Questions from a Trackday virgin

[Mark 178]

OK, so I want to take the E30 for a blat round Ruapuna, but have a couple of questions:

-Helmet. What kind do I need? Can I use a motorcycle helmet? If I'm to buy a helmet what safety standards does it have to meet?

- Brakes. Obviously the main thing needed for a fun day. What pads should I run? Will performance street pads suffice? Or should I get some race grade pads and swap them out on the day?

- Other stuff. How else should I prep the car? What should I check/tighten/remove/replace both before the day and after it?

Advice greatly appreciated.

[|ncary 0]

I use a good motorbike one, they are allowed.

I've only been to a couple of track days, but I just put the tires up to about 35 psi, so they are nice and hard when hot, and check brake pads and wheel bolts and add about 700mls of extra oil.

I use brake ducts and TRW metallic pads from repco, havn't had any fade on deep hard braking.. The pedal dropped a bit due to the fluid boiling, but still stopped hard.

Have fun, it's nothing like the road.

[DRTDVL 0]

OK, so I want to take the E30 for a blat round Ruapuna, but have a couple of questions:

-Helmet. What kind do I need? Can I use a motorcycle helmet? If I'm to buy a helmet what safety standards does it have to meet?

as said most motorcycle helmets will do, there is specific ratings you need if you want to do club man events (snell, E, etc...) brands like ffm, oxsford, hgc, etc... Typcally all meet these requirements. You will also want to make sure you get a double D metal strap not a plastc slide chin strap as some trackday people don't like these as you might catch it and release the helmet in an accident. Also get a fullface helmet, heard and seen broken jaws, noses, black eyes, and people being knocked out by their own hands/arms in a crash. Have a look on the motorsport nz site for a fitment guide. Also shop around motorcycle shops will vary greatly in price ($30 on low end helmets) and we saw the same helmet FFM at repco ($200) where at most of the motorcycle shops it was sub $135

- Brakes. Obviously the main thing needed for a fun day. What pads should I run? Will performance street pads suffice? Or should I get some race grade pads and swap them out on the day?

check your pads for life left, if you can't remember the last time you bled your brakes do that also. Maybe look a upgradng to a decent brake fuild a good dot 4 or something motul rbf600/660 f your really going to be pushing it. As this is your first time out I wouldn't worry to much about spendng lots on new pads (unless you need new pads) and stuff as you might not like it and not want to do it again. Go out have fun and see whatneeds upgradi g for the next one after that.

- Other stuff. How else should I prep the car? What should I check/tighten/remove/replace both before the day and after it?

car prep = remove all loose stuff from the car (crap in glovebox, crap in boot, CDs, etc), check all fuilds for level and quailty (when did you last do an oil change), check plugs, air filter, etc... Check wheel bolts, engine mounts (visually), if your really keen throw a spanner over all the suspension bolts. But really check oil for level and quality. Brakes for pad life and disc life. Clean out car of crap. After check brakes again... Ohh also check coolent levels... Edited June 8, 2009 by Penry

[Grant 4]

Make sure your have sufficient oil in the sump. I did my big end bearings on a track day (old Taupo track) in my E30 because of having a slightly low oil level, causing oil starvation on the corners.

Also, my other issue was massive brake fade. This was my fault, as I was on them too soft for too long, rather than planting my foot for short period to brake. You have to throw normal street braking theory out the window.

The last track day I did, for some reason, I kept having a spark plug lead popping off.

Cheers

Grant

[greenday-rulz21 4]

Braided Lines.

Improve brake feel soo much. Although for 1 track day its probably overkill, but if you're going to go out more often then it might be a good mod to look into.

[Mark 178]

Thanks for the advice guys... all good things to add to the checklist.

So, a $100-$150 helmet is OK? I like my brain and want to make sure it stays where it's supposed to.

[drifty325i 0]

Hey Mark, if you need a hand setting up your car for the day Jimmy and myself will give you a hand, we are getting pretty good at it now haha

[Mark 178]

Thanks Riley... will do. Apart from being a car maintenance noob I also don't have any decent tools which doesn't help!

[DRTDVL 0]

Thanks for the advice guys... all good things to add to the checklist.

So, a $100-$150 helmet is OK? I like my brain and want to make sure it stays where it's supposed to.

Ya man that will be fine... It's even fine for entry level clubman events...

Just remember it's your first time out there - go have fun... You can take the car out, see what it does and should you get bitten by the trackday/motorsport bug then you can look up upgrading everything on the car (as you will want to)

RE: Tools - Beer and Piza = great incentives for people to provide assistance...

[drifty325i 0]

Thanks Riley... will do. Apart from being a car maintenance noob I also don't have any decent tools which doesn't help!

Thats one thing James and to a lesser degree myself have sorted. Just flick us a PM closer to the time mate

[elmarco 56]

Thanks for the advice guys... all good things to add to the checklist.

So, a $100-$150 helmet is OK? I like my brain and want to make sure it stays where it's supposed to.

Good question - I like my brain unscrambled too.

The question I always ask myself about helmets is what is my head worth? How would you feel knowing that an extra $200 on the helmet budget might have made a difference between a head injury or not? I say get the absoloute best helmet you can stretch to. And while it has been a while since I bought one, I would have thought $150 was a cheapie (my last Shoei bike helmet was around $1000). Even my last cycle helmet was more like $250 if I remember correctly.

Have fun!

[crazyarab 6]

Good on ya Mark, you gonna have a blast man!

The boys have pretty much covered it all, go see Riley and the boys and I am sure they will sort you out.

There is nothing to it really, when I took the M3 for the first time I just made sure everything was working as it should.

I have always used a motorcycle helmet (without the glass visor) on track days and it's more than enough I think. I have 2 at home and would be happy to lend them to you if you want. Bonus about buying a helmet now is that you will always have one ready for when you want to go for a blat.

Once you get bitten by the bug however... all this changes.

You start getting a bit stupid and buy items like $2000 semi slicks and $700 racing pads etc.. all in the hope of boasting better lap times!

Edited June 8, 2009 by crazyarab

[Greg111 13]

Good on ya Mark, you gonna have a blast man!

The boys have pretty much covered it all, go see Riley and the boys and I am sure they will sort you out.

There is nothing to it really, when I took the M3 for the first time I just made sure everything was working as it should.

I have always used a motorcycle helmet (without the glass visor) on track days and it's more than enough I think. I have 2 at home and would be happy to lend them to you if you want. Bonus about buying a helmet now is that you will always have one ready for when you want to go for a blat.

Once you get bitten by the bug however... all this changes.

You start getting a bit stupid and buy items like $2000 semi slicks and $700 racing pads etc.. all in the hope of boasting better lap times!

Haha you miss it don't ya.

I'm the same, just got a normal race helmet, currently on the look for race overalls. Even got Sparco shoes to complete the look

And made a race cam to sit in the headrests.

[1rotty 40]

'elmarco' date='Jun 8 2009, 05:55 PM' post='254221']

The question I always ask myself about helmets is what is my head worth?

+1001

Get absolutely the best quality one you can get your hands on.

As elmarco says expect to pay upwards of 800

Blowing your car up is one thing,blowing your head up is a bit more disturbing.

NEVER scrimp on safety items.

Have a blast mate.

[JiB 0]

'elmarco' date='Jun 8 2009, 05:55 PM' post='254221']As elmarco says expect to pay upwards of 800

$800 is getting up there....I've got a Int'l FIA approved Bell M3 and I only paid $500 ish (can't quite remember)?

[DRTDVL 0]

'elmarco' date='Jun 8 2009, 05:55 PM' post='254221']

+1001

Get absolutely the best quality one you can get your hands on.

As elmarco says expect to pay upwards of 800

Blowing your car up is one thing,blowing your head up is a bit more disturbing.

NEVER scrimp on safety items.

Have a blast mate.

I find this a rather interesting question given that motorcycle helmets are rated for motorcycle use and the type of impacts experanced in motorcycle crashes are much worse than those of car crashes, where typically the biggest chance of impact is with the window/b piller... The general advantages of going up in $$$ is moving from plastic to fiberglass to composite/carbon/kevlar helmets (putting aside weight) as the fibreglass and carbon/composite helmets dispurse the impact more effectively through the helmet instead of at the point impact like the plastic helmets.

price ranges are typically $0 - $200/$250, $250 - $400/$500, and $600+.

Then you start looking at specific helmet for the style of racing your going to be doing - open face, with or with intercom, wide eye port, HANS etc... 

I know the helmet i would like to get is around $1400 and is the Sparco WTT TK-RALLY

Cardwells have a SimpsonHelmet on special at the moment...

Simpson Shark helmet ( SA2000 ) suit stockcar or speedway, was Simpsons top of the line carbon helmet 

1 only size large 71/2" 59cm-60cm only $650+gst

recommend replacement cost $1488+gst

picture shows helmet with silly optional chin spoiler - this is not included.

[tibbs.james 1]

Hey Mark, if you need a hand setting up your car for the day Jimmy and myself will give you a hand, we are getting pretty good at it now haha

just you wait until you hear the technical words we use when putting stuff togeather. But really all this doing work on a shingle driveway in the mud and rain has hardened us up to any challenge.

Give us a yell we will get ya sorted !

[huff3r 347]

The reason motorsport helmets must meet higher standards than motorcycle helmets is that a standard road helmet is designed for an impact at not more than 100kph, whereas on a trackday in a car you could be doing well in excess of that, so for safety reasons i personally would go for one that at least meets club racing standards... in saying that, mine is an $80 one of trademe which meets the aussie standard, but is still a cheapy

[crazyarab 6]

Haha you miss it don't ya.

I'm the same, just got a normal race helmet, currently on the look for race overalls. Even got Sparco shoes to complete the look

And made a race cam to sit in the headrests.

OOh, forgot to include the "custom overalls" in that shopping list too hah.

I hate going in the garage now because I see all the trac day kit just sitting there.

Yes, Greg I do miss it

Edited June 8, 2009 by crazyarab

[Honest Paul 0]

Mark, a fluid change of at least quality engine oil and brake fluid will help look after car. It's brake fluid boiling rather than brake pad glaze that generally produces fade and once your fluid boils it's done for.

Take it easy for the first couple of laps to bring tempratures up and always use your cool down lap as just that.

Don't run too many laps at once, it's not a race car.

Driving at 8/10ths rather than 10/10ths (not easy when the red mist decends) will look after your car too. And the redline is a limit, not a target.

[westy 614]

Fill it up with gas before you get there too.

Nothing worse than fuel surge on a 1/4 tank half way through the day.

[hybrid 1039]

There are products around for this problem for e36 and e46 .. small in tank wells that attach to the fuel pump intake pipe that hold small amounts enough to get around a large sweeping corner on 1/4 tank.

[kerrynzl 3]

For a track day a cheap FFM helmet is great [ they're NZ made and pass MANZ specs ] unfortunately they don't have the "wank" factor of a fashion brand

Helmets are only good for 10years so a new one is better than a used "brand" label

spend the money you save on a good set of race pads [ carbon metallic 90's from "Les Hunter" in Chch ] but don't use them on the street [ they're easy to swap in and out ]

When you become totally addicted [ heaven forbid ] get a spare set of wheels with track tyres [ like the pads they're easy to swap after the meeting ]

Also add an extra litre of oil to the engine

HAVE FUN

[ecko_complex 3]

Are you going to the June 2nd track day?

[Mark 178]

Sure am.... booked and ready to hold up all sorts of exotic metal on the back straight!