A quality fixed back seat has been an amazing upgrade in both track oriented cars I've owned. First was a Sparco Evo2, then a Sparco Pro ADV. Made an amazing difference.

However, most rules pretty much commit you to a dedicated track car if you decide to replace seats with a good fixed-back seat IE you end up having to do a rollbar and harnesses. ref NASA

11.4.8 Seatbelts and Harnesses
The seatbelts should be in good condition. No damage may be present on the seatbelts and they must be the
factory configuration. Any harness or any restraint system, other than factory stock, shall conform to CCR section
#15.5, in all respects except for the expiration regulations. Harnesses that are expired for racing may be used
providing that they are in at least very good condition. Passenger seatbelts must meet the same minimum
requirements per the CCR as the driver seatbelts if being used by a passenger. Note-passenger equipment need
not match the installed equipment on the driver’s side. See Section 11.3 for more about four point harnesses.
Stock / OEM belts should not be worn with hard shell, fixed back racing seats. Those seats should have a racing
harness.

I do seem to remember seeing people running at events with aftermarket seats and factory belts though, so maybe it gets through tech at some events, IDK...

[CB750F]

All great advise.

My thoughts.
First , I'm almost retired. I've never tracked a car before the BRZ. I do autoX
& Track for 5/6 yrs now. I'm slow.
I ran my car stock for the first 2 yrs. Minimum you should change your pads &
brake fluid for something better as stated. Add an oil/water cooler too.
Then, as someone sarcastically said, seat time, seat time, seat time.
Lear n YOU & the car first, them you will want to upgrade & by that time you'll
know what to upgrade.

[falcon_wizard]

Originally Posted by CB750F

All great advise.

My thoughts.
First , I'm almost retired. I've never tracked a car before the BRZ. I do autoX
& Track for 5/6 yrs now. I'm slow.
I ran my car stock for the first 2 yrs. Minimum you should change your pads &
brake fluid for something better as stated. Add an oil/water cooler too.
Then, as someone sarcastically said, seat time, seat time, seat time.
Lear n YOU & the car first, them you will want to upgrade & by that time you'll
know what to upgrade.

I echo the above as well… regarding 5 point harnesses, I thought I’d share a video that I think challenges the assumption that a 5 pt harness is inherently safer than a 3 pt harness…

Essentially what I took away is that 5pt harnesses are effective if part of an appropriate safety system, but may be worse if simply swapped in a road car without appropriate roll bar/seat/mounts and hans configuration.

After much reading and discussion, What it essentially came down to for me relative to safety set-up is:

A: for road cars equipped with 3pt harness and airbags: use helmet with a Simpson Hybrid S neck restraint device, which is the only model (S model only) tested and approved for use with a 3 pt harness. Or:

B: for dedicated track cars (non road legal setup), go with racing seat, 5pt harness, hans/hybrid device and roll bar or cage, and possibly having to delete air bags if they interfere.

I’d be curious to get others thoughts on this, but it appeared to be one of those cases where it’s a “Do or do not, there is no try” situations, where there is no good “in between options”. :-)

[NoHaveMSG]

I would not recommend running an aftermarket seat and harness without a HANs, or FHR as they are now calling them. Even a slow speed head on tap into a wall can be very hard on the neck. We are talking another 500 bucks here on average.