NurburgRing, what an experience.
Discussion
well, all i can say is if you haven't done it, get yourself there at least once before you die! The most amazing experience of my life. Got there Saturday midday to find some poor soles being ferried off by helicopter to the hospital! This put me off abit but after a three hour wait for the ring to reopen, I finally stumped up the b0ll0cks and went for it. 1st go, took it easy and had 2 passengers, 2nd go, my rear wheel worked its way loose and nearly came off. 3rd go, was the one. I waited for someone who looked like they were regulars. So I waited for a 430 Scuderia with german plates. This was a great tactic as he was quite quick and I followed his lines and breaking points. I managed to follow him all the way and including slowing for a smashed up golf gti and being held up by 2 CSL's that wouldnt move over I managed a 9 minute 18 second lap. Not great but for me (not exactly schumacher) was a great achievement. However, heres the bad bit, I Had a pendle performance remap before going (which is just awsome) a cargraphic 100 cell system and filter, This seemed a bit to much power for the brakes. They smoked everytime I came back in and the worse bit is the red paint on the calipers looks like its had paint stripper poored on them!!
Now the cause, obviously, was my lack of track knowledge which lead to hard last minute braking but has this happened to anyone else? Also, has anyone used these guys http://www.biggred.co.uk/caliperpricing.html ?
Thanks in advance J
Now the cause, obviously, was my lack of track knowledge which lead to hard last minute braking but has this happened to anyone else? Also, has anyone used these guys http://www.biggred.co.uk/caliperpricing.html ?
Thanks in advance J
Edited by 996turb0 on Sunday 31st August 18:42
Isn't it the best place in the world? I'm glad that you had such a great time. A low 9 minutes is impressive for a first visit. With my E36 M3 I was amazed how difficult it was to get under the 9 minute barrier and I was so over-the-moon when I eventually did it. Not that timing should be the ultimate goal at the Ring. Congratulations on having a great time and coming back safe.
996turb0 said:
well, all i can say is if you haven't done it, get yourself there at least once before you die! The most amazing experience of my life. Got there Saturday midday to find some poor soles being ferried off by helicopter to the hospital! This put me off abit but after a three hour wait for the ring to reopen, I finally stumped up the b0ll0cks and went for it. 1st go, took it easy and had 2 passengers, 2nd go, my rear wheel worked its way loose and nearly came off. 3rd go, was the one. I waited for someone who looked like they were regulars. So I waited for a 430 Scuderia with german plates. This was a great tactic as he was quite quick and I followed his lines and breaking points. I managed to follow him all the way and including slowing for a smashed up golf gti and being held up by 2 CSL's that wouldnt move over I managed a 9 minute 18 second lap. Not great but for me (not exactly schumacher) was a great achievement. However, heres the bad bit, I Had a pendle performance remap before going (which is just awsome) a cargraphic 100 cell system and filter, This seemed a bit to much power for the brakes. They smoked everytime I came back in and the worse bit is the red paint on the calipers looks like its had paint stripper poored on them!!
Now the cause, obviously, was my lack of track knowledge which lead to hard last minute braking but has this happened to anyone else? Also, has anyone used these guys http://www.biggred.co.uk/caliperpricing.html ?
Thanks in advance J
What you call "hard, last minute braking" is not necessarily the reason that your brakes were smoking, and the fact that they were smoking is in any case not necessarily evidence of a problem.Now the cause, obviously, was my lack of track knowledge which lead to hard last minute braking but has this happened to anyone else? Also, has anyone used these guys http://www.biggred.co.uk/caliperpricing.html ?
Thanks in advance J
The binder in the pads will smoke if it gets really hot, but up to a point it's fine.
Was there any diminution in braking performance? Was the pedal getting longer or starting to feel mushy? Did you braking distances seem to get longer for doing the same job?
To brake in a P, you need to begin by pressing the pedal about half-way for a moment. Because of the car's rearward weight bias (less in a turbo, but still significant), if you go hard on the brakes immediately, there is not enough weight on the front axle for the front brakes to do their job (which is to do the majority of all the braking). By beginning, briefly, with a half-effort, you bring the weight forward onto the front axle, so that the front tyres can begin to bite under partial braking. Then you go to full pressure.
Once you're in full braking, you want the pressure to be very hard (just a hair short of triggering ABS), so that it can also be as brief as possible. You will be kinder to your brakes with short, sharp braking than you will be with more gentle, extended braking.
The only place at the 'ring where your braking capacity should get tested is going down the hill to Breidscheid (bridge at Adenau village - lowest point of the circuit). Although there are some other spots on the circuit where you have to brake hard, at all of them the time required on the brakes will be brief enough, and the following time off the brakes will be long enough, that you shouldn't have a problem. The circuit actually flows quite well.
I normally lift off the power once I pass the gantry, go through the gears as the car slows down and use as little brakes as possible coming into the car park. If it's been a hot lap I'll go straight out of the circuit and keep the air flowing around the brakes.
I would caution about pushing too hard before you really know the place, there are lots of things that can catch you out and a spin is likely to be expensive.
I would caution about pushing too hard before you really know the place, there are lots of things that can catch you out and a spin is likely to be expensive.
Yes, timing is not important and to be honest I never went out to break records, but I was curious what I could do it in and it was once before going home. The peddle only got mushy when I got into the car park, while on the circuit it was o.k. I was lucky because the bikes were not allowed on in the afternoon due to a dirty track. This allowed me to explore abit more of the track. The banked corners were nuts!! On first impression, I thought theres no way Im going down there but that seemed to be the faster line. The minutes fly by, I just wished I lived nearer. Cant wait to go back but I doubt it'll be in my turbo, I just cringed when thinking of the ragging I just gave it.
996turb0 said:
I was warned about sticking pads. When I parked up, I left it in gear with the brakes off.
It gets tricky, though, because you should give any turbo a chance to cool down a bit before you turn the engine off.All the more reason at the 'ring to take it easy down the final straight as you approach the car park.
congratulations i've still yet to experience the thrill. One day hopefully. Pedal going soft when you have parked up is normal as you have not given them a chance to cool down so you get heat sink. Smoking brakes fair enough, the red calipers discolouring. If they where powder coated as originals it would not happen. My guess is that they have some sort of paint finish on them.
hhhmmm, my thoughts exactly, althought they dont look like they've been painted in anyway. Strange. I recommend everyone go at least once. I went as a scoping out mission before I my ride there next month. But after what I witnessed, I would never ride there, and it mistifies me why anyone would!!! As soon as I got there, the ring closed for 3 hours while they ferried off 2 riders to hospital! No thanks, no place to get your knee down, I can think of alot more safer places.
996turb0 said:
....I went as a scoping out mission before I my ride there next month. But after what I witnessed, I would never ride there, and it mistifies me why anyone would!!! As soon as I got there, the ring closed for 3 hours while they ferried off 2 riders to hospital! No thanks, no place to get your knee down, I can think of alot more safer places.
My thoughts exactly... (click)clorenzen said:
Smoking brakes is quite usual. The important part is to cool them down before you are back in the pitlane. So slow down on your in-lap and don't use the brakes to much and let the air cool them down. Otherwise they can stick to the disc and that is very bad.
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