My Track Day Experience - Sandown

[Simon_h6]

Just purchased a 2010 FG XR6 Turbo 3 weeks ago. Black, premium audio, leather 19in rims, 7000kms, auto. Love it, goes pretty hard.

My girlfriend got me a great anniversary present....a track day at sandown!!

Checked out the forum and people recommened changing the brake pads, got the QFM AR1M pads. Changed the pads over and put 40psi in the tyres and was ready for the day. Saturday rolls around - Great day for a few fast laps, 18C and overcast.

As I had never been to a track day before had an instructor do a lap with me to show me the track, where to brake, turn in etc. They had witches hats on the corners to make it a bit easier. The first couple of laps I drove fairly easy, got the hang of the track and then it was flat to the floor. The best I could do was 207km/h down the straight. Could easily keep up with a 297kw hsv and could overtake a 370Z.

The brakes were pretty good, hardly any fade after after 5 laps. Did a cool down lap and they were good to go again. The handling was ok, under steered and over steered a bit but not too bad considering the size of the car. Did a couple of sessions with the traction control on but it slowed down the car way to much, turned it off and the car was way faster and more fun!! Spun it once on turn one. The car did get a bit too hot 3 times, warning light came on, then it killed most of the power, half a cool down lap and it was ready to go again.

Had 5 20mins sessions and ended up using about 75 litres of petrol. Had a great day until I left the track!!!

Drove out and the brakes were a bit soft, whats the grinding noise??? There are no brake pads left, metal to metal. Fu**ing great!!. I call my girlfriend and tell her to bring the original pads and tools so I can change them over. After about 20 mins she finally finds all the tools, calls me back and tells me she is on the way. Another 10 mins passes I think ok I will undo the wheel nuts whilst I am waiting. Get the lock nut out try and undo the wheel nut and the bloody lock nut breaks, straight down the middle, now its useless and I cant get the wheel off. Great quality ford!

I dont know anyone else with a ford lock nut so my only option is to tow the car home. Call my dad and tell him to get a car trailer. He calls the local Mobil service station and they have one availble but you cant book it over the phone so he goes down there to get it. There is two guy in front of him in the que filling out some details he asks what are you doing they reply with- we are hiring the car trailer. 5 mins to late WTF!!. After driving around to a few more service stations he finally finds one.

20 mins later he finally ariives. Can you drive a stock xr6 turbo onto the trailer??? NO!!! The ramps are to steep and the bumper almost gets ripped off. After finding an embankment we get the ramps fairly flat and think we can get the car on. Ummmm no. The ground was a bit sandy and in the process of trying to drive the car on it manages to push the trailer and my days pajero about half a meter forward. Can anything else go wrong???? After turning the pajero on almost a 45 degree angle to the trailer and chocking the wheels with the spare and jack we finally get the car on the trailer and home safely.

The point of this story is make sure you get good brake pads and make sure you dont destroy them so you cant drive home. As a track day novice I have certainly learnt my lesson and will definatley keep an eye on the pads next time.

Hopefully this post will help out any first timers considering a track day.

[Phoontastic]

Simon, interesting and entertaining story. Sounds like you had fun on and off the track

I wonder though, if you had chosen pads that were slightly harder, perhaps your braking wouldn't have been so good?

Sounds like the FG kept the buggers honest.......

Cheers

Max

[Simon_h6]

Might needs to get race spec pads next time that will last the distance. Maybe someone could recommend a good track day pad???

Speaking of keeping the buggers honest there was a 2010 Bmw M3 there, down the straight it was only ever so slightly pulling ahead. After 5 laps I was only about 25 metres behind. Not bad considering I spent $40K he spent $170K. A few engine mods, suspension and brake upgrade and the FG Xr6 would be a truly an awesome car.

[Guest XR09]

The std brake fluid boils very easily too. One of the best and cheapest mods you can do on the car.

[STAINLESS again plz]

My girlfriend got me a great anniversary present....a track day at sandown!!

Atleast that part of it was good

[nelsonian101]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck at the end of the day. :(

These FGXR6T cars are surprisingly quick and with a few mods (see my specs underneath), can be quite a quick/cheap track car with the benefit of having heaps of room to put the kids in afterwards!

The ZF auto works far better than I expected at the track. I upgraded the F6 heat exchanger and to an F6 oil cooler too.

After each session I always check my wheel nuts haven't loosened (not your case unfortunately!), tyre pressures and keep the handbrake off in the pits to make sure it doesn't fuse to the rear rotors.

I went through the same process with brakes/pads when I first started tracking my FGXR6T. Started with stock dot4 fluid, stock pads and rotors. Next went superdot4 fluid and ebc red pads at the front. Finally found some cheap 4pot Brembos on the front (combined with some sbs dual carbon race pads for track days only, stock brembo pads for the street. Rear territory calipers 328mm slotted rotors)and dot 5.1 fluid, slotted 355mm dba4000 and this seems fine for the speeds I am doing now (although now changed to dba5000 slotted at the fronts when the 4000's wore out).

Ferodo ds2500 are a good compromise pad and since your front rotors will be dead now, look at some slotted dba4000's from Racebrakes (speak to them for requirements). If you will be doing a lot more trackdays I recommend the brembo, rear territory/fpv 328mm option (although it requires an expensive wheel change).

FG XR6T ZF 276rwkw

355mm 4 pot Front Brembos/DBA5000

328mm Ventilated Rear Rotors

BA 18" FPV Typhoon Wheels/18" Black Enkei RPF01 Wheels

Street:Goodyear Eagle F1 asym, Track: 245 Toyo R888

FG XR8 Lower airbox/snorkel :K&N filter, 5" 100cpi cat

Lowered 30mm with custom Springs/revalved Koni reds. Custom made (Solid) front swaybar and adjustable rear swaybar. F6 heat exchanger and oil cooler.

Edited 27/03/11 02:45 AM by nelsonian101

[Guest XR09]

Just wondering. Did you go down to a 30mm solid front sway ???

[nelsonian101]

No, the car is lowered approx 30mm. The sway bar is not 30mm, but closer 36mm from memory and solid! installed by East Coast Suspenions (Selby) in Sydney. Wholesale Suspension is Sydney supply a similar one I think for the FG.

[Simon_h6]

Thanks for the advise nelsonian101. Might do an upgrade before the next track day..

I just removed the caliper and the dust seal around the piston looks a bit melted. Do you know if the dust seal can be easily changed or do I need to get the whole caliper reco'ed????

[INASNT]

I have raced at sandown a few times at club events when I had my track skyline. The stock fg brakes are rubbish even with good pads and fluid.

Did anyone time your lap times?