Track forum general chit chat.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by Ximian

Running XP20 front and rear and I haven't noticed issues with the rear locking up. Lowering the car with stiffer K&W HAS helped.

I'm also braking less than I used to so there's that...

I intentionally run a more aggressive pad on the rear at certain tracks to shift the bias a bit more to the rear. I’ve never had any issues doing this going back to my e46 M3 around 2004. At a minimum, I run the same compound front and rear. PFC doesn’t make these compounds any more but PFC 03 F + PFC 05 R or PFC 01 F + PFC 03 R. You can do similar things with PFC 01, 11, 13 and 39.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by 1FastSicilian

What wheel studs are you guys all running?

Did a break bleed yesterday and while having the car in the air, did a little inspection and noticed my lugs weren't completely tight, even after using Loctite..

they have about 8-9 track days on them and 10k miles.. I took them out, inspected them, put Loctite and retorqued them...

Now that I'm thinking of it, Should I have just replaced them?

MSI. if i remember correctly, studs have a proactive replacement of about 2 years.

[1FastSicilian]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

MSI. if i remember correctly, studs have a proactive replacement of about 2 years.

Just ordered from Motorsport Hardware… I decided I’m going to do the core4 hubs with press in this off season so I’ll run these for now

[danvitmon]

Hey guys, my electric fan is cracked at one of the blades and am looking to replace it. I have a friend with a BMW wholesale account that should be able to get a new assembly for me for less than list price (~$1100).

Is that my best option as opposed to buying a used one? Those are still 300-400 and who's to say that one won't crack within a year or two. This is still a dual purpose car and frequently gets driven on the street. Chinese ones are not an option and I believe the fan blade is not removable from the motor.

[CamasM3e93]

Originally Posted by danvitmon

Hey guys, my electric fan is cracked at one of the blades and am looking to replace it. I have a friend with a BMW wholesale account that should be able to get a new assembly for me for less than list price (~$1100).

Is that my best option as opposed to buying a used one? Those are still 300-400 and who's to say that one won't crack within a year or two. This is still a dual purpose car and frequently gets driven on the street. Chinese ones are not an option and I believe the fan blade is not removable from the motor.

I would personally go used and try to get it off a newer model. A used fan off a 2012 or 2013 with low miles will probably last you for years.

[pirategenes]

Originally Posted by danvitmon

Hey guys, my electric fan is cracked at one of the blades and am looking to replace it. I have a friend with a BMW wholesale account that should be able to get a new assembly for me for less than list price (~$1100).

Is that my best option as opposed to buying a used one? Those are still 300-400 and who's to say that one won't crack within a year or two. This is still a dual purpose car and frequently gets driven on the street. Chinese ones are not an option and I believe the fan blade is not removable from the motor.

Check out this Sal's Garage YouTube video here, that should help you with a solution:

TLDR: E60 535i fan blade fits and is much cheaper.

Good luck!

[jmeenach]

Originally Posted by 1FastSicilian

What wheel studs are you guys all running?

Did a break bleed yesterday and while having the car in the air, did a little inspection and noticed my lugs weren't completely tight, even after using Loctite..

they have about 8-9 track days on them and 10k miles.. I took them out, inspected them, put Loctite and retorqued them...

Now that I'm thinking of it, Should I have just replaced them?

Apex (I believe made by Macht Schnell) - recommended studs be replaced annually if tracked.

[CamasM3e93]

Originally Posted by jmeenach

Apex (I believe made by Macht Schnell) - recommended studs be replaced annually if tracked.

What about 14 year old oem bolts, same rules apply?

BTW, whomever suggested in a post that I get a Schroth harness if Recaro’s aren’t in my future- thank you. Holy crap what a difference. And down the rabbit hole I go….I’ll be back in 35k….

[danvitmon]

Originally Posted by pirategenes

Check out this Sal's Garage YouTube video here, that should help you with a solution:

TLDR: E60 535i fan blade fits and is much cheaper.

Good luck!

I remember there was some cheaper solution that was from a different model but could never find a vid/thread on it. Thanks for the help

[kolosy]

Originally Posted by CamasM3e93

What about 14 year old oem bolts, same rules apply?

BTW, whomever suggested in a post that I get a Schroth harness if Recaro’s aren’t in my future- thank you. Holy crap what a difference. And down the rabbit hole I go….I’ll be back in 35k….

now go get a hans.

[kolosy]

how much pad do you try to have left before you swap pads? i've got 6.7mm left on my DS1.11s (they started at 18mm, so call it 40%?)

swap em? or get one more track day? going to road america on Wednesday, deciding what to do. I'll take the set with them, but obviously easier to do at home than trackside. for reference, 5 days (including 2 at RA) is what got me from 18 to 6.7, so it's plenty left on that basis, i just don't know if there's a performance cliff past some point.

[omgzirra_exe]

Originally Posted by kolosy

how much pad do you try to have left before you swap pads? i've got 6.7mm left on my DS1.11s (they started at 18mm, so call it 40%?)

swap em? or get one more track day? going to road america on Wednesday, deciding what to do. I'll take the set with them, but obviously easier to do at home than trackside. for reference, 5 days (including 2 at RA) is what got me from 18 to 6.7, so it's plenty left on that basis, i just don't know if there's a performance cliff past some point.

when the pad material is equal to or less than the backing plate. :P

[kolosy]

Originally Posted by omgzirra_exe

when the pad material is equal to or less than the backing plate. :P

Ha, saw that advice elsewhere too. I’m 0.2mm above!!

[Ximian]

Originally Posted by CamasM3e93

What about 14 year old oem bolts, same rules apply?

BTW, whomever suggested in a post that I get a Schroth harness if Recaro’s aren’t in my future- thank you. Holy crap what a difference. And down the rabbit hole I go….I’ll be back in 35k….

I ended last year's track season short of one wheel and list of replacement parts due to broken one year old OEM bolts (replaced with new before first track event of the year). Good idea to replace those yearly and more often if you plan on using slicks.

[omgzirra_exe]

Originally Posted by kolosy

Ha, saw that advice elsewhere too. I’m 0.2mm above!!

i typically just do what jeff tells me to do even though i don't run APs lol

[1FastSicilian]

Originally Posted by omgzirra_exe

when the pad material is equal to or less than the backing plate. :P

lol thats the gauge I used for myself

[kolosy]

ended up doing them because road america is fast. glad i did.. is it me or are these glazed?

[jmeenach]

Originally Posted by kolosy

ended up doing them because road america is fast. glad i did.. is it me or are these glazed?

Glazed or not, those pads have seen some better days LOL. You made the right call by swapping pads.

[jmeenach]

Originally Posted by CamasM3e93

What about 14 year old oem bolts, same rules apply?

BTW, whomever suggested in a post that I get a Schroth harness if Recaro’s aren’t in my future- thank you. Holy crap what a difference. And down the rabbit hole I go….I’ll be back in 35k….

Yes, same theory applies to OEM bolts. Here is the explanation from the Apex installation sheet:

As with all fasteners, wheel studs and bolts are held in tension, and slightly stretch when installed. After they have been cycled between full torque and then released several times, they eventually lose their elasticity and no longer properly hold tension. While this can’t be seen, it can be measured by precision instruments. Heat also works to embrittle and oxidize metal and brakes generate an incredible amount of heat under hard use. If you are a regular track day participant, it is our recommendation (echoed by many seasoned racers) that you replace your studs annually.

A few of us have been discussing the Schroth harnesses, so regardless of which comment convinced you to pull the trigger, I'm glad it did. Make sure you run a HANS with the harness, as you can cause more harm than good if you aren't using the system correctly. A factory 3-point allows your body to kind of "wrap around" the shoulder portion of the belt, which spreads load across your body. With a 4-point or higher, the inertia is sent to your neck (as your torso will have much less movement), which leads to basilar skull fracture.

[VicS5]

The QuickFit Pros have an extension sewn into the driver’s right side shoulder strap which is designed to shear and extend the strap partially in an impact, effectively replicating the flexing forward movement of a 3 point restraint. This converts the forward shear of the head on an immobilized torso into axial distraction of the head on the neck as the torso flexes forward. That forward flexion of the torso is also what prevents the submarining that is a risk with any 4 point harness.
So you should be ok without one if using a QuickFit Pro, but I would agree with the statements above that you’re better off with one.
If using any other 4-5-6 pt harness that is not a QuickFit Pro, definitely need a HANS to keep your head firmly attached to your neck in the event of an impact.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by VicS5

So you should be ok without one if using a QuickFit Pro, but I would agree with the statements above that you’re better off with one.
If using any other 4-5-6 pt harness that is not a QuickFit Pro, definitely need a HANS to keep your head firmly attached to your neck in the event of an impact.

Exactly and have to remember there's a helmet which adds to the force in an impact.

[e92BMW///M3]

jritt@essex

Saw this post on a different board, wondering if this is chassis dependent or broadly applicable

"Your best bet is to focus on choosing a brake fluid that has a dry boiling point high enough to handle what you're planning to throw at it on the racetrack. With modern brake systems, wet boiling point is no longer as relevant as it once was. Today's systems just don't absorb as much water, as rapidly, as they once did. Also, fluids with a high wet boiling point don't always necessarily offer the best pedal feel due to their chemical composition. I can't tell you how many times we've switched a professional racing driver away from SRF and over to AP Racing and had them instantly tell us how much better their brake pedal feel was.

We (Essex) recommend AP Racing and Ferodo Racing brake fluids. We currently supply brake fluid directly to NASCAR Cup, IMSA, and IndyCar teams, club racers, HPDE drivers, etc. AP Raciing R3 was the gold standard for quite a long time, and now many teams in the elite racing series use AP Racing R4. The AP Racing range in particular has something for every need and budget. For many HPDE drivers, the AP Racing Rad-CAL R2 is the best bang-for-the-buck. It has a high enough dry boiling point to handle what many HPDE guys throw at it, without breaking the bank. We also keep thousands of bottles on the shelf and ready to ship from our Charlotte, NC warehouse at all times, so it's there when you need it most."

Need to change out fluid and SRF isn't an option.