Track day prep

P

Philjwb

Member
I've just booked my first track day for my new Z4M at Bedford Autodrome GT circuit and I'm rather excited :D

Could some more experience members recommend any specific preparation I should do before the event (this Saturday 16th Jan)?

I did a few track days with my old 986 Boxster S and on the first event I melted the brake pad wear sensors. For subsequent events I cable tied these out of the way. Should I do the same for the Z4M? - I have read somewhere that there are only two - located on the passenger rear and driver front pads only, is this correct?

cheers

Phil
 
Hi Phil,

You'll love it! I'm guessing your car is standard M specification? You're not a trackday novice so you know what to expect, presumably your car is up to date with a recent service and fresh brake fluid change? Remember that you're carrying an extra 100kg of weight over the 986 you had before, with more power and less capable brakes. Heat management (of tyres and brakes) is the order of the day, I would suggest not doing loads of laps in a row without time to cool down. Bedford GT has some big straights but some big stops too over a long lap. My advice would be a warm up lap, two or three fast laps (by which time the brakes will just start to squeel/rumble), a cool down lap staying off the brakes, then either pit or go for more laps and repeat. Doing this will avoid the tyres turning to mush and the pads wearing rapidly when the temps get too high, also keeps the oil temperatures going above 110C.
Enjoy and post some video here afterwards :)
 
Empty all the crap out of the car; don't forget your tyre pressure gauge and make sure you have your towing eye.

Oh and a credit card for all the fuel ...
 
All good advice. Obviously check your pad depth (I'm assuming yours were very low on the boxster to have melted the sensor?), and the state of your tyres as both will take some beating. Re tyre pressure, I would go out for a few laps get them hot and come back in, adjust from there. I find 30 all round a good starting point. You will find that your tyres set at 32 or so before hand will be up to about 38 after a few hard laps.
 
Thanks for the advice chaps. The car is in standard trim and was serviced around 6 months/3k miles ago. Brake pads and discs are in good shape, but the rear tyres are worn (2-3mm) and that is one of the reasons for booking this track day - so I can finish them off before fitting some new Pilot Super Sports :)

The brake pads on my boxster were not worn, so I assumed this was just a common issue when you track a road car.. I presume I shouldn't worry about removing the wear sensors if the pads have plenty of thickness left then?
 
Philjwb said:
The brake pads on my boxster were not worn, so I assumed this was just a common issue when you track a road car.. I presume I shouldn't worry about removing the wear sensors if the pads have plenty of thickness left then?
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I've not heard of it before, and didn't have any issues previously when I did have pad sensors in, but perhaps it's something others have come across?
 
The brake pad sensor issue is common on Porsches - they simply overheat and melt, most regular trackdayers simply bypass the sensor and remove it. I'm not sure how much of an issue it is on the standard M (not having standard brakes).
 
Didn't have any issues with standard Brakes in the ///M. But I'm more 9.9 than 10, 10th's on track. One other thing I've not noted above. Track day insurance for your own car.
 
Hey Phil.. nice to meet someone else with the best name, who has a Z4M and goes to Bedford Autodrome! hehe. I hope this is the first of many track days? Is yours the roadie or the coupe?

My car was stock about a year ago and I have been modding it progressively when funds permit.
From stock my best cheap recommendation would be to get some yellowstuff pads to complement your PSS. The stock pads are totally useless IMO. I set mine on fire after 4 hot laps on Bedford GT. They then dumped a load of material on the discs I had huge vibrations for the rest of the session. Not ideal. Next up would be a strut brace (OEM is good) and to have your geo realigned. The stock car has some pretty nasty understeer tendencies which you can dial out with a hunter alignment to something like CSL spec (as mine is). The turn in is much more agressive and the whole car feels more eager to change direction. Makes the back end more twitchy on the road but that's part of the challenge right?

Are you looking to keep the car mostly stock and not spend much or do you have bigger plans? My coupe has surprised me how some choice mods make such a big difference and really help to get the most from the excellent chassis. I am now hooked and some coilovers and proper seats are on my shopping list for 2016.
 
pHilli0 said:
TomK said:
buzyg said:
One other thing I've not noted above. Track day insurance for your own car.
Click to expand...
Not worth it imo, but that's a whole separate discussion.
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Ha yea.
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Not worth it unless some numpty hits your car. Does not matter that it's their fault They are not liable on track, it's your problem to sort. :wink:
 
Yes I guess we've all seen those couple of threads on ph, and yes you are right, but the chances of that happening are imo extremely low. I have done a fair few tds now and never seen car to car contact. I have written off my own car with my own mistake on track so am well aware of the potential costs of an accident. It was an unusual incident though, I know why it happened and consequently I still chose to drive uninsured on track. The excess is in imo the issue, if it was lower I might consider it.
As for the rear brakes over heating with the TC on, that is entirely true. Whilst the M does have an LSD, with the TC on it will use the rear brakes often mid corner to 'correct' the car, highly annoying. There's info on bmw's site if you want to read about it.
 
TomK said:
Yes I guess we've all seen those couple of threads on ph, and yes you are right, but the chances of that happening are imo extremely low. I have done a fair few tds now and never seen car to car contact. I have written off my own car with my own mistake on track so am well aware of the potential costs of an accident. It was an unusual incident though, I know why it happened and consequently I still chose to drive insured on track. The excess is in imo the issue, if it was lower I might consider it.
As for the rear brakes over heating with the TC on, that is entirely true. Whilst the M does have an LSD, with the TC on it will use the rear brakes often mid corner to 'correct' the car, highly annoying. There's info on bmw's site if you want to read about it.
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Thanks I did not know that. Just read up on it. http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41127&start=15 This probably explains odd feeling of the car lurching a little on occasion, just before the TC light is comes on going around a corner. Another reason to switch it off unless it's frosty. Will be less unnerving now I know what it is. :thumbsup:

As for Track insurance. I take it out, on those rare occasions I track the car, for cost of replacement, just in case the car is totalled. Insurance I can afford, a couple of grand for a repair bill I can afford, but cost of replacing my P & J if it's totalled, that would sting bad. :wink:
 
TomK said:
As for the rear brakes over heating with the TC on, that is entirely true. Whilst the M does have an LSD, with the TC on it will use the rear brakes often mid corner to 'correct' the car, highly annoying. There's info on bmw's site if you want to read about it.
Click to expand...

How about the M-track mode that guys have been programming, does that sort out the rear brake overheat?
 
Vanne said:
TomK said:
As for the rear brakes over heating with the TC on, that is entirely true. Whilst the M does have an LSD, with the TC on it will use the rear brakes often mid corner to 'correct' the car, highly annoying. There's info on bmw's site if you want to read about it.
Click to expand...

How about the M-track mode that guys have been programming, does that sort out the rear brake overheat?
Click to expand...

M-track mode definitively helps, as it allows more slip and TC will not intervene that much anymore. Best though it to improve your line to find optimal grip :)
 
Mines a roadster Phil. I'm going to keep it fairly stock as I will only track it a few times/year, but I will consider changing the brake pads and alignment. In fact I am planning to get a hunter alignment when I put the new tyres on, so I'll see how the current stock setup suits my driving style this weekend. One of the reasons I switched from my Boxster to the Z4M was to have a bit more tail out fun, so the CSL alignment you mention sounds right up my street.
I need to learn the limits of my new ride, so I'll start with TC on, then move to M mode then turn it off if I'm feeling brave. My 986 didn't have TC at all and it was mid-engined, so that was pretty hairy on the limit and my friend span it twice! Sounds like I need to limit myself to 2-3 hot laps then check the rear brake pad temperature.

I have not got track insurance before as the premiums and excesses are so high, but I'll get a quote to see.
 
I've never paid for track insurance either and in nearly 150 trackdays ive rarely witnessed incidents. I wouldn't worry about checking rear brake temps, just know that they will be higher with dsc on and keep doing a cool down lap regularly. I found our 986S a superb handling car on track but a bit too safe handling. You are quite right about the M being more fun and willing to steer from the rear. Enjoy
 
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