One other thing with OTA, is even you don't plan/think you will compete, there is a huge amount of experience at our events. A lot of guys who have been racing 20+ years (I think Joe is in his mid 70s still pounding gears a corvette racecar). So you can learn a lot, and we actually force all new people to go out with an instructor.


Other than that, if you are thinking of a race school there are a few in the spring. BMW club runs a few, as well as out in Quebec. OTA has a DDT and MIR school for pretty cheap.

 

I'm actually glad you brought this up because I've seen people running really high settings on swaybars that are even stiffer than the hotchkis so I've always been slightly at odds with the theory/my understanding of it and the observed approach taken by some. So hopefully some of you guys here can chime in on this as well.

My general understanding is run as little as necessary to balance out your car since the higher the setting the more you impede the independent motion of each corner or rather one side of will more adversely affect the other when going over bumps, dips, etc,etc.

I for one stepped up my hotchkiss from softest setting front and back to middle setting front and back, primarily because i was murdering the outsides of my tires and wanted to try this first before I increase camber. I'll see if it makes a noticeable difference at the next track event.

BTW anyone going to NJMP on Oct 29-30 ??

 

Another question.

I recently had a brake failure on the track.

I posted a thread. https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...lure-pics.html

I only ask this question because they are so very cheap...
Would Akebonos be a worthwhile upgrade over the 03 non brembos?
I know they are not generally considered worthwhile over the brembos.
But if I can't find brembos, does it make sense to get akebonos with good racing pads and some ducts?

I'm actually mulling over getting a 14" stoptech kit, but just wondering because if I spend less on brakes, I have more money for other things and my car is too slow.

 

answered in the other thread

 

Just my personal opinion, if you are getting big into these events, I'd place a small chunk of cash into a racing seat and harness. The main point of this is its more of a driver mod than anything. I learned fast that if you are sliding out of your seat, then you can't feel how the car is reacting in a corner. If you are firmly held in the car then u stop working so hard to stay in the car. You relax, turn more softly and precisely and can really FEEL the cars reaction to the corner. And the best part is that you can remove the seat from the car and place your stock seat back in at track time. That's what I do.

 

I know how irritating it is. I weight like 60kg and i get easily thrown around while turning. The slippery leather seats make it even worse.

How easy is it to replace the oem seats? like what's the approx time?

Also, with the bucket seats, is it really still required to use harness? Esp. with street tyres and basic suspension setup?

 

I just picked up some used '08 Brembos, and a BNIB but second hand Cusco RS 1.5 LSD complete with Nismo diff cover and solid bushings.

Next is Carbotech pads and some more Motul RBF 600.

And then some sway bars.

 

It's VERY easy and fast to replace the own seats with a racing seat. It takes maybe 15 minutes to swap them out. When I'm not at the track, I put my own seat back in and lay my harness behind my seat.

 

Thought I'd stop in here again.
Already in are OEM Brembos.
Cusco RS 1.5 LSD.
Nismo Dif cover
Solid dif bushings

Order for Hotchkis sways
Powergrid endlinks
Carbotech xp10/xp 8 pads goes out on the 31st.

I'm probably going to lighten the car up by destroying the interior. I have no need for such luxuries and I'm sure the car will never be sold.


So real reason for this post.
If you had to prioritize...

a) Motordyne ART pipes then retune.
b) JWT clutch flywheel combo kit
c) Koni Yellow sport shocks
d) Replace my progressive Eibach Prokit Springs (w/ Nismo T2????)
e) oil cooler

what would the priority be and why? Thoughts so far have been really great, so thanks in advance.

 

e
c & d
b
a

 

if you get sways start on soft so that you graduate and don't have to relearn your car completely

 

or in other words...

Reliability
brakes
handling
power

in that order...and once you adjust the bottom two, start at the top again.

 

Personally, wouldn't bother with an oil cooler on a non revup, non HR unless you have evidence to support your temps are too high in the first place. Instead, start off with simply monitering oil temps and that will tell you whether a cooler will really be beneficial or not, and will give you data to support the size and type that will best suit your needs. The way the clearances are on the revups, and particularly HR's makes an oil cooler necessary for road race use during even warm days (not to mention hot summer days). But for the non revup engines, it's really not a tremendous concern unless you live in a very warm climate year round. To date, even with my built motor, etc, I still don't have an oil cooler.

My suggestion: C + D together, A if you don't already have test pipes (or are looking to replace stock or aftermarket cats). Wouldn't bother with B till the stock one gives up the ghost, and instead just put the $ towards potential repair fund, or entrance fees, tire experimentation. E if data supports you need one.

 

We also don't get a lot of heat here in Canaduh, a lot of my events last year were in the mid 60s, low 70s. I only monitor stock water temp still, but have never made it budge. I started building an oil cooler but never got around to installing it, not sure if I will for this year its not high on the list.

I would throw hi-flow cats on if you are still on stocks, just because its a cheap way to lose 20ish lbs and gain 3 or 4 hp. I like the shocks more, but the cats or a simple and cheap out of the way mod. I personally am aiming to do new shocks this year as well, likely the Konis as really nice shocks are not in the budget.



Oh, and congrats on deciding to rip the car apart I warn you, it will start off with some plastics here and there, but its addicting. Before you know it no one wants to ride in your car anymore :P

 

I read recently that the Koni Yellows should not be run with the Nissan 350Z T2 springs due to the ultra high spring rates.

I think Gsedan mentioned this.

Anyone have experience with the Whiteline front swaybar?

 

I'm coming back here because you guys are knowledgeable and I a noob.

I got some Koni Yellows on the way from Z1 along with some Hotchkis sways. I will be using Whiteline spherical endlinks.

Right now the car has Eibach Prokit Springs. Progressive. 1" drop.
F 296 to 384 lbs and R 316 to 421.

I also have the OEM for '03. Linear. F 314. R 342.

I would like to upgrade the springs at the same time I have the shocks off.

I was thinking of either linear Hotchkis. F340. R330

Or another option I saw on the Z1 site was "custom" H&R linear Race springs.

My question is what size springs do I need? Diameter? Length?and what rate? I'm thinking I read 500/500 was aggressive but ok for off the shelf Koni Yellows?

Might not even be possible but I thought I would check.

eg
http://www.hrsprings.com/applications/60mm_id_springs

 

With what oil?

 

I'll be selling my front, 13" stoptech BBK. I'd swap for your non-Brembos + cash, though shipping may suck. PM me if interested (not chat about here).

 

I use M1 5w30 and I Touched 260 once but dropped back to 250, it Usally sits at 240-243 area. That is in 60 degree weather though, I'm not sure how it'll do on 100 degree track days.

 

Just wanted to get some advice again.
Are any of the off the shelf front splitters any good?
If not I will make one out of an alumacor sheet just like XChacalX did locally.
I'm thinking about adding a APR GTC300 wing.

Since I haven't run into it before... what sping rates are you guys running with this type of aero? I might hit a top speed of 130 mph on a local track. Right now I have Swift Spec R's