Griffs and trackdays?
Discussion
Generally, how well do Griffs cope with the occasional track day? Do they tend to suffer from overheating, gearbox/clutch issues, brake fade etc. Or do they tend to cope quite well?
A bit of an open ended question really but all things being equal, some makes of car cope better than others...
A bit of an open ended question really but all things being equal, some makes of car cope better than others...
culminator said:
Generally, how well do Griffs cope with the occasional track day? Do they tend to suffer from overheating, gearbox/clutch issues, brake fade etc. Or do they tend to cope quite well?
A bit of an open ended question really but all things being equal, some makes of car cope better than others...
It's where they thrive A bit of an open ended question really but all things being equal, some makes of car cope better than others...
Brakes can take a bit of a hammering if they're not in tip top condition...Good pads and discs and braided hoses, 5.1 fluid and they will be fine.
Griff's are great on the track as long as you follow the standard advice. I do about 4 per year & think they are great ... you drive home with a real sense of "man & machine" ... well I do anyway !!
I prefer evening track sessions because 3 hrs is enough for most people.
Normal stuff includes oil, water spot on, tyre pressures (Front 24 Rear 26) but other run alot higher for the track, start slow, cool down final lap, pop the bonnet when in the pits, take track advice from the locals, research on youtube track layout, etc
Top tracks include : #1 Silverstone GP #2 Donnington #3 Cadwell #4 Oulton #5 Bedford
Final thought, dont be put off by the rain ... its better for the car as its cooler, lower speeds so engine, brakes, tyres get an easy time. Its better for you because you reach the limits sooner & learn faster !! Its a head thing
I prefer evening track sessions because 3 hrs is enough for most people.
Normal stuff includes oil, water spot on, tyre pressures (Front 24 Rear 26) but other run alot higher for the track, start slow, cool down final lap, pop the bonnet when in the pits, take track advice from the locals, research on youtube track layout, etc
Top tracks include : #1 Silverstone GP #2 Donnington #3 Cadwell #4 Oulton #5 Bedford
Final thought, dont be put off by the rain ... its better for the car as its cooler, lower speeds so engine, brakes, tyres get an easy time. Its better for you because you reach the limits sooner & learn faster !! Its a head thing
Can't stress the oil level enough. You may use more than you expect during the day and therefore the level will drop, so you need to check and top up as required or during the lunch break. If the oil is a bit low, in high speed corners the oil can get forced over to the side of the sump and allow the oil pick up to take a gulp of air which can be bad news!
It all depends on how hard you intend to push the car on the day, but generaly if the car is in good shape to start with you'll have no problems, if there is anything that's not tip top condition or there's an underlying problem a trackday will probably revel it, the main thing is ensure the car is fully serviced up with fresh good quaility oil (I use Motul 10/60)and fresh brake fluid (again I use Motul their RB600 is excellent fluid) also consider that track miles are much harder on the car than road miles so it's worth adjusting service intervels to reflect this.
If you've got a pre-cat then I'd recommend fitting the larger brakes either ones off the 500 (260mm) or the popular 283mm cossie discs with Grandad cosworth or Mondeo v6 calipers. as a recnt trackday with mine left the middle pedal somewhat wanting shall we say and this is with pagid pads and dot 5.1 fluid...
ESDavey said:
Griff's are great on the track as long as you follow the standard advice. I do about 4 per year & think they are great ... you drive home with a real sense of "man & machine" ... well I do anyway !!
I prefer evening track sessions because 3 hrs is enough for most people.
Normal stuff includes oil, water spot on, tyre pressures (Front 24 Rear 26) but other run alot higher for the track, start slow, cool down final lap, pop the bonnet when in the pits, take track advice from the locals, research on youtube track layout, etc
Top tracks include : #1 Silverstone GP #2 Donnington #3 Cadwell #4 Oulton #5 Bedford
Final thought, dont be put off by the rain ... its better for the car as its cooler, lower speeds so engine, brakes, tyres get an easy time. Its better for you because you reach the limits sooner & learn faster !! Its a head thing
I can vouch for that! I prefer evening track sessions because 3 hrs is enough for most people.
Normal stuff includes oil, water spot on, tyre pressures (Front 24 Rear 26) but other run alot higher for the track, start slow, cool down final lap, pop the bonnet when in the pits, take track advice from the locals, research on youtube track layout, etc
Top tracks include : #1 Silverstone GP #2 Donnington #3 Cadwell #4 Oulton #5 Bedford
Final thought, dont be put off by the rain ... its better for the car as its cooler, lower speeds so engine, brakes, tyres get an easy time. Its better for you because you reach the limits sooner & learn faster !! Its a head thing
One thing I forgot to mention is changing down gears .......
The Griff has a big engine & light so if you change down a gear too soon, the torque will lock the rear tyres with potential dire results (try 5th to 4th along the back straight at Bedford before the chicane ... only the once !).
I suggest you get good at heel-and-toe (loads on the www) and/or at worst, leave your change down to the last secounds. In the wet, this is more pronounced.
Enjoy !
The Griff has a big engine & light so if you change down a gear too soon, the torque will lock the rear tyres with potential dire results (try 5th to 4th along the back straight at Bedford before the chicane ... only the once !).
I suggest you get good at heel-and-toe (loads on the www) and/or at worst, leave your change down to the last secounds. In the wet, this is more pronounced.
Enjoy !
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