MX-5 CLUB OF QLD TRACK DAY - 9 SEPTEMBER 2013

CaptainNate · Postby **CaptainNate** » Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:38 am

Sick!! I'm looking forward to this, I've had the car for a year now and still no track time! :O
Fingers crossed I don't have any unexpected mechanical problems before then.

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:47 am

CaptainNate you will more than likley start out in group 4 and there are a great bunch of people in this group who are willing to talk plus there are other people on the day who are more than willing to pass on their knowledge, however you may have to ask around. If my car is ready I'm more than happy to answer questions or just listen

After a few runs the groups sort themselves out and you will know where to put yourself so you not only get clean air but you don't hold anyone up. Best advice is keep an eye on your mirrors at all times and if you want people to pass put your hand out the window and point to which side you want them to pass on. My first session at QR I was taking turn 1 and 2 at about 100kmh, now I am comfortable doing them flat out in my NA6 (about 140 kmh).

However make sure your car is ready (has oil, water, brake pads) and you have your tyre pressures sorted out, if running normal road tyres the recommendation is about 40 psi hot (I may be corrected on this by others). Apart from that enjoy the day and your 21st.

If you do a search on You Tube you can find some videos of MX5's at QR and you can see some of the lines used.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:06 am

Just a couple of things further to Magpie's words:

Don't indicate which side you want someone to pass - it may be misunderstood. The overtaking car MUST GIVE WAY AT ALL TIMES and find his way around you. As the QR staff say, "the overtaking car is always in the wrong". You (being overtaken) should know there is someone there (look in the mirrors) and simply hold your line. By all means slow down a little (if it won't upset your car's stability) to let the other guy complete the passing manoeuvre quickly and get away.

My experience, and that of more experienced people with MX-5s, is that a maximum of around 37-38 psi hot for road tyres works best. Much over that and they start to lose grip. You will find what works best with a bit of experimentation. Bring a tyre pressure gauge with you on the day.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sun Aug 11, 2013 6:13 pm

JBT wrote:Just a couple of things further to Magpie's words:

My experience, and that of more experienced people with MX-5s, is that a maximum of around 37-38 psi hot for road tyres works best. Much over that and they start to lose grip. You will find what works best with a bit of experimentation. Bring a tyre pressure gauge with you on the day.

That's a good tip, I was wondering where to start with tyre pressures for my mx5 on track days.
That's one thing I do have to buy though, is a decent tyre pressure gauge.

MattR · Postby **MattR** » Sun Aug 11, 2013 7:28 pm

For a decent gauge go to a motorsport supplies shop such as GMP, Racer Industries or Revolution. You will be looking around $50-60 and it will last you a lifetime.

You want the biggest face you can get and nice clear graduations where you can easily read 1/2 lb increments.

I have a longacre gauge that I have had for at least 15 years and kept in my kit bag and it is still going strong.

Don't worry about thermometers, the infra red ones aren't accurate enough for track readings, and you don't really need to worry about tyre temps anyway for what you will be doing.

Personally I check the tyre pressures at the end of the first and second runs to get the tyres to the hot pressure I want and then not really worry for the rest of the day. I will then check pressures every couple of runs on a full day. For a half day event I would rather catch up have a chat and generally spend the afternoon bullshitting and watching other cars than working on mine.

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:22 pm

Listen to MattR's advice! I have in the past and it was spot on.

All I would add is once you get the pressure right don't let any air out on the way home(if you can) and take the pressure of the tyres the following morning and record these. Next track day just set the pressure to what you recorded when they are cold and you should not have to play with them.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Mon Aug 12, 2013 7:47 pm

Sounds good Ill check out Racer Industries on the Gold Coast sometime soon and see what they have then I can have a play with tyre pressures at the track to find a good pressure.

MattR · Postby **MattR** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:50 am

In regards to tyre pressures it also helps to know the condition of the tyres and the type.

A standard road tyre will work best when near bald, down to tread markers, and slightly higher pressures can be used than a new tyre, which will turn to mush pretty quickly in comparison. On worn tyres, you may want to see pressures as high as 40-42lbs hot, where as for a new tyre with lots of tread, 38 hot maybe enough to have them feeling terrible as the tread face overheats from the squirm. That's why semi slicks have the big tread blocks and slicks are slick.

More importantly, if you haven't had an alignment done in the last 6 to 12 months, and you have the time and money to do it, get one. Go to a reputable aligner who specialises in motorsport applications and they should be able to sort you out. A suggestion for the Gold Coast would be Tyres and More at Southport, they run a lot of Porsche GT3 cars and should know how to set up a car, so would be worth having a chat to them.

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:04 am

Tyres and More at Southport are very good for custom alignments (including driver weight) and if needed corner weighting. I have used them on numerous occasions.

corners · Postby **corners** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:08 am

Magpie wrote:Tyres and More at Southport are very good for custom alignments (including driver weight) and if needed corner weighting. I have used them on numerous occasions.

Or further north is Ken at Accurate Suspension.

MINX · Postby **MINX** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:10 am

For wheel alignments I can highly recommend Ken Graham, of Accurate Suspensions at Slacks Creek/Underwood area

http://accuratesuspension.com.au/

zero00 · Postby **zero00** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:28 am

For the intelligent like me, a good hard kick to the tyre with the right toe will tell the current pressure!!

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 5:44 pm

MattR wrote:In regards to tyre pressures it also helps to know the condition of the tyres and the type.

A standard road tyre will work best when near bald, down to tread markers, and slightly higher pressures can be used than a new tyre, which will turn to mush pretty quickly in comparison. On worn tyres, you may want to see pressures as high as 40-42lbs hot, where as for a new tyre with lots of tread, 38 hot maybe enough to have them feeling terrible as the tread face overheats from the squirm. That's why semi slicks have the big tread blocks and slicks are slick.

More importantly, if you haven't had an alignment done in the last 6 to 12 months, and you have the time and money to do it, get one. Go to a reputable aligner who specialises in motorsport applications and they should be able to sort you out. A suggestion for the Gold Coast would be Tyres and More at Southport, they run a lot of Porsche GT3 cars and should know how to set up a car, so would be worth having a chat to them.

That is very useful information, will take that on board.

Iv had a wheel alignment done when I got my new tyres fitted (bridgestone re002) but only to factory specs so when I can Ill get a "proper" alignment done at Tyres and More at Southport since they are recommended. Then to figure out tyre pressures, would 38-40 psi hot be a good place to start?

MattR · Postby **MattR** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 6:44 pm

Those pressures should be fine to start with at QR and you will get a feel from there how to go.

I will be there and quite happy to give you a hand with getting the pressures near enough. For your first day out, there's not much you need to do in terms of set up, you will be going faster and faster just getting used to what the car can do and how far you can push. It's just a matter of making sure the tyres don't get too hot, easy to check by the pessure and adjusting from there after the first run and visual check of wear to see if something funny is going on with camber. With the alignment a bit more track orientated again this won't be a problem.

I used to race on road tyres and our starting pressures were 42 cold on buffed tyres.

CaptainNate · Postby **CaptainNate** » Wed Aug 14, 2013 2:39 am

Probably a stupid question, but if I don't get my rear right coilover fixed before the day will I run into any problems? It's currently set to max-stiffness. I've never had troubles with it cruising about town or on any mountain runs, but then again that isn't at high speed.

If I can't get it fixed, I suppose I'll just have to drive to the conditions - but I don't want something as minor as that ruining my first day! I remember hanging out with one of the guys on their first day at Lakeside and a quick fiddle with the dampers changed a lot for him.