Musings after 500 track miles

VictorH · 08-29-2010, 08:15 PM

deleted

Dntlvet · 08-29-2010, 08:32 PM

Wow, very interesting reflection on Road America.
I was there but only took the car handling clinic and the autocross.

So you were buying gas within the park between laps?
I saw some guys driving offsite and wondered why.

VictorH · 08-29-2010, 08:55 PM

I'd tank up after 2 sessions which was always lunch time. I ran three sessions once and got the fuel reserve warning (didn't like that since I don't want fuel starvation).

Gas at track was reportedly very expensive and from what I saw at the pump the only unleaded was 98 octane. Best place to tank up was 3 miles away at Elkhart lake, however you could only pay at the pump once every 24 hours so I had to go inside for my twice daily refueling.

03BeastCharmer · 08-31-2010, 11:44 AM

Wow, you put me to shame. The wife and I only put 200 track miles on her E36 M3 during O'fest. Granted we only tracked 1 day each. I think RA is a brake friendly track, so I wouldn't make a final verdict on brake needs based on RA. You have hard braking from high speeds, but you have very long straights that allow the brake fluid, rotors and pads to cool back down.

I took a lot of pictures on Thursday/Friday, so I probably have pictures of you on track

adc · 09-03-2010, 04:34 PM

Thank you for the report.

I just got a set of Pagids as well and was wondering what type of bedding-in (if any) you did to yours. And if you did, did you do it every day? Your input is much appreciated...

VictorH · 09-03-2010, 07:44 PM

Well I never did "formal" bedding in though I think that would be best. I mounted the Pagids before I left and drove 1,000 miles to the event. By the time I got there my rotors were all nice and shiny new metal with no material left from the old pads.

On the first session, I slowly increased the braking force and consequently heat throughout the session, but I never brought them to the point of fade. At the end of the first session it looked like I had good pad transfer to the rotors so I didn't worry. From the first session on everything was good. This worked for me at Road Atlanta as well. My preference would be to do a proper bedding of the pads but it's just too difficult for me to pull off on the street where I live and I've had fine results on the track, but I bet the brake specialists would probably say that's not the right way to do it.

adc · 09-03-2010, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VictorH

My preference would be to do a proper bedding of the pads but it's just too difficult for me to pull off on the street where I live and I've had fine results on the track, but I bet the brake specialists would probably say that's not the right way to do it.

Whatever works, I guess. last time I did a "proper" bedding the ABS kicked in, which may have contributed to some uneven pad deposits (either that or the pads were just not tough enough).

08-29-2010, 08:15 PM	#1
VictorH Major 433 Rep 1,286 Posts Drives: '09 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC iTrader: (4)	deleted Last edited by VictorH; 09-10-2010 at 05:15 PM..
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08-29-2010, 08:32 PM	#2
Dntlvet Dntlvet 11 Rep 447 Posts Drives: 10 M3 Sedan,13 GT-R BE,13 Pors Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Wisconsin iTrader: (0)	Wow, very interesting reflection on Road America. I was there but only took the car handling clinic and the autocross. So you were buying gas within the park between laps? I saw some guys driving offsite and wondered why.
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08-29-2010, 08:55 PM	#3
VictorH Major 433 Rep 1,286 Posts Drives: '09 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC iTrader: (4)	I'd tank up after 2 sessions which was always lunch time. I ran three sessions once and got the fuel reserve warning (didn't like that since I don't want fuel starvation). Gas at track was reportedly very expensive and from what I saw at the pump the only unleaded was 98 octane. Best place to tank up was 3 miles away at Elkhart lake, however you could only pay at the pump once every 24 hours so I had to go inside for my twice daily refueling.
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08-31-2010, 11:44 AM	#4
03BeastCharmer Lieutenant Colonel 257 Rep 1,660 Posts Drives: '13 M3 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston iTrader: (3)	Wow, you put me to shame. The wife and I only put 200 track miles on her E36 M3 during O'fest. Granted we only tracked 1 day each. I think RA is a brake friendly track, so I wouldn't make a final verdict on brake needs based on RA. You have hard braking from high speeds, but you have very long straights that allow the brake fluid, rotors and pads to cool back down. I took a lot of pictures on Thursday/Friday, so I probably have pictures of you on track __________________ Current: '13 E92 M3 Euro Delivery Gone: E86 M Coupe; E30 M3, E39 M5, E36 M3
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09-03-2010, 04:34 PM	#5
adc Major General 2751 Rep 6,759 Posts Drives: 2018 F80 M3 ED Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: MD/DC iTrader: (12)	Thank you for the report. I just got a set of Pagids as well and was wondering what type of bedding-in (if any) you did to yours. And if you did, did you do it every day? Your input is much appreciated... __________________ 2018 F80 Santorini 2019 Z4 3.0i 2022 X2 M35i
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09-03-2010, 07:44 PM	#6
VictorH Major 433 Rep 1,286 Posts Drives: '09 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC iTrader: (4)	Well I never did "formal" bedding in though I think that would be best. I mounted the Pagids before I left and drove 1,000 miles to the event. By the time I got there my rotors were all nice and shiny new metal with no material left from the old pads. On the first session, I slowly increased the braking force and consequently heat throughout the session, but I never brought them to the point of fade. At the end of the first session it looked like I had good pad transfer to the rotors so I didn't worry. From the first session on everything was good. This worked for me at Road Atlanta as well. My preference would be to do a proper bedding of the pads but it's just too difficult for me to pull off on the street where I live and I've had fine results on the track, but I bet the brake specialists would probably say that's not the right way to do it.
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