Help a track noob prepare for the 2021 season

[Estoril]

For a very first timer on track, I'd just get out there and drive. More than likely you'll experience sensory overload the first day, so I'd set the tire pressures and work on yourself. You have a capable vehicle, very good suspension and top tier tires, fiddling with shock settings or tire temps will overall degrade from your learning experience. Do that crap later when the track bug has really burrowed itself in you!

In my opinion DTC-60 is overkill for a novice driver, the HP Plus will most likely be sufficient for your tire choice. If you are experiencing brake fade in the novice group with HP Plus, and your brake fluid is fresh, then more than likely you are overbaking as fast corner entry speeds can be scary.

I cannot recommend HP Plus or HPS pads on that car on any track at any experience level.

[tdott]

Looks like you have a great approach.

I agree with your approach to brakes. I started on StopTech street performance pads, and switched to DTC-70s only in the front when I had stock brakes and they were awesome, the grab they provided over street pads were in another league and they took a beating. Makes you want to push deeper and deeper into the corner.

I had an oh shit moment after a straight, where my foot got caught and I hit the brake a bit late, I thought I was going to overshoot, but I stood on the brakes more than I ever have and didn't even miss the turn in point. Basically, whatever I thought was late braking for me, there was much more room, I just wouldn't do that every time.

Adding a bit more camber in front would definitely help for the track day. I usually set my alignment for my street specs and then mark the camber plates and bring them back to that spot after track days. Not ideal but I dont want to be doing alignments before and after each track day.

As you get a few track days under your belt, I do recommend a tire/wheel setup as the next step.

[IamFODI]

Adding a bit more camber in front would definitely help for the track day. I usually set my alignment for my street specs and then mark the camber plates and bring them back to that spot after track days. Not ideal but I dont want to be doing alignments before and after each track day.

Makes sense. Do you have a specific recommendation?

[tdott]

Makes sense. Do you have a specific recommendation?

I run -2.5 front camber on the street and find it's a good balance of tire wear and handling. But I also don't drive a lot of street miles as it's my 2nd car/weekend/track car. Camber wear hadn't been a problem for me, but perhaps that might be different for someone who does more driving. I think around -2.1 might be a good place to aim for someone who drives more street miles.

[IamFODI]

Thanks!

[IamFODI]

Digging a bit further, the PSF cooler install looks a bit more involved than I had hoped for: https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=821727

I'm now thinking a PSF reservoir upgrade might be a better route given the probability of issues on my setup (nonzero but low). Current project is seeing how the Bimmerworld/Moroso PSF reservoir might be run with an external inline PSF filter. In the meantime, any other feedback is welcome!

[r4dr]

If you're just starting, literally show up with fresh brake fluid and maybe track pads. You will have so much going on that doing stuff like measuring tire temps to dial camber in is asking a lot. Take small bites of the apple. Don't worry about your PS system, if you're driving at a novice pace your car will be snoozing through it.

With all due respect, you are overthinking it. Your first mods should be a quality helmet and a harness setup. I guarantee I can drive your car in its current state + track pads to an advanced group pace no problem. It's not like you're starting with a hybrid Camry. You may have actually raised the entry point a little too high with the suspension mods, but it is what it is.

[IamFODI]

If you're just starting, literally show up with fresh brake fluid and maybe track pads. You will have so much going on that doing stuff like measuring tire temps to dial camber in is asking a lot. Take small bites of the apple. Don't worry about your PS system, if you're driving at a novice pace your car will be snoozing through it.

With all due respect, you are overthinking it. Your first mods should be a quality helmet and a harness setup. I guarantee I can drive your car in its current state + track pads to an advanced group pace no problem. It's not like you're starting with a hybrid Camry. You may have actually raised the entry point a little too high with the suspension mods, but it is what it is.

Thanks, r4dr. Appreciate the candor.

Glad to hear the reassurance about the PS. Hard to get good info by just reading about it. People talk about it being more or less of an issue but it's not always easy to tell how applicable those cases are to mine.

[r4dr]

You're going to have the time of your life.

[S14]

When you say DTC-60 is overkill, do you mean it'll hinder my development by hiding mistakes the way R-comps would? Or just that it has excess capability that I wouldn't use?

Yes, for me, track pads are harder to operate with high fidelity for newbies and often lead to overbraking, which is perfectly safe but it's not fast and slows learning... the ultimate objective. Very similar to R-comps not being the best tire for newbies.

It seems my opinion is in the minority, which is fine. That's what makes life great, not being forced to follow one viewpoint.

[r4dr]

Yes, for me, track pads are harder to operate with high fidelity for newbies and often lead to overbraking, which is perfectly safe but it's not fast and slows learning... the ultimate objective. Very similar to R-comps not being the best tire for newbies.

It seems my opinion is in the minority, which is fine. That's what makes life great, not being forced to follow one viewpoint.

I'd agree with you, because my experience with OE BMW pads is that while they dust a lot and wear out faster (especially once you start gaining pace), they don't fade on street tires. Now this may vary based on track, but I don't think a novice or even low intermediate will have any issues with stock brakes and fresh fluid. If you're fading them, you're probably braking way too much.

To me, the only benefit of a track pad for a lower skill driver is the longevity of the pad.

[Obioban]

I'd agree with you, because my experience with OE BMW pads is that while they dust a lot and wear out faster (especially once you start gaining pace), they don't fade on street tires. Now this may vary based on track, but I don't think a novice or even low intermediate will have any issues with stock brakes and fresh fluid. If you're fading them, you're probably braking way too much.

To me, the only benefit of a track pad for a lower skill driver is the longevity of the pad.

He's already faded stock BMW pads on street tires-- on the street.

[S14]

He's already faded stock BMW pads on street tires-- on the street.

Were does he say he's fading street pads? I thought he said he experienced fade at a tail of the dragon run, but when I re-read OP's post, I didn't see him mention fade anywhere.

Also, OP. If you run DTC-60's on the street, they are loud as fuck and can get a bit crumbly if used when cold. It's best to swap them out for street pads on the street. How do I know this? I just got back from an errand with horrificallyl squealing DTC-60's because my lazy ass didn't feel like changing them out after the last track day.

[Obioban]

Were does he say he's fading street pads? I thought he said he experienced fade at a tail of the dragon run, but when I re-read OP's post, I didn't see him mention fade anywhere.

Also, OP. If you run DTC-60's on the street, they are loud as fuck and can get a bit crumbly if used when cold. It's best to swap them out for street pads on the street. How do I know this? I just got back from an errand with horrificallyl squealing DTC-60's because my lazy ass didn't feel like changing them out after the last track day.

The tail of the dragon is a street. It’s nowhere near as the kind of pace you can have on track.

He did say he faded them there:

Only reason I want track pads is that I got the stock pads to fade at the Tail of the Dragon, and I don't want to have to worry about brake fade.

[IamFODI]

The tail of the dragon is a street. It’s nowhere near as the kind of pace you can have on track.

He did say he faded them there:

Yeah, it was in this post, but I edited it out for some reason. Slideways quoted it here before the edit.

I can't remember why I removed it but I think I had second thoughts about whether it meant anything worthwhile. The Tail of the Dragon is low-speed, narrow, and dangerous, so a ton of braking (combo of necessity, caution, and noobness) without a lot of airflow for cooling. And even there I only started to get fade near the end of the run. Happy to defer to experienced people on whether that means anything.