Trackday changes....

[HickiN]

Hey!

I am away to do a track day on 17th March at knockhill....

My 197 Cup is standard at present and wondered what changes you would recommend?

I am talking minor changes - brake pads, discs, fluid, tyres etc etc.... not looking to spend £100's...

Any advice would be appreciated... particularly around the best break pads to use for a reasonable price! (that wont fade and will stop me when required :rasp

Cheers



Hickin

 

[Chip-mk1]

DS2500 pads I would personally recomend.

And just getting the alignment checked properly to make sure there are no issues.

Great car out the box, so no need to change much else to begin with

 

[Jay Payne]

Check the oil, water etc, make sure there is plenty of tread on tyres and meat on the pads. Take a tyre pressure gauge with you and have fun

 

[Cupman29]

I'm going to this one too but only to watch as the car is still under construction.

I would definitely change the pads and as said make sure all your fluids and tyre pressures are good.

It's a good bunch on the SIDC days. There is a trackscotland track day the week before. Might be worth going along for a look to see what's it's all about. That is if you haven't done a track day before.

 

[.Stevo.C.]

What pads do you use Steven?

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Maintaining a good tyre pressure would be my best advice.

 

[Cupman29]

What pads do you use Steven?

I've used both DS2500's and Pagid blues and think the Pagid pads are far less susceptible to fade and have amazing stopping power. I've abused them on 6 track days last year and they were excellent on every one of them. They'll do me a few more days this year. You need to use them with grooved discs or they tend to glaze very easy so i use brembo max discs which is a very good combination.

When are you going on track?

 

[.Stevo.C.]

Do they give off much dust? I don't want to f**k my good set of F1's when on the road. Not sure tbh probably when the better weather comes. I've got a couple of things to get sorted on the car first, it's going into Progrip in larbert next Saturday for new track rod ends and a full geo setup.

 

[Cupman29]

Yeah, loads of dust. The grooved discs don't help with that but if you use a good sealer on your wheels and wash them regularly there shouldn't be a problem.

You'll not be thinking of your wheels when you're slamming on the anchors at 110mph dropping to 30 going into the hairpin at knockhill thinking how the f"ck did I make that, lap after lap.

 

[.Stevo.C.]

Haha! I've managed to pick up another set of Oz F1's so they will be my track wheels. Have to admit I can't wait to get on track especially Knockhill it looks ace.

 

[imprezaworks]

Sorry to jump in but are pagid blues still expensive?

 

[HickiN]

thanks for the advice/info guys much appreciated.... Will look at the pagid blues and DS2500 i think.... and of course i will check fluids, pressures etc etc

have been to knockhill a few times but never to drive myself. Going down with a few guys i work with - Impreza WRX & Exige S - both part of SIDC and scottish elises... should be a good time!

Come and say hello if you are down on 17th March - would be cool to meet some other people from here - doesnt seem to be too many people from this far north!!

Hickin

 

[Cupman29]

The SIDC days are full of lotus's with only a few Impreza's.

I'll come over and say hi anyway and see how you are doing. Just take it easy on your first track day. There is no prizes for pranging your car and the Duffas catches a few people out even after they know the track. If there is any tuition on offer, I would put my name down as it is VERY helpful for novices and people wanting to improve there skills at all levels.

Main thing is to enjoy the day.

 

[Cupman29]

Sorry to jump in but are pagid blues still expensive?

I actually bought mine second hand. They had been used on one track day and I got them for £80.

 

[Tombola]

As above check all fluids, pads and tyres and don't bin it. You don't have to go mad to have fun! I've done a novice write up if it's of any help.

 

[fuad]

I will also be there on the 17th. My first trackday was at an SIDC day last year and everyone is nice and helpful. I'm also looking into new pads at the moment but torn between the Pagid or the ds3000... decisions, decisions.

 

[Cupman29]

I will also be there on the 17th. My first trackday was at an SIDC day last year and everyone is nice and helpful. I'm also looking into new pads at the moment but torn between the Pagid or the ds3000... decisions, decisions.

Never tried the Ds3000's but can say the pagid's are immense!

 

[fuad]

Never tried the Ds3000's but can say the pagid's are immense!

Yeah, a lot of people have said that so i'm swaying towards them more and more!

 

[imprezaworks]

How much are they brand new?

 

[Cupman29]

How much are they brand new?

Around £160!

 

[.Stevo.C.]

Geez that's steep for pads. I'm going to try Mintex 1144 pads the meganesport lot seem to rate them and my brother has them on his 225 and I thought they were brilliant.

 

[slowRen]

I will also be there on the 17th. My first trackday was at an SIDC day last year and everyone is nice and helpful. I'm also looking into new pads at the moment but torn between the Pagid or the ds3000... decisions, decisions.

I used to use ds3000's on my old track car (evo 5) and they were really good.

One thing thats prob worth mentioning is that they are pure track pads and not ment for road use.

The ds2500 are ment for fast road/track use. So if your car is still road legal its probably sensible to stick to the ds2500 or your insurance could be invalid.

 

[Jay Payne]

Geez that's steep for pads. I'm going to try Mintex 1144 pads the meganesport lot seem to rate them and my brother has them on his 225 and I thought they were brilliant.

remember meganes have bigger calipers/multi piston? 1144's will last about 2laps on stock 1*2 calipers. been there, done that

 

[.Stevo.C.]

remember meganes have bigger calipers/multi piston? 1144's will last about 2laps on stock 1*2 calipers. been there, done that

Explain to me how that makes a difference? I'm not very clued up with brake stuff if I'm honest.

 

[edde]

IMO dont bother with better brakes etc till you find ouit what you need often people upgrade and havn't found out how to use what they have fully first so the upgrade isn't realy fully utilised.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

IMO dont bother with better brakes etc till you find ouit what you need often people upgrade and havn't found out how to use what they have fully first so the upgrade isn't realy fully utilised.

There's a difference between unnecessarily upgrading to something that is far beyond what you need, and upgrading what is next to useless in the first place.

Standard pads will not last at all.

Also, if you get better pads for the track, you've got better pads on the road too. So it isn't a complete waste.

 

[.Stevo.C.]

So 1144's are a waste of time on 1*2's then?

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

So 1144's are a waste of time on 1*2's then?

On road......no.

On track.....yes.

 

[.Stevo.C.]

Ok cheers for that mate I nearly bought a set earlier on. What toils you recommend other than ds2500 or pagid blue?

 

[Cupman29]

Ok cheers for that mate I nearly bought a set earlier on. What toils you recommend other than ds2500 or pagid blue?

Blues!

 

[ado]

I would change nothing on a standard 197 with standard pads and tyres. Everything is already good enough for a trackday.

 

[Cupman29]

I would change nothing on a standard 197 with standard pads and tyres. Everything is already good enough for a trackday.

Standard brake pads would last 5 minutes of heavy abuse.

 

[.Stevo.C.]

What did you use before the pagids Steven?

 

[imprezaworks]

Geez that's steep for pads. I'm going to try Mintex 1144 pads the meganesport lot seem to rate them and my brother has them on his 225 and I thought they were brilliant.

Let me know how you get on please. I retract that comment as it doesnt look like youre getting them lol

 

[theduck]

Take it this is your first track day in the 197? IMO just spend the money making sure everything is up to scratch in standard trim first, then spend money on whatever you feel the weak link is. If I still had my 197 and was using it for track days I'd just get a second set of wheels and some R888s or similar. Everything else was up to the job imo.

 

[2Damnsly Andy]

I shall be usiing a set of Blue pads at Oulton on Friday, look forward to seeing how they get on.

 

[ado]

Standard brake pads would last 5 minutes of heavy abuse.

They last much longer than that unless the driver has no skills at all.

My 200 is still on standard pads and tyres after 4 trackdays and 15k miles.

 

[Cupman29]

What did you use before the pagids Steven?

I used DS2500's and found them very good on the road and track but the pagid's are in a different league.

 

[Cupman29]

They last much longer than that unless the driver has no skills at all.

My 200 is still on standard pads and tyres after 4 trackdays and 15k miles.

There are 2 heavy braking points at knockhill that you will be slamming on the brakes and the last thing you want in either of these areas of the track is fade or the fear that it could happen. Standard pads are the first thing I would change on the car.

When I go to a track day I want to make the most of my time out on track not braking early to save my pads.

 

[Steve]

I would change nothing on a standard 197 with standard pads and tyres. Everything is already good enough for a trackday.

This, you may be surprised at how good the car is as standard.

Learn to drive with what you have first.

MY 197 used to eat Donington GP circuit & this is renowned as a brake killer.

If you run out of brakes you are on them too much