Norccer

Hey,

I am not sure if this is the appropriate forum to post in. If it is not then I am truly sorry. I have done quite a bit of research but I still am curious about a few things.

I bought KW V3 coilovers and I will be purchasing a set of Enkei RPF1 (17") and some Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs for those. What else should I consider doing before I get out there? I was reading about strut bars but I am not sure how much of an impact they actually have on handling. Is there anything else that I should look into as well?

-CR

Reapur

Make sure your brakes are up to snuff, pads, rotor, and of course make sure you have high temp brake fluid in your system so you can stop. Don't forget to wear some light nimble shoes on your feet, gloves for added grip on the wheel/shifter and the final thing goes without saying, a DOT approved helmet.

Also make sure you have a proper 4 wheel alignment and corner balancing with those new coil overs you have.

FluKy15

Snell approved helmet not DOT

Norccer

My friends + their families are extremely into tracking their cars. In the past the helmets have been provided by the event that has been going on. I will be attending Infineon Raceway in March.

howang

get a tech sheet and run thru that. It should cover the necessary areas in terms of safety. Change and check fluids (brakes, trans, motor, diff, water), brakes, tires, alignment. enjoy. its your first time so dont try to break any course records or anything just have fun!

lovegroova

Most importantly of all, book some tuition from a professional. As long as the mechanicals/fluids are all ok, there's little else to worry about.

Tuition will make you loads faster, and mere importantly, enable you to have much more fun than $000s of modifications will.

Have a read of the trackday FAQ we have in the UK section: https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/582...k-day-faq-v03/

RedCelica

Harddog.

User 121020

As a couple people have mentioned, optimizing your car setup isn't going to be the biggest factor when trying to decrease lap times. If this is your first time lapping, you're going to be slow...no matter what. An experienced driver will be able to run circles around you in a bone stock S2000. Faster lap times will come from experience.

For your first day out, here's what I'd recommend -

1. Brakes. This is the single most important system on your car. There is no worse feeling than having the pedal go to the floor or experiencing brake fade at the end of a straight section. Been there, done that and it causes your hair to turn grey...in an instance. Check that you have plenty of brake pad remaining (at least 3/8" of pad if you're using stock pads). Higher temp pads are nice but probably not required for your first day. Brake fluid - flush it and put in some high temp fluid (Motul RBF600 is easy to source, for example). Be sure to purge all of the air from the lines/calipers. Also, check your flexible lines for any cracks. I've ridden in a car that experienced a brake line failure into a hair pin...very scary stuff.

2. Find an experienced buddy. If you find someone to show you around the track, explain the "does and don'ts" of lapping days, and give you pointers while you're driving, you'll be much less nervous and stressed out during the event. If you elect to pay for an instructor, even better. Again, experience is king when learning a new track and learning the limits of your driving ability and the cars grip.

3. Make sure your oil level is OK. I've seen an S2000 spin a rod bearing due to low oil.

4. Take it easy and gradually increase your pace. Start out at 6 or 7/10s, learn the line, learn the lapping day format and watch others around you in your lapping group. Once you are comfortable with all of the above, then and only then start increasing your pace. Sometimes accidents are caused by what other people do and not what you do. If you see someone driving haphazardly, keep an eye out for them and keep your distance.

5. Have fun and ask questions, take rides with experienced drivers and have experienced drivers drive _your_ car. A good driver can give you a lot of setup advice by taking a few laps in your car.

Cheers,
Jake

erikvanden

makes sure your suspension set up won't rub. If you are just buying the wheels and tires you might need a fender roll with the drop that the KW provides even at minimun setting.

Other than that just do what everyone else has said. You will probably be ok with street pads as long as they have life left. They might overheat a little but if you are just out to have fun it shouldn't be a big deal. Changing brake fluid also wouldn't hurt like others have stated but I was fine with DOT 3 brake fluid my first time.

Just make sure you for sure bring oil and check the levels as you may burn oil. Also bringing some antifreeze wouldn't hurt either. Keep an eye on engine temps especially if you have some engine mods (I ran into some problems with my blower and stock cooling system.)

Norccer

Wow, thanks for all the great advice guys.