Tracking a daily driver. Maintenance tips?

Well, looks like the tracking bug has bit me. I'm sitting in my sofa practicing heel/toe during commercials . You will all find out how badly I've been bitten when I start asking about performance modifications for the track. For right now, I still only plan on tracking maybe 3-6 times a year. The rest of the time, the car will be a daily fair weather driver. Any tips on maintenance? Tires will definitely wear out faster. No more on tire pressures, please. I'm just going to get a pyrometer. BTW, which one and where? Oil changes will need to be more frequent, but any rules on how often? Ditto the high temp brake fluid. Thanks,pfb, on that in onother thread. Will check that out. Anything else I should be aware of?? Thanks in advance.

I am assuming your track days are less than 4 hours on track time. If you are getting 6-8 per session then you might want to do your maintenance more often. As always (IMHO). Here are a few: Might want to check your brake pads every other event. We've seen a number of "loosening" sway bars so I check my sway bar bolts every other time also. I have seen a couple of steering boxes leak so it might be good to check your steering fluid every other time. Check belts and hoses every other time.

Thanks, Loren. Yes, my track time will be less than 4 hours at a time. My last time out, I could have gone 6 hours straight since this was basically open track time. There is no way I can physically, emotionally, mentally, sustain it for that long. I am totally spent at the end of a 20 minute run. At least, until the next run . Will check pads and sway bars tomorrow. Oil, belts, hoses are fine. Had a problem with a mystery low power steering fluid level early in the car ownership, so that's being watched like a hawk. So far, it's fine.

You probably also want to change your break fluid more often. I was told to do it after every other track event. ACW

Palting, I once drove in an 4 hour enduro and after my 2 hour stint (1 hour too long!) I stepped from the car and my legs collapsed. <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" /> I was 26 at the time and in great shape... so I know what you mean... I wouldn't think of that now at 49 <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

Loren, wish I were 26 again. But then again, when I was 26, I couldn't afford the car. Oh, well. Just checked the pads and sway bars, and they look fine. Thinking of getting Pagids. ACW, you don't mean "change" the brake fluid every other track event, do you? The brake fluid system and clutch are all one, and I understand it is a major pain to replace the fluid.

I would change the brake fluid every 8-12 hours of track time. Track temperatures will cause both air infusion and fluid break-down. Even the high-temp stuff will break-down and the silicone based fluids are a pain to bleed. Normal ATE type fluid is not that hard with a power bleeder (like the Motive unit). Mike in CA just did this follow his thread on changing to pagids and bleeding the brakes. <a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/forums/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=001498" target="_blank">Mike's thread on pagids and bleeding</a>

Palting, Bleeding the brakes was actually really easy. I used a Motive power bleeder and ATE Super Blue racing fluid. Since I was changing the pads, I had the wheels off (obviously) and bled the entire system using both bleed screws on the calipers the first time. The amount of "dirty fluid" which escaped between bleeding the outer and inner screw was miniscule. So when I re-bled the brakes a couple of days later after bedding in the new pads I kept the wheels on and bled just the outer screw right through the wheel openings. I was able to bleed the brakes in about 20 minutes start to finish. This makes it really practical to do it as frequently as Loren suggests, especially if you skip the clutch proceedure which shouldn't need to be done that often anyway. Just another byproduct of being a speed junkie. <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" /> <a href="http://www.motiveproducts.com/" target="_blank">Motive Power bleeder</a>