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What track prep?


AK350Z

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Ok, got my novice day booked at Cadwell, and the current service situation is: 16K miles on the clock with the original pads still in, and only done about 2K since last service. Front tyres are starting to get close (maybe still 3-4mm, have to check when I get home), but have new ones in the garage waiting to go on - worth doing beforehand or finish the old ones off?

 

Brake inspection and maybe an oil change afterwards? Or is that overkill?

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Just make sure you can drive the car home legally (tyrewise) after the day. At 3 points a tyre and the associated lack of grip etc it really isn't worth it. Saying that I doubt you'd knock that much off them in one session.

 

Worth checking the pads now, if in doubt - change them out! Same with fluid.

 

Make sure the oil is good and plentyful.

 

 

The rest will be fine I'm sure but others might have different ideas.

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If you've only done 2k since last service oil is fine...I'd finish your old rears off on the day (just take note of what Stew says abut getting home legally ;) ) you don't want new tyres on for a T-day

Check your pads though and fluid :thumbs: and be prepared for it getting hot and remember to do your cool down laps :thumbs:

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Thanks guys. It's the fronts that are getting worn, the rears were new last autumn. I will check the pads when I get home, the oil level hasn't moved yet, so hopefully that should be ok too.

 

I had remembered about the cool down laps, I remember that story about the girl putting the handbrake on in the pits of her daddy-pressie M3 and welding the pads on. :lol:

 

Anyone know where the nearest Super is to the track?

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Thanks guys. It's the fronts that are getting worn, the rears were new last autumn. I will check the pads when I get home, the oil level hasn't moved yet, so hopefully that should be ok too.

 

I had remembered about the cool down laps, I remember that story about the girl putting the handbrake on in the pits of her daddy-pressie M3 and welding the pads on. :lol:

 

Anyone know where the nearest Super is to the track?

I'm sure the zed is ok to put the handbrake on. The handbrake is in the drums and not the rear calipers. I'm sure that's what alex told me. Do make sure you cool the brakes first. I would defo recommend fluid change. One of the boys in his integer boiled his fluid after a few laps and had no brakes whatsoever.

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As long as your fluid is new it wil be fine. I never had any issues on standard fluid. Once it gets older it gathers moisture and lowers the boiling point. I only upgraded fluid as this year I'm looking to be on the track alot more and push a fair bit harder.

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Anyone know where the nearest Super is to the track?

 

Shell garage in Horncastle is the closest. Turn left out of Cadwell and follow the road all the way to Horncastle. Turn left at lights after Horncastle centre and it's half a mile on the left.

 

There is petrol on sale at teh circuit but only for certain periods of time and I imagine it's expensive.

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Standard fluid and brakes went soft for me in a HR Zed at Bedford GT after 3 laps in the soaking rain in Jan last year, I'm fairly hard on them though. The track there is 3.2 miles long, so that might give you an indication of what you can expect if you multiply the maths out. :)

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Ooh, biggest and most important thing to do is to get a good night's sleep the night before! I usually struggle with that part, and yet the difference between me tired and buzzing on adrenaline and me wide awake and in full control is like night and day; I'm a billion times smoother after a good sleep.

 

Easier said than done when you're exited though! :bounce:

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Standard fluid and brakes went soft for me in a HR Zed at Bedford GT after 3 laps in the soaking rain in Jan last year, I'm fairly hard on them though. The track there is 3.2 miles long, so that might give you an indication of what you can expect if you multiply the maths out. :)

Sounds about rights. Knockers is about 1.1miles and I used to do about 8-9 laps before doing a few cooldown laps and then back into it again. The standard pads are crap, I used standard fluid with yellowstuff pads and it was fine. I'm now using bluestuff NDX pads and rbf660 so I should see a remarkable difference. Just been out bedding in the bluestuff pads and they have outstanding power but very aggressive.

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Super unleaded on the track was £1,40!!! they say they dont make any profit on it but high price is due to the fact that they are not ordering in large quantities.

 

On 050As tyres overheated before the brakes. On 888s the brakes struggled. there is only 2 heavy braking points at cadwell (or 2 and a half). 1st after the long straight at the back where i am sure you wont have the bottocks to brake after the hill top (you ll know what i mean from the first lap haha....i saw 125mph on dry and 888s before i hit the brakes). if you take it easy there your brakes wont overheat!

second is a downhill straight after a shichane end 2/3rds of the track. brake early and you ll be faster on the left corner coming as it needs early turn in with settled car. brake late and you ll meet the photographer....brake wrong and you ll clinb the hill on the left after the left corner ( seen 2 S2000s so far)

its a long technical track and bites only wet. if dry go for it mate. if available ask for help at the desk...if you spend a few quid in advance you ll enjoy the rest of the day much much more :)

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