Hey all, I am going to be taking my RX to the track quite a bit in the upcoming year. I was wondering with all the experiance we have on this board if I could get a recommendation if I'm good with what I have done, or what else I would need.

Motul DOT 4 brake fluid
StopTech Stainless Steel brake lines
Racing Beat Front/Rear sway bars
Hawk 470N brake pads
BFG KDW tires
Redline Synthetic Gearbox/Differential Fluid
Rotary Performance Stainless Steel Clutch Hose

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Well, I think that depends a lot on your own track experience. How many track days you've done before? I suspect you're pretty new to track event from the kind of questions you've just asked.

Personally, I think you should take you car to the track in its stock form unmodified at least for the first season. This way you got to feel what your car can do right out of the box as well as the various dynamics and feedbacks that the 8 will give you in its most natural form. But the utmost reasons among all is that it will allow you to concentrate on other more important things, like your line, your basic driving skills and how to be smooth at speed. This may sound easy but it'll probably take someone a while in order to reach a more competent level. And only after you can extract the most of the stock car then you should start looking into upgrading it.

Having said all that, I think you should bleed the brake just before the track event for safety reason. Changing the gear oil to synthetic is recommended too if you want the extra protection for the equipment.

That list is things that I've already done to my car. I have been at track days three times so far this year and have been very impressed with the stock abilities of the car. I just want more. The event that I had gone to is speed limited to ~70 mph. The ones this upcoming year are unlimited speed with the option for a track instructor to ride with you if you want. The sessions are 20 min at a crack, with 5 of them in 1 day.

Unless it's something you forgot to mention, the most important thing everyone should do is get the car accurately aligned. I don't trust dealerships to do it correctly.
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I was planning on getting the alignment done when I switch the tires this winter. Just taking it to a tire place is what you would recommend?

>I have been at track days three times so far this year and have been very >impressed with the stock abilities of the car. I just want more.
Learning to drive it at speed is probably what you'll need now.

>The event that I had gone to is speed limited to ~70 mph ......
What kind of a track event is that!?! I can do it on highway myself :-)

It was the touring event at Road America, it was speed limited because 90% of the people there had no idea how to drive at anything near or above freeway speeds. It was more a safety thing than anything else. The ones I'm going to next year are unlimited in speed, and I'm looking forward to opening it up with a lot less people on the track.

1. if you have brake fade or heat problems, and after you have installed a good track pad, add brake ducts, especially to the front. dryer hose or similar to direct air to the caliper will do it. this is lots cheaper than new brakes and is very effective.

2. save your pennies cuz often people wreck at least one car learning to drive on the track.

james

Actually the stock brake is very good. Much better than I would expect. You probably will only need to swap in a set of good high performance or track pads and you're good to go ;-)

Track pads aren't even necessary. I drove at Laguna Seca in near-record heat on stock rotors and pads without any brake fade. Murix has reported similar results at Thunderhill.
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So the consensus is that I need to get my alignment done at a shop and that's it?

Depends on your budget.

Motul DOT 4 brake fluid - I will go RBF 600 (it is only AUD$60/L in OZ)
StopTech Stainless Steel brake lines - hmm it does not stop any better
Racing Beat Front/Rear sway bars - highly recommended, best of the lot
Hawk 470N brake pads - if you want to do 20+ laps, but the renesis is good for a BBQ then.
BFG KDW tires - nice choice, last 3 track days?!
Redline Synthetic Gearbox/Differential Fluid - ok, how many gear change will you do?
Rotary Performance Stainless Steel Clutch Hose - better feeling, IMHO, I will do it but not the first.

I'm not worried so much about the money, I just want really good stuff for my car that will last and get me better performance than stock.

Plus I already have all that stuff that I listed, I'm just looking for suggestions on stuff I might have missed or not thought of.

.

2. save your pennies cuz often people wreck at least one car learning to drive on the track.

james

That is just dumb. If you are driving within your limits like any person should be then this should not be an issue. It is a track day and not a race.

The car is fine with what you have. Have fun.

These people do not deserve a sports car. Sounds like he is one of those 50+ bold head with a Ferrari 360 driving 40kmh on the road :D

Lol. I'm also looking at doing a gauge cluster on the center of the console, with the gauges from the mazdaspeed cluster. I was thinking oil temp, oil pressure and water temp. Good/bad?

Good... if you want. Collect some information on a hot day.

Best Motoring Japan is doing that in their video. RX-8 is included.

I think you should take the advice of the first reply of taking the stock car to track, learn the track with RX-8 and you will appreciate the mod more. That is what I did.

Well, I did do 3 touring secessions with the car bone stock, and I liked it, I just want more grip, more power and more info about my mad mouse motor. More is better right?

gauges

Just like sex, the more the better. ;)

Good luck dude and we want feedback and product review.

Will do. The gauges I'm piecing together over the winter, each gauge is $200+, plus then I have to fabricate the pod for 'em, but it should look badass once I'm done. Hopefully my work will have me beating on those f-bodies and mustangs on Road America.

suggestion: Fujita engineering case for 3 of them goes to top, R magic case host 2 down in the smoker box, or just buy MazdaSpeed.

The box/gauge cases from Japan, looks good, but expensive. US$200-300.

The tires and brake fluid wouldn't have been my first choice...

The tires, I'd go with Kumho MX, or if you really like the BFGs then the KD

Fluid, you'd be better off with Motul RBF600

About the pads... N470? that sounds like the back end of the part# (like HB###N470) what pad are you running? HPS, HP+, HP Superduty or a full race compound?

Like the other members said, you are really only missing a good performance alignment. Coil over suspension or even springs (and another alignment) will no doubt improve performance on the track, but like was said... Even the stock car is great on track

Have fun and be safe :cool:

My setup

Kumho Ecsta MX - 245/40-18
Hyper Blue brake fluid
Mazdaspeed pads
RB swaybars/endlinks
RB springs
RB exhaust


Works great for me except I would have used Hawks if they were available and will next time.

murix, is that "hyper blue" or "super blue"? 'Cause the stuff we put in at my place was super blue. :)

AlexCisneros, I'd disagree regarding brake fluid. Yes Motul has a higher boiling point than Super Blue, but even the OEM fluid doesn't boil on the track. So why spend twice as much for the Motul?
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Tire wise all I'm looking for is a good tire that will work well on the track as well as street use. The car wont be driven in the white stuff, so dry/wet traction are all I care about. Any other recomendations?

murix, is that "hyper blue" or "super blue"? 'Cause the stuff we put in at my place was super blue. :)

AlexCisneros, I'd disagree regarding brake fluid. Yes Motul has a higher boiling point than Super Blue, but even the OEM fluid doesn't boil on the track. So why spend twice as much for the Motul?


Super blue. Either way, the braking is great. :) Cheers.

Tire wise all I'm looking for is a good tire that will work well on the track as well as street use. The car wont be driven in the white stuff, so dry/wet traction are all I care about. Any other recomendations?

For the money and based on what I know, I was choosing between the Kumho Ecsta MX or the Toyo T1-S both in a 245/40. Of course we generally only have to worry about one season here in Cali. :)

I would put some A048's on if I thought I could get more than 10k miles a set. :D

Toyo does not grip and don't last long.

If you going to track >3 times a year. Why don't you grab a set of 18" from fellow RX-8 owner (stock ones) and put semislick on. I like the Dunlop DZ02G.

Why comprise in a low rate tyre like Toyo which are Y rated? I don't even think you should less than Z tyres - e.g. S-03 or Pilot Sports on the track. Waste of money still IMHO. When I finish with my stock I will go for semislick - just have to find someone with the stock rim, that's all. Mind you, S-03 will only last 20000km when you go to track >3 times.

Alternative is to get myself a set of Volks with S-03 for street and use the stock for Dunlop semislick/ any semislick for that matter.

Track pads aren't even necessary. I drove at Laguna Seca in near-record heat on stock rotors and pads without any brake fade. Murix has reported similar results at Thunderhill.same here ..

So, advice given to get a track worthy alignment. Any advice on what to look for in a good alignment place? Is there alignment equipment that would tip you off that the place is serious? Questions to ask to assess whether the tech's know what they are doing?

Getting another set of wheels with tires is a great idea, but I would like to be able to drive to the track, run the car and then drive it home without jacking it up or having to bring another vehicle with the extra wheels. My friend has Nitto 555's on his GTI and he seems to like them a lot, my only problem is that I would like something that can be streetable without blowing my wallet up with replacement tyres ever 15k miles.

murix, is that "hyper blue" or "super blue"? 'Cause the stuff we put in at my place was super blue. :)

AlexCisneros, I'd disagree regarding brake fluid. Yes Motul has a higher boiling point than Super Blue, but even the OEM fluid doesn't boil on the track. So why spend twice as much for the Motul?


Sometimes I forget that I get discounted prices :o

If I do take my car out for those track days, would you guys reccomend me taking off my license plate and covering my VIN just to be on the safe side for warranty/repair work?

Alex is a whore with that sorta thing. As a reference I am still running the original pads and fluid and even after a few autocrosses, a full years worth of driving and a high speed track day, it still looks fine (pads are going to need replacing in the next couple months though).

The Motul he has on the other hand seem's aweful burnt to me :)

I wouldnt worry about the car at the track, since Mazda actually has a discount program to help support racers. www.mazdamotorsports.com

True, I havent had any major repair work needed and dunno how much of a bitch warranty work would be subscribed to this program, but I signed up for it just in case I need to get some parts for the car. This way you get original parts for decent price right from mazda. Nothing like body panels, but engine parts and such can be a bonus.

Well, from what I understand from reading their brochure and talking to some parts guys at a Mazda dealership, you warranty is dead the second you sign your car up for that program. Plus they want 2 time slips a year, so you are basically admitting that you flog your car if you sign up for that.

I also used the brakes more than you at that event :p



:D

Uhuh. Yet that 1 event burned the Motul and my OEM has survived 8 autocrosses, 1 track day and a whole lotta driving to the tune of 24,000 miles in 13 months :D

Actually, one event and two autoX's ;)

...and the reason I kept running by you was cause I could out brake you :cool:




Muahahahahaha :D

I thought it might have been my 2 leading coils being toasted, but whatever helps ya sleep at night :D

lol :D

...well, it's what got my by Bruce ;)