So I have a 2000 Camaro SS 6speed with 21,000 miles that has always been flushed, filtered and lubed regularly. I have 18x9.5 Z06 wheels wrapped in Khumo tires, I have cross drilled/slotted rotors (stock replacements) and fresh pads. I probably only have 3000 miles on the brakes, tires are around 80%. I do not remember what kind of pads I have but I remember I paid about 50 bucks for the fronts and about 75 for the rear, I don’t know if that helps. The suspension consists of KYB AGX adjustable gas shocks and Eibach pro-kit springs. There is a Moser 12-bolt out back with 3.42’s and basic engine mods (headers/exhaust, SLP airbox, Computer program) and it will be getting a decent cam in the next few weeks. It is not a super fast car but for an 8 year old car its quick and fun to drive… some call it “Stock Goodness”. I am going to the May 24th track day and would like to know what basic things i should look out for. I read the advice posted on The Onyx Syndicate but I do not know if I should be worried about my brakes and tires and what I should expect with my suspension.
Adjustments? Issues that may arise? Swap any parts for different ones?
I’m a track rookie so I appreciate any and all advice
Just make sure your brake fluid has been changed recently and it sounds like you’re good to go :tup:
I wouldn’t make any changes right now. After you get the car on the track for the first time, then decided what you need. Have one of the more experienced members ride with you too. They’ll be able to point out anything and recommend solutions.
Maybe rushman can chime in on any F-Bod specific stuff.
I have
Stainless steel brake lines, Hawk HPS and I use Ate Super Blue
I would say as a minimum use better brake fluid and you might want better pads because the stockers will probably be toast after the trackday.
The other thing was my powersteering fluid has basically almost been on fire all 3 times I was at Dunnville. Since you have the SS you have the stock powersteering cooler which I don’t have (but will be putting on). I would say as a minimum use Redline/Joe Gibbs PS fluid, and if you have extra cash a low pressure Turn One PS Pump would be a great upgrade.
The only other issue I had was heat with the stock 10 bolt but better/thicker viscosity fluid solved that.
I think the only issue you may have is the Brakes. The F-bod isn’t lite and they build speed pretty quick. You are going to want to run better fluid and get good pads. I had track pads on bigger brakes, with the car lightened with brand new fluid and boiled my brakes at Watkin’s Glen in the SHO. You can’t have too much brakes. Also, just keep and eye on your temp. I have a oil temp gauge and love it, made me realize I needed an oil cooler. The rest of the car sounds up to snuff. Plenty of tire and suspension. Go have fun and be safe!
PS, if you are hard on the brakes you may want to go with just some slotted rotors. Cross Drilled are no good for tracking the car. They like to crack and come apart.
I’ve got a 98 Z and I’ve put on an underdrive pulley, and a oem PS cooler to help with the PS issues. Most people say to use Redline PS fluid also, as Shockwave said and the best solution is the Turn One pump (about $250). If you plan to do more track days in the future, brake ducts are real helpful for any f-bod on the track. Blaine fabrications (Blainefab?) makes them ($275) as well as Quantum motorsports ($190). I haven’t been able to reach Blaine lately by PM on frrax.com, so I’m probably going to go the latter route. You will get by without them, but brakes are generally the limiting factor for our cars and air ducts help with that immensely. Also as rj said, your rotors may become a problem. Drilled/slotted are known for cracking under abuse at a track day. Most guys on frrax.com use Brembo blanks (not drilled, nor slotted). Most people have recommended race pads to me, though you should be able to get by with a street/autocross pad… Tires don’t worry about as long as they have plenty of tread. Check out frrax.com forum, all the info you’ll ever need is there. I’m getting my Z28 ready for the track day in May also, and spending too much money getting the 10 year old rickety bucket of bolts into shape.
Sounds like the car is mechanically fine for your first event. You get plenty of track time for your dollar so if you have to pull the car off for awhile to cool down its not a big deal.
Its always a good idea to check the basics, tie rod ends and ball joints. Check all of your pads on each side of the caliper. Theres video of a Mazdaspeed 3 crashing because he only check the front pad and the back side was worn down.
ignore the HPs, I don’t know how it made the list. Not recommended for the street. If it were me I would buy some cheap NAPA blanks and bed in the Hawks on the street, let them cool overnight and remove. Then swap everytime you go to the track.
First time there you will probably be fine on stock pads and monitoring your brake performance.
Go with the Hawk Blue pads, I LOVE them. Sure, your brand new rotors will be toast and they actually spark at night, ruin your wheels if you do not clean them off right then and there, and sound like the worst noise you could ever imagine when you apply the brakes, but damn can you brake LATE with them! I threw them on my Audi the first time up there and no matter how many times I got on them, no matter how hard, how fast, the pedal was always ROCK hard. With a car that actually has some power such as an LS1 F-Body, I would really go with brakes, it will make the day so much more enjoyable. I tracked my bone stock GTO at Watkins Glen, I backed the brakes and that track is not as hard on brakes IMHO as Dunnville.
I took my bone stock GTO to dunnville on an almost brand new set of stock pads and wore them to the backing plate. The stock fluid didn’t hold up either, so ATE Super Blue will be in there next time. I would also have serious reservations about those cross drilled rotors. While Porsche may know how to make a track day capable cross drilled rotor the majority of aftermarket ones are more or less ricer mods that aren’t up to track condition braking.
So:
Flush with ATE Super Blue
Track pads
Maybe consider replacing the rotors
You can always save your stock pads and slap them back on after the event since I’m sure they’ll be better for a street application.
Blues stop well but it isn’t worth it unless you have an extra set of wheels to ruin. For track pads I would use Hawk HP+ or a Porterfield R4/R4-S combo.
A set of Hawks HP+ that you can throw on before you drive up, or even @ the track.
I’d consider running a set of OEM blank rotors rather then those… but thats just me.
what clutch do you run, stock? ide flush out your clutch hydraulics as well, and do the drill mod, if the fluid gets hot the pedal could stick to the floor.
The clutch line has a restriction in it, so “factory” cars don’t get beat by power shifts, it basically lets the clutch out slower on fast shifts, to protect everything by letting the clutch slip. There is a write up, but you pull out your line, put it in a vice, and drill out the end where the restriction is. After doing this, the clutch feels much better on fast shifts, and won’t get stuck to the ground like shawn said.
Some say its the best mod you can do to your fbod :tup:
