Thinking of tracking standardish 05 wagon
 

A track day has come up with a few friends who own hondas.
My wrx wagon is standard mechanically.
But it's full decat with 16g td04 hybrid.
About 300/300.
Got good eagle asymmetric tyres on and nearly new unknown brake pads.
Would I be a fool to take it on track.
It's Bedford autodrome.
Also got full standard size milltek system.
Is that OK for noise level.
I've still got prodrive backbox if needed.
Cheers.
Justin.

Get it on track mate, you'll learn more in half a day than you have in years of road driving.
You'll be fine noise level wise.

Enjoy

I built an mr2 track car a while back and ran it at Bedford.
Great track as it's very safe because there is very little to hit.
Decent brakes are a must though

If it's your first track day, just go! It will be awesome whatever car you go in, and as above you'll learn loads. Book tuition as well, it really really helps.

I wouldn't worry about uprated brakes etc until you've been once at least (provided your standard setup isn't totally worn out etc etc)

I'm going to Bedford myself on the 25th of June, but sadly not in the subaru, but it will be almost equally fun anyway I think.

Did I sell you that miltek exhaust??
If so it's fine at Bedford as I used it there.

You did sell me one,but this is a new one.
I foolishly left the other one on my old bug.
I'm not 100% sure it's the same one I've got now.
If I take the prodrive backbox with me then can just swop it over.
My brake pads look fairly meaty,but I've definitely experienced the bad brake fade.
Since I've had it,it's had new cam belt kit and water pump.
New re con gearbox
New hybrid turbo.
And fully serviced with gulf competition oil less than a 1000 miles ago.
It drives sweet as a nut.
I was thinking of getting 4 wheel alignment but felt a bit let down by the last company I took old bug too.
They still left a couple of wheels in the red as they were in tolerance.
Also thought of exchanging a few bushes but at the moment nothing is knocking etc.

What's people's experience with needing new tyres,clutch and brakes after a track day.
Mine has new exedy clutch one down from pink box.

The main issue you will have is brakes overheating the rest should be fine.
Tyres obviously wear but that's to be expected .
Should be no clutch issues unless it's on way out already.
But that said as Bedford Is an open pit Lane and you can come and go as you please it's easy to do a few laps then come in to stop brakes overheating.

Your main problem might be your tyres
As Goodyear eagle asymmetric are a cracking all round road Tyre. I love them on a road car.
But they seem to fall apart in a track situation...then again I am a bit of a nutter....so you might be OK :)

Yeah, I'm looking for 2nd hand wheels and tyres now.

OK The best value road legal track tire for the money is these. End of.

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyr...eral/595-rs-r/

Great value for money. Not bad in the wet but not great they work best on a dry track.
You need to get heat in them for them work. So lost of weaving about on the sighting lap.
They get better with use, the more worn and slick like they become the better they get.
They are remarkably hard wearing.

There are better track tyres out there, but as budget all rounder you can not beat them.

I was have a bit of track tag with a Porsche that was next to me in the paddock a few weeks back and he had a new set of RSRs on. He came in and said he hated them, grip was terrible ...I said give them a chance, get them worn get the heat into them. At the end of the day he was saying you know what they are not too bad, he quite liked them, not quite as good as a 888 but very progressive on the limits of their grip. And progressiveness on the limits of grip counts for a lot.

So I hope this helps

As a foot note, as your pads are unknown. As FT points out, that might be a issue. So take a spare set of pads along. Even if you do not use them on that outing, it is not like you will not eventually.

I did Bedford in my standard WRX wagon last year, any track time is great fun, just beware of cooking your brakes like I did. If you find yourself heading for the first turn on your second run and the brake pedal goes to the floor, it takes ages to get the kitty litter out of your undercarriage!

My video from one of the laps is here:

Good chance of cooking your brakes, that can happy pretty quick depending on how fast and hard you are braking, try using the gearbox to slow you down as well as the brakes, but this will put pressure on the box, also be prepared too replace all your tyres after a good session, I took all 4 down to the wire in 1 session.
Most of all have fun and stay as far away as possible from the wanna be Hamiltons

What actually happens when you cook your brakes, are they ok after they've cooled down a bit.
Did your car come away from the day ok or did you have to change anything after.
I'm all up for changing anything or upgrading a few simple bits before I go.
I'm quite handy with the spanners.
Is it worth upgrading or renewing any of the standard bushes.
Also what would be an upgraded pad?
I've got until 25 June to have a little tinker.

Depends on how bad you cook the brakes, often letting them cool down is ok but have seen some cars lose all braking, this was more down to lack of experience on the track and not realising how much harder the car is pushed on the track compared to the road.
Like I said before had to replace 4 tyres but they were coming to an end before the track day so no big deal.
That was pretty much all I have ever had to replace after a track day

If your car is fine on the road and it's your first trackday, I wouldn't make any changes. Going at it hard on the track will show up any weaknesses and then you'll have a better idea what to address, if anything. The brakes were obviously the weakest link for me, but in normal road use they are absolutely fine, so I haven't done anything about them yet. Will start with fluid change, braided hoses and a brake stopper probably, as bigger disks or Brembos are quite an outlay.

On my track session I did about 15-20 mins and then thought I'd give myself and the car a break to cool down. I left it 10-15 mins but of course with no air flow, the heat didn't really have anywhere to go, so when I went out again the brake fluid was still hot and couldn't give much pressure to the pistons, resulting in very little braking. After I came back to the pits a few people (separately) came up to me and said 'oh yeah, that happened to me in a WRX a few years ago'. No damage done apart from my ego and some lost track time while I shook out the gravel! Later in the session I was back on track and took 7-8 seconds off my earlier lap times. Would definitely do another track day but hopefully with some upgrades first.

That was my logic 2 years ago...then I took it to Croft and the lack of oil sump baffles and upgraded oil pump caused massive engine failure. BOOM. Big end and conrods toasted.
...well the oil diagnosis was the most probably cause so I was told by numerous sources.

Sorry, not wanting to be the sound of doom and gloom. I am sure many, many, cars survive track days...I could have just been unlucky.

Afraid that's just the risk you take when you go on the track, just don't drive like a nut case until you know the car seems ok with the heavy driving.

Really appreciate the feedback.
I'm definitely going to do it now.me and my mate are going halves on the total cost.
What is an uprated pad,as in the best bang for the buck.
So many to choose from.
Might even push for grooved discs but not if they don't really do a lot.
Is it worth changing the brake fluid?

Fluid Deffor change and some uprated pads don't bother with grooved discs

Fresh fluid
And then if you want to upgrade one thing in the braking set up make it the pads.
And spend some money....on Performance Friction or Pagid. Buying a cheap pad is just throwing money away they will not last.

Got some oem wheels with tyres for 50 quid,and some used once yellow stuff brake pads for 60.
Just got to fit pads and get new brake fluid.
Anyone know how much fluid the impression holds for complete change?
Cheers

Second hand brake pads? **** that....

worse than that ebc yellows,they are crap new and known to fall apart.
bin them and buy decent new pads.

I've just fitted pagid rst3 and **** me they are good. Face planted the windscreen first time I anchored on. Then locked up all 4 at 130mph lol

I ummed and ahhed for ages before I bought the pads,read loads on the Internet.
I couldn't decide on any new pads because the reviews of all makes differ wildly from people who have owned them.
Pagid, mintex,pf,brembo sport.ive read the lot.
So I thought fcuk it,I'll get the used ones just for the track day.
If the yellows are shiite then so be it but they are 150 quid pads.
I'll fit the yellows and see if there any good before I go.

Your choice, but you'll regret it.

I used EBC Orangestuff pads (better then the yellows) and they faded massively on track, almost putting me in the kitty litter. Ruined the day to a degree as I was only able to do 5-6 before they went off and I'd lost confidence in them.

I like the Performance Friction pads, have never let me down.

Also, speak to Alyn @ A S Performance.

You'd be surprised how much he can do a decent set of pads for (and some good fluid aswell)

Ok,you win.
I'll give him a call now.
How can ebc sell pads for 150 that don't work?

Just ordered mintex 1155 and motul brake fluid.
Gonna have some ebc yellows for sale soon.