First track day - tuition - car has cheap budgets
Discussion
Hi all, early last year I bought my 325ti, it came with new budget "mohawk" tyres as I wanted the standard wheels with the car rather than the aftermarket wheels it had on it. I do a fair amount of motorways now so see no reason to change them until they wear down.
Im looking at doing my first track day with tuition in march at castle combe and was wondering if i'd be alright with the tyres on the car, I can't imagine i'd be going too fast in comparison to the others. (provided its dry of course, i don't think it'd be wise to go out in the wet with them) or whether I should just change the tyres for something better.
What are your thoughts? Am I a muppet for considering it?
Im looking at doing my first track day with tuition in march at castle combe and was wondering if i'd be alright with the tyres on the car, I can't imagine i'd be going too fast in comparison to the others. (provided its dry of course, i don't think it'd be wise to go out in the wet with them) or whether I should just change the tyres for something better.
What are your thoughts? Am I a muppet for considering it?
You'll be fine.
Perhaps check the age of the tyres as they're an unknown to you.
You could consider taking a tyre pressure gauge with a bleed valve to keep track of tyre pressures when the tyres are hot, and to bleed them to keep them to spec.
Keep an eye on tread wear, not only to ensure you have enough depth to drive home afterwards, but to check how the rubber's dealing with the heat - some tyres turn snotty more easily than others.
Perhaps check the age of the tyres as they're an unknown to you.
You could consider taking a tyre pressure gauge with a bleed valve to keep track of tyre pressures when the tyres are hot, and to bleed them to keep them to spec.
Keep an eye on tread wear, not only to ensure you have enough depth to drive home afterwards, but to check how the rubber's dealing with the heat - some tyres turn snotty more easily than others.
NDNDNDND said:
You'll be fine.
Perhaps check the age of the tyres as they're an unknown to you.
You could consider taking a tyre pressure gauge with a bleed valve to keep track of tyre pressures when the tyres are hot, and to bleed them to keep them to spec.
Keep an eye on tread wear, not only to ensure you have enough depth to drive home afterwards, but to check how the rubber's dealing with the heat - some tyres turn snotty more easily than others.
Thanks! Tyres were brand new when I bought the carPerhaps check the age of the tyres as they're an unknown to you.
You could consider taking a tyre pressure gauge with a bleed valve to keep track of tyre pressures when the tyres are hot, and to bleed them to keep them to spec.
Keep an eye on tread wear, not only to ensure you have enough depth to drive home afterwards, but to check how the rubber's dealing with the heat - some tyres turn snotty more easily than others.
When I bought a 325ti last year with a friend, I had 3 different makes of tyre (including a new budget variety) and varying tread depths. I'd have kept the tyres on if they were matching brand/depth as yours are, at least for one track day! I suggest you also get a brake fluid change and put some racing fluid in & if it hasn't had a proper service recently ie all filters and plugs, that you have it done. Also suggest you check out the BMW Car Club track days, if you haven't done so already.
MrC986 said:
When I bought a 325ti last year with a friend, I had 3 different makes of tyre (including a new budget variety) and varying tread depths. I'd have kept the tyres on if they were matching brand/depth as yours are, at least for one track day! I suggest you also get a brake fluid change and put some racing fluid in & if it hasn't had a proper service recently ie all filters and plugs, that you have it done. Also suggest you check out the BMW Car Club track days, if you haven't done so already.
Brake fluid was also changed just before I got the car, not quite sure what's in it mind but I do have some ate super 200 ready to put in if I do indeed cook the brakes, I'd be surprised if I did on the first outing? When on circuit tyres and brakes are everything. We have done a lot of training for people at Combe and you'll find the car will be finely balanced here during high speed cornering and you will definately appreciate having 4 similarly performing tyres. Otherwise the car is really going to feel horrible.
If your having tuition I’d replace brake pads and fluid, the instructor will have you using the brakes properly and cheap pads will crap themselves quite quickly, even a decent set of standard brembos might help if you want to keep costs down, and some RBF isn’t bank breaking so a worth while mod to help with brake fade on track.
I took my TT to donno for the first time in December and I had yellow stuff pads and RBF600 fluid, I had 20ish minutes stints out on track and was still finding my feet so not very hard on the brakes and they managed to get so hot I melted both front center caps out the hubs, albeit after coming off track and parking up in the garage, so just bear that in mind as you may find your time out cut short having to cool your brakes off a lot.
I took a project Audi C5 S6 on a damp coombe at ADI last year, it did have decent tyres and recent service and belts, but brakes where untouched, apart from one front caliper got rebuilt for its mot, and after 10 minutes I’d fried the brakes and the engine got really warm, was a lot of fun spanking a v8 on track though
I took my TT to donno for the first time in December and I had yellow stuff pads and RBF600 fluid, I had 20ish minutes stints out on track and was still finding my feet so not very hard on the brakes and they managed to get so hot I melted both front center caps out the hubs, albeit after coming off track and parking up in the garage, so just bear that in mind as you may find your time out cut short having to cool your brakes off a lot.
I took a project Audi C5 S6 on a damp coombe at ADI last year, it did have decent tyres and recent service and belts, but brakes where untouched, apart from one front caliper got rebuilt for its mot, and after 10 minutes I’d fried the brakes and the engine got really warm, was a lot of fun spanking a v8 on track though
Edited by Burnzyb on Saturday 19th January 16:30
Burnzyb said:
If your having tuition I’d replace brake pads and fluid, the instructor will have you using the brakes properly and cheap pads will crap themselves quite quickly, even a decent set of standard brembos might help if you want to keep costs down, and some RBF isn’t bank breaking so a worth while mod to help with brake fade on track.
I took my TT to donno for the first time in December and I had yellow stuff pads and RBF600 fluid, I had 20ish minutes stints out on track and was still finding my feet so not very hard on the brakes and they managed to get so hot I melted both front center caps out the hubs, albeit after coming off track and parking up in the garage, so just bear that in mind as you may find your time out cut short having to cool your brakes off a lot.
I took a project Audi C5 S6 on a damp coombe at ADI last year, it did have decent tyres and recent service and belts, but brakes where untouched, apart from one front caliper got rebuilt for its mot, and after 10 minutes I’d fried the brakes and the engine got really warm, was a lot of fun spanking a v8 on track though
Thanks! as an update I will be having new eagle f1 asymmetric 3's put on next month, also have ate type 200 to go in. Car has oe brembos fitted, planning on taking another set of pads with me just incase.I took my TT to donno for the first time in December and I had yellow stuff pads and RBF600 fluid, I had 20ish minutes stints out on track and was still finding my feet so not very hard on the brakes and they managed to get so hot I melted both front center caps out the hubs, albeit after coming off track and parking up in the garage, so just bear that in mind as you may find your time out cut short having to cool your brakes off a lot.
I took a project Audi C5 S6 on a damp coombe at ADI last year, it did have decent tyres and recent service and belts, but brakes where untouched, apart from one front caliper got rebuilt for its mot, and after 10 minutes I’d fried the brakes and the engine got really warm, was a lot of fun spanking a v8 on track though
Edited by Burnzyb on Saturday 19th January 16:30
Sounds like you have a handle on tyres.
If you want to avoid brake fade, new high temperature dot 4 fluid, and some decent pads (Ferodo 2500 or similar) will help no end.
I once put as new set of racing performance pads in my car without changing the one year old fluid and boiled it.....spinning at 120 mph is not kind to the underwear.
Let it cool, put my old pads back in, topped up the fluid and it was fine for the rest of the day.
so, if you are going to fit decent pads, get the fluid changed at the same time
If you want to avoid brake fade, new high temperature dot 4 fluid, and some decent pads (Ferodo 2500 or similar) will help no end.
I once put as new set of racing performance pads in my car without changing the one year old fluid and boiled it.....spinning at 120 mph is not kind to the underwear.
Let it cool, put my old pads back in, topped up the fluid and it was fine for the rest of the day.
so, if you are going to fit decent pads, get the fluid changed at the same time
To maximise track time, prep is key. The better the prep the more time you will spend on track driving, instead of fixing.
With that said, some budget tyres can handle a track day. We used an unknown aged Linglongs that came with the car on the rear axle of an E36. They seemed to gain tread instead of loose it over a number of track days (too hard or too old). Suffice it to say we didnt go fast but there was plenty of sideways action at slowish corner speed which I would argue helped with working on car control.
Brakes as others have suggested are a must though.
With that said, some budget tyres can handle a track day. We used an unknown aged Linglongs that came with the car on the rear axle of an E36. They seemed to gain tread instead of loose it over a number of track days (too hard or too old). Suffice it to say we didnt go fast but there was plenty of sideways action at slowish corner speed which I would argue helped with working on car control.
Brakes as others have suggested are a must though.
Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff