First time track day advise

[Foose0713]

I'll be attending my first track day sometime this year and would like advise on maintenance / mods recommended so that I can reliably make it to and from the event (2-3 hrs drive) and survive the event without braking anything. My current ride is a 2007 Mustang GT / Foose Stallion I picked up 6 months ago. 90k miles and in great shape. Came stock with the Ford Racing struts, springs, and sway bars, a tune and CAI, and Baer eradispeed rotors and I’ve done the following in preparation for a track day.

• Boss 302 LS 19x9 & 10 wheels with continental summer tires (stock Boss sizes)
• All new fluids in transmission & rear end (royal purple), oil (synthetic), coolant, brake fluid (just regular DOT 4 now), power steering fluid
• New spark plugs, battery, air filter, fuel filter, and stock alignment
• GT 500 fan, lower front control arms, lower control arm brace, and finned diff cover
• Boss 302 brake lines, 302R lower rear control arms, and strut brace
• Maximum motorsports bump steer kit and new end links
• Stock 13 year old, 90k mile Baer eradispeed rotors (vented and drilled)
• Hawk HPS pads (new)
• Steeda panhard bar

My biggest concern are the brakes and if its enough to just replace the rotors or if I should upgrade to better calipers or venting before going. I also have the option of renting a u-haul trailer and towing the car but would prefer to save the $ and spend on mods. Any suggestion and advise are appreciated!

 

[TMSBOSS]

At this point, get an instructor and listen. ENJOY.

Is there more you can do to your car, always.

Now its time to work on the driver. Go and enjoy, listen, improve the driver and then make changes based on what you see, hear and feel.

 

[Norm Peterson]

This ^^^

Though HPS pads, relatively old rotors, and unknown fluid do concern me a bit. HPS pads may fade rather abruptly once they overheat (that's what Hawk's own mu vs temperature curves show), though if you remain conscious of that and don't get into chasing big speed numbers it's at least possible to get through a track day without fading them.


Norm

 

[Mad Hatter]

This ^^^

Though HPS pads, relatively old rotors, and unknown fluid do concern me a bit. HPS pads may fade rather abruptly once they overheat (that's what Hawk's own mu vs temperature curves show), though if you remain conscious of that and don't get into chasing big speed numbers it's at least possible to get through a track day without fading them.


Norm

Dido on the HPS pads... they are not anywhere as good as the stock Boss pads... I used them once then gave them to a friend who does not track his car. Brake ducts are all ways a great option to have.

Keep an eye on the drilled rotors... they tend to propagate cracks quickly and do not live long at the track.

Have Fun!!!

 

[Spencer Terry]

Agreed, upgrade those pads to anything more aggressive and make sure to flush the brake fluid if it has been in there a while. I would also go ahead and replace rotors... 13 years means once you heat them up a few times they will likely warp... but I am no expert.

Check out KNSbrakes.com out of Raleigh. They are great and have KNS rotors for our cars (I am in a 2012 boss) which are cheap and last. Much like Madhatter said, stick to blanks instead of the drilled! Drilled look cool but can be prone to cracking.

Other than that, go enjoy and get some seat time.

 

[byronj]

you'll do just fine on YOUR 1st track day. Brake fluid and pads are encouraged but since its YOUR 1ST TRACK DAY, just go out have fun and learn YOUR car. Most importantly go out and have fun. I wouldn’t worry about lap times but focus on learning the car and track.

 

[Norm Peterson]

On the matter of those HPS pads, I can only hope that OP remains as conscious of their limitations as I did for my first-ever track day (which was on HPS and ended up being the only track time those pads ever saw). Yes, it's do-able, but no, you can't ever let yourself forget that HPS is a street pad.


FWIW, I wasn't ever all that impressed by their 'bite' even in street duty; the Hawk name and their SCCA tie-in hinted at more than what the HPS could deliver.


Norm

 

[Foose0713]

thanks for the advise! Sounds like some new centric rotors are in order at least to give me some peace of mind. Now to find an event nearby

 

[GB899]

not really a performance tip... just something I do to avoid "Paint" issues in the engine compartment... take an old pair of sweat socks and zip tie them over the master cylinder reservoir once you get everything topped off... if any "burps" happen they won't splash the firewall or fenders... easy on easy off and low buck...

 

[rasalone]

From someone who tracked a 05 gt stock the biggest issue I had was breaks no matter the pad or rotors or fluids the stock breaks just sucked and made for a not so great frist weekend out.

 

[Vadim]

• Hawk HPS pads (new)

My daughter glazed HPS 5.0 pads on her first day on track (and boiled brake fluid).

 

[Jeff Brady]

I'll be attending my first track day sometime this year and would like advise on maintenance / mods recommended so that I can reliably make it to and from the event (2-3 hrs drive) and survive the event without braking anything. My current ride is a 2007 Mustang GT / Foose Stallion I picked up 6 months ago. 90k miles and in great shape. Came stock with the Ford Racing struts, springs, and sway bars, a tune and CAI, and Baer eradispeed rotors and I’ve done the following in preparation for a track day.

• Boss 302 LS 19x9 & 10 wheels with continental summer tires (stock Boss sizes)
• All new fluids in transmission & rear end (royal purple), oil (synthetic), coolant, brake fluid (just regular DOT 4 now), power steering fluid
• New spark plugs, battery, air filter, fuel filter, and stock alignment
• GT 500 fan, lower front control arms, lower control arm brace, and finned diff cover
• Boss 302 brake lines, 302R lower rear control arms, and strut brace
• Maximum motorsports bump steer kit and new end links
• Stock 13 year old, 90k mile Baer eradispeed rotors (vented and drilled)
• Hawk HPS pads (new)
• Steeda panhard bar

My biggest concern are the brakes and if its enough to just replace the rotors or if I should upgrade to better calipers or venting before going. I also have the option of renting a u-haul trailer and towing the car but would prefer to save the $ and spend on mods. Any suggestion and advise are appreciated!

If you have any concern about pick up debris with the front of your car, might want to consider some blue painters tape to help reduce stone chips and such, but also makes for easy clean up. May want to also put it on the splash areas behind the tires. My car is white and it helps a ton when other tire rubber smears over my car. Maybe not important to a lot of people, but it helps me out. Have fun and I'm sure you'll get hooked.