Jeff's build - for occasional light track use

[ayau]

@metal_driver, which of the 3 holes did you use for the offset camber ball joints? Max camber hole? How was your tire shoulder wear at over -2.5 camber?

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[metal_driver]

@ayau I went with the middle hole, B -1 camber. This gave me -2.6 front left and -2.8 front right.
I just went out and checked the front tire wear and it appears pretty even between the outside and the inside of the two front Michelin Cup 2 tires (255/35R19) so I'm happy with that. These tires were mounted on the car at about 850 Km's and the car now has 2250 Km' s on it for a total of 1400 Km's/870 miles so far on them for three track events plus the trips to and from the tracks (about 700 Km's or half for transit).

Here are two shots from the the front of the driver side front tire. This is the tire with the most wear at the moment as both tracks I have been to are in a clockwise pattern.

And here a shot from the back of the passenger side front tire.

 

[ayau]

@ayau I went with the middle hole, B -1 camber. This gave me -2.6 front left and -2.8 front right.
I just went out and checked the front tire wear and it appears pretty even between the outside and the inside of the two front Michelin Cup 2 tires (255/35R19) so I'm happy with that. These tires were mounted on the car at about 850 Km's and the car now has 2250 Km' s on it for a total of 1400 Km's/870 miles so far on them for three track events plus the trips to and from the tracks (about 700 Km's or half for transit).

Here are two shots from the the front of the driver side front tire. This is the tire with the most wear at the moment as both tracks I have been to are in a clockwise pattern.

And here a shot from the back of the passenger side front tire.

I'm assuming you had the guide pins already removed? So that would be about -1.5 factory without guide pines and another -1 from the slotted ball joint. Seems pretty close to what Hardrace is estimating.

That's pretty cool you can get over -3 with these ball joints on max camber setting. Although on street tires, I think it's a little overkill anything above -3.

I know Evasive is testing their own version of the slotted ball joints. I'm going to wait to see what those look like. I believe J's Racing has their own version but it's a little difficult to find a US distributor. I'm sure they're all more or less the same.

 

[metal_driver]

To add to my previous post about the track event at Calabogie yesterday, I forgot to mention that I was in a run group with three other students driving a Maserati, a Ford Focus RS (fairly new), and a Porsche 928.
By the end of the first run the Ford Focus RS was showing signs of easing up. By the time we pitted the driver reported he went into limp mode near the end of the first session for overheating. He had to retire his ride and rented a track Mustang for the remaining two runs. By the end of the second run the Maserati and 928 also had to retire for worn front tires (to the chord) and a clutch issue in the Porsche. By the final run I was the only driver left in my car with two others in rented track Mustangs and the last student was given the instructors personal E36 M3 track focused car (the instructor was also in a track Mustang). With the track Mustangs the pace was pretty good.
All that to say, I don't think we were dallying at all, and I was a bit surprised to see the Focus RS out so quick for overheating.

 

[ayau]

The wear on your tires look pretty nice as well. Here's mine with Potenza S007A. Definitely got them a bit too hot and/or road surfaces were a bit rough. I got these tires on TireRack closeout so whatever lol.

 

[metal_driver]

I'm assuming you had the guide pins already removed? So that would be about -1.5 factory without guide pines and another -1 from the slotted ball joint. Seems pretty close to what Hardrace is estimating.

That's pretty cool you can get over -3 with these ball joints on max camber setting. Although on street tires, I think it's a little overkill anything above -3.

I know Evasive is testing their own version of the slotted ball joints. I'm going to wait to see what those look like. I believe J's Racing has their own version but it's a little difficult to find a US distributor. I'm sure they're all more or less the same.

Yes, those numbers were with the guide pins removed. I was hoping for -2.7 camber up front and thats pretty well what I got. Your also correct in that the camber can be in fact increased another -1 degree with the Hardrace lower adjustable ball plate (part number Q0094). I actually got these through Evasive and their service was excellent.

 

[metal_driver]

@ayau - The wear looks pretty even on your tires. I assume the outside of the tire is on the left?
Got to say Im pretty happy with the Cup 2's so far. Not cheap though..

 

[ayau]

@ayau - The wear looks pretty even on your tires. I assume the outside of the tire is on the left?
Got to say Im pretty happy with the Cup 2's so far. Not cheap though..

I believe the outside of the wheel was on the right, which is why you see the chunking on the right side of the tread block.

I may try some RS4 next time to see if it'll tolerate heat better. Not looking for the best grip, just something that has good durability.

 

[Lust]

I believe the outside of the wheel was on the right, which is why you see the chunking on the right side of the tread block.

I may try some RS4 next time to see if it'll tolerate heat better. Not looking for the best grip, just something that has good durability.

RS4 IMO is the best lapping tire available. Wears like iron, decent grip, predictable, cheap, and easy to drive

 

[metal_driver]

I just finished cleaning up my car and wheels after the track day yesterday. For those of you who are thinking about tracking your car in the future I would highly recommend that you spend a bit extra and get a full front end ppf. There ends up being a fair amount of tire debris that is thrown up which marks up the front including the hood. I was also quite surprised to feel how much stuff is coming up behind the cars in front when you put your arm out the window to signal for a pass.
I went with full Xpel on the front including the lights, fogs, trim, badge, pillars, part of the roof, and all the lower sides and rear arches. I'm glad I did now.
I also had the rims ceramic coated when I first got them and that makes cleaning them much easier, especially with a set of wheel woolies. I think it's a good idea to clean off the brake dust as soon as you can after a day at the track.

 

[the8rotor]

Great advice Jeff on front end protection. My last track day August 2019, a damn s2000 passed me on the straight and threw the smallest rock at my windshield. Going 130+, it shattered my windshield ?

 

[metal_driver]

Sorry to hear that Kevin. I guess that ended your day at the track to boot
These windshields certainly are not the best. I take spare wheel with me to track day but there is not much you can do about a windscreen..

 

[Lust]

I just finished cleaning up my car and wheels after the track day yesterday. For those of you who are thinking about tracking your car in the future I would highly recommend that you spend a bit extra and get a full front end ppf. There ends up being a fair amount of tire debris that is thrown up which marks up the front including the hood. I was also quite surprised to feel how much stuff is coming up behind the cars in front when you put your arm out the window to signal for a pass.
I went with full Xpel on the front including the lights, fogs, trim, badge, pillars, part of the roof, and all the lower sides and rear arches. I'm glad I did now.
I also had the rims ceramic coated when I first got them and that makes cleaning them much easier, especially with a set of wheel woolies. I think it's a good idea to clean off the brake dust as soon as you can after a day at the track.

PPF is an absolute must IMO. Definitely a worthy investment. My car has maybe 1-2 small impacts on the film after 17k miles and 5 track days. If I didn’t have the film, my entire front end would be toast.

 

[metal_driver]

I rotated my tires earlier this week in preparation for a track day yesterday. I was a bit surprised to find out that Michelin Cup 2 tires are not directional (they do have an outside and inside marking for the mount up on each wheel though).

I attended another lead follow HPDE track event at Calabogie yesterday. The weather was beautiful with a high was 29C (84F). We had four cars in our advanced-beginner group. Although the pace was pretty good, one of the cars (RX-7) was slowing us down a bit. My car is still holding up very well and seems to hold its own amongst other cars in the groups I have run in so far. The peak oil temperature I saw yesterday was 98C (208F) and the in car engine coolant gauge is still sitting at or below half..

I am happy to report that I was recommended for solo sign and a move up to the intermediate group level at Calabogie. This means that I can now attend lapping day events at Calabogie on my own (after a final orientation lap/session). I just signed up for the next allying day on 21 August at Calabogie.

 

[ayau]

What tire pressures are you running? Tried adjusting the rears up and down to tune the back end?

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