Help for track day?

[keen]

Well im finally going to do what I bought my car and thats drive it round a race track.Ive never done this before and am preying my need for speed doesnt turn into a need for tow truck.Ive sorted power 400hp , sorted breakes stock with race pads and fluid(should I do brake lines)Got a rip shift.
I have a set 18" CV8 rims with 2 RE55,s ive been drag raceing on, there down to or past indicator bars.Could I or should I buy 2 more RE55 to make a set ?IE - 2 shagged and 2 new ( if possible which should go on the rear?)Or do l need to buy a new set?Or should I run on my new Hankook 104's?.
At the moment the suspention is stock, completely.This is where i really cant make up my mind.Ive been recommended to Heasmans in Sydney to do this upgrade.They do a ibach / Bilstein package for about $2500 - $3000 with camber kit.Its not ajustable tho. To go to adjustable set up was about $5000.Im worried if i go non adjustable with in 6mths im going to want adjustables.But at the moment $5000 is out of the question.So should I wait untill l can afford the better suspension and just use my stock set up.Or do you recon the $2500 package will do .I no im going too get very addicted to this sort of motor sport. One day would love to do hill climbs maybe even do the sort of events Darren does but thats a loooong way off and depends on if I can drive.Help from those who have been there done that would be greatly appreciated. :D (I cant wait to do this just talking about it gives me a woody)
Thanks heaps
Josh Keen

[HRT 8]

I reckon changing a light globe would give you a woody Josh.

For piece of mind id be getting a new set of RE55.
How many going to the track day? Id go with your GTS as it is and go for a ride in other monaro, GTO, GTS if there is any. Some may have done their suspension and you could get a good idea on what it feels like.
Another idea is to speak with Darren or Craig about what a Drummond MotorSport setup is worth. Craig's had his for a month or so.

Have fun.

[fatas]

get whiteline adjustable sway bars and konis and take it to pro axle at narellan 0246482002 ask for bryan get him to do a track w/alighn then after get him to put it back to standard try this before you spend money on suspension mods tyres should be matched and new old tyres get hard new street r ok you will will ware a set out in 2 track days.
what track are you going to ? :)

[seldo]

Well im finally going to do what I bought my car and thats drive it round a race track.Ive never done this before and am preying my need for speed doesnt turn into a need for tow truck.Ive sorted power 400hp , sorted breakes stock with race pads and fluid(should I do brake lines)Got a rip shift.
I have a set 18" CV8 rims with 2 RE55,s ive been drag raceing on, there down to or past indicator bars.Could I or should I buy 2 more RE55 to make a set ?IE - 2 shagged and 2 new ( if possible which should go on the rear?)Or do l need to buy a new set?Or should I run on my new Hankook 104's?.
At the moment the suspention is stock, completely.This is where i really cant make up my mind.Ive been recommended to Heasmans in Sydney to do this upgrade.They do a ibach / Bilstein package for about $2500 - $3000 with camber kit.Its not ajustable tho. To go to adjustable set up was about $5000.Im worried if i go non adjustable with in 6mths im going to want adjustables.But at the moment $5000 is out of the question.So should I wait untill l can afford the better suspension and just use my stock set up.Or do you recon the $2500 package will do .I no im going too get very addicted to this sort of motor sport. One day would love to do hill climbs maybe even do the sort of events Darren does but thats a loooong way off and depends on if I can drive.Help from those who have been there done that would be greatly appreciated. :D (I cant wait to do this just talking about it gives me a woody)
Thanks heaps
Josh Keen
At least you seem to be going about it all in a sensible way. Braided brake hoses won't improve your brakes at all but they will give you a better-feeling pedal.
As far as tyres go, it is important to have a matched set of tyres and you can count on shredding them pretty smartly. If you have a mixed (old and new) set you will find that they will have differing levels of adhesion. You can count on the front ones having the shoulder ripped off pretty quickly so it may pay to use the old ones on the front. If you have the time and inclination to have a fiddle, you may find that once you have done a few laps and find that the car will probably understeer fairly strongly unless you use the throttle to loosen the rear, but you may be able to dial-out some of that understeer by swapping new tyres to to the slidey (like that word..?) end. Having said that though, depending on the age and use of the old tyres, they may also actually work better than the new ones as there will be less tread distortion with the worn ones. But, my point is that you can change the feel of the car by swapping fom one end to the other. I'd certainly recommend Heasmans to do the job for you. As for the question of whether you go adjustable or not, be prepared - this is just one of the many times you will have to face that sort of question cost question with a race car. But, with everything on a race car - do it once and do it right. If there is a money problem (isn't there always..?) for the time being, maybe you just settle for the non-adjustable to begin with and later on you may find someone on the forum wanting to quit some adjustable fronts, and you then sell-on your existing set-up. To begin with, I think you will be fairly happy with the Heasman Bilstein/Eibach set up and it will give you plenty of time to play with it and take it to the next stage when $$ allow. I think I'd be going to better brakes before you lash-out on adjustable suspension. Since these things have a weak link in the power-steering, get a cooler fitted before you start - they are not that exxie and well worth the investment. Have fun...and keep it on the island..;)

[Beej]

Keen - do you have a power steering cooler??? Essential for track days. Upgrade braked pads are also a must (which you have) - I find EBC Greestuff, paired with with slotted but otherwise stock replacement rotors, to provide a good basic set-up for the track. Braided brake lines are good but not essential. make sure you cool down your brakes properly after each session, and remember never put your handbrake on!!

Re the tyres you could run the worn RE55s on the back and they will be OK with the new ones on the front - but you will have to buy to new ones soon either way. How the old tyres will perform depends on how they have been treated as well - have they been left in sun light a lot or always covered and in the shade when off the car??

Suspension mods are good - but you might want to start off with stock suspension + a good racing wheel alignment with maximum negative camber dialled in on the front. Try that out, then start playing with upgraded springs/shocks/sway bars etc one you have figured out how to drive the car as is. You will also appreciate the difference more that way!

Which track will you be running at and when? Send me a PM and I can give you a lot of advice from some hard earned experience!! ;)

Cheers,

Beej

[keen]

Guys , great info there thanks heaps.Wouldnt have even thought of a power steering cooler.Im doing a driver day at Eastern creek run by Events Oneill. www.eventsoneill.com Thanks once again

[SV8VY]

Keen - do you have a power steering cooler??? Essential for track days. Upgrade braked pads are also a must (which you have) - I find EBC Greestuff, paired with with slotted but otherwise stock replacement rotors, to provide a good basic set-up for the track. Braided brake lines are good but not essential. make sure you cool down your brakes properly after each session, and remember never put your handbrake on!!

Re the tyres you could run the worn RE55s on the back and they will be OK with the new ones on the front - but you will have to buy to new ones soon either way. How the old tyres will perform depends on how they have been treated as well - have they been left in sun light a lot or always covered and in the shade when off the car??

Suspension mods are good - but you might want to start off with stock suspension + a good racing wheel alignment with maximum negative camber dialled in on the front. Try that out, then start playing with upgraded springs/shocks/sway bars etc one you have figured out how to drive the car as is. You will also appreciate the difference more that way!

Which track will you be running at and when? Send me a PM and I can give you a lot of advice from some hard earned experience!! ;)

Cheers,

BeejWhat he said.
Learn to drive your car first and you will appreciate any improvement you will make.Get over 2 neg camber on front.Pedders do a simple upgrade and seems to work well for me.I also have some Koni in the rear.
I am looking at getting some better sway bars also and an adjustable caster rods for the front for better turn in and less understeer.Depending on how you push the car you will find the brakes are only good for a short time i.e. 2 fast laps and cool them down is critical as well as a brake bleed in the morning after the event.Motul race brake fluid is good as well as "Trust" which is a good synthetic Jab brand all the "ricers" know about.
Go at your own pace and learn your car.Get more confidence and you will be driving faster.Oh and concentrate on your lines.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/aussiefones/track%20day%202/3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/aussiefones/track%20day%202/4.jpg
Sorry couldnt help myself :D

[VUSSFIFTY]

Depends on what you want out of the day. If you want to get lap times, get the RE55's, nothing grips the track like brand new semi comps. However if you want to practice a bit of car control got out on normal road tyres. I did a couple of track days in my ute on 15" chasers, not the fastest thing on the day (2.01's around eastern creek) but I had truckloads of fun. 3rd gear powersliding in a stock 160odd rwkw gen3, no worries.
The problem with semi-comps is they turn a well balanced road car into an understeering bucket at the track, as there isn't enough roll control in standard suspension to keep the front camber at sane levels, so the car leans on the outside front tyre and destroys it while you understeer off the track. On semi comps you need at least 3 degrees of static negative camber before the fronts will work properly, road tyres need around 2. So stick with the hankooks for you're first time, you'll learn more and have more fun (but be slower)
As far as suspension setups go, fully adjustable coilovers are the bomb and so they should be for the price. In my ute I have kings springs and bilsteins revalved by Heasemanns which I think are dynamite for the price, and there's no way I could justify the move to coilovers. If Brock ran bilsteins in his targa monaro, they're good enough for me. Ride quality, control, balance, grip, couldn't be better. You'd be flat out picking the difference to coilovers IMHO.

[cheffy]

there are bilsteins and bilsteins..

use track tyres if you want the fastest time. however, if your there to learn then go on your road tyres at 40psi. if your going to do your suspension then talk to either heasmans in sydney or alternatively steve cramp in adelaide. he is a bilstein/quadrant agent and campains a gts in gtp. you can find him at manta racing services in richmond sa.

Personally a good set of springs and bushes is the most important thing you can do to your car aside from changing the brake fluid and pads. If this is anything like the days that we run in adelaide then upgrading your brakes will be very important as is running a ps cooler.

other than that you may wish to put a set of sway bars on the car but it all depends on the $$ factor.

make sure your diff and oil levels are ok, and go and have a good time...

and listen to your instructor, (unless its me :confused: )

[keen]

Well what can l say, thats some of the best fun you can have in your car.I decided to run with stock suspension , but did do camber. Bought a new set of RE55's put em on my CV8 rims , only to discover they wouldnt fit on the front. :rolleyes: Must send a huge thanks to CSV for the lend of a pair of corsa rims for the front .He bailed me out of a bad spot , would probably have missed the day if not for him...thanks mate. :thumbsup: There was some great cars there , Ferrari's, Porche, Lotus , BMW ......and a pest of a GTS that Kept strolling past them .There wasnt any timeing or raceing but people were certainly haveing a bit of a go . Turn one doing 170 what a hoot.....I was howlin like Bow Duke...YeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaa.
Was very happy with the way my car performed , brakes are great , didnt feel any sort of fade at all.Am glad l went out with stock suspension , thought it was pretty good.Im sure there can be huge improvements made there.Some thing to look foward to.
Came onto the straight behind a very nice Ferrari , we've both flattened it ,went past him bout 1/3 down the straight ...gave him a little wave . We had a laugh about it later .He's seriously considering a GTO now.Best kph down the straight was 210. God l love that turn one. Will certainly be doing it all again , cant wait in fact.























I LOVE MY CAR :D :D :D

[NickS]

Good stuff Keen ... glad you had a top day and best of all you kept it all in one piece. Mate, you are going to be overtaking Ferraris in your head for the next 3 months :lol: