Due to recent flops, I am formalizing a list of spare parts to take along to the track and I wonder if any of you have gone through a similar exercise. This would be an 'amateur' list and not necessarily a whole car part out as a pro racing team would have plus the ability to replace major parts such as engine/transmission, etc.

Here's version 1 from the top of my head:

SPARE PARTS

• Spark plug wire set
• Two (2) ignition coils
• Front sway bar end link
• Rear sway bar end link
• E-shaft/water pump/alternator belt
• Fender plastic clips (can't have enough of these)
• Front hubs
• M6 flange nuts and flange bolts (different lengths)
• M8 flange nuts and flange bolts (different lengths)
• Rear toe control link (P/N F151-28-45XA)

CONSUMABLES & FLUIDS

• Spark plug set
• Brake pads
• Two (2) quarts of engine oil (minimum)
• Brake fluid
• Distilled Water

MISC

• Auto Glass cleaner
• Spare wheel/tire (if not taking additional wheel/tire set)

Thoughts?

 

I also try to take spare hardware for some of the components that I'm likely to have to, or at least be willing to, deal with at the track
For example, spare bolts for starter, brake calipers, exhaust etc.

Even though some of it might be safety wired, you can still lose them. Or, during service (replacing brake pads for example) you could misplace it /drop into gravel or grass or into some void in the car and rather than spend 10 minutes looking for it, pulling a new one from the tool kit is nice.

Maybe I just have butter fingers, but, I know when changing coils (a spare you've listed) I've dropped more than one of those little nuts into the netherworld of the engine bay, and that's not when I'm under a time crunch to make the grid.

 

I do carry lots of different bolts. M6 flange bolts seem to be the most common, but some M8s wouldn't hurt. I added them to the list.

 

Spare wheel and tire(s)?

Aside from that you are already beyond my amateur "HPDE including drive home" bare essentials list:

1. Engine oil & premix + oil funnel.
2. Tire pump & pressure gauge, tools to remove/replace wheels including tq wrench.
3. Spare pads, brake fluid, tools to bleed brakes & replace pads including a mallet & caliper compressor for the rear.
4. Space saver spare or spare wheel with mounted tire (allowing you to drive home if you spin and wreck a tire after the tire shop closes on Sunday)
5. Gallon jug of distilled water
6. Window cleaner, tape, screwdriver & bits, pliers.

 

I had spare parts only in mind originally but we can create different sections. I'll edit the first post when I get a chance.

 

Take a full set of ignition, 4 coils, wires, plugs. You don't want to be taking time to figure out which one is dead, and which one is going to die next.

A screwdriver with multiple bits, a 1/4 and 3/8 ratchet set, zip ties, and duct tape.
Oil is a given, an empty container for emergency water.
Change brake pads to race pads before you go to the track.
If you throw the belt, something else should be broken, requiring a trip to the store anyway.
I am guessing you had a problem with a front hub on another trip?

My view is the RX-8 is as much an arrive and drive car as a miata with the coils as the primary weakness. Everything else should be ready beforehand.

 

Yeah. I had a front hub fail me; it was the factory one, so shame on me but the wheel speed sensor does fail too (not just the bearing). Replacing it is literally 8 bolts, so why not carry them around?

 

My fingers are just as buttery, I use a magnet wand This thing sure comes in handy!

 

Added rear toe control link to the list. This link has been reported to be weak and after driving 10 hours to run NASA Time Trials, I thought it would be silly to hit a curbing hard enough, bend this rascal and be done for the weekend.

 

I just ran my first race in our new RX8 build and had a front caliper piston seize on the first lap out. Maybe not practical if not a regular racecar, but I'll be bringing spare front calipers (or parts) along. We were able to fix by cleaning the piston a bit but the boot was junk, luckily there was no fluid leak during the weekend either.