Track preparation for stock R1
 

I have recently acquired a stock '93 R1 :D and am wanting to prepare for some HPDE track events. My goals are to have fun, not break anything, and not waste money. Anyway, I want to know "must-do" items first, then "nice-to-have" items second. Here is my first draft of things to do:

Must have:
1) stainless downpipe - done
2) aluminum AST - done
3) aluminum radiator
4) track pads - recommendations please
5) new brake fluid
6) track tires, probably Toyo Proxes RA-1, current wheels are 17x8

Nice to have:
7) front sway bar mounts - what about http://www.rotaryextreme.com/fdindex.html mount?
8) new wheels, probably 17x8.5 front, 17x9.5 rear, are forged necessary?
9) big brake kit
10) 929 master cylinder

Are there other items that should be on my "must have" list? Your advice and help is greatly appreciated.

-Ken

Make sure when you get your new brake fluid, you get something like ATE Super Blue. If you've never done HPDE before (like me), you may want to do your first few events on street tires. They don't grip as well as R compound obviously, but you're not going to be fast when you first start anyway and street tires will make more noise than R compound when on the edge and that will help you keep the car on track because you'll know when to back off if the car is about to break traction.

I'm planning on putting in a 4pt bar and 5pt harnesses before I start doing HPDE.

Oh, and if your stock cooling system is functioning properly, you should have no problems on track with it, although replacing the AST is a must regardless. Just make sure you do a flush and burp of the coolant system, and check all your hoses and clamps to make sure they're in good shape. I just finished replacing a lot of coolant hoses in preparation for the upcoming autox season.

Yeah, prep is a little different if both you and the car are virgins to the track, or just your car.

If both of you are just starting HPDEs, I agree with staying with street tires until you graduate into the high intermediate or advanced group. When you are ready for R-compound, that's when you'll need an extra set of wheels for your race rubber. There are a number of threads on 17" vs. 18" wheels on the track that you will want to review.

As far as brake pads, assuming you're willing to change pads between the track and the street, I have been very happy with Carbotech XP-10s. I suspect Cobalt has similar pads, and Hawk Blacks would do quite nicely as well. Trying to compromise with one set of pads on the track and the street is much trickier, and depends on the track, but you might get by with Carbotech Panther Plus or Hawk HP Plus or Blues. A fairly easy thing to do that will dramatically help your brakes is to run 3" silicone ducting from the brake ducts in your lip spoiler to backing plates on your spindles (N-tech has some good ones). If you do that, you shouldn't need to worry about "big brake" kits for quite a while.

I strongly recommend you look at personal safety items as tops on your list of mods for the track. A good helmet is necessary from the beginning, a roll bar and harnesses should be very high on your list thereafter.

IF your engine aside from exhaust and turning up the boost on stock turbos is stock.. your stock brakes with upgraded pads and Motul synthetic brake fluid should be fine. I wouldn't waste your money on big brakes until you know you need them.

I would have an engine coolant and separate oil temp guages that give an accurate reading over the stock guages and keep an eye on them. Been there done that.

-GNX7

Search on this topic - it's been discussed quite a lot.

I've tracked my fairly stock 94 at HPDEs' for several years and here's my take.

1) Run good street tires. They are more forgiving than race rubber and you will learn the car better.

2) If you haven't recently, change *all* your fluids - oil (I ran 10w40 - some guys I know run 20w50). Change the tranny and diff oils if they haven't been done in the last year or two. Flush the cooling system, but remember to give yourself a week to make sure the system is burped. Flush the brake fluid - good fresh fluid is more important than the brand. I ran Castrol LMA on my first couple events. I run Motul RB600 now, but that's overkill.

3) I got along fine on Hawk HP+ at the track. They match pretty well with street tires.

4) A temp gauge is probably a good idea.

5) Get a qualified second set of eyes to go over the entire car and tech it before the event. Get her up on a lift, check for leaks and take a torque wrench to all the suspension bolts.

6) Oh, yeah. Don't forget to have fun :-)

-bill

Your plan is pretty much right on... However, I would consider accurate water temp and and boost guages essential.

Alot of guys just run a 2nd set of stock wheels with R-compounds in 245/45/16. Thats your best bet to start. You can also do just fine with the stock brakes, provided you use good fluid, the right pads, and perhaps a bit of ducting.

go have fun!