Hooked on cornering, please advise :)

[Captain_Stangin']

I suppose you guys are right, if I do buy 17"s, and find that even after cooling ducts and "race" pads, that I don't have enough brakes, I'd be spending double on a set of big brakes AND 18"s. So 18"s it is then. Just need to get out the credit card......

Flash of Yellow, how is the fitment of the agent 47 cooling kit? Worth the money?

 

[TLeroux]

My $.02 to go with Dave's points:


1) Track time is the most important by far. I would also recommend keeping an instructor longer rather than trying to move to solo as fast as possible. I see a lot of drivers anxious to move to solo and had students with less track time able to chase them down. Even when you move to solo getting someone to ride with you and critique how you are doing is always worthwhile. Also ride with others, you can also learn a lot from the right hand seat.
2) Brakes, the stock brakes just won't last. I ran for 2+ years on Hawk HP+ and HPS. (Actually I've even recently run on the stock pads to get the last couple sessions in but expect them to be gone in 30-60 minutes.) HP+/HPS or HT10/HP+ should be good to start on. As you get more experience you can look into the DTC60/70. I've also stayed with the stock brakes, saves money to get more track time, I'll crack a set of rotors in a season, and the stock rotors are cheap to replace.
3) Seats. Trying to stay put in the stock seats is a workout, and doesn't make trying to be smooth any easier when you're sliding around in them. Upgrading safety gear at any time is a good idea. (Seats, harness, brakes, lines all fall into this.)
4) Tires. Don't get carried away with the tires at the start. The Pirellis are fine to start with, but as you drive harder you'll start to notice that you're tearing up the outside of the fronts very fast. You want to drive with a tire that makes noise at the limit and then practice keeping the tires singing all the way around the track.
5) Suspension. Don't change anything until you have a specific problem you need fixed. The only suspension mod I've made is camber plates to keep from eating up my tires.
6) THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: See 1)

 

[Flash_of_Yellow]

I suppose you guys are right, if I do buy 17"s, and find that even after cooling ducts and "race" pads, that I don't have enough brakes, I'd be spending double on a set of big brakes AND 18"s. So 18"s it is then. Just need to get out the credit card......

Flash of Yellow, how is the fitment of the agent 47 cooling kit? Worth the money?

I'm not a fan of the front lower grill insert. It's the correct height, but the part is narrow by about 3/4 inch overall, which creates 3/8" gaps on both sides when centered. I got it used for $100 off craigslist local. If I paid full price for it I would have given Agent 47 a piece of my mind and told them when to shove their plastic parts.

Based on the misfitment, I've wondered if maybe what I got was for a V6 and maybe it has a different lower grill? Or Agent 47 made one part that will fit both models? (Agent 47 only offers one part) I don't know, but Steeda offers two billet lower grill inserts depending on if you are GT or V6, so there must be something different. I should point out the only problem with the grill insert is the asthetics fitment. Functionally, it's just fine.

The dust shield replacement (nozzles) work/fit fine. The ducts themselves are nice and have a plastic fitting on the inlet side (rectangular) to let it fit thru the stock holes in the bumper. They are also designed in such a way to clear everything back there (AC stuff). I actually planned on making my own setup, but after crawling underneath and looking at the mess to navigate around, I decided to scratch that and just buy something that will work.

With all that said above, as soon as I get some time I'm fully planning on custom fabbing some kind of brake duct inlet. Thinking maybe get a billet grill and hide the inlet behind that. Fiberglass isn't hard to work with. But this setup will work for my upcoming track days.

So, long story short: It works, but doens't look pretty to me. I wish I had a pic to show you. I'll try and get something up later.

 

[Random Asshole]

I suppose you guys are right, if I do buy 17"s, and find that even after cooling ducts and "race" pads, that I don't have enough brakes

Bullshit. Stock calipers are plenty sufficient. You haven't tried "real pads". Save your money for track time because I bet you aren't even pushing the real limits of the car yet..

 

[Stangmeister9]

I suppose you guys are right, if I do buy 17"s, and find that even after cooling ducts and "race" pads, that I don't have enough brakes, I'd be spending double on a set of big brakes AND 18"s. So 18"s it is then. Just need to get out the credit card......

Flash of Yellow, how is the fitment of the agent 47 cooling kit? Worth the money?

the Quantum Motorsports setup fits perfect and uses the oem lower grill. one only needs to take a blade or drimel and form out the 3" holes for the intake bezels, look and work great!

 

[Sleeper_08]

the Quantum Motorsports setup fits perfect and uses the oem lower grill. one only needs to take a blade or drimel and form out the 3" holes for the intake bezels, look and work great!

And if instead of drilling a hole you Dremel out the honeycombs then they are almost completely invisible.

 

[TLeroux]

Bullshit. Stock calipers are plenty sufficient. You haven't tried "real pads". Save your money for track time because I bet you aren't even pushing the real limits of the car yet..

I'd also note that Civic he pointed by didn't pass him by outbraking him. Braking will will drop lap times by the smallest amount.

 

[Captain_Stangin']

Bullshit. Stock calipers are plenty sufficient. You haven't tried "real pads". Save your money for track time because I bet you aren't even pushing the real limits of the car yet..

Yeah, those EBC Red pads didn't really hold up too well....I took them out and found they were bubbling on the sides, and the red pads actually started turning yellow. I put in HPS for street use now, race pads will have to come later.

Do you think I should stick with a 17x9.5 wheel with either 275/40/17 or 285/40/17? Tires are a fair bit cheaper in 17" size than 18" size. I did the track day with the factory pirellis.....my instructor told me that next time I should bring some better tires.

 

[DusterRT]

I took them out and found they were bubbling on the sides

Well, at least on a performance pad, that's normal...it's just burnt paint. A bit of that can be used as an indicator that the pads have gotten hot enough to be properly bedded in. Perhaps the temperatures required to do that are too high for street pads though, I don't know what temperature the paint burns at.

 

[Captain_Stangin']

Well, at least on a performance pad, that's normal...it's just burnt paint. A bit of that can be used as an indicator that the pads have gotten hot enough to be properly bedded in. Perhaps the temperatures required to do that are too high for street pads though, I don't know what temperature the paint burns at.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I think this picture will give a better idea:

 

[DusterRT]

Yep, that's just paint. Poke it with a small screwdriver and it will flake right off, you'll see pad material under it.

 

[ArizonaGT]

oh god, those pads are meltinggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

 

[DusterRT]

What's the face of the pad look like?

 

[Sleeper_08]

I melted my EBC Yellowstuff pads - the rears a lot and the fronts a little bit.

 

[Captain_Stangin']

I don't really know how to "read" pads....there is a small crack running from top to bottom, it's hard to see in the photo..

My front rotors have some score marks on them...but when I run my nail in them, they seem pretty smooth....I have no plans on changing rotors, as they have about 100km of street driving, and 2 track outings on them.

 

[ArizonaGT]

looks normal

 

[Sleeper_08]

On my EBC Yellowstuff pads they were clearly showing signs of being melted. On the fronts it was most visible near the central groove.

The ones above look pretty good.

 

[Captain_Stangin']

Hmm, I suppose I will keep the pads as spares then....

Another question, why does my passenger side rear axle have fluid all over it? I looked at the top of axle, there is a small little vent on top, there is a thin layer of the fluid all over my passenger side axle, is this normal? Or should I check, and if necessary top up the fluid?

 

[Sleeper_08]

Hmm, I suppose I will keep the pads as spares then....

Another question, why does my passenger side rear axle have fluid all over it? I looked at the top of axle, there is a small little vent on top, there is a thin layer of the fluid all over my passenger side axle, is this normal? Or should I check, and if necessary top up the fluid?

If there is a lot of fluid on the axle then check your diff level.

The vent on some cars looses more fliud under high lateral G forces than on others.

Check this thread for further details

http://mustangforums.com/forum/s197-handling-section/587682-possible-axle-leak.html

 

[Captain_Stangin']

Thank you sleeper, I didn't realise there was a TSB out on this, I will go see the dealer next week.