Thread: First timer
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      03-01-2021, 03:20 AM   #6
nickf30
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Drives: 2014 335i xDrive
Join Date: Oct 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m4thijss View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by edycol View Post
So, since this would be your first day, go and feel the air. Tires should be fine. You would not be first one to go on A/S tires. But, if you end up pushing too hard, you might damage tread on those tires. Still, I would not go dedicated track set (will come to this latter) for first day. ROTATE those tires. Put beefier tires to the back. You allowed them to wear out too much on one axle.
Pads on F30 are not as performance oriented as they are on E90 for example, unless you have those sport brakes. But, do not pay too much attention on that now. They should be fine. Make sure you have 50% of meat on them.
Absolutely important, get fresh brake fluid before track day. Get yourself pressure pump that costs about $30-50. Watch YoutUbe videos and better learn how DIY this job. Use DOT4 brake fluid like ATE TYP200. First time, get 3 bottles, and flush your brake system thoroughly. SOme people flush before each track day, but depending on brakes, you could do it 2 times a year. You will figure it out. You can get fluid like Motul, TRW racing with bit higher boiling point, but ATE TYP200 will cut it.
Oil. Get yourself good W40 oil that has Porsche A40 approval (important as part of Porsche approval testing is simulation of 5hrs of track time at Nurburgring). For N55 engine I would go Castrol Edge 0W40 or Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W40. You could get on Amazon Motul 5W40 SPort which is more dedicated street/track oil without any approvals as oxidation levels are bit higher (that is signature of all track oils, especially racing oils). But for first time, get Castrol 0W40. Make sure it is at MAX level! Bring extra 1qt with you or whatever you have left in 5qt bottle. The reason why you want at MAX level is G forces, and you do not have dry sump. 1QT should be enough, but your oil change will take some 7+qt so you should get 2X5qt bottles of Castrol 0W40 in Wal mart , so just bring extra in 2nd bottle.
Another thing: helmet selection. Most people run Heat on track. Heat is at max and fan is at max (absolutely no AC). Heat and fan at max are improving cooling off as basically your HVAC radiator serves as secondary cooling radiator in this case. Usually windows are open, but still it can get hot inside. That is during hot days. So, my preference is open helmet not close, so I can cool off a bit better. I got Bell for $215, DOT and SNELL approved. Get nice gloves. Absolutely important as your palms will sweat. I have installed fire extinguisher (got in Wal mart, one for car, no need to go fancy).
Once you see where you at, and if you like it (and you will, it is pure drug) get yourself set of used 18 or 19" wheels. Then get dedicated tires for track. You are not getting paid to do this, so do not go crazy. Falken 615 will cut it, or Kumho V730. The reason why I like dedicated tire and wheel set is that you can damage tire, and you might not know it, and than drive on street, having kids inside etc. Get TPMS for dedicated set bcs. if you lose air on track, you want to know that ASAP.
Later see pads. See if you will have pad fade. Do not go drilled rotors for track. They crack. Keep it simple. Cheap solid rotors are fine. Pads if you have fade? Well, do you have regular brakes or sport (M) brakes? If regular, I would upgrade to M rotors and calipers. If you already have that and have fade, than for street/track Hawk HP+, Ferodo DS2500 are good start unless you want dedicated race pad, but they are hard to bring to operating temperature on street. So, you will be doing a lot of swapping.
Tools? I bring a box with everything I have for quick pad exchange etc. Bring spare tire! If you do not have one, get it or you will be towing car home if you damage tire. Bring lift to get car up. Bring camping chair so you can sit down if sessions going on, bring enough bottled water as you will dehydrate if hot. Have a hat that will protect from sun, and never leave helmet on sun or you will get burned. Bring some camping blanket to put stuff on. Bring small cooler and sandwich with you. Bring sunscreen.
Thanks for, lot of helpful advice. I currently have the standard brake setup for the F32 and I've been looking at used M brake calipers from some M2s M3s and M4s but it's hard to find a full set at a good price near me so I'm going to keep browsing for a bit until I find a good buy but defiantly something I want to do in the next year or so. I do for the meantime plan to run OEM pads and swap them for new ones as needed for now since I am not going to be tracking my car that often and don't think I will burn through that many pads. Maybe get something with a bit more bite if I need it but don't want to go crazy upgrading pads and rotors if I am going to get new calipers soon. As for the helmet for one of the tracks in particular (NJ motorsports park), I believe they require a full non-open helmet so I may go with that just so I don't have to worry about tracks that require a full-face helmet any suggestions for a good budget snell helmet? Did I found one on Amazon for about $219 what's a good price range for something like that? The oil suggestion is very helpful, so in terms of my tires, I should be good with the 4/32 in the front and 8/32 in the back for now until I either replace them or get dedicated track tires? Dumb question but do I need to get my tires balanced and realigned if I rotate them? I'm not too familiar with the rotating process. Thanks again for the advice and recommendations!
Quote:
Originally Posted by m4thijss View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by edycol View Post
So, since this would be your first day, go and feel the air. Tires should be fine. You would not be first one to go on A/S tires. But, if you end up pushing too hard, you might damage tread on those tires. Still, I would not go dedicated track set (will come to this latter) for first day. ROTATE those tires. Put beefier tires to the back. You allowed them to wear out too much on one axle.
Pads on F30 are not as performance oriented as they are on E90 for example, unless you have those sport brakes. But, do not pay too much attention on that now. They should be fine. Make sure you have 50% of meat on them.
Absolutely important, get fresh brake fluid before track day. Get yourself pressure pump that costs about $30-50. Watch YoutUbe videos and better learn how DIY this job. Use DOT4 brake fluid like ATE TYP200. First time, get 3 bottles, and flush your brake system thoroughly. SOme people flush before each track day, but depending on brakes, you could do it 2 times a year. You will figure it out. You can get fluid like Motul, TRW racing with bit higher boiling point, but ATE TYP200 will cut it.
Oil. Get yourself good W40 oil that has Porsche A40 approval (important as part of Porsche approval testing is simulation of 5hrs of track time at Nurburgring). For N55 engine I would go Castrol Edge 0W40 or Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5W40. You could get on Amazon Motul 5W40 SPort which is more dedicated street/track oil without any approvals as oxidation levels are bit higher (that is signature of all track oils, especially racing oils). But for first time, get Castrol 0W40. Make sure it is at MAX level! Bring extra 1qt with you or whatever you have left in 5qt bottle. The reason why you want at MAX level is G forces, and you do not have dry sump. 1QT should be enough, but your oil change will take some 7+qt so you should get 2X5qt bottles of Castrol 0W40 in Wal mart , so just bring extra in 2nd bottle.
Another thing: helmet selection. Most people run Heat on track. Heat is at max and fan is at max (absolutely no AC). Heat and fan at max are improving cooling off as basically your HVAC radiator serves as secondary cooling radiator in this case. Usually windows are open, but still it can get hot inside. That is during hot days. So, my preference is open helmet not close, so I can cool off a bit better. I got Bell for $215, DOT and SNELL approved. Get nice gloves. Absolutely important as your palms will sweat. I have installed fire extinguisher (got in Wal mart, one for car, no need to go fancy).
Once you see where you at, and if you like it (and you will, it is pure drug) get yourself set of used 18 or 19" wheels. Then get dedicated tires for track. You are not getting paid to do this, so do not go crazy. Falken 615 will cut it, or Kumho V730. The reason why I like dedicated tire and wheel set is that you can damage tire, and you might not know it, and than drive on street, having kids inside etc. Get TPMS for dedicated set bcs. if you lose air on track, you want to know that ASAP.
Later see pads. See if you will have pad fade. Do not go drilled rotors for track. They crack. Keep it simple. Cheap solid rotors are fine. Pads if you have fade? Well, do you have regular brakes or sport (M) brakes? If regular, I would upgrade to M rotors and calipers. If you already have that and have fade, than for street/track Hawk HP+, Ferodo DS2500 are good start unless you want dedicated race pad, but they are hard to bring to operating temperature on street. So, you will be doing a lot of swapping.
Tools? I bring a box with everything I have for quick pad exchange etc. Bring spare tire! If you do not have one, get it or you will be towing car home if you damage tire. Bring lift to get car up. Bring camping chair so you can sit down if sessions going on, bring enough bottled water as you will dehydrate if hot. Have a hat that will protect from sun, and never leave helmet on sun or you will get burned. Bring some camping blanket to put stuff on. Bring small cooler and sandwich with you. Bring sunscreen.
Thanks for, lot of helpful advice. I currently have the standard brake setup for the F32 and I've been looking at used M brake calipers from some M2s M3s and M4s but it's hard to find a full set at a good price near me so I'm going to keep browsing for a bit until I find a good buy but defiantly something I want to do in the next year or so. I do for the meantime plan to run OEM pads and swap them for new ones as needed for now since I am not going to be tracking my car that often and don't think I will burn through that many pads. Maybe get something with a bit more bite if I need it but don't want to go crazy upgrading pads and rotors if I am going to get new calipers soon. As for the helmet for one of the tracks in particular (NJ motorsports park), I believe they require a full non-open helmet so I may go with that just so I don't have to worry about tracks that require a full-face helmet any suggestions for a good budget snell helmet? Did I found one on Amazon for about $219 what's a good price range for something like that? The oil suggestion is very helpful, so in terms of my tires, I should be good with the 4/32 in the front and 8/32 in the back for now until I either replace them or get dedicated track tires? Dumb question but do I need to get my tires balanced and realigned if I rotate them? I'm not too familiar with the rotating process. Thanks again for the advice and recommendations!
Get full face SNELL SA2020 helmet $219 RaceQuip is sufficient. Oil: 5w40 Liquid Molly or Pennzoil Platinum Euro 5w-40 or BMW 5w30. NJMP lightning is hard on engine oil pressure. No need to realign the tires but make sure u have the 17mm socket / few spare lug nuts in the car better carry your own 1/2" torque wrench set it to 107 lb/ft. Hand torque the nuts before every single event/race and inspect your wheel / brake / tire / oil / fliud level etc.
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