GT4 on track

Author
Discussion

Kav1

Original Poster:

116 posts

160 months

Monday 4th April 2016
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Took my GT4 around Silverstone a couple off weeks ago and I was amazed at how fast it was. I usually take my 991GT3RS for track days but decided to see what the younger brother would be like expecting it to be significantly slower at Silverstone as a circa 100hp difference makes a big difference around there. What I didn't expect was me seriously considering now which car is going to be the one to do track work in so good was the GT4. Had my GT4 set up for track use with the Porsche recommended geo and wing settings. Not only was it great fun making you work hard for a quick lap (the manual gearbox plays a big part here making you feel like you are an essential part of the process) but nothing with a number plate came past it all day. I know the driver (or the level of driver) makes a big difference also but no doubt they'll be a few guys scratching their heads after leaving track. Indeed a 12C, 997GT3, 991GT3 and 991RS were all caught ,passed and dropped during the day. Just goes to show what a cracking value for money the GT4 is and it's more than capable of mixing it with the big boys. Would urge owners to use them as Porsche intended - really are awesome little cars and also perfect to hone your track skills in.

LaSource

2,622 posts

207 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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What geo changes did you do? I am informed that the standard car does not permit much change without additional/different components e.g. shims, arms, etc

Steve Rance

5,435 posts

230 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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Very glad that you enjoyed your GT4. Very good cars. Can I ask what level of track competence that you have?

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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"Had my GT4 set up for track use with the Porsche recommended geo and wing settings"

which is ?

the USA guys seems to be having issues with tyre wear, pushing and geos, and as this guy owns a 991 GT3 his GT4 is slower still !
good and normal drivers can be 5 seconds apart easy, I over take GT3's with 330bhp ! then you get some leave you for dead !

https://youtu.be/vkYld5k85u4

I have a set of shims and tarret rear Toe links on mine.


Edited by Porsche911R on Tuesday 5th April 07:58

Steve Rance

5,435 posts

230 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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Toe links are a good mod. Great performance return

nsm3

2,831 posts

195 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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Porsche911R said:
What is that 'speaker' looking thing behind the drivers seat?

S1MMA

2,378 posts

218 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
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There was a GT4 at Snetterton on Thursday last week, seemed to be going well. Sounded good watching on the pit straight at full whack also, sounded nearly as good as the 997 GT3!

To be fair it's all about the driver, was my first time at Snetterton so was just learning the track and taking it easy. Got passed quite easily by a 1M, it had full APs but otherwise standard, didn't see which way he went, competent driver with experience of said track vs novice is paramount when talking pace. Lot's of low power race cars with racing drivers behind the wheel on slicks which were mince meat to me on the straights but took huge chunks out of me under braking and around corners. You need to be comfortable with your ego moving over for an MX5 when you are in a GT3 I can tell you! No problem for me tho.....

wafer

119 posts

224 months

Wednesday 27th April 2016
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Interested in knowing what the "Porsche recommended" geo settings are too.

I've only a week/two till Spa and doubt I've time to be able to have changes done before hand frown

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Wednesday 27th April 2016
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wafer said:
Interested in knowing what the "Porsche recommended" geo settings are too.

I've only a week/two till Spa and doubt I've time to be able to have changes done before hand frown
imo they don't have any, they even state don't move the ARB's and you cannot get any camber on the rear with oem parts anyway.
some cars are even stuck at -1.3 !

ChrisW.

6,210 posts

254 months

Wednesday 27th April 2016
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I'm sure that they do ...

Mine was set-up by Track Torque in Tockwith -- the standard set-up by their calculation was pretty good --

And it would be strange to imagine that Porsche may be able to create such a fab car and not know exactly what set-up would be an optimised configuration for fast road and general track day use ...

I'll happily share Track Torques if anybody is interested ...

BubblesNW

1,710 posts

182 months

Wednesday 27th April 2016
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ChrisW. said:
I'm sure that they do ...

Mine was set-up by Track Torque in Tockwith -- the standard set-up by their calculation was pretty good --

And it would be strange to imagine that Porsche may be able to create such a fab car and not know exactly what set-up would be an optimised configuration for fast road and general track day use ...

I'll happily share Track Torques if anybody is interested ...
Hi Chris, could you please send it to me. Thanks Darren

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Wednesday 27th April 2016
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ChrisW. said:
I'm sure that they do ...

Mine was set-up by Track Torque in Tockwith -- the standard set-up by their calculation was pretty good --

And it would be strange to imagine that Porsche may be able to create such a fab car and not know exactly what set-up would be an optimised configuration for fast road and general track day use ...

I'll happily share Track Torques if anybody is interested ...
They might well know , but you cannot get to it with out 3rd party parts lol
There is not a OPC track set up for the GT4 IMO.

Just post the geo here for people to see why is it so hard to get geo's out of any one ?

BubblesNW

1,710 posts

182 months

Wednesday 27th April 2016
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Porsche911R said:
ChrisW. said:
I'm sure that they do ...

Mine was set-up by Track Torque in Tockwith -- the standard set-up by their calculation was pretty good --

And it would be strange to imagine that Porsche may be able to create such a fab car and not know exactly what set-up would be an optimised configuration for fast road and general track day use ...

I'll happily share Track Torques if anybody is interested ...
They might well know , but you cannot get to it with out 3rd party parts lol
There is not a OPC track set up for the GT4 IMO.

Just post the geo here for people to see why is it so hard to get geo's out of any one ?
Maybe because of people like you who will pick holes in everything and call him an idiot for wasting his money on half a geo when in your opinion he should have replaced half the suspension, invalidated his warranty and reduced his potential resale future value. Of course you would have added the odd lol at the end of the insult or opinion stated as fact to make it look like you're a nice person really.

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Thursday 28th April 2016
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People like me lol did you really post that !

I doubt Chris will sell his car any time soon ! and he is happy to share it as stated !

It's good to see what people can get with stock parts (he may have after market parts who knows ), you have a very negative view ! again personal, attack for no reason, they are only cars ! you were to 1st person to ask for the geo !!!

How a car drives is a very personal thing, but you get a good idea from feedback as to starting points, Chris as already said he wants to meet up at Donny and do some pyro work to see what's going on, more cars the better.

We are all in it together , it's about sharing so we can all get the best from a new platform.
Shame you don't want to join in ! why buy 6 pyro's when we all meet at Donny, when you can borrow mine and put 6 minds to the test on the 6th !

I have had it before though where people phone up my geo shop and ask what I have set up on my car !! slag me off on the forum, then want to copy my geo! classic and true !

Do we need rear toe links, can you get away with not buying any, we can all share what we find as I have rear toe links and others might think they want them after a pyro session, it's 2 bolts to fit, does NOT affect resale in any way !!! it's just a toe link !

people def need front shims and crazy at it sounds that bit of metal is expensive, I went for a 8mm one, was it right ? who knows I'll share tonight what 8mm shim got me. So people have an idea and can buy a shim before hand, so when they get a geo you have the part to pop in.

Edited by Porsche911R on Thursday 28th April 08:34

Geneve

3,857 posts

218 months

Thursday 28th April 2016
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Surely, the Porsche press cars that have been winning such praise and acclaim on the road and, particularly, 'on track', have been in Porsche's standard geo set up?

Would that not be the default starting point for most people?


Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Thursday 28th April 2016
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Geneve said:
Surely, the Porsche press cars that have been winning such praise and acclaim on the road and, particularly, 'on track', have been in Porsche's standard geo set up?

Would that not be the default starting point for most people?
Seems all to hush hush to find out, the pec cars were poor, but 1/2 of that was massive high PSI pressures my tyres were like balloons after a PEC day.
ALso who is to say the press cars are not tweaked from oem !

we know the stock car setup it's in the book, we know the CS race car set up, what 80% of people need is a nice set up for the road which allows 3 or 4 track days without killing tyres after one ! press cars get new tyres every test ! I don't plan on buying new tyres after every track day !

NO good copying the USA guys they are all crazy track loons doing hardcore days every week lol.

the Ave owner will prob do 2 or 3 days but oem is not the right way to go imo even for that.

Edited by Porsche911R on Thursday 28th April 09:04

BubblesNW

1,710 posts

182 months

Thursday 28th April 2016
quotequote all
Porsche911R said:
People like me lol did you really post that !

I doubt Chris will sell his car any time soon ! and he is happy to share it as stated !

It's good to see what people can get with stock parts (he may have after market parts who knows ), you have a very negative view ! again personal, attack for no reason, they are only cars ! you were to 1st person to ask for the geo !!!

How a car drives is a very personal thing, but you get a good idea from feedback as to starting points, Chris as already said he wants to meet up at Donny and do some pyro work to see what's going on, more cars the better.

We are all in it together , it's about sharing so we can all get the best from a new platform.
Shame you don't want to join in ! why buy 6 pyro's when we all meet at Donny, when you can borrow mine and put 6 minds to the test on the 6th !

I have had it before though where people phone up my geo shop and ask what I have set up on my car !! slag me off on the forum, then want to copy my geo! classic and true !

Do we need rear toe links, can you get away with not buying any, we can all share what we find as I have rear toe links and others might think they want them after a pyro session, it's 2 bolts to fit, does NOT affect resale in any way !!! it's just a toe link !

people def need front shims and crazy at it sounds that bit of metal is expensive, I went for a 8mm one, was it right ? who knows I'll share tonight what 8mm shim got me. So people have an idea and can buy a shim before hand, so when they get a geo you have the part to pop in.

Edited by Porsche911R on Thursday 28th April 08:34
Yes, I did post that and am very happy to justify myself.

Chris is unlikely to sell his car but in the unlikely event of a major issue and the car being returned to OPC for assessment, do you want to take the risk of warranty invalidation due to non-OPC parts and settings being cited as the reason for the problems? I wouldn't be willing to take that risk. Look at the Gen 1 987owners with fuel starvation caused by running slicks. "Sorry sir, can't replace your blown engine due to oil starvation, it wasn't meant to cope with the high lateral G forces generated by slicks"

Was Chris happy to share settings with the whole of PH or just with those who asked politely, as I did? Your response was assumptive and blunt if I'm being charitable (Just post the geo here for people to see why is it so hard to get geo's out of any one ?) or maybe rude and aggressive.

As for Donny on the 6th, you seem to miss the point that it was me who suggested the meeting in the first place, have paid up and have repeatedly reminded people to come along - both on PH and the GT4 Facebook page. So I will be there, have you signed up yet?


iantr

3,354 posts

238 months

Thursday 28th April 2016
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Moving on, and in the spirit of sharing....

I spoke with Tarett in San Diego who told me that they have already gathered significant experience with GT4 setups. I asked them to send me their "most popular" package of component changes, see below.

They were very helpful, and told me that:

1. The tie-rod is necessary because the amount of thread left using the OE tie rod is marginal even with small adjustments. Better safe than sorry on this.
2. The thrust-arm bushing kit is needed because increasing camber in the front also moves the wheels forward slightly affecting caster


Fl0pp3r

859 posts

202 months

Thursday 28th April 2016
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S1MMA said:
There was a GT4 at Snetterton on Thursday last week, seemed to be going well. Sounded good watching on the pit straight at full whack also, sounded nearly as good as the 997 GT3!
I was at Snetts that afternoon S1MMA - think I remember see you chatting with an older geeza in his white GT4....seemed to be having a good time!! thumbup

I'm not embarrassed to confirm that I could'nt keep the tricked-up MX5's with their slicks and experienced drivers behind me in the twisties! Circuit knowledge and experience count for a lot in terms of relative pace I agree. That, plus i think its only sensible to leave a little margin for safety in the 7.2 - I can't just go buy another one on ebay if it gets wrecked!!! driving

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Thursday 28th April 2016
quotequote all
iantr said:
Moving on, and in the spirit of sharing....

I spoke with Tarett in San Diego who told me that they have already gathered significant experience with GT4 setups. I asked them to send me their "most popular" package of component changes, see below.

They were very helpful, and told me that:

1. The tie-rod is necessary because the amount of thread left using the OE tie rod is marginal even with small adjustments. Better safe than sorry on this.
2. The thrust-arm bushing kit is needed because increasing camber in the front also moves the wheels forward slightly affecting caster
yep I went with the same sort of bits and Tarett, but as I am keeping camber to min I can get away with did not order thrust-arm bushing, will see what caster is like later on.
I added locking bolts as well for the rear toe.