Trackday Checklist........

[STi_Bandit]

Iam thinking about doing the Trackday on the 29th, My first ever and  ill be very slow so i apolgise already for holding anyone up. Wanted to know if you need any checklist like Oil, Brakes, tyres, hiring of helements... Insurance and so forth.... even down to increasing tire pressures so they dont pop off the rims on the track.

So what would be a good checklist (Do you replace all ur fluids after a track day like brake and engine oil)??

Martin

[st3ph3n]

Helmets can be rented at the track for a small fee. £5 I think.

Tyres - I up the pressures on them to help stop the shoulders getting cooked. You'll want to do that especially if it's not a trackday set you'll be using and it's the tyres you intend to keep using for a while.

Brakes - how new are your current pads/discs and what kind are they? You're obviously going to be giving the pads a right good toasting so best to have a good bit left on them.

Oil - Make sure you're not running on empty and that it's in good condition/recently changed.

Insurance - you can get trackday insurance, it's not cheap though. I've never used it. Your standard policy is more than likely invalid on track.

[STi_Bandit]

Tyres :- Near dead anyway so a good send of for them hence the post on new tyres needed.

Brakes :- Standard Subaru Brembo Pads and Disc, Probally need new pads and discs all round so another good send off

Oil :- Car is on 27,000 so will get a oil change at the 30,000 service so iam guessing its not been changed since the 20,000 service

Insurance ill do some checking on

Martin

[colin_ross]

License and long sleeve shirt will be required as well

[micra_wrc]

also woolly hat, fleece, gloves for the times you'll be standing around the pit lane blethering/spectating []

[wilky]

This is what I shall be doing in preparation for the trackday, and my reasons why, I hope this helps.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

ENGINE- Oil topped up but not overfilled to ensure no starvation on the hairpin, I change my oil every 3000 miles, you shouldn’t really leave oil in for more than 6000 miles on a turbo charged car IMHO. Afterwards I will count the trackday as 1000 miles. If you overfill it you run the risk of blowing it round your intercooler or even blocking your boost solenoid, been there, wrote the book.

Coolant topped up and all hoses checked for durability, under hard driving Subaru hoses especially on earlier cars love splitting so its worth looking beforehand.

Powersteering fluid topped up and checked for leaks, brake fluid and clutch fluid checked. After you have cooked it on track it really needs changed asap. It will lose its “Strength” with the heat you will be generating.

Anything that has been lingering under the bonnet as a “Do later Job” needs sorted before you go on. Dougster and his powersteering leak springs to mind. If something is going to let go, it will do on track, believe me.

 

Gearbox/ Clutch.- Check oil level. Make sure its topped up, I think yours is a 6 speed so as long as the correct amount of oil is in, no more no less, then you will be fine. A 5 speed really needs a bit above the fill line to ensure second gear gets lubed. This is my opinion, not a hard and fast rule.

If your clutch is smoked, then I wouldn’t recommend going on the track, it will spoil your day. If its okay, then crack on! Ensure rear diff is filled with whatever grade of oil floats your boat, and is not weeping.

 

BRAKES- As long as you have plenty of life in your pads, its cool however a spare set of pads is advised in the glovebox incase they end up mullered and smoking like a bandits barrel. What I mean is smoking brakes on a pitstop is okay, just let them cool after a warmdown lap of course, but if you cook them, the pad will burn right off the backing, so will need a spare set to get home, metal on metal isn’t kind to the discs on the way home.

Spare pads are a good idea, and someone will always have tools to help.

Discs warping are more of a drama. Brake shudder on track will confirm that the heat you have generated braking like Nicky Lauda once he realised his hair was on fire. Warped discs are a concern, cracked discs are dangerous.

Avoid this by cooling the brakes properly on a warmdown lap and NOT using the handbrake when you pull into the pits for a rest, have a little block of wood or a stone to put under your back wheel to stop it rolling away. Don’t sit with your foot on the brakes when stationary, this is a huge cause of cracking discs.

 

FUEL – Turn up with a full tank of shells finest, however I will have a jerrycan of 20liters of spare fuel to top up later when I get to ¼ of a tank. On a Subaru, once you are on ¼ of a tank and take the hairpin you may get fuel starvation which is not good at all. Its when the petrol all goes to the one side of the tank as you corner and the engine is starved of it and misfires, this causes det, and can kill your engine. The other solution is to drive away and fill up or buy an MRT intank baffle to stop it, or make something up yourself.

 

TYRE PRESSURE- Don’t listen to the pavement modification Brigade, ask the Bloke at the tyres around truck, he will advise you the best pressures for the weather, if its your first time, don’t do slicks just yet if its dry, wait until you have a couple of trackdays under your belt, because it’s a whole different ballgame to road tyres

 

CLOTHING- Longsleeves shirts are needed as part of the safety regulations, as are helmets, you can hire a helmet for £10, and get a fiver back when you don’t steal the helmet.

 

Patting Your Shants because you don’t know what you are doing- There are instructors on call who will happily go out with you and show you the lines and the way to conduct yourself on track. Ask one straight away to help you out, I did when I first started and it set me up for a great day out.

 

As I said, this is what I do before I go, I hope some of it helps.

 

Callum