|
Bryan Z's Build Thread
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9215e908e1.jpg
Chassis Hard Dog Hard Core Hardtop Double Diagonal FM Frame Rails Garagestar Fender Braces V8R Master Cylinder Brace Singular Motorsports Aero Wing Suspension 800/500 Xidas with Coaxial Billet Top Mounts Racing Beat 1.125 Tubular Sway SuperMiata 14mm Rear Bar 949 SuperMiata Adjustable Endlinks Energy Suspension Polyurethane Bushings Oilite Bearings Retrofit Brakes TSE 11.75'' Big Brake Kit Dynalite Calipers G-Loc R10/R8 M-Tuned Sport Rears Wilwood 1'' Master Wilwood Proportioning Valve Singular Motorsports 2.5'' Brake Ducts Wheels/Tires 15x9 6UL 225/45/15 RS4 Drivetrain ACT HD 1.6 Fidanza 1.6 7lb Flywheel 5 Speed Transmission 4.3 Torsen Polyurethane Differential Bushings Interior OMP HTE-R 400 PCI Ver.2 Adjustable Mount Schroth Profi II 6-HANs Sonic Motors VS3 Garagestar rail Momo Monte Carlo 320mm NRG Quick Release LRB Speed Hybrid Door Panels Engine K&N Typhoon Intake SuperMiata Crossflow Radiator RoadsterSport 3 Mid pipe RoadsterSport 3 Muffler I feel somewhat out of place being here on MT.net without a turbo but here goes nothing. I am looking to build the cookie cutter, dual purpose car, on a somewhat small budget. Something that is dead set reliable on track, and yet can still take me to school the following Monday. Hopefully this will be the place where I can document my build as I move further along. Starting out with a '92 in 2014, I quickly learned that it was a mistake, with the 1.6 and fragile differential. Although, I did learn quite a bit about these cars and of various Miata forums, that is until I discovered MT.net What good is a build thread without pictures? https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...193a430359.jpg I bought various goodies, and eventually turned into something less horrendous. At Miatas at MRLS 2014 https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...622b3657dd.jpg But it had a tired 1.6, and failing differential so I began scouring Craigslist for deals. I wanted a 1.8, and a Torsen. It was by luck that a NB1 popped up for a price I could not pass up. I quickly gave the owner a call, and the following week I was driving it home. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7f22ac4f99.jpg It had a 4.3 Torsen, matching hard top, and only 88k. I was in love. I swapped over as many parts as I could from the NA before it was sent away for scrap. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f68d50db83.jpg My plans were to make this a fun HPDE car where I could learn the basics, and not break the bank. |
I swapped over my roll bar and began the maintenance the previous owner neglected. Timing belt, brakes and fluids were all first priorities. After having completed those, I could start to attack the car with parts. I ordered a new clutch, along with lightweight flywheel in hope that someday the car might see boost.
ACT HD https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5197b76263.jpg Fidanza 7lb https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2493d51559.jpg I had signed up with NASA, and was scheduled for my first track day at Sonoma. You could say I was a bit more than excited. |
First track day at Sonoma, formerly known as Sears point. I could hardly sleep the night before due to excitement and woke up early ready to leave for the track. Packed the car making sure not to forget anything, and left before sunrise.
Filling up before getting to the track. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bcac4d71a7.jpg The drive up to Napa was a little over an hour but arrived two hours early, just to be on the safe side. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...27a8d87bab.jpg I was driving with NASA and met up with my instructor to discuss the plans for the day. I was excited to say the least but there was also rain predicted in the forecast. I would not let a little rain put a damper on my day. The first couple sessions I tried to get acclimated to the track and focus on awareness and not stuffing it into a wall. My instructor was phenomenal and extremely helpful with any questions I had throughout the day. By the third session it had started to rain and I could work on my car control. I was becoming complacent. In the final couple of minutes of the third session I locked up the front brakes into turn 7 and almost became acquaintances with the k-wall. Whew! The next session I told myself to calm down and focus on awareness and control rather than trying to drive above my skill level. Parked behind the truck. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e6b519aa47.jpg At the end of each session, I found myself with this idiotic smile I could not seem to wipe from my face. I had made it through the day with the car and more importantly myself, in one piece. I was already planning the next track day before leaving. I thanked my instructor for all his help, and said goodbye to some of the other drivers I had befriended that day. End of the day, packing up for the drive home. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...307ce1e513.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4cdea88ee4.jpg I was hooked. |
Nice. Welcome to the club.
|
Shortly afterwards was MRLS. I had a blast and had the opportunity to ride in some of the vendors' cars.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...768b1ae2f0.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a9d5974f11.jpg My friend was lucky enough to score an entire session in the KMiata towards the end of the day Sunday. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cb2c7d1eae.jpg After the ride alongs I quickly became blown away by the amount of grip they could generate in the corners. I decided I too wanted to join in on the action. After a few track days on my all seasons and Kosei's I wanted more tire. Naturally I went with the tried and true 15x9 6UL's wrapped in RS3s. Sitting pretty in the living room. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...644ea46853.jpg Mounted and balanced https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1b6c16a3b8.jpg And installed https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7736226a3d.jpg |
My next track day was again with NASA, but this time at Thunderhill Raceway park. I had only ever passed through the town of Willows, and did not have the slightest clue that there was a race track tucked behind the farmland, a few miles off the I-5. It was also the end of August, and a few people had warned me it was going to be hot. However I was not prepared for just how hot.
The forecast predicted it was to be 105 ambient. Never again. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...dff337a679.jpg At the time, I still had the stock cooling configuration. Although the previous owner had replaced the radiator, I was still wary of overheating, so I kept a close eye on temps the duration of the weekend. Most eager to try out my new wheel and tire setup I somehow shrugged off the sweltering heat. With all of the new found grip of the summer tires, I began pushing the car harder and harder. I was also pushing myself and my little to no skill. I could also brake harder and later then ever before, and discovered I was able to cook my stock pads and fluid by mid-session. Come the end of the session I found I too was exhausted after only a brief 20 minute session due to the heat. I found my next round of upgrades, address cooling and braking needs. And despite the heat, it was another great weekend spent at the track. 41. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...11c1da5772.jpg And to end the weekend, the guys at NASA cooked up a delicious, and free barbeque for all participants. Mmm. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3ef471719d.jpg |
My next purchase was a radiator and a way to monitor coolant temps.
949 Crossflow. Almost too pretty to put in the car. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e67d0bc2b0.jpg I also picked up an AEM gauge with a Garage Star sandwich plate. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...769e7dd3ad.jpg K&N Intake. Much noises. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3d92b0735a.jpg I placed the gauge in the drivers side eyeball vent so I could keep a closer eye on temps whilst out on track. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0fc4850e2b.jpg I had also planned to do a reroute at the same time but never got around to actually ordering the M-tuned kit. I'm glad to have held out, as the new Qmax reroute looks to be superior in every way. |
Brakes!
With plans to start regularly tracking the car I wanted to do something about the brakes. I gave Andrew at Trackspeed a call looking for advice. Starting with a fully loaded NB, having passengers in the car, and knowing sometime later I will be wanting to add power I wanted to make sure I would be able to stop first and foremost. I ended up springing for the 11.75 TSE kit with M-Tuned bracket and sport rotors in the rear along with a prop valve. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2fbb37265c.jpg G-Loc R8 pads all around. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...79a083ce4b.jpg I also opted to go with the unassembled kit thinking that it would be a good idea to learn to safety wire the rotors myself. Originally thought I could twist the wire without the need for safety wire pliers, and oh how wrong was I. I hopped on Amazon and ordered a pair of pliers. First attempts. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2e98e22043.jpg Eventually I got the hang of it and finished wiring both front rotors. I installed the fronts along with fresh hubs and extended ARP lugs. It was quite the weekend project. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...eaf4f2fcba.jpg Speed-shedding goodness. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ba1cf83f42.jpg Installing the rear brakes required using the M-tuned bracket to reuse my 1.8 calipers on a new sport rotor. I fought a bit with the rear parking brake cable but everything bolted up. After finishing with the meat of the install I then began to install the Wilwood proportioning valve. This turned out to be a nightmare. After bending the hard lines and removing the OEM piece, I snugged down the few remaining fittings and snapped one of the brass adapters going from the line to the valve itself. Looks like I was to be installing it at a later date. I quickly reinstalled the original and bled the brakes with ATE 200. Finished! https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...42ba29250a.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3694f8ebb7.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cd229c41bb.jpg Now to bed in the pads. |
On to the interior. After reading the safety flow chart, I began looking more into safety. I wanted to find a seat that I could use on the street, and another I could swap in before a track day. Having struggled in the past to find a bolt in solution, I started shopping around. I heard nothing but good things about the PCI mounts and found that they only needed a slight massage of the transmission tunnel. PCI Ver. 2 ordered. I got to work on fitting the bracket my hammering the trans tunnel. I used a large hammer and it took me about half an hour of persistent hammering. I now know that a 12 lb sledge makes quick work of this.
Mount mounted. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c8f0a48bfb.jpg Now for the seat. Being a relatively small guy at 5'8" and 135 lbs I had a few options. My plan was to have a seat that provided maximum safety but could still be swapped out for something I could use on the street. After test fitting many different types of seats at Wine Country Motorsports I decided to go with the HTE-R 400. This seat was narrow enough to fit in the car and also was a perfect fit me me. Watching F1 from my latest purchase. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b48648021a.jpg I also picked up a harness. After trying various different brands at the store I went with the Schroth Profi II. The quality was superb, and was amazingly comfortable. The belts themselves felt much like the OEM belts. While more expensive, it was worth every penny. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2aae428660.jpg I knew it would be a tedious task mounting the seat due to the tight constraints of the miata. I don't remember exactly how many times I removed the seat in and out of the car for more adjusting. It was a lot. Test fitting, test fitting, and more test fitting. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...14b5bd6b2b.jpg After much frustration, sweat and bruised forearms the seat was in. Looking the business! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5395750a4f.jpg But as with all projects, this was not the end. Taking the original seat's wing measurements I knew it would be close and it may rub with the door card. However upon closing the door the first time, it would not even latch. Ugh. I had to remove the drivers door card to close the door. I knew this would only be a temporary solution, and needed to find a way to create more room. I remembered seeing a thread about retro fitting NA6 upper bumpers to the doors to alleviate some space inside. Luckily, I saved the door panels from my NA as I thought they could be of some use in the future. It's almost as if the cars were the same. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2739ee96f2.jpg It was a perfect fit. |
Cool thread, keep it coming!
|
Originally Posted by Stealth97
(Post 1437769)
Cool thread, keep it coming!
|
To address the issue of the door not closing new door cards were in order. Anyone with an NB knows that the doors intrude on interior space and I wanted something along the lines of the NA door card. Seemingly to lack any fabrication skill myself, I stumbled across the answer.
LRB Speed hybrid door cards for the NB1. They are CNC plasma cut from aluminum and come with all hardware needed to mount up to the stock door. All that I needed was to source an NA upper bumper. I was even able to retain my Bose speakers and tweeters. Win! Bare panel. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cb0d38c79c.jpg Before beginning the project I knew that I wanted to cover the bare aluminum to cut down on interior heat and also to give it a "finished look". I stopped into my local Joann's fabric store and started browsing through the store for a suitable material to match the rest of the interior. I found a close enough match and also picked a can of 3M spray adhesive. I also wanted to protect my speakers from my swinging legs when exciting and entering the car so I found an inexpensive mesh 8'' speaker grill on Amazon. To my surprise they cleared the Bose speakers, barely. Door wrapped in leather material. Test fitting mounting location for the speakers. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...89878e38f4.jpg The most difficult part of the install was removing the black tar from the doors. It took an eternity and much elbow grease. There was a small rattle coming from the passengers side from the panel contacting the backside of one of the plastic fasteners. A small piece of foam later and it was gone. The new LRB panel ended up being quieter than the stock doors. However, the end result was worth it. This was my first attempt at anything interior related and it ended up much better then I could have ever hoped. Driver https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b2c5d87a12.jpg Passenger https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1d3dd09e62.jpg The door was now able to fully close, I gained interior space, and because of the door pulls I could now close the door with my harness on. |
Buttonwillow
My next track day was at Buttonwillow with SpeedSF. This was my first track day with them, and I was impressed and all of the sessions were on time and well organized. We had a total of five sessions throughout the day as opposed to NASAs four. I had also signed up for intermediate group which allowed point-by passing not limited to only the main straight.
Stopping in for breakfast on the way. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...68eb2c4e53.jpg Made it! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...687840d352.jpg It being my first time at Buttonwillow, I was trying to get accustomed to the track and learn as to where the heck I was going during the first session. It was the 13CW configuration. About midway through the second session I was starting to become comfortable with the layout and picked up some speed. The forecast predicted by noon it was to be 105 and wanting to get as much track time in as possible the organizers moved up the schedule by an hour. My little spot. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...01d8632a1f.jpg The new brakes were amazing and there was absolutely no sign of brake fade. Although with the stock 7/8'' master I did find that pedal travel was longer than I would have liked and heel-toeing was proving to be more difficult. With the seat and harnesses, it allowed me to concentrate more on driving rather being tasked to brace myself mid corner. It has been my favorite modification to date. Around 12PM there was a break for lunch. I went to grab food from my container, but to my surprise there were already guests who had helped their selves to my lunch. I found hundreds of ants crawling in and out of my bag I had set down in the grass beside my car. Lesson learned. I then went inside and talked with a few other drivers, and one who flew F-18s in the Navy. He was driving a Viper and found out later that I would be chasing him out on track. Ants feasting in the background. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f2ccb9eade.jpg Definitely signing up with SpeedSF again. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1d325fb3f9.jpg I did have one four wheel off through Phil Hill which was quite exciting. I also found the limit through Sunset a few times throughout the day. I managed a 2:15 in my third session. Packing up. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b3ae7fe4a8.jpg My last session was cut short due to a BMW blowing its engine and consequently catching fire dumping oil the entire length of the straight. None the less it did not put a damper on my weekend. It was already uncomfortably hot and I got a hours head start on my trip back home. I found Buttonwillow quite interesting and challenging to drive. I should have done my homework and watched more videos online as for the proper line but it was a great weekend. I managed to break the passenger's side hardtop latch on track which proceeded to rattle all the way home. I was scared that my hardtop would release itself and be deposited somewhere along I-5. I kept it in check by smacking it with a Gatorade bottle from the drivers seat with my harnesses on. The following day checking over the car I found that my front fenders were modifying my tires. There was also another persistent rattle at idle that was not there before. The innards of my catalytic converter fell out and became a giant maraca. Oh well, yet more things to fix. |
1'' Master
After switching to TSE 11.75'' setup I noticed the brake pedal no longer felt the same. To rectify this I had read a few threads about swapping in a 15/16'' Sport master cylinder from an NB2. After a few weeks of searching I did not come across a decent used example locally. I ended up going for the Wilwood 1'' kit from Goodwin. It came with prebuilt lines and all the necessary adapters.
Fancy. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...316d718486.jpg I was most worried about the bench bleeding part of the install. This being my first master cylinder swap, I knew the system would be void of any fluid and I first needed to "prime" it before bolting it into the car. I used a large screwdriver for this, with the master itself, being held in a vice. The supplied hose was then looped back up into the reservoirs via a plastic connector. They leaked. Bench bled and ready for install I quickly bent the lines using my hands attempting to get the hard lines as close as I could to spill as little fluid as possible. Installed. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...dd6123d166.jpg I then proceeded to bleed the brakes. The pedal went all the way to the floor. No fluid was being moved through the system. I continued to bleed for another 30 minutes but nothing was changing. I feared the worst, thinking I had gouged the inner wall of the master cylinder and there was an internal leak with fluid leaking past the seals. I had another look at all of the fittings and found that the straight union was not creating a proper seal with the tapered hard line. Every time the pedal was depressed, it forced more fluid down the side of the engine bay, growing the pool of brake fluid underneath the car. Doh! Hard line union/adapters: 2 Me: 0 A quick order to 949 and I had two new 10mmx1.0 female unions and everything went together smoothly. It being a few days later, all of the remaining fluid in the reservoirs had leaked out and I had to start from scratch. Luckily with the Wilwood Kit there are two bleed screws one for each reservoir. I attached a hose straight from the master and began bleeding without the need to bench bleed it again. It was marvelous. All master cylinders should come with these. I have yet to take it on track but with just a short drive up and down the street and I could already feel the difference. |
Bracing
Miatas feel floppy. One solution is to add braces to stiffen where the convertible is naturally lacking.
Enter braces. Garage Star Fender braces. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e51e770713.jpg One side done. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...09cd895634.jpg Install was very straight forward, and only required drilling two holes (one per side). The braces helped with steering feel and the car now demonstrated much better behavior mid corner as well as reduced cowl shake from the front end. FM frame rails. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...adb8ab99e5.jpg I have heard many mixed reviews about the frame rails. Many rave about the added stiffness, even resulting to it feeling like an entirely new car. While others altogether saying to skip them completely and that they are just added weight. I was not sure who to believe at first, but after my last off track excursion at Buttonwillow I was also looking for some added frame rail protection and if they happen to stiffen the car in the process it would be a win-win. Twenty four holes drilled and hit with rubberized undercoating as per instructions. Time consuming yet easy install. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bca31c2d84.jpg And boy did they make a difference. Upon exiting the driveway, the creaks and groans from the hardtop against the strikers had all but disappeared. Going over railroad tracks no longer caused the chassis to wiggle about over the uneven surfaces, and bumps were now better absorbed by the suspension. Add to that the added protection to the frame rails,I was now a believer. |
I believe I am all caught up now.
I have a few things sitting in my room wanting to add to the car such as this oil cooler kit from Trackspeed. I am just unsure as to where I want to mount the cooler itself. I still have AC and would like to retain it for when I am driving back from Southern California, as this is somewhat of a dual duty car. Trackspeed Oil Cooler Kit. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ea308c8bff.jpg 19 row core. Might be overkill for N/A track car, but air flow will be limited. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...937316ca03.jpg |
Xidas! Big Grip Kit ordered! :)
|
|
Cool project car. You are putting some real quality parts on there, it should be super quick in the corners. Definitely ready for more power if you feel the need.
What suspension is the car running before you install the Xidas? |
Thank you. Prior to the Xidas the car had a set of Megan Racing EZ Streets. Now the limiting factor is the dolt behind the wheel.
|
Big Grip Kit
Xidas 800F 500R with helper springs. SuperMiata coaxial billet mounts.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5f8e6e94cc.jpg This being my fourth miata suspension install I like to think I know what I am doing. I only installed the coilovers, front and rear sways and end links. I did not get around to installing the poly bushings for wanting to read more about SADFAB's conversion kits. I also have a set of ELBJs waiting to go on when it comes time for an alignment. Old Megans came off without hiccup and the new Xidas took their place. For the front I used the long-bolt method. Fronts. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...83135d1fb7.jpg Rears. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6f9f12e0c2.jpg And final shot of the coaxial mounts. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fe55b5b5a1.jpg I have yet to really drive it, but the next track day will be Miatas at MRLS next month. |
Nice. Looking forward to seeing it at MRLS. Hopefully that will be my first track day on Xidas as well... just ordered them this morning. :party:
|
Looks good.
|
Brake woes
A short while later, I found that my brakes did not feel quite right. Upon inspection, I found my front right brake dragging. Thanks to Concealer, he informed me that I had my brake lines hooked up all sorts of wrong. My prop valve was going to the right front only and I even had my front and rear lines mixed through the use of various tees. It was a disaster.
I contacted GWR and Ryan helped me sort out my maze of hard lines. However, it could not be that simple, bending the lines by hand, I had caused a leak where the flare met the fitting and brake fluid came gushing out. I had less than a week before MRLS. I quickly called V8 Roadsters and they shipped me a new set of lines in two days. Before. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0ebaf0acd5.jpg After. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...09d89141f9.jpg Much better. |
HANS
Seeing that I now have 6 pt. harnesses, I thought it would only be responsible of me to invest in some sort of neck restraint.
I opted for the HANS III. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...31a35ca89d.jpg Safety is paramount. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d7c157aed4.jpg |
Nice choice on the Hans, safety is definitely a good investment
|
Dropping by. Hows the splitter coming along?
|
Originally Posted by cowlover556
(Post 1448600)
Hows the splitter coming along?
We went to Home Depot yesterday to devise a plan to hopefully make it a quick swapping affair, while not having to remove the bumper, and I think we have a general idea of what we want to do. We won't be able to work on it next weekend, with me being at Roadster Cup, and George being in LA. |
hopefully this week, I will get started with the splitter. Everything will be in my build thread.
|
MRLS 2017
So where to begin...
The Friday before the event, MiataMan00 had posted he needed some help buttoning up his car and I wanted to help. I arrived and met George, who was really nice, and proceeded to work on the car. All went smoothly, and only had a slight problem with the splitter mounts. Pizza was had. Oil changed, brakes bled, and aero installed. All before 9. Not bad. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c45294e9f9.jpg On to Saturday. This was the third consecutive year that I would be making the trek to MRLS. However, it was the first year that I would be participating in the hot laps. I arrived at Laguna just before the start of the drivers meeting. The meeting seemingly lasted forever. It was over 40 minutes long, and my legs were going numb from standing, but I was too excited to care. I had signed up for D, not having any experience at Laguna. But, having prior track experience I was told to play nicely with the others who had much less. 41. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...aec5ae440e.jpg I parked near the MT group but decided I would introduce myself Sunday. Being in D, the first session was a lead-follow. I was paired up with Jerry in his fastback NA. This was the first track day with Xidas, and it felt like an entirely new car. Over the curbing, the suspension absorbed so much more than my old Megans. Body roll was also greatly reduced, and I had that much more confidence in the car. MiataMann00 also offered me a ride in B in his car with turbo, aero, and slicks. He had a stock passenger seat, and it was wild. The following sessions went smoothly throughout the day. It really was a perfect track day. With everyone being in Miatas the speed differences were almost non existent. The last session of the day I found myself playing with Flyin' Miata's turbo ND which was running in all of the groups all three days. Talk about a torture test. I also was allowed to have my dad ride passenger. He borrowed a helmet, (thanks George!) and he had a blast. I think I may have scared him a bit, a decided to take it easy for the remainder of the laps. It was a great day. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8f9de9a097.jpg Sunday I would hang out with the MT group and get some ride alongs in the vendor's cars. |
Part 2
Sunday.
Even though I wasn't to drive Sunday, it was equally as fun. I wanted to introduce myself, and say thank you to all of those who have helped me through the forums. And what better way to do that other than donuts? https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d1657a9c7f.jpg I met, Aiden, Gordon, Stewart, along with many other of the guys. It was great being able to talk Miata, and put some names to faces. MT paddock. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f62adc14bc.jpg Not driving allowed me to explore the event further. I asked Andrew from Trackspeed if I could get a ride in Rover, his S1 car. Strapped in and heading to pre-grid he stops the car, and notices something does not feel right. He hops out to discover all of the lugs are damaged and falling off on one of the rear wheels. Whew, good catch, as 10 minutes later we would be cresting T1 approaching 121 mph. I want aero so bad. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b2aba977f6.jpg Immediately after hopping out of Andrew's car, the K Miata pulls into the adjacent garage, dust billowing from the under carriage. He just had an off in turn 9 and scooped up about half of the kitty litter with his splitter. I decide to help him clean out all of the rocks and we even use is splitter as a broom to clean up the garage. I honestly, enjoyed scooping up the rocks, and thought to myself at what other event would this something like this happen? It was too cool. 50 lbs worth of rocks. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c0364a79e9.jpg I was rewarded with another ride in the K Miata for half of the session. The event was winding down, but still more adventure was to be had. Scaxx had lost the nut retaining his upper control arm so his car was sitting at the campsite. I volunteered to help him push the bushing back into the control arm to be able to make the long trip back to Seattle. Capri sun and air mattress boxes holding up front suspension. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7e44a13f8b.jpg He also bought a Fastback at the event and needed a way to transport it back home and being as he already had a hardtop it was quite the dilemma. MiataMan00 and Scaxx trying to devise a way to bolt his hardtop to George's car. We were unsuccessful. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e204b7c051.jpg Luckily, a friend had a Jeep that we were able to throw the hardtop in for the trip back. Filling up for the last time for the trip back home. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...da91e035da.jpg MRLS 2017 was amazing. It was sublime on and off track, and even better meeting everyone. Until next year... |
SOW
A few years ago, I first discovered Roadster Cup. It is a Miata specific series, based in Southern California, hosted by Extreme Speed track events. I attended their Buttonwillow event as a spectator this past summer, and ever since it had become a dream of mine to participate. I decided there was no time like the present to sign up. The next round was to be at the Streets of Willow, in Rosamond, California.
Streets! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6d89535fa0.jpg I booked my spot a few days before the event, and got everything squared away. This would be my first real "event" where I would actually be competing for a time. I was excited. It was about a five and a half hour drive to the track and decided it be best to drive down the day before. I crashed at a friends Friday night, and decided to get a early start Saturday morning. The weather was set to be mid 60's and clear. Brisk morning drive on the way to the track with absolutely perfect conditions. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1485d77dfc.jpg I pulled into the paddock and was waved down by the fellow Miatae and greeting with a warm welcome. They had already marked off our spot with various items with enough space for all of us to park. I was handed a small American flag as a token from Brandon for my dedication to attend this event all the way from the Bay Area. Everyone was super helpful, accompanying me to timing, and even to sign up with Touda, the event coordinator. We were given a brief drivers meeting, and we off to prep our cars. I was put into Gold group, which was an open passing group, a first for me. Touda assured me I could always be bumped down, if I ever at all felt uncomfortable. I was given my number, and some Roadster Cup stickers. Seriously, these guys are the best. Miata HQ. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9de4f5f8d2.jpg Flag! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ab41657d9e.jpg The first session of the day I gridded myself at the back, hoping to get a feel for the track. Out of pure excitement, I forgot to check my tire pressures and they were off by a country mile. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 28 psi.... hot. The car was behaving strangely and I pulled in to give everything a once over. In addition to my tire pressures, my right Xida knob was spinning freely and my right rear damper was still set at full soft. Doh! One of the other competitors let me borrow his air pump and pressure gauge. With my pressures now set, and damping sorted, I headed back out. 57. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f60d71ee89.jpg The following sessions we were to be gridded based on our times from the previous session to help ease traffic. There were a total of about 22 drivers competing. Everyone say hi. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...adb3be4c39.jpg I was one of the slowest cars throughout the day, still trying to learn the proper lines. (I am also not a very good driver.) Even though my times were not in the least bit competitive, I was probably competing for the most fun. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b6ba271c94.jpg Photo credit: CaliPhotography The last session of the day, I thought it would be a good idea to actually learn the proper line from someone who knows their way around the track. I had a quick chat with Jeremy, an amazing driver, and he gave me some quick tips. Sitting at the table behind us was another driver named Zee and he offered to even go out with me to show me the fast way around Streets of Willow. I took a video of the last session, I apologize for the quality, sound, and general lack of skill, beforehand. Me trying to soak up everything Zee was teaching me. (small catch at 4:50) I was completely blown away by the organization of the Roadster Cup event, and how they maintained a competitive-yet friendly atmosphere. I stuck around for the awards at the end of the day, and got to hang out with the rest of the group just a bit longer. Funny enough, a Keurig was to be raffled off donated by Extreme Speed, as well as a track day for the next round at Buttonwillow. The running joke that was that whoever was the unlucky soul to win the coffee maker, would be required to bring it with them for all future events for us all to share. The day had come to an end, and I decided to pack up to make my way back home. I was buzzing from excitement and that perma-grin from my first ever track day had returned. This event was my favorite to date. Favorite picture of the day. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d9b8f9cb87.jpg Photo credit: CaliPhotography I said my good byes and began on my long trip home. I am most definitely signing up for the next round at Buttonwillow, and bringing some friends with me. Cannot wait. |
Awesomeness. Pics turned out great.
|
If you're not racing for a living, you better be having fun. :bigtu: Thanks for posting up the pics- looks like fun time were had.
|
Originally Posted by m2cupcar
(Post 1451528)
you better be having fun.
|
I have used my soft top exactly zero times in the past two years of ownership. I also installed the front Jass hard top brackets and could no longer use the latches.
I decided it was time for it to go. It was unnecessary weight, and will allow for more storage room in the car. I also found after adding brackets to my hardtop that the soft top would be the source of annoying rattles. The car had the cleanest parcel shelf I had ever seen. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9ef7c3260b.jpg |
After reading a few threads on the stuff here, I will be switching over to Rotella T6.
|
Holy crap. I have no idea how someone could make the parcel shelf look like that with a roll bar install!
|
Originally Posted by ridethecliche
(Post 1452405)
Holy crap. I have no idea how someone could make the parcel shelf look like that with a roll bar install!
|
Haha, well done!
|
I just rolled over 100,000 miles, and decided it was time for some routine maintenance.
Oil change with Rotella T6 Radiator flush Brake fluid flush Exhaust gaskets Spark plugs I have been planning to do an oil cooler install, but I thought it would be wise to have some idea of what baseline temps were pre-cooler, so I bought this. This should let me determine the urgency of needing to install TSE's kit. AEM Temperature Gauge. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5bf37b9f95.jpg Now I needed to find a location to mount sensor, and I heard the pan was the best place for an accurate reading. My fab skills are non existent, so luckily Goodwin sells the solution. Oil Drain Plug Adapter with 1/8 NPT. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...def009d2ad.jpg Doesn't hang down too low... https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ff4da0df2c.jpg I was happy with my water temp gauge install a few months back, and decided I would follow the same recipe with oil temp gauge. I popped out an eyeball vent and proceeded to get to work. For some reason unscrewing the shift knob was the hardest part of the install. The sucker would not twist off. A little dremel-ing action needed in order for the wires to clear the vent ring. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ce09f1faf5.jpg The 52mm gauge just slides in the vent with no further modification needed. I routed the sensor along the back of the firewall, through the grommet just above the drivers foot well. I began splicing and soldering connections. Somewhere mid-install. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ebc486bb10.jpg And finished. Looks pretty spiffy if I do say so myself. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...524132adba.jpg At what oil temps should I start getting worried? |
Awesome stuff. Clean looking miata!
|
It kinda depends on what oil you run. But generally anything over 250 is high. So I would back off there and cool it down. Rotella t6 has a lot of Zinc which is good for motors. So thats a nice plus.
Amsoil dominator oil is good till 300*. I would say you are safe to 280* with that stuff. But you will never (should never) get that hot while being NA. |
Originally Posted by LV0_NB
(Post 1452639)
Awesome stuff. Clean looking miata!
Originally Posted by MiataMan00
(Post 1452663)
It kinda depends on what oil you run. But generally anything over 250 is high. So I would back off there and cool it down. Rotella t6 has a lot of Zinc which is good for motors. So thats a nice plus.
Amsoil dominator oil is good till 300*. I would say you are safe to 280* with that stuff. But you will never (should never) get that hot while being NA. I am excited for the next track day. |
Buttonwillow Black Friday
How it all started.
I had ordered a brake duct kit from Trackspeed on Tuesday, a few days before Thanksgiving. Miataman00 was kind enough to stop by TSE on his way home from school to pick up my order for me. I would then swing by to pick up my order from him the following day. My first mistake. I stopped by George's house to collect my order, and he told me about his plan to attend the SpeedSF Black Friday event. At the time, I had no intention of going, as I was set on going to the Roadstercup finale next week. We prepped his car, got burritos, and by the end of the day, I had agreed to accompany him to the event towing his car down to Buttonwillow. Skipping ahead to Thanksgiving day. Now, not only was I attending the event, I managed to somehow to be persuaded into driving. The plan was now to drive down Thanksgiving night in our own cars, and stay at the cheapest possible motel. He gave me a MT sticker, even sans turbo. Am I cool yet? https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...eccfc2380f.jpg Packing the cars. George has three RC1 in the passengers side, I would be taking the last one. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...791c1f504f.jpg The drive down to Buttonwillow was smooth. It being Thanksgiving day, traffic was light. We brought walkie talkies to communicate, but mostly for the entertainment factor. It felt similar to that of Smokey and the Bandit. We went a responsible 65 mph for the entirety of the trip. We arrived at Super 8 just a tick after midnight. The motel was only $40 a night, and having stayed at a few terrible hotels, I was prepared for the worst. To my surprise, it was quite nice, and had a bunch of other track cars already parked in the lot. Weather was to be a beautiful 76 degrees. Super 8. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...677e51bc98.jpg Included was a free continental breakfast. Mmmmm. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0faedaab2d.jpg This would be only my second event at Buttonwillow, and we had signed up for the high intermediate group. We arrived late to the drivers meeting, just catching the tail end of it, picking up our wristbands and schedules. George wanted to swap his RC1s 10 minutes before the first session. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6a768fd5c5.jpg The first couple sessions went without a hitch and I slowly started to gain more confidence. My RS3 are over two years old now, and the amount of grip was laughable. At the beginning of the day, I was worried that I would not be fast enough for the group I had signed up for, but that soon faded and fit right in with the rest of the cars on track. Filling up. .https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d5880e057d.jpg Throughout the day it seemed that many cars were having issues, much more than usual, and many cars were going into the wall. The second to last session of the day, I too started to become complacent. I felt as if I could take bus stop a little faster than I had previously and I told myself that I would attack the curbing harder the next session. My second mistake. Carrying more speed, I misjudged my braking point into bus stop which then led to me flying off track into the silt. It was my first spin on track, and was very exciting. I was blacked flagged and pulled into the pits. I immediately went back out to be sure not to let the little spin phase me. This track day was too much fun. I am so glad to have signed up. A track day is much more fun with a friend. 401. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...91ab52d99d.jpg Heading back home. The sunset was a fitting end for the day. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...eefe010f31.jpg Luckily, I did not have my final, third mistake of the weekend. We got home about 10 PM and I then immediately left to attend a "Friendsgiving". I was so pumped from the track day I was in a warm glow. Dear Buttonwillow, I will be back next week. |
:likecat:
|
Roadstercup Round 8: Buttonwillow
This would be my second Roadstercup event. I had such a great time at Streets of Willow, I had to go back.
We were just at Buttonwillow #CW13 the previous weekend, and the track was still fresh in my head. I knew this would be a perfect opportunity to take what I had learned, and hopefully go a bit faster. My fastest time at the SpeedSF event was somewhere in the neighborhood of a 2:15. My goal for this weekend was a 2:12. I am not at all a very good, or experienced driver. I am just looking to slowly improve, and have as much fun as I possibly can along the way. We again drove down the night before, with Miataman00 and his father following in the van. We tried to leave a bit earlier this time, but as always we ran behind schedule. Waffles of course. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...40daf56896.jpg This was the final round of Roadstercup and Vtec Club and the event was limited exclusively to Miatas and Hondas. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0073611b04.jpg Not wanting to interfere with the other competitors, I chose to run in the slowest intermediate group. First session out, I gridded myself towards the back amongst a sea of Civics and Intergras. I quickly found out that I was quicker than most of the cars in my run group. I ended my first session with a time of 2:14. I was enjoying myself and not pushing the car. Esses. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e48b1cb7bb.jpg Photo credit:Caliphotography During the second session, I crested Phil Hill to find a Civic facing me in the wrong direction. It was quite a moment, but luckily everyone was alert and avoided further incident. I managed a 2:12.814. I was quite excited. The car felt great and wanted to see if I could continue to lower my time throughout the day.. Around midday one of the Vtec club cars blew an engine and covered half of the track in oil. This had pushed everything back about half an hour and we skipped lunch to compensate. It was a minor set back, but did not bother me in the slightest. By the third session I had started to become comfortable and started to focus to string a lap together. I do not know what it was about this event, but something in my head clicked. At all of my previous track days I was not so much worried about times, but was looking to learn each section of the track and focus on car control. This would result in my maps being a rag-tag mix of corners, although as it should be with someone with so little track experience. However, at this event I would consciously set up, and focus for the entirety of the lap. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d31a260e6f.jpg Photo credit: Caliphotography This was the first event in which I was aiming for a time. I checked timing after my third session, a 2:11.969. I was ecstatic. Okay, now to shoot for a 2:10. By the fourth session, I knew there was more time to be found. I started exploring different lines and braking points to edge closer to that 2:10. Checking timing after the fourth session I did a 2:10.738. I was very happy, I smashed the goal I had set for myself for the day yet, I still felt I wasn't pushing the car all that hard. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a588b0db51.jpg Photo credit: Caliphotography I now had only the last session of the day. Talking with some of the other competitors at Roadstercup, they had let me in on some tips and tricks. One being able to take the long right hander Riverside, flat. I remember saying something along the lines of "Really!?!". (Thank you Andrew) Pits. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e9df1be8e6.jpg The final session was perfect. The sun was setting, and there were a total of six cars on track the entire session. Heading to their advice, everything felt so much better. I was now carrying much more speed through Bus Stop and was flat through Riverside. I am not going to lie, I was a bit scared. I believe I was just brushing about 95 mph. Coming off track I knew I had gone faster, but by how much, I did not know. My car is a fully loaded NB1, with RS3s from 2015, AC, full interior, and even the spare tire, jack and carpet in the trunk. I am also ashamed to say that my car has never had an alignment in the two years I have owned it. It has seen multiple suspension upgrades, but never an actual alignment. My fault. Checking timing, a 2:08.885! I was through the roof. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...af08aaf4c1.jpg Video. My second lap is my fast lap. Woo! Huge shout-out to our friend cowlover556, who made the long trek down to Buttonwillow for the day. Also congratulations to Miataman00 who took 3rd place in Unlimited his first time out. Another fun thing before leaving the track was helping load Bullet onto the trailer. It was dark, cold and the car would bottom out on the ramp, prohibiting us from pushing it inside. I was not of much help but eventually we got it all packed up and ready to roll. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...20f0581599.jpg Silver NBs everywhere. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9b0a1c21a6.jpg I know I always say this, but this truly was my favorite track day. Thank you to everyone who helped me at the event you guys are awesome. Until next year. |
:party:
|
Silver car crew
|
Over the past few weeks I have amassed quite a few parts for the miata. I have been quite busy over the holidays, and only have just begun to install them now.
Please excuse the messy room. Pile o' parts. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4dc622115e.jpg At my last track day I noticed that my right front pads had been worn dangerously thin. They were wearing unevenly in comparison to the left front pads and I am starting to think there is another issue elsewhere in the braking system. My best guess being the Dynalite caliper. I bought new pads. I really liked the feel of the R series and the ability to use them on the street was an added bonus. G-Loc R10s. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...68f2464b51.jpg I also thought it would be a good time to install some sort of brake ducting, and naturally went with Singulars 2.5'' kit. The backing plates are finished with amazing quality and bolt up to the stock dust shield locations. Backing plates, hose, clamps and zipties. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...753d69c6f4.jpg Going in, I knew that TSE 11.75'' setup would not clear, I carefully measured where the duct would contact the rotor. I still wanted to retain as much of the shielding as I possibly could to protect the rubber ball joint boots from any unnecessary heat. The bottom edge toward the front of the car was the culprit. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...00a60f3ac6.jpg I ended up making several vertical relief cuts allowing me to bend the shield around the ball joint. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bc85aecc92.jpg I also installed the pads around the same time. Also not pictured were new rotors. They are the cheap Wilwood Ultralites. Safety wiring was much easier this time with proper tools. I am also getting this strange pulsating in the pedal which seems to be gradually going away. I am guessing I have yet to properly bed in the pads and do not have the transfer layer on the rotors. |
Brake problems
Immediately after installing new pads and rotor I noticed a pulsation in the pedal. It seemed to move up and down about an inch even when slowly coming to a stop.
I chalked it up to having not bed in the pads and thought nothing more of it. However the pulsation was quite evident even coming to a gentle stop from about 20 mph. I was worried I had assembled my hat and rotor incorrectly. I did a number of hard stops from a "spirited" speed hopeful to work some heat into the assembly. It looked something along the lines of this. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b86ee32535.jpg Gradient of color on rotor. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3df5309ae7.jpg I then let the car sit for a few hours to cool. With the next drive the pulsation was still there, and I was getting a violent shaking in the steering. Slowly from highway speeds down an off ramp the entire front half of the car would shake. It has only become present immediately after pad and rotor change. What is odd the vibration is seemingly only noticeable under braking. I drove 600 miles on I-5 at 65mph this past weekend without so much as a wiggle from the steering wheel. Yet whenever I hit the brakes even with slight, even pressure, it would shake horribly. I also took the car out on track last weekend to try to bed in the pads. (Admittedly a stupid idea.) I followed the bedding procedure, easing and extending braking zones for a few laps without any success. Braking for Turn 1 at WSIR felt as it I had turned up a massage chair to the max setting. My entire dashboard felt as if it was going to shake itself loose. It was really unsafe, and decided to come in. The vibrations were in fact so bad that it would cause my right front wheel to lock up due to the oscillations transferred through the suspension. I also found that the two passengers side wheels are bent from an off track excursions at Buttonwillow. I then borrowed my friends stock 16s to see if it was only the wheels causing my issue. Epitome of style. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1a15a345c3.jpg However, the vibration in the steering wheel is still there. Suspension bolts tight? Check. Endlinks? Check. No play in hubs? Check. Rotor runout? Check. Within 0.002''. I am now thinking that my alignment as been thrown off due to the extreme vibration, and I may have a bent control arm or two. The question I am asking myself now is this a problem of bedding in the rotors, or aftermath from a bent wheel wrecking havoc on all of my other components? I need suggestions from the MT brain trust, as I am at a loss as to what might be the cause of this vibration. Thanks in advance. |
Jack up the front and spin each side by hand to look for wobble in the rotors. It can even occur as a widening and narrowing of the rotor width in rare circumstances. Or take them to get them reground to verify they are true. If both look really true, try cleaning both sides of each rotor with brake clean or some other solvent and re-bed the pads.
|
Thanks Sixshooter. I am going to check once again for wobble.
I am also going to disassemble hats and rotors, use brake clean and scotch bright pad to remove the transfer layer, then reassemble and safety wire. |
There is no point in removing the transfer layer. just making more work for yourself.
|
I must like extra work.
Already done. Though I do have a strange red coloration along the outside edge of one rotor. I am thinking it is a heat spot, as the rest of the outside edge of the rotor is a nice hue of blue. Only on one rotor, and a single spot around the circumference. Need I worry if the width has a slight wobble to it? |
You would see an odd pad transfer layer when spinning the rotor. It would look like an egg.
|
Originally Posted by Bryan Z.
(Post 1465491)
I must like extra work.
Already done. Though I do have a strange red coloration along the outside edge of one rotor. I am thinking it is a heat spot, as the rest of the outside edge of the rotor is a nice hue of blue. Only on one rotor, and a single spot around the circumference. Need I worry if the width has a slight wobble to it? |
Roadstercup Round 1 2018
Round 1 of Roadstercup was at Big Willow.
I heard that Big Willow is quite a high speed, and scary track, but not in a stock powered miata. I had just finished up bleeding and bedding new pads and rotors and thought I had everything buttoned up. Rosamond, CA is about 300 miles from home. On the drive down I decided to test my brakes along a deserted part of I-5. First good romp on the brake pedal I find that the shudder has returned. Well, shucks. Already two hours in, I decide to continue on, and just make it to the track day. Once there I could try bedding them in on track, or pull apart the front brakes and have another look. Trackside early morning. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c916a6ca0b.jpg New magnetic numbers! So nice. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fdd1e0459e.jpg 401. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f73835b0eb.jpg First session, I wanted to give the brakes another attempt at the bedding process. Under braking for turn one it felt as if my wheels were going to free themselves from my hubs. The vibrations transmitted through the steering made it difficult to even keep a hold of the wheel. I immediately came in, as it was not safe to drive the car. I thought there was no way a bad transfer layer could yield such dramatic results. How most of my day panned out. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4b0b153470.jpg A few friends volunteered to help me diagnose the problem and we took off calipers, pads and rotors, unable to find any glaring abnormalities. I was stumped. I tightened everything, and took it for a short drive on the road just outside of the track. A few quick stops and everything felt great. I then was set to go out for the last session of the day. Though same result. Turn 1, the nightmarish vibrations were back. Ugh. I then called it quits and just kick back and enjoy the rest of the day with my friends. I knew I still had a long trip home, and erred on the side of better safe than sorry. With only three lapsat Big Willow ever, and without using much of the brakes, the best I managed was a 1:47. Corgi Nation. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...23991f0fd2.jpg Roadstercup. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f3c8c207d0.jpg Even though my car was not perfect, I still had a blast hanging out on track and just chatting with the other guys about miata-things. It is all part of the game. I made it home without issue and promptly tore apart my front suspension the next day. Low and behold I find that both passenger side wheels are bent and I had flat spotted my front wheel due to the vibrations under braking causing a loss of traction. Bummer. It was an excuse to order new wheels and tires. Time to address the issue, as Round 2 is February 18th at SOW and I do not want to miss it. |
RS4s ordered.
Arrived. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...485b2fc66c.jpg Fresh, round, 6ULs. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...17d2f310af.jpg Whew! Mounted and balanced, all in the same day. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cb1f2359db.jpg They should be far superior to my aged RS3s from 2015. |
Originally Posted by Bryan Z.
(Post 1466378)
RS4s ordered.
They should be far superior to my aged RS3s from 2015. I'm also in the Bay, so hopefully I'll get to see you at Laguna/Thunderhill/Buttonwillow sometime. |
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:52 AM. |
© 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands