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Thread: Preparing a Street(turbo) Car for a Road Course?

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Posts: 71-78 of 78
2012-07-10 11:08:46
#71
Goomba -

I have had my B13 on the track many times. I note that you have a B14 but what I am about to share should apply to your chassis as well.

I usually follow advice that I found here on the Forum to run roughly 38psi front and 35psi rear HOT pressures when the car comes off the track. Optimal pressure will depend on the tires and the car, as well as the track and the driver, but this is the general area you should be in.

I monitor the interface between the tread and the sidewalls to watch for excessive rolling over and generally found that these pressures are in the ballpark for my car and driving. Most performance tires have several little ">" marks on the sidewall pointing to the outer circumference of the tire near the tread interface. If you have these marks, you can see if you are running over them after you come off the track from your first run. If you are, then you might add a few psi to that wheel and see if it helps. Some drivers use a little white shoe polish or chalk to help monitor tire rollover. I find it easy enough to see what's going on without the visual aid.

Another observation that I have made is that starting at the Nissan COLD tire pressure recommendations (33 front and 29 rear) usually causes me to come back into the pits after my first run with HOT pressures greater than 38/35, especially in the front, where all the action is on our cars.

So, for your application, I would recommend starting ar 33/29. Then visually check your tires for roll over after each run. Also check your HOT pressures right after coming off the track with an eye toward possibly letting some air out of your front tires if it seems appropriate.

Following this approach should keep you safe from a tire pressure perspective and let you focus on learning to drive the car.

Have fun and be safe.

Bill
2012-07-10 13:13:24
#72
Originally Posted by billc
Goomba -

I have had my B13 on the track many times. I note that you have a B14 but what I am about to share should apply to your chassis as well.

I usually follow advice that I found here on the Forum to run roughly 38psi front and 35psi rear HOT pressures when the car comes off the track. Optimal pressure will depend on the tires and the car, as well as the track and the driver, but this is the general area you should be in.

I monitor the interface between the tread and the sidewalls to watch for excessive rolling over and generally found that these pressures are in the ballpark for my car and driving. Most performance tires have several little ">" marks on the sidewall pointing to the outer circumference of the tire near the tread interface. If you have these marks, you can see if you are running over them after you come off the track from your first run. If you are, then you might add a few psi to that wheel and see if it helps. Some drivers use a little white shoe polish or chalk to help monitor tire rollover. I find it easy enough to see what's going on without the visual aid.

Another observation that I have made is that starting at the Nissan COLD tire pressure recommendations (33 front and 29 rear) usually causes me to come back into the pits after my first run with HOT pressures greater than 38/35, especially in the front, where all the action is on our cars.

So, for your application, I would recommend starting ar 33/29. Then visually check your tires for roll over after each run. Also check your HOT pressures right after coming off the track with an eye toward possibly letting some air out of your front tires if it seems appropriate.

Following this approach should keep you safe from a tire pressure perspective and let you focus on learning to drive the car.

Have fun and be safe.

Bill


Hi Bill,

Exactly what I needed to know! I have a feeling that my front tire pressures are going to be a little hotter than an NA car due to some wheel spin during acceleration and just faster driving in general. But, I guess that's something I won't know until I actually get out on the track and try it out

-G
2012-07-11 05:22:27
#73
Track day is tomorrow(today), guys! Really excited! Wish me luck!

-G

p.s. http://www.hpt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=201&Itemid=234
Last edited by gomba on 2012-07-11 at 05-22-59.
2012-07-12 04:11:13
#74
Track day was a lot of fun!

Everyone couldn't believe it was my first time on a road course. A few of the older guys working the track said I was a 'natural'. After passing all the other cars in the novice group during the first session(Z06, GXP, Nismo 370z), they immediately bumped me up to intermediate.

Had AGX's on 1/4 the entire day. Car felt really solid. I think these tires helped tremendously in all areas including braking/accelerating/cornering. The Hawk Blues performed pretty well. I did notice about 3/4 the way through my session that I started feeling some brake fade, but it almost seemed like they reached a point of fade but never passed it. Could be the brakes were getting hotter/better as well, but not sure. I actually think I overused my brakes in some sections I could have just turned sooner.

Car started to overheat a bit, so I turned on the heater and that seemed to help a bit. Needle on water temp gauge never really went above the half way mark, but I know once it's totally flat 50% that the car is on its way to overheat. I found it interesting that even after a full cooldown lap, I'd come back to pits and turn my car off and I could hear the water boiling at various points in my engine bay. I was running the car at 10psi. 10psi seemed to do OK. If I didn't have the condenser in front of the radiator I don't think the car would have ever overheated or anything, even at 12+ psi..damn daily driveables!

Anyways..good times. And thanks again for all the help/advice! Without it, I wouldn't have done as well and had such a smooth track day!

-G
Last edited by gomba on 2012-07-12 at 05-37-54.
2012-07-12 11:23:24
#75
Thanks for reporting back. Glad you did so well. Testament to your driving and the car.
2013-03-18 05:41:01
#76
Forgot to attach videos:

1st beginner session


2nd intermediate session


3rd intermediate was recorded, but the camera ended up recording the ground (was on top of car ). Footage not youtube'd(due to camera fail) although I was the fastest on the 3rd sesion
Last edited by gomba on 2013-03-18 at 14-48-07.
2013-03-18 14:15:57
#77
Hey gomba, sorry I must have forgotten about this thread. I would have helped you with the tire pressure question earlier if I'd been in here. I liked the 1st session video with the camera pointing forward, and the fun traffic. Must have gotten old being in that conga line for so long but it looks like you did really well for yourself out there.

Congrats on your first successful track day!
2013-03-18 14:49:26
#78
Originally Posted by BenFenner
Hey gomba, sorry I must have forgotten about this thread. I would have helped you with the tire pressure question earlier if I'd been in here. I liked the 1st session video with the camera pointing forward, and the fun traffic. Must have gotten old being in that conga line for so long but it looks like you did really well for yourself out there.

Congrats on your first successful track day!


Thanks! I'm hoping to get back to the track again this year.
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