Trackday Preparation

[Chriss]

I have written a guide to what to expect / how to prepare.

This can be found at http://www.club.triumph.org.uk/cgi-bin/comps/mxcontent.cgi?pid=68

or use the pull downs above Competitions > Trackdays > Preparation.

This will be updated shortly and I will post the new link

[JohnD]

Excellent idea, Chris.
I hope you put it up to stimulate comment, because I'm going to comment.
Constructive criticism and additional tips only please!

1/ "glazed brakes"?
You say, "The first signs are .... you notice the pedal travels a lot further and is not as firm as usual. Into the first corner you have to press a lot harder. You probably have glazed pads."    That is a symptom not of glazed brakes, but of brake fluid that has either drained or is too hot, or else the use of brake pads/shoes that have over heated.   Either way, it won't get better and needs attention, now, before you go out again, and certainly before you drive home!

Suggest you add that preparation for a track day should include fitting brake material of a higher temperature spec.
   EG Mintex 1155 (1144 for road use) or similar.  Any performance supplier will advise.

2/ Breakfast during briefing.   You are about to take part in what may be the most dangerous activity you have ever done, for the first time and you are busy with a burger?   Take in every word of the track day organiser as if they were golden pearls.  Ask questions if you are not crystal-clear about anything they say.  For instance, the procedure for getting on and off the track may seem complex, especially if you want to come off during a session and then go back on.  Do not be put off by knarly old track day veterans hurrumphing at you, just make a note of which car they go to and steer clear of them.

3/ Hiring a helmet.  Wearing such a personal item that has been worn by many before may put off a lot of people!    But the organisers who do hire helmets usually also have 'head socks', disposable balaclavas to wear inside the helmet.  Demon Tweeks sell packs of headsocks, but you can buy your own proper Nomex one for less than £20. ( http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/search.asp?keyword=balaclava&classCode=MSPORT&brandCode=all )

Hope that helps!
John

[GreenV8Machine]

Quote:

Suggest you add that preparation for a track day should include fitting brake material of a higher temperature spec.
   EG Mintex 1155 (1144 for road use) or similar.  Any performance supplier will advise.

But not ebc greenstuffs which some might adivse, theyre shite. Mintex M1155s are very good, never had fade on my GT6 yet and I gave them a good hammering in holland t'other weekend, pagids for Spitfires.

[Chriss]

Thanks, all constructive input welcome.  If we can use this guide as the sum of everyones knowledge then we will all be the wiser. I'll update shortly.

Also Haynes have just released a Track Day Manual.  I have mine on order from Halfords @ £18.99.  Not read it yet but it will probably be a usefull and accessable reference.

[Chriss]

The comments on brakes are good.  I have used EBC Greenstuff on my TR7, But I now have Mintex 1155 and I use SBF Brake fluid.

The Greenstuffs worked fine on my TR7, but I have had them on my Saab 900 and they started to brake up.  My conclusion is Greenstuff is OK on light cars that are not too powerfull, but were I useing EBC pads again I'd use Redstuff on my TR7.  I have had no problems with the Mintex 1155 on the TR7, but I have the Freodo equivalent (DS2500) on my Saab.  I expect either of these pads would work well on any Triumph.

EBC pads give off gases as they are used.  They work best with groved disks that allow the gases to escape.  Mintex & Ferodo pads don't gas and work best with plain disks, preferably ventilated.  

[GreenV8Machine]

I think the easiest thing to do to make a trackday better is use the track pads and decent tyres (eg Yokohama AO48Rs) if the wallet allows. That way you arent going to have to stop every 5minutes to let everything chill out before you can return with your brakes working again. Old tyres will just disintegrate after the first round.

Have an oil catch tank on your rocker breather, no one wants oil on the track.

Make sure you take oil with you to top up, maybe an oil change prior if its been a while, dont run low as hard cornering might starve the pump, no one wants engine bits all over the track.

Keep water topped up, again no one wants engine bits all over the track.

Fire extinguisher might be an idea, I was once on a trackday at Binbrook, have a racing MGmidget overtake and then just burst into flames, his car was saved by the underbonnet system. On that note, if you have smoke pour into the cockpit and are a while from getting off the track, pull off next to a marshall if possible, they'll have an extinguisher.

Helmets, I got mine cheap from a motorbike shop. New, with the BS and ACU standards for �40, if doing more than one trackday, this will be the cheaper in the long run.

Shoes, your doc martens arent ideal, lighter footwear with good grip are more suitable.

Tape across the lights, gravel sometimes gets flicked up off the track (or stones on runways), just like the blitz, if your light gets hit by a stone flinged by a sticky at 120mph it wont be saved by the tape, but will stop some of the glass going onto the track/into tyres. Ive never had this happen and is rare but seen it once.