Bananaman Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 Morning I am after a bit of advice, just booked on the easytrack track day at Donnington on Sat the 6th July and woundered if anybody else was going. Its my first track day in the Westfield, i've got a Helmet (of the crash variety) and was woundering what else to take. I was planning on taking Water, Spare fuel, and some additional Oil and maybe some tools (What i don't know) Do you know wether i will be OK leaving stuff in the Pitts/Paddock area when i am on the Track as i will be going alone the missus is other wise engaged (or so she tells me). Any Help would be much appreciated as it aint cheap (£199+25 for tuition(money well spent i hear ) and i want to get the most out of it. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEiGHT Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Make sure you have complied with all the other regs such as oil catch tank etc. Don't forget some tape to tape up your lights and check your nuts ! The pit area at Donny is quite large with plenty of garages, and generally you should be OK leaving stuff around as everyone there is there to take part, not nick stuff, although usual common sense applies to things like wallet/Rolex/antique furniture/Marconi shares etc. Petrol at the track is 99p/litre Take as much spare as you can ! Take it very easy to start with (shouldn't be hard as I totally sh*t myself for the first few laps) and listen to the instructor. BTW, you may think you know where the edge of your car is in relation to the kerb, but you'll be suprised just how much more there is. If it's an open pit lane, then do about 6 or 7 laps max then do a slowing down lap, then come in and check tyres/car etc. Blasting around the track then coming straight in and turning the engine off doesn't do the car any favours. Have fun ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananaman Posted June 24, 2002 Author Share Posted June 24, 2002 Thanks Fotunatley i have an oil catch tank, will take tape though (Electrical PVC?) Do you need an intercom to hear the instructor? Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westfieldman Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Take a tyre pressure guage with you and lower the pressure if it rains. 2 Ltrs of engine oil Water for you and the car Check all levels before you go I take some unopened brake fluid just in case Torque wrench and socket for wheel nuts Remove spare on arival Remove anything in the car that is not meant to be there ie not bolted in Check for stones under the pedals if floor mounted they jam the throtle open or cut a hole under the pedal so this connot happen Bikers used to tape over the speedo [ Oh I can never make that at 120mph so then crash some times its beter to feel the car than be distracted ] Check oil pressure warning lamp and switch work and or guage DO NOT park up with the hand brake on as the heat will transfer to the fluid and boil it NO more brakes, the old hair pin would not be a good place to find out Tools are no good unless its just loose or you have spares if its your first track day pay attention at the briefing flags marshal posts what to do IF..... This list is not prefect and not writen my an expert but should help Enjoy your day Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 .........and lower the pressure if it rains. Er.......WRONG. If it rains, you raise tyre pressures........ The rest of it is OK though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westfieldman Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Blatman Peter C. told me ACB10 and 032r's needed less presure in the wet is he telling fibs then? about 18/20 dry and 14/16 wet tell me the truth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Indeed lower them if it rains. You are trying to acheive the same side wall deflection that you would get on a dry track with more grip. obviously a wet track will give less grip and therefore the sidewalls will not deflect as much if you dont soften the tyres. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Er...........the two books I have read about track preperation/race car prep. have both said that you increase tyre pressure slightly for the wet. You would soften the springs/roll bars/damping. You get less increase in temps with wet running, which you make up for by increasing the cold pressure. In dry conditions, you're tyres would be at a higher pressure during running than in the wet, so the tyre deflection issue is possibly a blue halibut.......Crossplies (ACB10's) may be different, I was assuming radial "road" tyres. *Stops typing, picks up phone*.............. After consulting with my far more knowledgeable (than me) brother (ex Mclaren, ex MG Le Mans, ex Chamberlain Vipers) he reckons that you don't need to adjust the cold temps *on your car* at all, especially when using a "standard" treaded road tyre. You soften shocks/springs/roll bars, as suggested, though. So, none the wiser then......... I'll try and find the books that mention it, and type up the quotes/theories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.c Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Bananaman I too did my first trackday back in May and was paranoid about what to take. Westfieldmans list is good the only thing I would add is a spare fan belt, as I had my afternoon cut short due to mine failing (and it was only about 4 months old) Oh and if you havn't got a hood/tonneau then a big umbrella is a wise move I got my brother to follow me in his car and loaded all the bits in his Hope you have as much fun as I did Cheers David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Cox Posted July 17, 2002 Share Posted July 17, 2002 DO NOT park up with the hand brake on as the heat will transfer to the fluid and boil it NO more brakes... Paul. Paul, this has been bothering me...I don't understand. I thought the parking brake mechanically operated the rear drums/disc/whatever you've got, leaving the brake fluid lines unhindered. I can't see how the heat transfers...unless my setup is different to others. Anyone care to enlighten me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananaman Posted July 17, 2002 Author Share Posted July 17, 2002 I can't see how the heat transfers...unless my setup is different to others. Anyone care to enlighten me? It's not the brake fluid your worried about, it's the Pads sticking to the Disks or Shoes sticking to Drums thats the problem. This can happen due to excessive heat build up apparentley? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu999 Posted July 17, 2002 Share Posted July 17, 2002 When the drums are hot, they expand. You come in after a good blast, park up and put the handbrake on. A bit later on, you jump in and try and release the hand brake only to find the car wont move, because the drums have contracted over the brake shoes (which have been pushed tight against the expanded drums by operation of the hand brake) as they have cooled down! For disc brakes the scenario works in reverse, the disk decreases thickness as it cools, so handbraking force applied decreases. However, it is not so much of a problem as the rear disk brakes are rarely utilised to extremes. And as Bananaman mentions, you can fry your shoes/pads by the heat transfer when parked up.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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