Track forum general chit chat.

[elim11]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

Hmm, I didn't seem to have any weight handicap at autocross at thermal...

carbon roof

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by elim11

carbon roof

Nah, we had two 220lb men in our car.

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by macdude357

Do you run stock rotors as well? If so, it might be worth upgrading those first. The Stoptech and PFC OEM rotors are supposed to have more vents and run cooler.

Pfc rotors are $1k for front. Might as well get an st40 kit then.

[macdude357]

Originally Posted by M3 Number 86

Pfc rotors are $1k for front. Might as well get an st40 kit then.

Stoptech Aero rotors are $800 shipped at Tire Rack. Replacement friction rings are about $650 per set. So not too much more than stock after the initial hit. If they run cooler, you might actually make up the difference in less pad usage.

[roastbeef]

Installing a rear strut brace. I can't figure out why Bmw uses weird-ass torque star bolts for internal parts. Had to go buy a set.

[roastbeef]

I'm gunna go ahead and toot my own horn on this one. Installed like a pro.

[admranger]

Nice work on the strut brace!

I hope you're going to use more than one strap on those wheels. Things move around...

[roastbeef]

Thanks!

The rails go very high and there is only about 3/4" of play on every side. The single strap covers both tires tightly. It doesn't seem like much, but it definitely gets the job done.

[roastbeef]

I started taking measurements and crap then my inner caveman took over and said, "F this, you can eyeball this bro."
So I poked a hole into a carpet mounting point and traced the top and sides of the carpet with a pen against a piece of paper. I put the paper against the carpet, double checked the marks I made, and got to work with the Dremel. It's a hard plastic, so no razor job...

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

I started taking measurements and crap then my inner caveman took over and said, "F this, you can eyeball this bro."
So I poked a hole into a carpet mounting point and traced the top and sides of the carpet with a pen against a piece of paper. I put the paper against the carpet, double checked the marks I made, and got to work with the Dremel. It's a hard plastic, so no razor job...

I eyeballed my diy shelf project too and it's pretty close to 90* as possible lol

The best part is the built in charging shelf on the bottom

[roastbeef]

Hit a 1:34:3 at big willow. Kinda meh, tires are spent already. Now I know the lifespan of an nt01.

One double day at Laguna
One day at big willow
Two days at auto club (one was an open track day)
1/2 day at big willow

Car feels nice, but I'm leaving a lot of time out there. Sucks the tires are done before I could really get into the groove.

[roastbeef]

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[roastbeef]

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[Kong Sheng Han]

Oreca Start FG seat installed. It's a rebranded Sparco Evo.

The pain of getting in and out and putting seatbelt on.... I need to get my roll bar installed soon, so I can use a Schroth Profi, bc a QFP simply won't work long term.

[redpriest]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

Hit a 1:34:3 at big willow. Kinda meh, tires are spent already. Now I know the lifespan of an nt01.

One double day at Laguna
One day at big willow
Two days at auto club (one was an open track day)
1/2 day at big willow

Car feels nice, but I'm leaving a lot of time out there. Sucks the tires are done before I could really get into the groove.

Lol, that's like 3 seconds faster than my last time I set at Big Willow. Going back in two weeks, hopefully I can hit that time. Kind of nervous, since I'll be going DSC off.

[YMB_M3]

Originally Posted by redpriest

Lol, that's like 3 seconds faster than my last time I set at Big Willow. Going back in two weeks, hopefully I can hit that time. Kind of nervous, since I'll be going DSC off.

You'll be fine. I think it's way harder to lose the back end at higher speeds. That combined with the wide track, the fact that many turns are banked, and the grippy/tire shredding pavement of Big willow makes it for a pretty easy track. When I went around a month ago for the first time, the only places I had significant oversteer were turns 4 and 5. Maybe be a bit more careful there if you're worried about spinning out.

The other turns are about balls and being smooth lol

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by redpriest

Lol, that's like 3 seconds faster than my last time I set at Big Willow. Going back in two weeks, hopefully I can hit that time. Kind of nervous, since I'll be going DSC off.

Every time I visit big willow, it takes me a few sessions to really shake the jitters that track gives me. I'm going to be honest here- I'm scared going through 8-9. I trust the car and I don't baby it, but it's like driving on the edge of a cliff, and going off the cliff drops you into hell. LoL
Setting the edc to comfort helps quite a bit, especially after getting the solid subframe bushings. The rear suspension is definitely more efficient and I'm able to get on the power sooner through 1 and 2. It also helps with weight transfer through 5-6.
I have been practicing being smoother off the brakes and smoother with my inputs overall.
I'm still struggling with turn 3 a bit. I want to experiment with going in deeper and charging up the hill more on the left side to help with starting the rotation earlier at the top. That entire 3-4-5-6 combo botches your times if you screw up any part of the symphony. I love it.

I put my tires on with the most meat on the outsides up front, and the more meat on the insides went on the rear. They corded in those areas anyways after about an hour of track time. Lol

[YMB_M3]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

I'm still struggling with turn 3 a bit. I want to experiment with going in deeper and charging up the hill more on the left side to help with starting the rotation earlier at the top. That entire 3-4-5-6 combo botches your times if you screw up any part of the symphony. I love it.

Charging up the hill full throttle after turn 3, rotating the car at the top where the budweiser sign is, and flying down the hill to turn 4 is my favorite part of the track. The elevation changes make it exhilarating. I had the most difficulty getting the car to the far right side of the track in preparation for turn 5 while being full throttle. I would always enter 5 too hot and end up just sliding lol. I think I need to chill out a bit there and focus on the exit as its so much more important than the entrance.

I need to get back out to Big Willow again soon...

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by YMB_M3

Charging up the hill full throttle after turn 3, rotating the car at the top where the budweiser sign is, and flying down the hill to turn 4 is my favorite part of the track. The elevation changes make it exhilarating. I had the most difficulty getting the car to the far right side of the track in preparation for turn 5 while being full throttle. I would always enter 5 too hot and end up just sliding lol. I think I need to chill out a bit there and focus on the exit as its so much more important than the entrance.

I need to get back out to Big Willow again soon...

You're absolutely right. I have to mentally deny myself the want to shift into 4th heading down the hill because I would be going way too fast and really botch the turn. It's definitely a slow in fast out corner.

[YMB_M3]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

You're absolutely right. I have to mentally deny myself the want to shift into 4th heading down the hill because I would be going way too fast and really botch the turn. It's definitely a slow in fast out corner.

It also may have been because my pads were on the backing plate and had no pad material left lol but here's an example of what I'm talking about right around 5:40. Not the fastest way around the track, but definitely a lot of fun.

[///Mobbin]

Originally Posted by admranger

How far do these stick out below the belly pan? Can you snap a shot or measure please? Nice to have a real bolt though vs. the stock plugs...

Nice job on the autocross, roastbeef!

admranger and roastbeef

Sorry if you ordered these already but I just stripped my drain port with them. Possibly prior damage but hard to know, BMW likely uses softer metal plugs to avoid this. Jammed a gigantic generic plug in there for now and taking the car to my preferred local shop tomorrow for them to time sert the drain port. Love doing my own work but frustrated and embarrassed and just want it fixed now!

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by ///Mobbin

admranger and roastbeef

Sorry if you ordered these already but I just stripped my drain port with them. Possibly prior damage but hard to know, BMW likely uses softer metal plugs to avoid this. Jammed a gigantic generic plug in there for now and taking the car to my preferred local shop tomorrow for them to time sert the drain port. Love doing my own work but frustrated and embarrassed and just want it fixed now!

four just showed up at my house yesterday. oh well, i'll send them back.