12 replies to this topic

[carwash]

I have gathered and retained so much useful knowledge from three or four other track preparation threads, that I feel it is only my duty to chronicle my preparation somewhere here so that others in the future can benefit as well. Stay tuned... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carwash]

So, after waffling for a week on which tires, I decided on the R888R over the NT01.

 

All of my friends that do extensive track days with their cars did their best to push me onto the NT01.  But these guys are also doing these track days in RWD cars, and most of them lighter weight.  Well, lighter weight when compared to the GTR, that's for sure.  So, all of the research I have done here and elsewhere pushed me onto the R888R as the best tire for our cars.  Some say it was a weight factor, some say tread pattern, some said compound is different (i don't think it is at all.).  So, really it is personal preference I guess and if the GTR community swears by the Toyo, who am I to go against that.  If I waste this set, I might go with the Hoosier R7, as it just now is coming out in 20" sizes.

 

Next issue I had was trying to figure out tire sizes to run. I wanted all the meat I could get on the track, since my car is almost 800hp.  I wanted to be able to put down all I could.  My street setup is 10" front wheel and 12" rear wheel.  285 up front and 335 in the rear.  I have a set of stock take-off 2013 DBA wheels that I am using for a dedicated track setup.  Those sizes are WAY too big for stock wheels.  One option is the 325/30 and 285/35 setup on a stock wheel.  Another option is 285 square on the stock wheels.  That puts a stock size on the rear, and a little meatier than stock on the front.  Also gives me the option to dismount and move tires to different corners as needed for more life.

 

So here they are in all of their glory, 285/35-20 R888R...

 

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[carwash]

Track wheels should be flashy and exciting right?  Well, maybe not. But I do own a large powder coating shop here in the Cincinnati area, so it only makes sense to showcase some work, right?  And us owners do use our cars as advertising pieces, and write off build expenses... so here they are. 

 

First pic is stripped down to bare metal.  Wonderful material these wheels are made of by the way.  You can always tell a wheel's quality once you get the coatings off of them.  Second pic is them done in illusion red with a gloss clear.  Not a bad finish.  Now I need to change all of my accent outer wrap vinyl to a bright red, ugh.

 

 Bare.jpg   97.57KB   15 downloads

 

 IMG_2798.JPG   167.58KB   15 downloads

[xaappx]

looks great. keep updating this thread

Track wheels should be flashy and exciting right?  Well, maybe not. But I do own a large powder coating shop here in the Cincinnati area, so it only makes sense to showcase some work, right?  And us owners do use our cars as advertising pieces, and write off build expenses... so here they are. 
 
First pic is stripped down to bare metal.  Wonderful material these wheels are made of by the way.  You can always tell a wheel's quality once you get the coatings off of them.  Second pic is them done in illusion red with a gloss clear.  Not a bad finish.  Now I need to change all of my accent outer wrap vinyl to a bright red, ugh.
 
Bare.jpg
 
IMG_2798.JPG

[carwash]

So, forgot a few posts here before we hit the track last weekend...  Did fluid swap with the Castrol; that stuff must have little bits of gold in it.... Did the Pagid RS29 Yellow pads, and that was about all the prep I did for the weekend. 

 

Tires, fluid, pads.  Instant track car, right?

[carwash]

So the weekend at Putnam was spectacular.  Had a blast both days, and became a way better driver by the end of day 2. Took 5 seconds off my lap times from Saturday morning until Sunday night.  Ended up with a final time of 1:18.53.  Respectable.

 

Tires wore perfectly, even tho I was on stock alignment; perfectly even all the way across.  I went through 100 gallons of e85, for a grand average of 2.3 mpg on track.

 

But I will say that I am hooked.  Like seriously hooked.  I've already scheduled a single day Monday at Mid Ohio coming up on May 14th. 

[fallenangel96734]

Thats how it happens, you go to the track, get hooked and become poor!

[carwash]

Thats how it happens, you go to the track, get hooked and become poor!

 

And I'm ok with this...

[bjornb17]

Cool, good luck, I'll be following! I also have a track prepped car - check my thread in my signature for some info that may be useful to you. 

[*14TrakEDN*]

Thats how it happens, you go to the track, get hooked and become poor!

 

And you run out of friends who think it would be fun to ride shotgun with you on the track....Lol

[carwash]

i'm a terrible passenger, i'm not sure I could ever ride shotgun for a full session even in my own car.

[ukrbmw]

Sounds like fun. Sorry for bumping an old thread - what did you think of the 285 square setup with that level of power? Under steer or not so much?

[AutoXGTR]

Sounds like fun. Sorry for bumping an old thread - what did you think of the 285 square setup with that level of power? Under steer or not so much?

The OP has 800 HP so the more tire you can give for both front and rear the better. The Softer the rubber the better the grip level.

 

Most of the time if 285/35-20 tires are used square there should be sufficient tire traction. Full use the front tire will depend on alignment settings with more negative camber being required up to -3 degrees. Understeer will be reduced with more tire grip and suspension modifications (lowered ride height, added stiffer adjustable swaybars front and rear, adjustable settings for shocks, etc).

 

Any further understeer can be reduced with driving technique focused on optimal driving line, corner entry speed, braking and smooth acceleration out of the turn. Any overdriving in turns especially tight or slower turns should be avoided.