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      04-21-2016, 12:50 PM   #1
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Prepping for first time on track?

Hey guys, I'm going to track night in New Jersey : http://www.tracknightinamerica.com/e...ersey-april-27

And I wanted to see if anyone had some tips on preparing for the track, as I've never participated in a track day before. My car is going into the shop monday for an oil change and software update, and I wanted to see if there was anything else they should inspect while it's there (alignment, rotation, etc.). I also heard increasing tire pressure is a good idea?

Also, any driving tips for when I'm on the track would be greatly appreciated. I'll have my goPro with me so I can take some cool videos hopefully!
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      04-21-2016, 04:27 PM   #2
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If you're a beginner, expect the car to be able to take what you will give.

Make sure alignment/tie-rods/ball joints are solid, also make sure that your wheels are properly torqued. You may want to bring your torque wrench with you so you can check that again between sessions, but only once your wheels have cooled down.

Fresh fluids are good, and eventually you may want better brake fluid etc, but for a beginner the M235i should be more than enough.

For tire pressure, I would start with about 36lbs and reduce from there if needed.
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      04-21-2016, 04:49 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Gepeto View Post
If you're a beginner, expect the car to be able to take what you will give.

Make sure alignment/tie-rods/ball joints are solid, also make sure that your wheels are properly torqued. You may want to bring your torque wrench with you so you can check that again between sessions, but only once your wheels have cooled down.

Fresh fluids are good, and eventually you may want better brake fluid etc, but for a beginner the M235i should be more than enough.

For tire pressure, I would start with about 36lbs and reduce from there if needed.

OP, inflate tire pressure to recommended psi (32F/38R) and adjust as you drive. Err on the side of lower since pressure will increase as you drive.

For any track event, you should've had your own mechanic do a tech inspection already. Then you must pass tech the morning of.

I can't stress enough...BRAKES, brake fluid, brakes!

Make sure you're running fresh, high boiling point brake fluid and track pads.

Street pads start melting after a few hard laps. And if they aren't, you're not braking hard enough.
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      04-21-2016, 04:50 PM   #4
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Oh..., and do not use your parking brake at the paddock. Leave in gear and use wheel chocks.
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      04-21-2016, 05:09 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by dphjr View Post
Hey guys, I'm going to track night in New Jersey : http://www.tracknightinamerica.com/e...ersey-april-27

And I wanted to see if anyone had some tips on preparing for the track, as I've never participated in a track day before. My car is going into the shop monday for an oil change and software update, and I wanted to see if there was anything else they should inspect while it's there (alignment, rotation, etc.). I also heard increasing tire pressure is a good idea?

Also, any driving tips for when I'm on the track would be greatly appreciated. I'll have my goPro with me so I can take some cool videos hopefully!
Just relax.

For things that you should be aware of, make sure to keep an eye on your tires, fluids, etc. You should torque the wheels after every time out (you'll need a torque wrench). Should be about 103 ft/lbs per nut.

If you haven't done this yet, you should put in some higher temp brake fluid. ATE 200 is fine, and it's not too expensive (about $15 a liter).

With respect to pads, if you are a beginner (I was when I got the car), the stock pads should be okay. You probably won't use the brakes too hard at first because you will be frightened (I was). That and the stock pads aren't that bad. After a few track days, you may want to upgrade, though. Don't worry too much about this. If you start to smell your brakes (or experience pedal fade) just back off for a few corners and let them cool a bit. Scuderia Ferrari won't be in the stands looking for their next F1 driver.

The one bit of advice I would have re: driving for you is to watch your front tire wear. Without added camber, the car tends to push a little too much on corner entry and eats front tires. This is not helped by the fact that MPSS tend to have soft shoulders. You should be running around 38 psi hot in the front to prevent roll over. Higher if necessary (40 psi). Be prepared to trash your tires -- it will happen without more camber, which you can't get without modifications.

The other thing is that you need to be careful about the back end on the car. If you do not have a mechanical differential (MP Diff, Torsen, custom, etc.), the car will be a little dicey in the rear on high speed corners. I know this because I did about 10 days on track with the open diff. It's not a huge problem, just be aware that if the back steps out, it will be a little unpredictable.

Most important -- have fun! The car can take it (it is much more capable than people realize), so just relax.
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      04-21-2016, 05:27 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Liquidpaper View Post
Just relax.

For things that you should be aware of, make sure to keep an eye on your tires, fluids, etc. You should torque the wheels after every time out (you'll need a torque wrench). Should be about 103 ft/lbs per nut.

If you haven't done this yet, you should put in some higher temp brake fluid. ATE 200 is fine, and it's not too expensive (about $15 a liter).

With respect to pads, if you are a beginner (I was when I got the car), the stock pads should be okay. You probably won't use the brakes too hard at first because you will be frightened (I was). That and the stock pads aren't that bad. After a few track days, you may want to upgrade, though. Don't worry too much about this. If you start to smell your brakes (or experience pedal fade) just back off for a few corners and let them cool a bit. Scuderia Ferrari won't be in the stands looking for their next F1 driver.

The one bit of advice I would have re: driving for you is to watch your front tire wear. Without added camber, the car tends to push a little too much on corner entry and eats front tires. This is not helped by the fact that MPSS tend to have soft shoulders. You should be running around 38 psi hot in the front to prevent roll over. Higher if necessary (40 psi). Be prepared to trash your tires -- it will happen without more camber, which you can't get without modifications.

The other thing is that you need to be careful about the back end on the car. If you do not have a mechanical differential (MP Diff, Torsen, custom, etc.), the car will be a little dicey in the rear on high speed corners. I know this because I did about 10 days on track with the open diff. It's not a huge problem, just be aware that if the back steps out, it will be a little unpredictable.

Most important -- have fun! The car can take it (it is much more capable than people realize), so just relax.
LP, if he's running that 235 at Lightning or Thunderbolt, I think he'll cook his stock pads... They at very least fade...which you won't want at the end of that straight on Lightning...
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      04-21-2016, 05:30 PM   #7
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LP, if he's running that 235 at Lightning or Thunderbolt, I think he'll cook his stock pads... They at very least fade...which you won't want at the end of that straight on Lightning...
I just noticed he has a JB4 (which I don't have) and I've never been to that track (no idea if it's brake intensive).

Look, if it's his first time, he should be taking it easy anyway. I agree that a pad upgrade is always in order for track work, but I ran for many days on some rather brake intensive tracks (Buttonwillow, Streets of Willow) and didn't have too much of a problem.

That being said, it should be in your list, OP, of things to upgrade ASAP. Power (JB4) is nothing if you can't stop the car.
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      04-21-2016, 06:25 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mywifes335 View Post
OP, inflate tire pressure to recommended psi (32F/38R) and adjust as you drive. Err on the side of lower since pressure will increase as you drive.

For any track event, you should've had your own mechanic do a tech inspection already. Then you must pass tech the morning of.

I can't stress enough...BRAKES, brake fluid, brakes!

Make sure you're running fresh, high boiling point brake fluid and track pads.

Street pads start melting after a few hard laps. And if they aren't, you're not braking hard enough.
i would run more like 38F 35R cold else you will destroy the PSS shoulders and even so you might still kill them with no extra camber
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      04-21-2016, 06:39 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mywifes335 View Post
LP, if he's running that 235 at Lightning or Thunderbolt, I think he'll cook his stock pads... They at very least fade...which you won't want at the end of that straight on Lightning...
What would you guys recommend in terms of pads? I could see if I can get some on order before I go.

And how about camber? Would you guys recommend camber plates, M4 LCAs, or what? I'd like to do as much as I can to the car to make it as capable as possible on the track.
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      04-21-2016, 07:06 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by dphjr View Post
What would you guys recommend in terms of pads? I could see if I can get some on order before I go.

And how about camber? Would you guys recommend camber plates, M4 LCAs, or what? I'd like to do as much as I can to the car to make it as capable as possible on the track.
Honestly, if you are new, I wouldn't do much of anything other than brakes. An understeering car is a safe car. Just just chuck it into a corner quite as hard.

Get used to how the car drives (mostly) stock first, and then tweak as needed. Simply doing a bunch of mods "because you can" isn't terribly helpful.

As far as brakes, depends on if you want to swap out or not. If you want pure race pads, can't do much better than Pagid RS29s. If you don't want to swap, I run EBC Yellows which work pretty well. You could also try Ferodo DS2500 or Endless MX72s. Note that the Ferodo and Endless pads are quite expensive per axle.
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      04-21-2016, 07:24 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Liquidpaper View Post
Honestly, if you are new, I wouldn't do much of anything other than brakes. An understeering car is a safe car. Just just chuck it into a corner quite as hard.

Get used to how the car drives (mostly) stock first, and then tweak as needed. Simply doing a bunch of mods "because you can" isn't terribly helpful.

As far as brakes, depends on if you want to swap out or not. If you want pure race pads, can't do much better than Pagid RS29s. If you don't want to swap, I run EBC Yellows which work pretty well. You could also try Ferodo DS2500 or Endless MX72s. Note that the Ferodo and Endless pads are quite expensive per axle.
^^this

Not a ton of brake pad options for this car. I'd go with Pagid. Unfortunately, there aren't any Hawk HT-10s for us. They're awesome.
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      04-21-2016, 07:28 PM   #12
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I just noticed he has a JB4 (which I don't have) and I've never been to that track (no idea if it's brake intensive).

Look, if it's his first time, he should be taking it easy anyway. I agree that a pad upgrade is always in order for track work, but I ran for many days on some rather brake intensive tracks (Buttonwillow, Streets of Willow) and didn't have too much of a problem.

That being said, it should be in your list, OP, of things to upgrade ASAP. Power (JB4) is nothing if you can't stop the car.
Maybe. Depends on how aggressive he gets. I cooked my pads in a heavily modified Z3 2.8 before, so I'm always on the side of conservative. Lol.

With the JB4, he'll pick up at least another 5mph out of sweepers and straights.

One other word of advice: leave your traction control ON. Learn how to drive with it on first. If the instructor signs you off for the next run group (which he probably won't), then try with just DSC on.
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      04-21-2016, 07:29 PM   #13
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Our pads are easy to swap out. Top loaders...
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      04-21-2016, 07:36 PM   #14
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What would you guys recommend in terms of pads? I could see if I can get some on order before I go.

And how about camber? Would you guys recommend camber plates, M4 LCAs, or what? I'd like to do as much as I can to the car to make it as capable as possible on the track.
I wouldn't mess with the suspension set up just yet. Get acclimated to the car first. Especially if this is your first rodeo.

Stock, the car is set up for some understeer but it's still relatively neutral. Turn in is a bit slow and there enough roll for you to feel the weight transfer in your ass.

For your next run, def get camber plates.

As far as tires...I've never got good enough to run R comps. Not that I haven't driven on them. R comps won't forgive you for errors, street tires will tell you that you fucked up.

Wear a long sleeved cotton t shirt and get a pair of good gloves - G Force is cheap but Sparco is really good.

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      04-21-2016, 08:49 PM   #15
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So I think the general consensus should be have the dealer make sure rotation, balancing, and alignment are in check, and wait to change handling until I get a better feel for how the car is on track. I have a good bit of canyon carving experience, but these are two completely different animals Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll post some vids/pics when the event happens and let you know my thoughts!
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      04-21-2016, 08:55 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dphjr View Post
So I think the general consensus should be have the dealer make sure rotation, balancing, and alignment are in check, and wait to change handling until I get a better feel for how the car is on track. I have a good bit of canyon carving experience, but these are two completely different animals Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll post some vids/pics when the event happens and let you know my thoughts!
If you have staggered wheels there is not much rotation you can do but side to side which won't do much...

Not sure I would go to the dealer for balance or alignment let alone letting them know you are going to the track....
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      04-21-2016, 09:01 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by dphjr View Post
So I think the general consensus should be have the dealer make sure rotation, balancing, and alignment are in check, and wait to change handling until I get a better feel for how the car is on track. I have a good bit of canyon carving experience, but these are two completely different animals Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll post some vids/pics when the event happens and let you know my thoughts!
Brake fluid and pads.
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      04-21-2016, 09:17 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dphjr View Post
So I think the general consensus should be have the dealer make sure rotation, balancing, and alignment are in check, and wait to change handling until I get a better feel for how the car is on track. I have a good bit of canyon carving experience, but these are two completely different animals Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll post some vids/pics when the event happens and let you know my thoughts!
If you have staggered wheels there is not much rotation you can do but side to side which won't do much...

Not sure I would go to the dealer for balance or alignment let alone letting them know you are going to the track....
Do not tell the dealer you are going to the track. Even assuming they are cool with it (most likely they will not be), it is not worth the headache.
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      04-21-2016, 09:19 PM   #19
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Do not tell the dealer you are going to the track. Even assuming they are cool with it (most likely they will not be), it is not worth the headache.
^this

Even if not cool, BMW doesn't cover damage or parts failures at the track...especially if your car is modded
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      04-21-2016, 09:23 PM   #20
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Regardless i have to take it in for its oil change as well as a software update, so maybe just stick to that, without mentioning the track. Hopefully they won't raise a stink about the mods, they haven't with misc stuff in the past and I'm hoping this will be the same
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      04-21-2016, 09:55 PM   #21
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If you don't want to swap, I run EBC Yellows which work pretty well.
Could you link me to where you bought the pads?
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      04-21-2016, 10:11 PM   #22
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OP, inflate tire pressure to recommended psi (32F/38R) and adjust as you drive. Err on the side of lower since pressure will increase as you drive.

For any track event, you should've had your own mechanic do a tech inspection already. Then you must pass tech the morning of.

I can't stress enough...BRAKES, brake fluid, brakes!

Make sure you're running fresh, high boiling point brake fluid and track pads.

Street pads start melting after a few hard laps. And if they aren't, you're not braking hard enough.
i would run more like 38F 35R cold else you will destroy the PSS shoulders and even so you might still kill them with no extra camber
This is what I do - 2-3 lbs more pressure in the front tires will help save them.
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