Slick Wear Life

BGTV8 · 02-23-2016, 01:44 PM

Running R-spec tyres means you need a track-day suspension setup that needs to be removed for dd duties as the more aggressive camber, caster and toe settings will wear road dd tyres substantially more quickly than less aggressive (normal) settings.

My suggestion if you are a newbie is start with quality summer spec tyres and use OEM settings until your lap times stop improving.

The OEM front suspension has no adjustment for camber so when you start evolving the handling, you do need to invest in adjustable FUCA. Then you can bolt on some more camber and move towards toe-out and eventually dial in more camber which will improve overall grip and give you the ability to generate turn so you can get the car to rotate on corner entry.

This needs to be balanced with added rear grip which is a little less toe-in (but not toe out) and more camber.

The thing to remember is that you need balance most of all - you do not want the front to turn without commensurate rear grip (lest you provoke terminal oversteer - car hits the wall rear first), nor so you want rear grip to overcome the fronts ability to turn, lest you provoke understeer (front of the car hits the wall first).

So, my suggestions are:
1. Focus on your own abilities first and when you can drive the car as hard as possible and lap-times are not improving, then chase grip with improved tyres and suspension
2. You MUST do the basics before heading to the track (oil cooler, pad upgrade, brake fluid upgrade). There is an excellent track day prep post here - use google to search for "the370z.com+track+day+basics" and see where that gets you.
3. HPDE is good, especially if you can get a good instructor alongside you.

If you were down-under, I'd say "join a car club" because we have a heap of marque-specific clubs down here who are sanctioning-body affiliated and they universally offer their members track day opportunities, coaching and practical support. I don;t have any west coast USA experience but I am sure there will be members on the forum that can point you in the direction of a commercial HPDE operator who can provide some coaching as a minimum - I presume there will be local SCCA affiliated clubs - I just know of them.

Above all, do not out-drive your budget ... because this can become a serious addiction - I know because I have been at it for 45 years, and the fact that I am still married - to the same woman - is testament to her forebearance and tolerance ....

In the meantime, have fun ...............

Bshields22 · 02-23-2016, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGTV8

Running R-spec tyres means you need a track-day suspension setup that needs to be removed for dd duties as the more aggressive camber, caster and toe settings will wear road dd tyres substantially more quickly than less aggressive (normal) settings.

My suggestion if you are a newbie is start with quality summer spec tyres and use OEM settings until your lap times stop improving.

The OEM front suspension has no adjustment for camber so when you start evolving the handling, you do need to invest in adjustable FUCA. Then you can bolt on some more camber and move towards toe-out and eventually dial in more camber which will improve overall grip and give you the ability to generate turn so you can get the car to rotate on corner entry.

This needs to be balanced with added rear grip which is a little less toe-in (but not toe out) and more camber.

The thing to remember is that you need balance most of all - you do not want the front to turn without commensurate rear grip (lest you provoke terminal oversteer - car hits the wall rear first), nor so you want rear grip to overcome the fronts ability to turn, lest you provoke understeer (front of the car hits the wall first).

So, my suggestions are:
1. Focus on your own abilities first and when you can drive the car as hard as possible and lap-times are not improving, then chase grip with improved tyres and suspension
2. You MUST do the basics before heading to the track (oil cooler, pad upgrade, brake fluid upgrade). There is an excellent track day prep post here - use google to search for "the370z.com+track+day+basics" and see where that gets you.
3. HPDE is good, especially if you can get a good instructor alongside you.

If you were down-under, I'd say "join a car club" because we have a heap of marque-specific clubs down here who are sanctioning-body affiliated and they universally offer their members track day opportunities, coaching and practical support. I don;t have any west coast USA experience but I am sure there will be members on the forum that can point you in the direction of a commercial HPDE operator who can provide some coaching as a minimum - I presume there will be local SCCA affiliated clubs - I just know of them.

Above all, do not out-drive your budget ... because this can become a serious addiction - I know because I have been at it for 45 years, and the fact that I am still married - to the same woman - is testament to her forebearance and tolerance ....

In the meantime, have fun ...............

Wow! Wonderful information. I will be sure to use this for future reference if or when i get closer to going in that direction. It sounds like I should stick to summer tires for a bit longer.

I too am married and feel you on the forebearance and tolerance of this sport/hobby lol. It's hard having 2 women in your life (Z being the other women just in case if that got lost in translation lol)

Rusty · 02-23-2016, 05:54 PM

Nice reply BGTV8.

When you start to do trackdays. The car becomes a demanding expensive mistress.

02-23-2016, 01:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
BGTV8 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: 03350 Australia Posts: 1,516 Drives: 09 Nissan 370Z M6 Rep Power: 39975	Running R-spec tyres means you need a track-day suspension setup that needs to be removed for dd duties as the more aggressive camber, caster and toe settings will wear road dd tyres substantially more quickly than less aggressive (normal) settings. My suggestion if you are a newbie is start with quality summer spec tyres and use OEM settings until your lap times stop improving. The OEM front suspension has no adjustment for camber so when you start evolving the handling, you do need to invest in adjustable FUCA. Then you can bolt on some more camber and move towards toe-out and eventually dial in more camber which will improve overall grip and give you the ability to generate turn so you can get the car to rotate on corner entry. This needs to be balanced with added rear grip which is a little less toe-in (but not toe out) and more camber. The thing to remember is that you need balance most of all - you do not want the front to turn without commensurate rear grip (lest you provoke terminal oversteer - car hits the wall rear first), nor so you want rear grip to overcome the fronts ability to turn, lest you provoke understeer (front of the car hits the wall first). So, my suggestions are: 1. Focus on your own abilities first and when you can drive the car as hard as possible and lap-times are not improving, then chase grip with improved tyres and suspension 2. You MUST do the basics before heading to the track (oil cooler, pad upgrade, brake fluid upgrade). There is an excellent track day prep post here - use google to search for "the370z.com+track+day+basics" and see where that gets you. 3. HPDE is good, especially if you can get a good instructor alongside you. If you were down-under, I'd say "join a car club" because we have a heap of marque-specific clubs down here who are sanctioning-body affiliated and they universally offer their members track day opportunities, coaching and practical support. I don;t have any west coast USA experience but I am sure there will be members on the forum that can point you in the direction of a commercial HPDE operator who can provide some coaching as a minimum - I presume there will be local SCCA affiliated clubs - I just know of them. Above all, do not out-drive your budget ... because this can become a serious addiction - I know because I have been at it for 45 years, and the fact that I am still married - to the same woman - is testament to her forebearance and tolerance .... In the meantime, have fun ............... Rusty, Hotrodz and Bshields22 like this. Last edited by BGTV8; 02-23-2016 at 01:51 PM.

02-23-2016, 05:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Rusty A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Fayettenam,Pennsyltucky Age: 70 Posts: 35,575 Drives: 2011 Nismo GM 6M Rep Power: 2684440	Nice reply BGTV8. When you start to do trackdays. The car becomes a demanding expensive mistress. __________________ 浪人 - 殺し屋 "The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only" http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

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