All good suggestions but I'll have to contend with the TCS/STM necessarily 'saving' you. It's definitely a good idea to run while you're getting comfortable and I even keep it on in the rain. However, I've noticed that it engages way to soon and aggressively to get enough slip to drive the car fast. It is the least conservative TCS/STM system I've driven on, but the car has so much more left with the system disengaged. You will also be a lot smoother without it. I have not done a true back to back, but based on previous laps I estimate the nannies slow the car down ~1-3s on a 1:50 lap in the dry. The wet is much more, judging from other cars' relative performance. That said, do what is within your comfort level. Obviously, you are much more likely to damage the car with the systems disabled.

 

Well I have a sport... no button to turn the TCS on or off, I'm assuming (hoping) that means I don't have it.

 

@ certain...

All cars are different. I can balance mine to the point where the DSC is truly a last ditch effort to save me. I can get a bit faster without it, but not much. I just wish it were easier to tell what out was saving me from. Today I just try the same turn without, at a slightly lower speed to see whatever the DCS corrected. I use it to test

I have trail braked corners then shifted to a full throttle apex with a decent slip angle all the way through the track out with DSC on and quiet.

On my car, the way it is set up, I am a fan.

 

there are a couple of bumps, and in the wet, they have some rivers you drive across too, but it doesn't matter, you're not going to set the fastest lap time of the day, and you're not even racing, so just go have fun

you'd really be in trouble if this was later in the year and we were doing the NASCAR track, or some other combination, the WTCC is the most fun to watch, sports car front, long 7, and then they run down to the dogleg

 

My set up has been a little loose since I got the car realigned (-2.5/-1.5 F/R Camber), which probably contributes to how the TCS/STM behaves. I will be getting the progress bars soon and I'm shooting for slight understeer, which will allow me to put the power down earlier and may make the nannies less intrusive. I am mostly hoping the bars will help with turn in, transitions, and the lower amount of elastic potential energy in the suspension will make recovery easier. What effects did you notice from the bars?

 

Well, pads and fluid are done. First time I have used speed bleeders and I have to say, I like them. Took a bit of time to fit, but once I had done that bleeding the system was really quick. Also discovered I needed to borrow a tool from pep boys to compress the rear calipers. I've now ordered myself the same set for future use. Contrary to some posts on here so far the DTC60 pads stop just as well, or perhaps better than oem from cold and have not made any noise, although I expect they will get noisy once the existing pad transfer layer wears off the discs. Feel is fantastic, probably mostly as a result of the fluid change, but also maybe a little due to less compression in the pads and the missing layer of gunk and anti vibration backing plates I removed.

I also had a look at the rear suspension when I was under the car and everything looks straight, however from the angle of the cam and toe adjustors it looks to me like there could be more camber added on the left side (both are somewhere in the middle of the adjustment range) Unless there is something else going on I'm going it put it down to brain fade at the alignment rack. The right side does appear to be correctly adjusted for minimum camber. I also realised I have 1/16" toe on EACH side while I probably should have that total (so 1/32 on each side). Nevermind... the alignment is still much beter that what it was originally set to.

 

@cw.

The sways I have, Progress Tech, gave me a lot more push the first time out. I started with soft on both ends and had to firm up the rear to get her to rotate. DSC does not care about push, so that was not a problem. Tracking out 10 feet to the left of the track at 95 mph was an issue. I really noticed that. Other things I noticed, the reduced "elastic potential energy" is a big win. Turn wheel, car turns. Before it was turn wheel, car rolls, wait, car turns.

DSC does care a great deal about oversteer. That seems to be what sets it off, so if you trip it, look there first.

On the progress bars. I ended up grinding away some material on the inside of the front bushings to keep the bars from sticking. I love the modified version. I suggest a good set of adjustable endlinks as well. They make it easy to change things at the track, like when you really need to dial out some understeer after traversing a field just under 100 MPH.

Interesting enough, when I went to stickier tires I had to take them back to full soft on both ends to even things out. Adjustable bars FTW.

 

So I did the dyno run today. Not quite sure what to make of the 'W' I have at the top end?

https://www.rx8club.com/series-ii-te...1/#post4422649

EDIT: looks like it might be due to a sticky intake valve (VDI).

 

it looks its its not going to be raining, but don't be surprised if its wet, bring a jacket, its cold and windy

 

OK, thanks, oh man I feel like a 10 year old before Christmas now :-)

 

I feel you man...I usually can't sleep much after about 5AM the morning of an event

 

I was thinking it's more like a kid playing on the shoreline of a saltwater croc infested waterway ...

 

no crocs here, although if it rained more you could fish in turn 10...

 

That was fun. I need more

The car was flawless. Can't say quite the same for the driver, but I did learn a lot and am very pleased with my progress.

No real reason to do suspension or even tires. The only thing I would do with a stock car is add a bit more camber at the rear compared to my settings.

 

Track is crack