Jump to content

Car upgrades?


Renesisfury

Recommended Posts

Ok, other than brake pads, fluid, tires and seat time, what are the parts that I should be looking at getting for running TT next year?

 

i.e. seats, R-Comps, a psychiatrist...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's going to vary by car. The best thing to do is to find your car's weakest points and improve them. What do you drive?

 

RX-8 maybe?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's going to vary by car. The best thing to do is to find your car's weakest points and improve them. What do you drive?

 

RX-8 maybe?

Guilty as charged

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would say you have listed everthing you wanna do first. Add harnesses as well (but do it right--ie no 5 or 6pt without a roll bar). Don't know the rx8 well enough to tell you what mods will make the car competitive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would say you have listed everthing you wanna do first. Add harnesses as well (but do it right--ie no 5 or 6pt without a roll bar). Don't know the rx8 well enough to tell you what mods will make the car competitive.

How many point belts could I use with just a harness bar?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How many point belts could I use with just a harness bar?

 

3

 

A three-point seatbelt allows your body to fold over if the roof collapses in a rollover. If you have 4, 5, or 6 pt harnesses, and the roof collapses, it'll break your neck. This is why harnesses should only be used with a roll bar.

 

To improve lateral stability (and save your legs from bruises), you could just "lock" your belt. (1) Move your seat back. (2) Pull the belt really fast to lock it. (3) Slide your seat forward pinning yourself into the seat with the locking mechanism engaged.

 

There are alternate methods and applications to the locking trick like unbelting, and then jerking the belt as you connect it, causing tension. I don't know about your seats, but my Boxster has plenty of lateral support without needing harnesses. Some cars, like my miatas, are impossible to drive fast without harnesses and race seats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How many point belts could I use with just a harness bar?

 

3

 

A three-point seatbelt allows your body to fold over if the roof collapses in a rollover. If you have 4, 5, or 6 pt harnesses, and the roof collapses, it'll break your neck. This is why harnesses should only be used with a roll bar.

 

To improve lateral stability (and save your legs from bruises), you could just "lock" your belt. (1) Move your seat back. (2) Pull the belt really fast to lock it. (3) Slide your seat forward pinning yourself into the seat with the locking mechanism engaged.

 

There are alternate methods and applications to the locking trick like unbelting, and then jerking the belt as you connect it, causing tension. I don't know about your seats, but my Boxster has plenty of lateral support without needing harnesses. Some cars, like my miatas, are impossible to drive fast without harnesses and race seats.

 

I have tried belting in really tight, but the stock seats allow too much movement in the upper body. I usually find myself using my arms to keep my body in one spot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're not putting a roll bar in this car, DO NOT put seats and harnesses in that don't allow for breakaway in the event of a rollover. All this safety equipment is designed to work in concert. If you intermingle this stuff incorrectly, you can die.

 

On a friendlier note, besides your driving of course, tires are the single biggest lap time reducer in a general sense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're not putting a roll bar in this car, DO NOT put seats and harnesses in that don't allow for breakaway in the event of a rollover. All this safety equipment is designed to work in concert. If you intermingle this stuff incorrectly, you can die.

 

On a friendlier note, besides your driving of course, tires are the single biggest lap time reducer in a general sense.

Are most people running TTD doing so with street tires, or something more like a Toyo RA-1?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how many points do you have to play with to stay in the class you want to run with?

I am planning on staying in TTD, I currently have

 

sway bars +2

front strut brace +1

Catback exhaust +1

 

I am planning on doing coilovers this winter, and a reflash of the stock computer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as long as you don't get spendy and stay with double adjustable (or less) shocks you're looking at +5 for the coilovers

 

is the computer reflash worth the +5 (assuming reflash is treated the same as a chip...)

 

don't forget to look at using the alternate weight reduction method, most people come out ahead with it. ditto with the "free" modification list

 

what you listed is +14, I'd look at spending the rest on tires (might have to go narrower to gain enough points back to stay under the limit depending on what you choose) and if its not quick enough then, make the stuff you're already spending points on better IMO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as long as you don't get spendy and stay with double adjustable (or less) shocks you're looking at +5 for the coilovers

 

is the computer reflash worth the +5 (assuming reflash is treated the same as a chip...)

 

don't forget to look at using the alternate weight reduction method, most people come out ahead with it. ditto with the "free" modification list

 

what you listed is +14, I'd look at spending the rest on tires (might have to go narrower to gain enough points back to stay under the limit depending on what you choose) and if its not quick enough then, make the stuff you're already spending points on better IMO

Assuming that I don't do the reflash, what would be better to spend those points on?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd make sure you've got the best tires that are adequatley wide enough for the car (don't go crazy on width though)

 

if you buy right, you should have great suspension on the car between the coilovers and swaybars

 

I'd then look at what I had leftover and pick the combination of items off the power list that gave me the best improvement over the track operating range of the engine...

 

"D" isn't quite fast enough to consider aero stuff IMO, and if you do the alternate method you could probably get the car light enough to be fine...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're not putting a roll bar in this car, DO NOT put seats and harnesses in that don't allow for breakaway in the event of a rollover. All this safety equipment is designed to work in concert. If you intermingle this stuff incorrectly, you can die.

 

On a friendlier note, besides your driving of course, tires are the single biggest lap time reducer in a general sense.

Are most people running TTD doing so with street tires, or something more like a Toyo RA-1?

 

TT is all about race tires. You won't be competitive without them. That said, make sure you have enough experience tracking a car on street tires. It's far harder to learn on race tires.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

with PT I can see the need for race tires that won't fall off

 

TT is just one fast lap, street tires could be doable if you've got a funky setup to stay in a certian class

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're not putting a roll bar in this car, DO NOT put seats and harnesses in that don't allow for breakaway in the event of a rollover. All this safety equipment is designed to work in concert. If you intermingle this stuff incorrectly, you can die.

 

On a friendlier note, besides your driving of course, tires are the single biggest lap time reducer in a general sense.

Are most people running TTD doing so with street tires, or something more like a Toyo RA-1?

 

TT is all about race tires. You won't be competitive without them. That said, make sure you have enough experience tracking a car on street tires. It's far harder to learn on race tires.

So, how much time would I estimate to pick up with race tires? 10 sec, 5 sec?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, how much time would I estimate to pick up with race tires? 10 sec, 5 sec?

 

That totally depends on the course and the tire. If a course is 2 min long and has a lot of turns with few straights, then going from normal street tires to Hoosiers A6s might be 8 sec. But that is the "dream" best case scenario. On a shorter course (~1 min) I have seen a 1.7sec improvement from Falken Azenis 615s to Toyo RA-1s (which is a fast street tire and a not-so-trick race tire).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, how much time would I estimate to pick up with race tires? 10 sec, 5 sec?

 

That totally depends on the course and the tire. If a course is 2 min long and has a lot of turns with few straights, then going from normal street tires to Hoosiers A6s might be 8 sec. But that is the "dream" best case scenario. On a shorter course (~1 min) I have seen a 1.7sec improvement from Falken Azenis 615s to Toyo RA-1s (which is a fast street tire and a not-so-trick race tire).

ok, say Road America. Kumho MX vs Toyo RA-1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, the weight thing I can't seem to wrap my head around. The CCR says my weight is 3045. What can I do with that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ok, say Road America. Kumho MX vs Toyo RA-1

 

Can't help you there... I've never driven Road America.

 

Also, the weight thing I can't seem to wrap my head around. The CCR says my weight is 3045. What can I do with that?

 

I don't understand that either. I think Ken knows how it all works. Maybe he can educate us both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

with PT I can see the need for race tires that won't fall off

 

TT is just one fast lap, street tires could be doable if you've got a funky setup to stay in a certian class

 

Ken,

 

No offense bud, but get real. How many National Champions this year do you expect to be running on street tires? Er, wait...how many won on street tires last year?

 

My point is only that you won't be competitive without them. If you're just out to have fun, then sure...have at it with street tires.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, the weight thing I can't seem to wrap my head around. The CCR says my weight is 3045. What can I do with that?

 

thats what is listed beside your car's listing correct?

 

if you choose the alternate method, you only take points for being below that weight with you, your saftey equipment, etc. Most cars I've seen can take the weight of the driver out points-free

 

Dan, have we seen anyone try to do streets that can drive well enough to win? If you're in a two-asterix car, I don't know if spending the rest of the points on RA1s/NT01s is the way to go if there are other major weaknesses the car needs addressed that would better use those 5 points

 

I do see on second thought how race tires are typically the most points-effective way to get through a turn though

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha, no worries. I'm trying to help the guy. Tires are a must. We'll leave it at that. On a double asterisk car, if you're spending your last 5 points any other way, I think you'd better reconsider.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...