Track forum general chit chat.

[OG Shark]

[dparm]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

Are you at COTA with Edge Addicts? Glad to see the car running this time!

[OG Shark]

Originally Posted by dparm

Are you at COTA with Edge Addicts? Glad to see the car running this time!

Sadly my nice run of COTA days the last couple of months has ended - that was from the NASA weekend.

Yeah that Sunday the car was a bit onery! But my buddy was able to get everything playing nice and I was able run the last session. They also let me run the 1/2 session immediately after so got a solid 40 minute run in with no issues to finish the weekend

Shutting the M3 down for the summer for some "upgrades"

[elim11]

I am low on my track pads. Besides Cobalt friction, where else do you guys buy the Cobalt Friction pads? I am looking for the RC40 pad shape.

Thanks!

[dparm]

So, I need two other people for this...

https://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Supe...3&np_offset=13

[SQ13]

Anyone at COTA today? Figured I’d stop by for C&C and to check out the paddock before heading to Houston.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by dparm

So, I need two other people for this...

https://www.racingjunk.com/NASA-Supe...3&np_offset=13

i'm not sure $30k is a good investment for a clapped out 13 year old track viper. lol

[bigjae1976]

Today, I was on track and went to hoon around a corner. I plant my right foot and it went straight to the floor...literally.

My gas pedal fell off its mounting.

That was interesting. I still made it into the paddock and avoided black flagging the session. I couldn't stop laughing afterwards.

[Chris_PDX]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

Today, I was on track and went to hoon around a corner. I plant my right foot and it went straight to the floor...literally.

My gas pedal fell off its mounting.

That was interesting. I still made it into the paddock and avoided black flagging the session. I couldn't stop laughing afterwards.

Good thing it was the right one and not the left (or middle, depending on your persuasion) one.

[rhyary]

Fun day at NYST
While I couldn't break 1:40, i had finally a dry day after three rainy track days.

Tires were:
Rear: Proxa RR 295/30/19 used pretty well
Front: New Proxa R888R 265/30/19
Alignment is -3.0 front, -2.0 rear and 0 toe

Tire wear were even but a second day on the front will be more telling. When the cord shows, where it shows will say something about the setting
.
.

.

[519.E82]

Thanks to you all in this thread i learned i can get NANKANG - AR-1 tires in Canada, would you go with them or bridgestone RE-71R's?

Was given a set of track wheels for almost nothing and am currently looking at buying dedicated track tires for the first time.

The nankangs are about $40 cheaper per tire

[dparm]

Originally Posted by 519.E82

Thanks to you all in this thread i learned i can get NANKANG - AR-1 tires in Canada, would you go with them or bridgestone RE-71R's?

Was given a set of track wheels for almost nothing and am currently looking at buying dedicated track tires for the first time.

The nankangs are about $40 cheaper per tire

They're a pretty popular tire in SE Asia. Not as common here.

[derbo]

Back on the topic of load ratings, I looked up my TE37SL to see what they are.

18x10.5 +20
690kg

[slicer]

You peaked my curiosity. BBS RIA in 10.5 et22 are the same - 690 kg


Ria via by slicerM, on Flickr

[dparm]

Is that the load rating on a street tire? I would assume so.

[kyippee]

Geez so 680-690 is a good load rating huh. I'll look for wheels with around that, if I buy again

[roastbeef]

i wonder if 650kg is just a minimum TUV standard or something and once it meets that, they just stamp it.

[derbo]

Originally Posted by dparm

Is that the load rating on a street tire? I would assume so.

I guess this is how they test? lol

[OG Shark]

For you guys and gals running full aero - are you satisfied with the amount of downforce you can generate in the front? Some type of setup with an extended splitter and incorporating canards - has this been sufficient - or still finding more would be helpful?

[dogbone]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

For you guys and gals running full aero - are you satisfied with the amount of downforce you can generate in the front? Some type of setup with an extended splitter and incorporating canards - has this been sufficient - or still finding more would be helpful?

I've been running full aero since 2015. My front splitter sticks out 5" from the OEM bumper. It is not chassis mounted---the lip is screwed into the bumper and the splitter is screwed into the lip/bumper. The front aero does create a good usable amount of downforce. For awhile, I drove with just a rear wing and no front aero. The difference was stark once the front aero went on. Really brought a good balance to the car at high speeds. And I tune the balance by changing the angle of the rear wing. I dropped 3 seconds at every track once the front aero went on.

Could I use more front aero by making the front splitter longer? Sure. But, as hobbyists/amateurs, there is a balance between ultimate performance and practicality/cost. A 7-8" splitter would create even better downforce. BUT if you ever go off track into the dirt, the chances of ripping that splitter off your car are MUUUUCH higher. That is an expensive mistake----thousands of dollars to replace the bumper, splitter, lip, and whatever other stuff got damaged under the car. And I've seen many guys (good drivers) rip their long splitters off. My 5" splitter has survived dozens of offs since 2015, including into mud, at the bottom of hills, sideways and headfirst into deep gravel---all the same places other guys have ripped theirs off. (Maybe I'm not such a good driver with all these damn offs..... hehe---remember, the aero makes you faster in corners, so you're pushing harder in the corners/rounders, so the chances of going off can increase while you're trying to find limits.)

Other considerations:
-If you plan to compete, certain classes of competition have different limitations on the size of front aero.
-The longer front aero gets, the harder it is to keep rigid unless you either use wood or expensive honeycomb materials or mount to the chassis. The cheaper APR material I use gets a bit flexy when it is long. (APR makes an expensive honeycomb that's super stiff.) Alumilite is a decent material and reasonable in cost.
-Once a splitter is on the front, forget street driving---unless it's super short, but then what's the point of going through the trouble of putting it on if it's too short?
-Canards are fine. Not much to notice on their own. I even stiffened mine up by putting a brace between them.
-I also did hood vents because there is evidence that there's positive pressure under the hood. Again, not much to notice by itself.
-I also cut out my fenders to allow pressure to escape in the front wheel wells. Again, not much to notice by itself.

But, I do believe the sum of all these smaller front aero tweaks are worthwhile. My turn-in is excellent with this car and it's very stable and predictable at any speed over 50mph. Of course, at low speeds (under 45mph) with a supercharged, gutted car that is very light in the rear, when the aero is doing nothing except look like a big fancy-looking decoration, you have to drive understanding that the rear can step out very easily. But at speeds over 70mph, the car is glued to the ground.

A couple pix: (you can see more on my build thread)

[OG Shark]

Originally Posted by dogbone

I've been running full aero since 2015. My front splitter sticks out 5" from the OEM bumper. It is not chassis mounted---the lip is screwed into the bumper and the splitter is screwed into the lip/bumper. The front aero does create a good usable amount of downforce. For awhile, I drove with just a rear wing and no front aero. The difference was stark once the front aero went on. Really brought a good balance to the car at high speeds. And I tune the balance by changing the angle of the rear wing. I dropped 3 seconds at every track once the front aero went on.

Could I use more front aero by making the front splitter longer? Sure. But, as hobbyists/amateurs, there is a balance between ultimate performance and practicality/cost. A 7-8" splitter would create even better downforce. BUT if you ever go off track into the dirt, the chances of ripping that splitter off your car are MUUUUCH higher. That is an expensive mistake----thousands of dollars to replace the bumper, splitter, lip, and whatever other stuff got damaged under the car. And I've seen many guys (good drivers) rip their long splitters off. My 5" splitter has survived dozens of offs since 2015, including into mud, at the bottom of hills, sideways and headfirst into deep gravel---all the same places other guys have ripped theirs off. (Maybe I'm not such a good driver with all these damn offs..... hehe---remember, the aero makes you faster in corners, so you're pushing harder in the corners/rounders, so the chances of going off can increase while you're trying to find limits.)

Other considerations:
-If you plan to compete, certain classes of competition have different limitations on the size of front aero.
-The longer front aero gets, the harder it is to keep rigid unless you either use wood or expensive honeycomb materials or mount to the chassis. The cheaper APR material I use gets a bit flexy when it is long. (APR makes an expensive honeycomb that's super stiff.) Alumilite is a decent material and reasonable in cost.
-Once a splitter is on the front, forget street driving---unless it's super short, but then what's the point of going through the trouble of putting it on if it's too short?
-Canards are fine. Not much to notice on their own. I even stiffened mine up by putting a brace between them.
-I also did hood vents because there is evidence that there's positive pressure under the hood. Again, not much to notice by itself.
-I also cut out my fenders to allow pressure to escape in the front wheel wells. Again, not much to notice by itself.

But, I do believe the sum of all these smaller front aero tweaks are worthwhile. My turn-in is excellent with this car and it's very stable and predictable at any speed over 50mph. Of course, at low speeds (under 45mph) with a supercharged, gutted car that is very light in the rear, when the aero is doing nothing except look like a big fancy-looking decoration, you have to drive understanding that the rear can step out very easily. But at speeds over 70mph, the car is glued to the ground.

A couple pix: (you can see more on my build thread)

Awesome, much appreciated. I'm putting together my plan for aero on my track car - don't have to worry about ripping a splitter off on the streets but I'm definitely not immune to off-roading on the track

I'm still very new to all this so definitely still have a tremendous amount to learn. I don't think my endeavors with this car could ever get me to this point - but I'm curious has anyone ever gotten to the point on our specific platform where they have had to dial the downforce down on the front? Where they have had too to run too much AOA on the rear to compensate and introduced too much drag & lost pace?

I have the hood & fender vents - not installed but leaning towards putting them on when the rest of the aero goes on. I'm planning to run through a few plywood designs as test runs. 5" and not having to be chassis mounted sounds pretty nice - is that why you run the panel latches? Is the splitter pulling on the bumper too much without them?

[admranger]

Originally Posted by dogbone

Of course, at low speeds (under 45mph) with a supercharged, gutted car that is very light in the rear, when the aero is doing nothing except look like a big fancy-looking decoration, you have to drive understanding that the rear can step out very easily.

Your rear aero is providing downforce at low speeds. The downforce is equal to its mass.

But yeah, I bet you have to have some pretty delicate throttle inputs at times...