456 track day preparation...

I have finally got round to booking a track day in my 456. Silverstone 25th July (UK).

I have checked the following:

Front tyres have 3.5 - 4mm of tread left over most of them, the ouside edges (about 1") have about 1mm. D'you recon I should get some more, bearing in mind I wouldn't have time before then to put many miles on to bed them in (on holiday for a week).

After much heaving and shoving I managed to get the towing eye screwed in to the rusted up screwthread by about 7 turns, this looks like about half way in, do you recon this'll be a problem?

Brake pads have about 8mm left.

Rear tyres have about 6mm on them and are nice and evenly warn.

All wheel bolts are torqued up correctly to 120Nm.

The car seems to behave normally when on the road.

Anything else to check?

 

If I were you to take it to silverstone, I would personally get new tires and race pads.

I am not sure what kind of tires or pads you have, but if pads are the original ones, I am sure you will have some scary situations waiting for you.

For tires I would recommend something like Yokohama Neova or even A048 for all 4 corners. BS RE55S, or RE01R(I don't know if you have these in UK) would work fine as well I think. (I would recommend you more, but I think you have different lines of tires... so just stating what could be there)

I would personally would put A048 M compound for Silverstone. I wouldn't worry about bedding it in at all, they work just fine fresh. I use it that way for track days all the time.

For pads, you gotta bed them in, though.

Have fun!

 

Bleed the brakes and make sure you use a high quality fluid such as Super Blue. Replace the pads, too. The 456 brakes get very hot on the track and a soft pedal into a hot corner is an instant Code Brown situation.

Do you have a lot of time on the track? If not, and I speak from experience, take it easy out there. It's a GT, and heavy for a track car, but very, very fast. It's loads of fun if you're careful, otherwise not so much.

 

I agree with the above - new tires (else you might cord and end your fun prematurely) and boost the pressure a little over stock - adjust on the track to change balance. Remove all loose items (ie took kits) floor mats etc...
I used to track a GT, Jaguar XJS V12 (heavily modified engine, 6 sp gearbox, big brakes with cooling, lots of lightweight parts - a bit like the '84 TWR car) never ran of power but brakes were always the limiting factor at the end of the sessions. I would replace the pads and fluid, and always do a couple of cool down laps to bring temps down to normal and avoid warping the discs and boiling the brake fuild.

 

Looking at the forms, it looks like we've got 4 sessions of half an hour.
Not sure how many laps that'll equate to.

 

oh wow... that's a long one/session. half hour straight driving in 456 will definitely need upgraded pads at least... I would change pads to complete race spec pads if I were you. I would actually even be seriously worried about the cooling issues with the radiator or oil cooler as the temp will deifiniteliy go up there at this time of season.

I would say take it easy if your car is not set up for it. I would change seats if you are going for a serious driving in your 456. full bucket(non reclining 1pc) seat would be nice for this length of driving I think.

I just hope you will not damage your car. Just have fun and don't go for full 30min I think. =)

you will probably use more than 1 tank of gas if you are going for 30min session x 4.

 

One thing that I went through was.. after a real rough track and driving lessons day.
My hydraulic fluid boiled and came out from the right bonnet scoop. I would suggest racing fluid. After that no problems..
Also if you are very very rough on the car.. make sure to check the antifreeze hose that feeds the engine.. its located behind the right tire towards the transmission. Mine came out as I was driving and taking a turn.. lost complete traction on the right rear tires as it was wetting the right rear tire..

Other than that. .brakes, brakes, brakes.. tarox 10 piston grooved with racing pads works wonders

 

It all depends on how skilled / brave you are on the track.

I did Silverstone, starting with 3mm deep Zero Corsa which are softer then what I assume you use (normal road tyres). I found myself on the canvas after 5 or 6 half-hour sessions. So 3.5 - 4.0 mm will just cut it for 4 sessions but you are looking at driving illegally back home if that's a worry.

In mu case, the 575 brakes were OK for the half hour sessions and I drive the car pretty hard. I use Pagid Yellows; standard pads would have been no good in my opinion.
Having said that, larger Disk Brembos at the front would have made a difference

I would also take a look at geometry alignment. At the very least you need to make sure it is per Ferrari original settings. Bear in mind though that the car is likely to understeer with original settings so depending on how skilled / brave you feel you could ask for more aggressive set up: less negative toe-in, more negative camber etc. I am not too sure who in your area can do that but you can start with you local friendly specialist...

 

I have yellow pads - maybe they are the same as yours?

I will probably get the brake fluid changed for somrthing a bit better.

I will not be pushing the car too hard. I just wanted to see how it was on the track

 

Possibly.. but there might be other yellow pads around. Not sure. I will ask my specialist Saturday when I see him.

Good ideas. You can use something like Castrol SRF or AP 551. You might also consider an oil change. it is never a bad thing and you can use something like the Motul 300V Competition 15w-50 available from http://www.opieoils.co.uk/performance_lubricants/motul.aspx (Guy is Oilman on CS)

I hope you are into a nice surprise. The 575 has proven me that Ferrari do know their stuff and can certainly make what may appear to be a heavy weight GT handle sublimely and superbly.


BTW... being curious I looked at known trackdays organisers but none has a Silvertone scheduled 25th July. Who are you doing it with?

 

Congrats to you Andy. Hope you have a fantastic day. I have never driven a 456 on the track but I am a huge fan of the 612 so I am hoping that you will be pleasantly surprised by your car. My suggestion - new brake pads and fluids and keep your old tyres on. Destroy them on the track and then put new tyres on to enjoy for daily use afterwards. You are there to have fun, not to set a lap record and outbrake a CS. New tyres are a waste

 

Thanks for the encouragement...

Will the amount of tread left be enough?
(1mm round the outside edge (1/2"), and about 3.5 - 4mm over the rest of the tyre).

I assume that this is down to my spirited driving on the road. The track'll probably be worse. Is this enough. I don't mind forking out on new rubber if it stops me from crashing!!

 

I'm no expert on tyres but I would have thought that you are fine. The tread won't disappear with no notice. Just have a look after each session. You are not after absolute speed so you can do the best with what the tyres have to offer. In my Formula Renault I enjoy driving on bad tyres as the car slides a lot. Formula slicks (I usually use Kumhos although sometimes Michelins) really after 60 laps and are super slippery after 150. As long as no flat spots they are perfectly safe - just different characteristics. What would be a shame would be to put on brand new tyres and then flat spot them or spin. Much better to do that on old tyres IMVHO. You are not racing. Time does not matter. The feeling will be great on new or old tyres. I am no expert on touring car track days and I am sure that there are other comrades who know much more than me

 

The 1mm (and that's actually 0.04", not 1/2") is worrying a little. 3 - 4mm would be fine - just; but as the outer edge is where most of the wear will be I think you do run a risk of cutting you day (very?) short. Worn tyres with little tread depth is fine, especially on the dry (what chances of that given the freak weather here lately) but a severely worn outer edge is another thing. I had to cut my last Silvertone day short for that reason- the tyres were so badly worn and the canvas was showing.

So normally, I would not recommend changing tyres before a track day but in your case, changing the front tyres might be like an insurance - you do it hoping you will never need it; only here it is about preventing the big one rather then having the financial safety net should the unthinkable happen. It is not a cheap car you are hassling around the track - remember that.

it might also give you the opportunity to play around with some trackday tyres. The difference they make comparing to road tyre is difficult to explain. If you like spirited driving I think you are in a position to appreciate driving on chewing gum with levels of grip you never encountered before.

 

I guess you are right. I am always thinking track day as for me is normally a time setting thing for myself. I guess if you are just trying to see what your car can do or what it will do on track, I would just stay with old tires. (that really depends on how old the tires are, though... if it's like 10 years old, that's out of question)

New tires are always nice either way, though. lol. I love the feeling when I get new tires from old tires.. I'm always like "ohhhhh it grips"

 

Hi guys - sorry to interrupt this thread with something a bit unrelated - just a quick question for carbonrider then I'll leave you to your more interesting discussion on track days... Were you at the gas station on Luton Road in Harpenden on Saturday?

 

Ok, another thread hi-jacker but you guys are forgetting to tell Andy about the most important track day preparation possible!!! So Andy listen carefully..... Make sure that you perform a deep message your cheek muscles twice a day before the track day... This will help you with the "Smiling Shock" recovery process.. You will be grinning ear to ear just having your car out on the track and experiencing what it has to offer.. But on a serious note like someone already mentioned safety. Best part about the track day will be driving home in the same car that you drove to the track.. Advice my instructor gave me before my first track day.. Have fun and be safe...

 

Best advice so far by far

Another 'best' advice is get tuition. Since I do not know the organisers I cannot be specific but most would have decent instructors and Silvertone is a complicated and challenging track that take getting used to. There are sequences where you scarifies one corner's exit for the next one's entry etc... and I have seen people who could have been faster if they were not taking such long sweeping lines, one example would be Brookland - Luffield sequence.

Girl Racer... Pm sent in respect of the thread original subject

 

The track day I am attending is a FOC UK one. I have booked an instructor as this is included with the price and recommended for first timers.

As for the tyres I will probably just stick with the existing ones, they can't be that old as the car is only 8 years old and has done 34K miles. So probably 3rd/4th set.

I have been practicing with Toca 2 on my PC with the force feedback steering wheel - I'm sure it'll be just like the real thing

Really looking forward to it now )