Track Prep
Before I go to the track again, there's some work to do to the car. At 16 months in to the hobby, it's holding up well. Before next track day, I need to:
Bleed the brakes: Doing this on a Corvette is tricky, becuase of the ABS system. You need a special tool to get the ABS to release, or a pressure bleeder. I am opting for the latter approach because it's easier to do at the track. I wish there was some way to have high temp tolerant brakes that required less service, but there's just not.
Replace rotors: Not sure they need it, but they are cracking, and I have new pads to try out, so the fronts will get done. Going to do rear pads too, but leave the rotors alone. They look fine.
Brake Pads: Have Carbotech XP10 and XP8 for the back.
Check Diff Fluid: Got a trans high temp warning last time out, and have not noticed anything wrong, but best to check for burnt fluid in the trans and diff.
Tires: Tires look good for at least one day, so we'll leave them alone. There are all kinds of scrubs around Cresson, so I'll be in good shape if I need some Sunday.
Short list this time! This is a good example of a typical between-runs maintenance cycle.
Cresson: The track will be the 1.7 mile short track, run clockwise. This is the way I learned the track, but I'm rusty on it. In either direction, MSR Cresson is a busy track. There's no time to rest and stretch like there is at TWS. It's hard on the gears and engine, since there's lots of third gear work. The back section is especially fun this way around, since you come out of a two turn sequence into a short straight, then into a hard left. The track geometry forces you to be pointing in a weird direction, so it's an ideal place to really nail the brakes and swing the back end of the car around. Another good place to work on shifting is going into the "serpentine" (a set of esses at the top of a hill). Common sense says to downshift on the straight going into the turn leading to the esses, but it's faster to trail brake through that turn, then brake and downshift at the top of the hill. Not sure I can do that without spinning!
Bleed the brakes: Doing this on a Corvette is tricky, becuase of the ABS system. You need a special tool to get the ABS to release, or a pressure bleeder. I am opting for the latter approach because it's easier to do at the track. I wish there was some way to have high temp tolerant brakes that required less service, but there's just not.
Replace rotors: Not sure they need it, but they are cracking, and I have new pads to try out, so the fronts will get done. Going to do rear pads too, but leave the rotors alone. They look fine.
Brake Pads: Have Carbotech XP10 and XP8 for the back.
Check Diff Fluid: Got a trans high temp warning last time out, and have not noticed anything wrong, but best to check for burnt fluid in the trans and diff.
Tires: Tires look good for at least one day, so we'll leave them alone. There are all kinds of scrubs around Cresson, so I'll be in good shape if I need some Sunday.
Short list this time! This is a good example of a typical between-runs maintenance cycle.
Cresson: The track will be the 1.7 mile short track, run clockwise. This is the way I learned the track, but I'm rusty on it. In either direction, MSR Cresson is a busy track. There's no time to rest and stretch like there is at TWS. It's hard on the gears and engine, since there's lots of third gear work. The back section is especially fun this way around, since you come out of a two turn sequence into a short straight, then into a hard left. The track geometry forces you to be pointing in a weird direction, so it's an ideal place to really nail the brakes and swing the back end of the car around. Another good place to work on shifting is going into the "serpentine" (a set of esses at the top of a hill). Common sense says to downshift on the straight going into the turn leading to the esses, but it's faster to trail brake through that turn, then brake and downshift at the top of the hill. Not sure I can do that without spinning!
posted by Yakisoba at 7:47 AM
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