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S550 , what traction mode should "I" run in for HPDEs ?

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I am a definite 7/10th ( or less ) driver. Starting to get out of the novice run groups , in Intermediate with some orgs . My goal is to be smooth , have fun , drive my car home , not break anything. I have a 17 PP Premium , I am running in normal mode , on Summit Point Main ( clockwise mostly ) I am smoking the right rear pad , I'd certainly like to dial back the TT interference , but still want some safety .

"track" mode plays with the throttle response , so I am thinking normal mode , and tap the traction control off ? Should that still "save" me if the rear kicks out ?
 
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I could be wrong here or maybe the 2017 cars are different from the 18 models but I believe Normal mode is actually reduced throttle response. Sport and Track should be your neutral throttle. I only say this because there seems to be an annoying delay in throttle response in Normal mode during down shift blips that I've never noticed on any "normal" car without varying throttle maps.

But to your question, I agree with trying out Track or Sport mode. Start out slow if you're concerned with allowing the rear end to slide more. This should keep your rear brakes happy
 

PaddyPrix

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I could be wrong here or maybe the 2017 cars are different from the 18 models but I believe Normal mode is actually reduced throttle response.
I believe you're correct, in my 19GT, the difference was night and day the times I'd turn the car off and forget to put it back into track mode. The normal reduces it in an effort to keep sidewalk passerby safer and reduce the torque throttle oversteer.
 
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IMO, you should at least be in Sport+ mode. But definitely try out Track mode. The car might not be as out of control as you think. I switched over to Track mode from Sport+ after my 3rd event. I only ran normal mode if I forgot to switch it.
 
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Bill Pemberton

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I am old school so I like JP X's thoughts and frankly once you get comfortable hold that traction control button in for 5-6 seconds and turn everything off. You will find when you progress and get fast in some quick corners ( where you load one of the front wheels ) the damn ABS kicks in and you think you have a bad hub or something. Of course, I told some students to keep things on until they feel this occurs , since it is a sign they are going quite fast.. The PP Stangs are quite easy to feel when your ass end gets loose , and you can usually feel it with your own personal ass, ha,ha. But, as always, go at your pace , and Track Mode with TC still on will still give you a mental safety valve ---- go to Sport mode on steering option also.
 
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n some quick corners ( where you load one of the front wheels ) the damn ABS kicks in and you think you have a bad hub or something.
That's Interesting Bill. I've heard that in a few places while I am in Sport AdvanceTrac mode with my '14. Particularly as I get close to the apex in the "Octopus" at NJMP Thunderbolt (aka turn 10). It's almost a 270° turn, mostly flat, perhaps a very slight negative camber. It sounds like a deep growl and I checked for rubbing and the hub is good. I just chalked it up to a weird tire sound or the Torsen diff but maybe this explains it.

But I thought ABS is always on even with the FRPP module. Changing modes just turns off either the TC (1 press) or modifies the aggressiveness of the stability control (double press) or turns off TC and Stability Control (press & hold for 5 seconds).

And what causes the "bad hub" sound?
 
I am a definite 7/10th ( or less ) driver. Starting to get out of the novice run groups , in Intermediate with some orgs . My goal is to be smooth , have fun , drive my car home , not break anything. I have a 17 PP Premium , I am running in normal mode , on Summit Point Main ( clockwise mostly ) I am smoking the right rear pad , I'd certainly like to dial back the TT interference , but still want some safety .

"track" mode plays with the throttle response , so I am thinking normal mode , and tap the traction control off ? Should that still "save" me if the rear kicks out ?
I don't like the non-linearity of anything outside of the normal throttle mode, and advancetrac is a PITA when it grabs as you're correcting small slides. Normal with everything off. Ease up to your limits. I've always found the car more predictable to drive with everything off.
 
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Thanks Bill. But what causes that sound? I've never noticed brakes making that sound - at least during commanded braking. Is it because it's asymmetric force and the one brake pad is essentially handling more than double the normal load in a turn? It always sounds like the noise is on the outer side while in the turn.
 

Bill Pemberton

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Not braking it comes about more in hard cornering when loading one of the front tires. Happened at the Mustang Roundup years back coming out of one fast turn that puts a lot of pressure on the right front. I checked the tire, worried about the hub and described the situation to one of the Ford Engineers who was there. He asked me what mode I was in and I realized I had not switched everything off....... he told me that was likely the stability management kicking in as I was right on the edge with that wheel.
 
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I apologize for not being clear. I know it's not occurring when I am braking. My point is that I've never heard braking make that peculiar sound (even when the pads are low!) Perhaps I'm dense but why would the ESC commanded braking sound different than normal braking?
 

Dave_W

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Just guessing, but it could be because the ESC is using the ABS pump to cycle the brake pressure way faster than a human can. A quick Google sez ABS pumps can cycle around 15Hz. That's below human hearing, but could act as a subharmonic to the actual braking noise, yielding a combined audible waveform much different than the braking noise by itself.
 
I wanted to kinda touch on this subject to see what you guys think.

I had been running in Sport+ for about a year and was constantly boiling my brake fluids after just one or two track days. Initially I had the 4 piston brakes, so I upgraded to the 6 pistons and steel braided lines. Issue still kept happening. I just upgraded the pads to Hawk DTC-70s and it felt amazing, BUT I also ran it in track mode the entire day for the first time.

After Tuesday I didn't get NEAR as much brake fade in the pedal. So, I'm thinking it is one of two things....... A) the traction control was kicking in too much and riding my brakes without me realizing it causing the fluid boil, or B) maybe it was just the half ass pads were overheating?

At any rate, next track day I'm going to try running with everything off including AdvanceTrac
 
I wanted to kinda touch on this subject to see what you guys think.

I had been running in Sport+ for about a year and was constantly boiling my brake fluids after just one or two track days. Initially I had the 4 piston brakes, so I upgraded to the 6 pistons and steel braided lines. Issue still kept happening. I just upgraded the pads to Hawk DTC-70s and it felt amazing, BUT I also ran it in track mode the entire day for the first time.

After Tuesday I didn't get NEAR as much brake fade in the pedal. So, I'm thinking it is one of two things....... A) the traction control was kicking in too much and riding my brakes without me realizing it causing the fluid boil, or B) maybe it was just the half ass pads were overheating?

At any rate, next track day I'm going to try running with everything off including AdvanceTrac
If you upgraded from the base, that means you don't have the brake air deflectors nor the PP belly pan that has the deflector channels to cool the brakes, so you're not getting much air there at all. They are actually very effective and I would strongly recommend you look at upgrading to those body parts (chin splitter and belly pan). Vorshlag sells deflectors for non-PP control arms.
 
If you upgraded from the base, that means you don't have the brake air deflectors nor the PP belly pan that has the deflector channels to cool the brakes, so you're not getting much air there at all. They are actually very effective and I would strongly recommend you look at upgrading to those body parts (chin splitter and belly pan). Vorshlag sells deflectors for non-PP control arms.
I have the Vorshlag deflectors sitting on my kitchen table. I've been trying to hunt down a PP undertray from a local dealer.
 

TMSBOSS

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