Mods needed to track

[ScaryFatKidGT]

I'm planning on tracking my car a couple times this summer and was wondering what my moding priorities should be. What mods will make the most improvement on times and what would be required so I don't wreak anything.

Mods I will have by then besides whats in my sig are a 19mm rear sway and steering rack bushings.

I'm thinking about some 17x7" or 17"x7.5" rims with summer tires would be the best but what should my priorities be?

Will a 19mm sway be enough to break the rear sway mounts?
Brake pads?
Springs?
Tranny fluid change?
Cooling mods? Is stock sufficient?

Is bleeding the brakes before hand necessary if I just put in new ATE fluid 4 months ago?

[hallowpoint]

just get good tires!!! than go from there. 19mm is good for DD but go with a 22-24mm. pads would help but not needed unless you need some. if you can ss brake lines would really help. fluids would be very smart.

edit: you have ss brake lines way to go.

[rougeben83]

The big nut behind the wheel.

[StatGSR]

assuming your talking about Road racing....

most important would be good brakes pads (there are several pads that can work for both street and light HPDE use but i would recommend getting a dedicated set of pads, as a noob to RR your will likely spend to much time on the brakes and cook the crap out of a middle of the road pad) and tires (Summer High Performance), and make sure the rest of your general maintenance and been looked over recently. of course good suspension helps but, your the one that is going to need to work behind the wheel. its going to be way more about what you can do not what the car can do.

don't worry about lap times. considering you would be new, and most open track days are not races, nobody will be tracking your lap times.

Where are you thinking about going? BIR,MAM,Autoban,Gingerman???

my other would advise would be if you can tow your car there do it! the thought of being stranded at a track 6 hours from home has never appealed to me to much...

also, check out http://www.findtheline.com for "local" track events.

other good advise, bring everything. spare parts, jack, jack stands, tools, torque wrench (they will likely want your to re-torque your lug nuts between lapping sessions), oil, coolant, folding chair.

been to a couple track days, but still am pretty rookie to the whole thing, but would love to help if i can. hoping i can make it to a couple this summer as well.

[DarkPhoenix]

Bring lots of water and an air compressor if you can. Adjusting tyre pressures alone could equate to better lap times. And if it is an HPDE and not a race, take your time learning the track and where the apexes and braking points are.

[ouch1011]

Also don't forget that different mods will put you in a different class. If you mod too much, your car may not be competative.

The adivce I've always heard to new racers is to learn on a stock car, then modify as you find weak points.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

First what's HPDE? I'm panning on going to some track days at BIR. And I'm getting a really good deal on a 19mm Cusco sway.

Bad: I can't tow the car there and I don't have a torque wrench.
Good: I have SS brake lines, super blue racing fluid and Axxis pads

but I'm worried about A:The pads and B:because I have heard of people easily over heating a lot more robust braking systems. I have Axxis XBG semi-metallic pads. Should I get Axxis ultimates or should I go for something like EBC yellow stuff? Also Id like to rig up some brake ducts.

I'm most worried about breaking something (end-link, sway mount, wheel bearing) or blowing my HG or tranny some how. Is the 4EAT know to over heat at all?

[DarkPhoenix]

If you don't have a transmission cooler in place, I would strongly recommend getting one. Nothing kills a tranny faster than heat.

HPDE is High Performance Driving Event. It is kind of like a race, but you're not racing anyone.

As for the pads, get the Ultimates or HPS for the track, and put the Semi's back on after you are finished. Unless you have issues with the stuff you are worried about, which after a tech inspection the inspector will let you know, I wouldn't worry too much.

If you have anything that isn't tied down, but should be, get that done before the tech inspection. That means battery tied down, nothing loose in the car, no leaking fluids, etc. The endlinks and sway mounts I wouldn't worry so much about. And if you are worried about the HGs, then don't track the car.

[StatGSR]

HPDEs (The E also stands for Education) are pretty much what BIR will put on. you will have a instructor ride with you until they determine that you can go out alone. Honestly if the instructor lets you go out alone on your first day he is just sick of you, its not because your amazing. Frankly over your first few tack days you will want to keep them in the car as much as you can, they are instructors for a reason, they no the lines and they know how to drive.

you are not classed by mods and it is not competitive wheel to wheel racing. you are classed into run groups based on your track experience. you will be told by your instructor at what times you are allowed to pass typically only along strait aways and only if the driver in front of you flags you past them.

Axxis Ultimates and Hawk HPSs are NOT track pads, they are aggressive street and auto x pads, they do not work up to the temperature you will likely see. on my first track day with my teg i burned up a set of pads much more capable than Ultimates. (i use ultimates on the street, had cobalt friction GTS for the track cobalt has since changed its lineup)

Granted those pads might be enough since your car wont be going that fast (relative to others) so it wont require as much braking, but you already have street pads, so get dedicated track pads.

give me a little time and i should be able to help you find a good set for a first time track day. I have always liked Cobalt Friction pads, but there are many others that would well too. they names of these pads will not be "mainstream" to most people.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

HPDEs (The E also stands for Education) are pretty much what BIR will put on. you will have a instructor ride with you until they determine that you can go out alone. Honestly if the instructor lets you go out alone on your first day he is just sick of you, its not because your amazing. Frankly over your first few tack days you will want to keep them in the car as much as you can, they are instructors for a reason, they no the lines and they know how to drive.

you are not classed by mods and it is not competitive wheel to wheel racing. you are classed into run groups based on your track experience. you will be told by your instructor at what times you are allowed to pass typically only along strait aways and only if the driver in front of you flags you past them.

Axxis Ultimates and Hawk HPSs are NOT track pads, they are aggressive street and auto x pads, they do not work up to the temperature you will likely see. on my first track day with my teg i burned up a set of pads much more capable than Ultimates. (i use ultimates on the street, had cobalt friction GTS for the track cobalt has since changed its lineup)

Granted those pads might be enough since your car wont be going that fast (relative to others) so it wont require as much braking, but you already have street pads, so get dedicated track pads.

give me a little time and i should be able to help you find a good set for a first time track day. I have always liked Cobalt Friction pads, but there are many others that would well too. they names of these pads will not be "mainstream" to most people.ok thx The only street/track pads I know of are EBC yellow stuff.

[StatGSR]

i saw Carbotech made some for your legacy, Hawk makes some good track pads as well.

if you can find some specs on the yellow stuff i would love to see them, i couldn;t find any useful information about them.

Also keep in mine these pads are not cheap, so if you go this route expect to pay well over 200 for all 4 corners.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive/yel ... ndex.shtml (http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive/yellowstuff_brake_pads/yellowstuff_brake_pads_4000_index.shtml)

http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive/yel ... 4000.shtml (http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive/yellowstuff_brake_pads/yellowstuff_brake_pads_4000.shtml)

http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive/ebc ... ndex.shtml (http://www.ebcbrakes.com/automotive/ebc_disc_pads_for_racing/index.shtml)

And this makes me want brake ducts http://www.caranddriver.com/features/10 ... ap-feature (http://www.caranddriver.com/features/10q2/z_meets_wall_we_investigate_why_the_nismo_z_s_brakes_failed_at_lightning_lap-feature)

[rougeben83]

Who cares, just run what you already have. You'll know well enough what and if you need to upgrade anything. More than likely it's YOU that will be maxxed out at your first track day, not the car. Fix the driver, then fix the car is what I always hear.

And brake pads have everything to do with the braking habits of the driver and the track layout. Some guys can get away with just a regular street pad, others are just heavy on the middle pedal and will cook the system regardless of high-dollar pad/fluid/etc. is in there. The only way you'll know yourself is when you actually go out to the deep end of the pool.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

http://www.boxer4racing.com/transmis.ht ... %20Coolers (http://www.boxer4racing.com/transmis.htm#Transmission%20Coolers)

I'm thinking the thin should be sufficient? How hard are these to instal and what other parts are needed?

[anothernord]

Big swaybars. Get the largest rear bar you can find. You'll need solid rear endlinks too.

[StatGSR]

^um not needed for the first time at the track....

[ScaryFatKidGT]

Yeah first I'm worried about not breaking or blowing anything up I'm thinking

Tranny Flush
Coolant Flush
Tranny Cooler

Then
Steering rack bushings
Rear sway and endlinks
and if I have the money 17s with 215/45R17 summer tires