ForceFedC5

Hello,

I'm preparing for my very first Road Race event! (At least, the first legal road race event!)

My car is a absolutely bone stock FRC with 40k miles on it.

I'd like to change the brake pads and brake fluid before the event. I'm also getting new tires and rims as well.

What tools will I need to accomplish this in my garage? Is there anything else that you'd recommend I change that I can do myself?

Please keep in mind that I'm not very mechanically inclined...

Thanks in advance!

Red Gump

race or hpde/track day? if the latter, just bleed your brakes, swap pads and clean your air filter. and remove all loose items from within teh car. no special tools necessary, just wrenches, c-clamp and impact wrench.
*also, read 2 stickies at the top of this section--"new to tracking" and "c5 parts page".

congrats on finally tracking your car! have fun and be safe.

69427

I'm not trying to be rude here, but I think you're in over your head at this moment. A road race event is no place to find out if your mechanicing skills are sufficient. I suggest you either postpone your race, or have the modifications done by a professional, or at least a buddy who knows what he's doing. You will be trusting your health or life to the quality of these changes to your car. This is no place to learn from your mistakes.

Aardwolf

For putting in and taking care of better brake fluid, throw some speedbleeders in. Swapping pads is pretty easy. Are the rotors very worn? Have fun out there!

AU N EGL

I think he means a HPDE. Not an actull race. Still having someone do your first brake fluid flush and mechanical inspectio is a very very good idea

Have fun

ForceFedC5

Thanks for the replies Gentlemen!

I'm going to this event:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1651622

Perhaps you're right. I'll call my friend whose about an hour away that has a shop and ask him to teach me how to do those things.

I used to change brake pads on my old cars when I was a kid, I don't really remember much except that it wasnt very difficult.

I've never changed brake fluid before though.

The tires on my car are currently bald. I'm planning on purchaseing 18 x 9.5's in front and 18 x 11's in back with Toyo RA1's. Unfortunately both sizes that I'm interested in are on backorder at the moment (275's and 305's)

Can someone make a suggestion for a really good and sticky track tire? My vette is a 3rd car and is never driven in the rain, so wet traction isn't really important.

And thanks for the good luck! (I'll probably need it.. I'm very much looking forward to having an instructor educate me!)

BQuicksilver

I'd also suggest having at least a friend looking over your shoulder.

15,16,18mm combo wrenches, a fairly bg C-clamp, lug nut socket, and jackstands/jack will get the pads changed. I can't recall what the bleeder nut size is.

I like my Nitto NT-01's for the track and they're safe to drive to and fro.

freefall

For a street/track tire, the BFG KD's are awesome...not the greatest in the wet, but stick well in the dry, and wear like steel. RA1's are good on track - but you might want something that screams a little more (more warning before you start the rallycross) and lasts a bit longer to start out .

Mechanically - the main thing you need to do "properly" is the brake fluid. The other items (pads, rotors, etc.) are fairly straight forward and more a matter of torquing things up properly.

Red Gump

I think on stock brakes it's a 10mm. and for a first event I'd lean toward street tires.

MungoZ06

Good advice above.
Replace brake fluid with factory fill DOT3 or, if you think you're going to do more track stuff, go to DOT4. First fill ... someone with a TECH II to flush the ABS as well, or someone who knows how to iteratively activate ABS and flush the old fluid. After that, bleed and fill.
Ensure you know the bleed sequence on your car ... I think it changed in 2000 or 2001.
Take the opportunity to freshen your clutch fluid as well ... use the same fluid as the brakes ... "turkey baster" suck and fill iteratively.
For pads ... you will either use a good aggressive street pad, or a dedicated track pad and swap back to streets. Many opinions on that.
With an 8 year old car ... have your buddy with the shop put it on the lift and check every part of the brakes ... lines, hoses, ... and ensure all bolts are tight on the suspension.
Assume you're driving to the track ... you may end up going to a dedicated track tire later ... it becomes a transportation, wear, and roadability issue. Your Toyo's would be fine. An alternative is the Nitto 555R2's in same size as the Toyo's or the NT01's mentioned above that come in 315 rear I believe. (they'll fit on the 11" rears).
You're running the "long course" at Pocono ... using part of the track and the infield course. Some see north of 140 on the back stretch ... you will have an instructor with you and will be kept under 100 ... they say 90. That's OK ... catch a ride with your instructor as early as you can ... if you see a SWZ06 with a red racing stripe ... ask Brian to take you for a ride. ... tell hime DennyM referred you.
You will be on sensory and information overload from the first classroom session ... read the tips in the sticky's about rest, relaxing, looking ahead, being smooth, etc.
With good car prep you will be comfortable with the car ... so go out and have fun!

yakisoba

Tires:
I was on street tires for my first year of HPDEs. I would recommend that to anyone that starts out. You will get the most value from the event, as the first couple are simply learning to drive all over again. The more familiar the platform you learn on, the more you'll learn.

Tools and Prep:
The most important resource you can have is a friend that you trust and who has been there before you. Mechanically, I'd have the brake fluid flushed and replaced with new (opinions vary as to using DOT 4 with stock brake lines, so we'll leave that alone; the debate is not that it's better, it's that it is more of a maintenance thing), and check your pad level. If it's good, I'd run on stock pads for the first event. Your tool box should have a jack, breaker bar, torque wrench with at least a 3" extender, a 19mm socket for the lugs, jacking pucks (DO NOT leave them under the car), jackstands (2, generally), power steering fluid, brake fluid, and oil. A wrench set is a good idea, and some sort of an impact driver, or cordless drill with an adapter makes removing lugs fast. This info is in the stickies at the top of the page.

I would not do the brake fluid change in my garage; very messy. I would pay a shop I trusted to do it. I do bleed my own brakes, but to completely flush you need a tech 2 device.

Do not neglect the most important part of the car: The driver. Stay hydrated, eat light and carry energy snacks for the afternoon. It's a pretty big learning curve, so if you get overwhelmed, take solace in the fact that everyone who tracks has been there. You will never look at an exit ramp or a turn the same way again.

ForceFedC5

Awesome information!

FYI, I have read the stickies and greatly appreciate everyone time to write all that great info!

Quick question.. How am I supposed to carry all of those tools in the back of the vette? Jack stands? Hydraulic jack?

I'm going to place an order now with the Tire Rack now for G-Force KD's

FRONTS: 265/35ZR18 9-10.5" 9.5" 10.7" 25.3" 821
REARS: 295/35ZR18 10-11.5" 10.5" 11.9" 26.1" 797

Do you think thats a good tire to start with?

Thanks again!

AU N EGL

You dont need to take all that stuff. But a big plastic storage bucket or box is a good idea.

If for some strange reason you do need to jack up your car, there are lots of freindly ppl you will meet to help you out.

Aardwolf

I drive mine in the rain and just keep the same tires on, so I'd use the KDW or the GSD3. I have MX on mine now. Mine liked 31.8 PSI cold. If it rains you can run or not, you lose the money though. I have not needed tools yet at the track but since I always invite my father up for track days, he gets to haul all the tools and jack, just in case. You got a helmet right? I just got my C5 rotors for my C4, I took them out of the box, and now my daughter has crawled inside the box.



Tomorrow's racer!

Edit, it's a brand new 12/10 MM flare wrench for the lines, not dirty!

Scooter70

I use a big plastic tote. It fits my spare brake pads, extra fluids, torque wrench, shop towels, gloves, and whatever other junk I think I might need. The best part is that it's waterproof. After keeping my track tools in a steel Craftsman toolbox for years and getting rained on a few times, I got smart and got waterproof. My current track car is an '05 GTO and my tote, ~75 piece Craftsman tool set in it's own case, cordless impact gun, and jack stands all fit in the trunk. If you've ever seen the trunk of a GTO, you'd know that it's probably not much bigger than the rear storage area of a C5.

As stated above, don't worry about bringing every tool that you own. There will be others at the track who are willing to lend you a hand or a tool.

Good luck and have fun. Warning though... you're going to be hooked so be prepared.

MattB

Welcome to the world of HPDE, I started last year and I'm hooked

A lot of good advice here: bleed the brakes, check the pads, tires, oil, coolant, power steering fluid, wheel bearings (any play in the wheel side to side or up and down while trying to shake it with two hands), seat belts, and get a helmet. Basicaly, go over your car with the tech sheet a few times before you go to the track and have someone look over your shoulder. Other than that, KEEP IT SIMPLE. Don’t drag a lot of stuff to the track that will only distract you, your head will be spinning enough! Just concentrate on learning to drive: learn to be smooth, identify the turn in, apex and corner exit points, learn to identify braking zones and smooth transitions between throttle and brake, get some track presence and learn how to mentally map the track. You will have your hands full learning these things, I know I’m having trouble LOL. Don’t try to be the fastest guy the first few days, learn the basics before going wild. I’m taking it easy, but now I’m picking up a LOT of speed. After a year the guys I thought were really fast are now being passed by me (but the whole first year they were blowing me a way). After your first few times the brake pads and fluids become more important as your speed increases.

Lastly, as stated before, take care of yourself. Take a cooler and ice with plenty of water and gatorade, and maybe some salty snacks and food. That is about the only thing you really need the first few times to the track. After that, it will be easier to know what you need, ask the other Vette guys at the track and have a blast.

John Shiels

Remember you can get faster at the next event only if you have your car in one piece. Let others go they may have been doing it for years even with an equal car they will whizz by you.

The best part is driving home with no damage and a smile which you will have if unscathed. Good Luck it is a blast to drive fast legally with safety personel seconds away and no risk to others like on the street.

Take a blue tarp to empty you car contents on and cover from rain. Most everyone is friendly so don't be afraid to ask for help or advice. Enjoy!

freefall

I found that multiple ~1' tall plastic bins work really well - the rectangular ones - because you can slide them behind the seats on the FRC (from the trunk opening). It's amazing how much stuff you can cram in if you really try!

ForceFedC5

Sorry for the late "thank you again" guys.

I was surprised Friday evening by a trip to the hospital and a kidney stone I just got back home a few hours ago.

I'm now waiting for it to pass with pain killers in hand

If it doesn't come out by Thursday morning, they're going to take it out!

Anyway, THANKS AGAIN!

This is a lot to absorb, but I think I'm doing ok. I actually nixed the twin turbo kit after doing a lot of research and am going to drive the car as it is for a month or two and slowly upgrade the suspension and brake components. Powerwise I have changed my stratagy but want a nice calm every day driver with some OOOMPH when needed.

I'm also glad that the stone decided to move a few days ago, can you imagine being a few hours from home at the track and getting that kind of surprise?

I'm not ashamed to say, I did cry like a baby, when I wasn't hollering in pain.