Mods/Prep for the nurburgring
 

Hey scoobynet people,
Will be taking a trip to the nurburgring this summer (my first) and wonderd, from others experience, what the best mods or prep would be for my blob wrx ppp? Ill be doing the usual check over the car as i would for any trackday.
I feel coilovers and a good geo setup would be most benifcical.
Im not going to set a lap time, just want to have the most fun/reliability i can
thanks in advance

The Nurburgring is an incredible place. People turn up, pay their money and drive round. Simple.
Coilovers may prove a bit hard, it's not a perfect driving surface.

Read this. Very good info for first timers


http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/index.html#.Vq8ttD7ctes


Enjoy. There are some great driving roads in the area as well. :thumb:

I took my bug wrx wagon last year. Totally standard and the brakes were fading after the first few corners of my tourist lap! Brakes would be the best place to start if you're still on 4 pots IMO.

As one of my mates proved, its not about how fast you can get round, the only time limit you should worry about is the ferry trip back to the UK. Its a great atmosphere and no matter how fast you go, there will always be someone faster.

Saying that, it'd be pretty hard to drive slower than I did last year :lol1: I was bricking it for the 3 laps I did!!

Ditchmyster is your man for this...holds the lap records in a rover 1.4, he can teach you all the correct lines :thumb: :p

...on a serious note :D, Brakes first then tyres, decent pads make the world of difference, coilovers won't make a difference eitherway as you won't be getting to the point where you surpass the OEM capabilities on your first trip but if you do get them...don't go over 50 through the carousel as they will burst...so will your spine, just take it easy and don't time yourself...it's a doddle to get under 10 mins in a Subaru, watch out for the crazy locals just move to the right and let them past :lol1:

Best thing you can do is try and learn the track, no modification will make you faster than knowledge. There's a local guy who lapped the ring in just over 9 minutes in an old 1.6 MX5, with the only upgrades being coilovers and tyres!

I sat on the Xbox for a few hours, but it made bugger all difference when I had a bash! Watching videos will help you to prepare for what you will endure. It is a race track like no other, the undulations will shock you and send your adrenaline levels through the roof! Just enjoy the experience and save the racing for the go karting track afterwards :-)

If you haven't booked accommodation yet I can recommend Landhaus Sonnenhof in Adenau, it's about 15 minutes from the ring, but it's a lovely drive to get there ;-) there's also an awesome pizza place in Adenau which is well worth a visit!

When I go again I will probably wear a helmet and neck support, just incase the worse happens! OMP do a nice open face lid for about £50.

Don't forget your V5, valid MOT, insurance certificate and full drivers licence, they never bothered asking for any of mine, but it does stipulate that you should have it.

Don't you mean tyres first then breaks? You could have the best calliper set up but on ditch finders as soon as you slam them on the abs will go crazy or with no abs you will simply lock up. Or at least that's my understanding

I'd agree with brakes first, if he's planning on going to the ring you'd hope he wouldn't have ditchfinders on in the first place, the standard 4 pots though will be turd.

No id rather have a decent set of stoppers...as the best set of tyres in the world won't get you round a corner if you're going to fast..., it goes without saying you dont put crap tyres on a car if you're gonna do a 1000 mile trip and go racing or is that just my opinion?
I've never had ABS issues apart from in the snow.

I think that tyres are pretty much the only thing that will get you through a corner of you are travelling too fast!

Stock WRX brakes are fine, but being older they will probably benefit from a refurb with stainless pistons and bleed nipples, scoobyworx did mine for a few hundred quid and are now fantastic! Especially with braided brake lines, dot 5.1 fluid, new discs and most importantly track specific pads. Don't bother with track tyres, a set of Toyo proxes will give you great grip in the dry

I'll say it again...decent tyres are a given just like making sure you have fuel to get round as if you run out wave goodbye to €200

...and I wouldn't bother with toto proxies either the sidewalks are too soft for a new age car ;)

I run proxies but you must by the extra load ones with stiffer sidewalls. Running them at around 34psi I have no problems with sidewall flex.
But I've heard there crap at constant track abuse as they chew up. Great road tyres though. Almost on par with Bridgestone and Pirelli and the likes at a fraction of the cost :thumb:

We stayed here at the Lindenhof.


https://www.google.co.uk/?gfe_rd=cr&...69093297980207

Watch loads of in car videos of laps. Then watch some more. Seriously, its by far the best investment. Now watch some more vids. I'm talking at least 50 laps worth, 100 is better.

As well as brakes and tyres I'd also change all the oils, fluids and filters before you go. Especially engine, gearbox and diff oils, as they're going to get a workout.

Mods/Prep for the nurburgring


1) Pray for dry weather!!!
2) Learn the track at 7-8/10ths (as you get faster braking and turning points change). You will learn nothing from playing Forza/GT
3) Some track tyres (from experience Federal RSRs are relatively cheap and very good and are reasonable when its damp or wet) - you will ruin them after 20-50 really hard laps anyway
4) Get some uprated brake pads - EBC yellow stuff are very good on track when warmed up and good on the road.
5) Make sure your car has no issues before you go.
6) Save the emergency number.
7) Pray for dry weather!!
8) Don't be a hero - there are MUCH faster drivers there.:notworthy
9) Check your mirrors for faster drivers and allow them to pass only if its safe to (use your indicators to let them know what you intend to do). Keep to the right if you are letting cars past - officially there is no racing line and if you cut someone up you will be liable!
10) Check your fluid levels throughout the day.
11) Be sensible and you will love it.
12) Pray for dry weather. Have fun!!:thumb:


It is too easy to develop 'ring fever' :cuckoo:

Main thing to be aware of is that its not open all year round like most people think.

Have a look at the official calendar as it will state what days its open. Last June it was only open to the public for 6 days.

If you find a weekend where its open both days bear in mind that EVERYONE will have the same idea. When I go we typically choose a weekend when its open half days as its quieter.

Keep in mind french laws for what you need to carry in the car, 2x breathalizers, warning triangle, high viz jacket etc. Also, DO NOT assume you have european breakdown cover no matter what policy etc you have. I paid £35 for 4 days cover via Green Flag and when my bottom end went on the way home I was glad I had it.

My plans usually are
Find a Friday to Monday that suits
Book accomodation
Book ferry
Buy travel insurance and breakdown
Check travel essentials for the car
Budget for fuel/food etc

I've been several times, in various cars of my own on track and have also hired from Rent4ring. Its all about the planning and thinking ahead.

Car prep wise, as stated, brakes and tyres are the main thing I've found. 1st time I went in a 200bhp Mazda and did a set of pads in the 1st 2 days and didnt have any spares with me. Take a spare/part worn set and some brake fluid.

1 tip I will say is if you're going in a group DO NOT go out together, it only encourages driving beyond your limits.

I must have done 500+ laps on the ps3 before my 1st ever visit and it does help get fimiliar with the track and potential blackspots but nothing will truly prepare you for your 1st ever lap. Its handy to have a spotter in the car for your 1st few laps as you'll find the locals appear from nowhere rather quickly.

Last thing, get out on the local roads, you can do a tank of fuel just enjoying them and the local scenery etc.

Enjoy

Reply to TypeR99
 

You have been there several times.


You must know the ring fever then.


Good advice though. The surrounding area is very nice.


When I've been I needed a mortgage for the fuel bill.

4 laps to a full tank here, 1litre a mile roughly with just enough to crawl back to the petrol station for a refill :lol1:

Yeah, I get about 4mpg aswell. :lol1:. I met a guy there with a modded impreza P1, and he was getting 3mpg!!

If it's your first time I wouldn't bother trying to learn the track before hand. It's like going to France for the first time and trying to learn French. You don't have a chance! Plus you'll spend the first few laps worrying so much about who's up your chufter and indicating right to let them pass you'll never remember those xboxone sessions you put in.

As above whack some track pads on and decent break fluid!

Most of all enjoy it and take it easy! It's pretty easy to do a few laps and get a bit cocky.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Got everything ready for the trip now (i hope lol) wish me luck and thank you all again

Good luck and be careful out there...one thing I will say is that no amount of prep will make it any more daunting when you get there and see the banks and inclines up close, amazing place!

good luck going for my second time in july and cant wait. i put ebc orange stuff pads in first time i went and they faded to nothing after half a lap as was using them so much getting used to everything fine after a few laps and less braking. gone for carbon tec pads this time which are unbelieveable would defo recommend. Is an awesome place and steak on a stone is recommended in the restaurant ( cant remember name) but something to do with sabine schmits family lol

Do you mean the nurburger brauhaus?

Nah it'll be Pistenklause at Tiergarten...Did you write on the wall as us lot did :lol1:

lol yea the one with all the writing and car parts and all that in

Going for 5 days in June, will be my 7th year in a row.

Stock suspension will be fine for your first trip. Coilovers can be a bit stiff in places round the Ring, I was actually slower on my Teins last year than my previous setup (KYB shocks with Prodrive springs) as they were more tolerant of the bumps.

Standard power is fine until you learn the place - and will help keep you out of trouble! My 280bhp WRX (still on TD04) will get round in under 9 mins.

WRX brakes will struggle, probably fine for your first half dozen laps as you keep right ;) but as you start to push a bit more they will fade quickly. You don't want this as you brake downhill into Wehrseifen then Breidscheid! :D

Learn the track from onboards on youtube, not from a game. This was my best a couple of years ago - www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNgNC9rDJQA (yes i need a better camera mount!)

Keep checking your mirrors and don't take the racing line on the left side if there's something behind you. A fast driver in a good car will go from not being in visible in your mirrors to on top of you in seconds. Don't lap in convoy with your mates, let everyone go at their own pace rather than someone being pressured into trying to keep up.

Don't hammer it down the autobahns, scoobs don't like sustained high speed runs. In the years our group have been going, all engine failures have been on the derestricted autobahn sections. Make sure your breakdown cover includes full UK repatriation.

Enjoy the local roads (its a nice drive up to Cochem if you fancy it) and the food/beer. Have the Argentinian Fillet steak on the stones at Pistenklause. Fill the boot with cheap beer from Lidl/Rewe in Adenau for the drive home :thumb:

Enjoy it, have fun and keep it out the armco :cool: