Advice for track day.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 9,002
Likes: 12
From: somewhere testing various tires, brakes, and suspensions.
On the RA - the S-Techs are one of the few options. Swift does make a spring for the RA though.
As far as rev limit - I tend to rev to the upper band of my range but not to redline (8k) - depends on the turn or part of course.
As far as rev limit - I tend to rev to the upper band of my range but not to redline (8k) - depends on the turn or part of course.
do you have SS brake lines? flush and fill with dot4 and a set of new pads and your safe. if you fluids get a lil hot, then the next turn you make "might" be into the grass or tires.....GL / have fun and be safe! -from a (evo) brother to another!
Another note that a lot of first timers don't know. After doing a hot session when you bring your car into the pits, when you park it for cool down, DO NOT use the handbrake to hold the car. Put it in gear and let it sit with the engine on and hood open.
Handbrake against the hot rotor will boil the fluid and warp the rotor while the car sits. Then when you take it out for the next session your brakes will be shot.
Brake fluid is a must, try Motul RBF600, it is a great break fluid and should be more than enough for your first track day.
Handbrake against the hot rotor will boil the fluid and warp the rotor while the car sits. Then when you take it out for the next session your brakes will be shot.
Brake fluid is a must, try Motul RBF600, it is a great break fluid and should be more than enough for your first track day.
Another note that a lot of first timers don't know. After doing a hot session when you bring your car into the pits, when you park it for cool down, DO NOT use the handbrake to hold the car. Put it in gear and let it sit with the engine on and hood open.
Handbrake against the hot rotor will boil the fluid and warp the rotor while the car sits. Then when you take it out for the next session your brakes will be shot.
Brake fluid is a must, try Motul RBF600, it is a great break fluid and should be more than enough for your first track day.
Handbrake against the hot rotor will boil the fluid and warp the rotor while the car sits. Then when you take it out for the next session your brakes will be shot.
Brake fluid is a must, try Motul RBF600, it is a great break fluid and should be more than enough for your first track day.
Another note that a lot of first timers don't know. After doing a hot session when you bring your car into the pits, when you park it for cool down, DO NOT use the handbrake to hold the car. Put it in gear and let it sit with the engine on and hood open.
Handbrake against the hot rotor will boil the fluid and warp the rotor while the car sits. Then when you take it out for the next session your brakes will be shot.
Brake fluid is a must, try Motul RBF600, it is a great break fluid and should be more than enough for your first track day.
Handbrake against the hot rotor will boil the fluid and warp the rotor while the car sits. Then when you take it out for the next session your brakes will be shot.
Brake fluid is a must, try Motul RBF600, it is a great break fluid and should be more than enough for your first track day.
In our car, our rear parking parking brake is a drum brake that is cable actuated (housed within the main rotor, thats why the rear rotor has a bit of a hat), independent of the main brake caliper. so the fluid won't boil since it's not held to the rotor. but it is good practice to not put the hand brake on.
and you can't put it in gear and have then engine on unless you are holding the clutch down, unless it's automatic, then it would be park
Some very important things for track days:
- Bring an extra set of brake pads in case you toast a set. You want to be able to get home safely.
I use Axxis Ultimate pads, they can take the heat, haven't faded on me, and aren't very expensive.
- Tein S-techs are great springs for track days on the Ralliart. The guy making the comment was referring to Evos, in which case, they're not so great.
- Bring a basic set of tools. At least enough to do a quick brake job.
- People have already talked about brake fluid.
- Get an instructor, or someone experienced, to ride along with you for a session. Their input will be valuable.
- You mentioned buying new front tires? Do NOT run mismatched tires. You need to run the same tires in the front as in the rear.
- Make sure your last lap is taken slowly, a cool down lap is very important, especially for your brakes.
As for revving, you need to use your best judgement. If you're at 6200 and feel you need to shift, but you have a corner coming up, it might be best to just stay in that gear, instead of shifting up and then immediately shifting down for the corner.
Two final things, when cornering, remember, slow in, fast out. Don't go into corners too fast, you'll end up spinning out Also, don't drag your brakes through the corners. Stab at them to get your speed down, then stay off them. If you drag them through the corner, you'll end up cooking them that much faster and might start getting brake fade.
- Bring an extra set of brake pads in case you toast a set. You want to be able to get home safely.
I use Axxis Ultimate pads, they can take the heat, haven't faded on me, and aren't very expensive.- Tein S-techs are great springs for track days on the Ralliart. The guy making the comment was referring to Evos, in which case, they're not so great.
- Bring a basic set of tools. At least enough to do a quick brake job.
- People have already talked about brake fluid.
- Get an instructor, or someone experienced, to ride along with you for a session. Their input will be valuable.
- You mentioned buying new front tires? Do NOT run mismatched tires. You need to run the same tires in the front as in the rear.
- Make sure your last lap is taken slowly, a cool down lap is very important, especially for your brakes.
As for revving, you need to use your best judgement. If you're at 6200 and feel you need to shift, but you have a corner coming up, it might be best to just stay in that gear, instead of shifting up and then immediately shifting down for the corner.
Two final things, when cornering, remember, slow in, fast out. Don't go into corners too fast, you'll end up spinning out
Also, don't drag your brakes through the corners. Stab at them to get your speed down, then stay off them. If you drag them through the corner, you'll end up cooking them that much faster and might start getting brake fade.
Last edited by otter; Mar 18, 2009 at 10:57 AM.
Typo on his part. Since you shouldn't use the parking brake when your rotors are super hot, when you stop the car in the pit, and turn it off (after letting it idle for a couple), leave it in first so your car doesn't go anywhere.
The issue with our car is that the parking brake pads aren't meant to take high heat, so if the rotor is still piping hot, you run the risk of the pad seizing to the rotor, then you can't go anywhere.
well, the thing about our car compared to others is that for our parking brake we don't use the caliper, which is what you are referring to.
In our car, our rear parking parking brake is a drum brake that is cable actuated (housed within the main rotor, thats why the rear rotor has a bit of a hat), independent of the main brake caliper. so the fluid won't boil since it's not held to the rotor. but it is good practice to not put the hand brake on.
and you can't put it in gear and have then engine on unless you are holding the clutch down, unless it's automatic, then it would be park
In our car, our rear parking parking brake is a drum brake that is cable actuated (housed within the main rotor, thats why the rear rotor has a bit of a hat), independent of the main brake caliper. so the fluid won't boil since it's not held to the rotor. but it is good practice to not put the hand brake on.
and you can't put it in gear and have then engine on unless you are holding the clutch down, unless it's automatic, then it would be park
yea but he said keep the car on and leave it in first, but then the car would still roll around and if you let off the clutch then it would go (KAAA-DOUNK) haha. I knew where he was going with it, it just stated funny....
Some very important things for track days:
- Bring an extra set of brake pads in case you toast a set. You want to be able to get home safely. I use Axxis Ultimate pads, they can take the heat, haven't faded on me, and aren't very expensive.
- Tein S-techs are great springs for track days on the Ralliart. The guy making the comment was referring to Evos, in which case, they're not so great.
- Bring a basic set of tools. At least enough to do a quick brake job.
- People have already talked about brake fluid.
- Get an instructor, or someone experienced, to ride along with you for a session. Their input will be valuable.
- You mentioned buying new front tires? Do NOT run mismatched tires. You need to run the same tires in the front as in the rear.
- Make sure your last lap is taken slowly, a cool down lap is very important, especially for your brakes.
As for revving, you need to use your best judgement. If you're at 6200 and feel you need to shift, but you have a corner coming up, it might be best to just stay in that gear, instead of shifting up and then immediately shifting down for the corner.
Two final things, when cornering, remember, slow in, fast out. Don't go into corners too fast, you'll end up spinning out Also, don't drag your brakes through the corners. Stab at them to get your speed down, then stay off them. If you drag them through the corner, you'll end up cooking them that much faster and might start getting brake fade.
- Bring an extra set of brake pads in case you toast a set. You want to be able to get home safely.
I use Axxis Ultimate pads, they can take the heat, haven't faded on me, and aren't very expensive.- Tein S-techs are great springs for track days on the Ralliart. The guy making the comment was referring to Evos, in which case, they're not so great.
- Bring a basic set of tools. At least enough to do a quick brake job.
- People have already talked about brake fluid.
- Get an instructor, or someone experienced, to ride along with you for a session. Their input will be valuable.
- You mentioned buying new front tires? Do NOT run mismatched tires. You need to run the same tires in the front as in the rear.
- Make sure your last lap is taken slowly, a cool down lap is very important, especially for your brakes.
As for revving, you need to use your best judgement. If you're at 6200 and feel you need to shift, but you have a corner coming up, it might be best to just stay in that gear, instead of shifting up and then immediately shifting down for the corner.
Two final things, when cornering, remember, slow in, fast out. Don't go into corners too fast, you'll end up spinning out
Also, don't drag your brakes through the corners. Stab at them to get your speed down, then stay off them. If you drag them through the corner, you'll end up cooking them that much faster and might start getting brake fade.But bolded.....don't stab the brakes. Think "squeeze" and "ease" when using the brakes. As in squeeze them on then ease off. Even say this to yourself when braking....trust me, it helps. Speed Secret #6.
Also, understand what the traction circle is.
If you don't before you go to the track, you will afterward.
This.
But bolded.....don't stab the brakes. Think "squeeze" and "ease" when using the brakes. As in squeeze them on then ease off. Even say this to yourself when braking....trust me, it helps. Speed Secret #6.
Also, understand what the traction circle is. If you don't before you go to the track, you will afterward.
But bolded.....don't stab the brakes. Think "squeeze" and "ease" when using the brakes. As in squeeze them on then ease off. Even say this to yourself when braking....trust me, it helps. Speed Secret #6.
Also, understand what the traction circle is.
If you don't before you go to the track, you will afterward.We're talking about the same thing, you're just using prettier words.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Cancun
Guys, after reading all the comments, I feel more confident and more excited 
I appreciate your comments, the brake fluid is being changed in this moment for a DOT4, and mayor mantainance is done to check that everything's ok. The injectors have been washed through an ultrasound (please let me know the right name for this), the oil has been chaned to 10w-40 because it had 25w-50 so my mechanic suggested to use now the 10w-40 and the next oil change will be with 5w-30 (which I think it-s the right one). I know 25w-50 is way of the ideal but I didn't make that oil change.
What is traction circle?
So, will try to go with Otter sais and get 4 new tires, but my budget only gets to 4 Kumho Ecsta Supra (KU31) or for 2 Ventus R-S2. Back tires al almost new but not very good quality, the brand is Luxotic. What would you say, buy the 2 R-S2 or the 4 Kumho?
I appreciate your comments, the brake fluid is being changed in this moment for a DOT4, and mayor mantainance is done to check that everything's ok. The injectors have been washed through an ultrasound (please let me know the right name for this), the oil has been chaned to 10w-40 because it had 25w-50 so my mechanic suggested to use now the 10w-40 and the next oil change will be with 5w-30 (which I think it-s the right one). I know 25w-50 is way of the ideal but I didn't make that oil change.
What is traction circle?
So, will try to go with Otter sais and get 4 new tires, but my budget only gets to 4 Kumho Ecsta Supra (KU31) or for 2 Ventus R-S2. Back tires al almost new but not very good quality, the brand is Luxotic. What would you say, buy the 2 R-S2 or the 4 Kumho?
Last edited by mr.ralliart; Mar 18, 2009 at 04:59 PM.
