SouthFL

Hello.

I'm currently active in local HPDE lapping days. I'm an SCCA Regional licensed driver and I enjoy tracking my daily driver about every other month at local road course venues.

I'm driving an '05 WRX Wagon with stage II power modifications (UP/Down pipe and ECU flash) on Swift springs, slightly larger rear sway bar, aftermarket endlinks all around, strut bars riding on 225/45/17 Hankook RS2 Z212's for lapping days. Brakes are OEM calipers with Hawk HP Plus pads all around with SS lines and freshly bled Motul before every lapping day.

I'm really happy with the setup. It performs very nicely as a daily driver/ track crossover. Problem is sustainability. I'm overwhelming the brakes. Stepping up to a true race pad involves greater frequency of parts replacement. I've already made provisions for a step up to a track pad (brake duct cooling and DBA 4000 rotors), but now my OEM struts have given up, so I need to step up to some Koni inserts..... blah blah blah... long story short, I'm getting tired of modding. I've been modding cars for a few years now to serve different purposes and I want to simplify my life. I just want to bleed brakes before a lapping day and be done with track prep.

Those of you lapping RX8's. How are you finding your OEM suspension and brakes (calipers and rotors) holding up to lapping days. Are you satisfied with the OEM performance of these items? What mods are you guys doing to increase handling and braking performance.

My want would be to simply put in some Hawk HP Plus (or similar) pads, bleed brakes the day before a lapping event and be done with track prep (and be satisfied with track performance). Will the RX8 platform be a step in the right direction?

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

You know that you will always want to tinker Human nature..

The stock RX-8 is great on the track...

Brakes are good with just pad/fluid upgrades..you will notice a big difference over your Subaru...esp on component life....the Subi's eat brakes.

You will notice the power level is much different on the RX-8 though..and the RWD will be different than the Subi. You will have to drive it different...

The RX-8 with new sways and spring/shocks, or coilovers is awesome...you get rid of the body roll...and tighten it up nice.

Don't get me wrong.....if you are doing 4-5 a year.......the stock suspension will be great!

j9fd3s

friend of mine's got an rx8 that sees 8-10 track days a year, since late 03, car has 26-27k on it now, and its held up. brakes are fine, power is ok (car is 100% stock), handling is really really easy.

the only thing id recommend changing are the stock bridgestones, right now, theres still tread left, but after 2-3 laps its like driving on ice....

SouthFL

You are absolutely correct about the tinkering. I lapped just fine in the wagon on stock suspension (with less satisfaction). I began tinkering and now I'm falling into the cylce once again. Very happy with the performance of the mods, just want to get out of the modding trend altogether.

I just want to guage how good of a baseline the stock RX8 offers and from what I've read (and I've driven one recently on a road test), I think it would be pretty satisfying.

SouthFL

Hello. Apologies for double posting this (I also posted in the brakes/suspension forum, but I thought my question might get some more response here)....

I'm currently active in local HPDE lapping days. I'm an SCCA Regional licensed driver and I enjoy tracking my daily driver about every other month at local road course venues.

I'm driving an '05 WRX Wagon with stage II power modifications (UP/Down pipe and ECU flash) on Swift springs, slightly larger rear sway bar, aftermarket endlinks all around, strut bars riding on 225/45/17 Hankook RS2 Z212's for lapping days. Brakes are OEM calipers with Hawk HP Plus pads all around with SS lines and freshly bled Motul before every lapping day.

I'm really happy with the setup. It performs very nicely as a daily driver/ track crossover. Problem is sustainability. I'm overwhelming the brakes. Stepping up to a true race pad involves greater frequency of parts replacement. I've already made provisions for a step up to a track pad (brake duct cooling and DBA 4000 rotors), but now my OEM struts have given up, so I need to step up to some Koni inserts..... blah blah blah... long story short, I'm getting tired of modding. I've been modding cars for a few years now to serve different purposes and I want to simplify my life. I just want to bleed brakes before a lapping day and be done with track prep.

Those of you lapping RX8's. How are you finding your OEM suspension and brakes (calipers and rotors) holding up to lapping days. Are you satisfied with the OEM performance of these items? What mods are you guys doing to increase handling and braking performance.

My want would be to simply put in some Hawk HP Plus (or similar) pads, bleed brakes the day before a lapping event and be done with track prep (and be satisfied with track performance). Will the RX8 platform be a step in the right direction?

tomfree

I have 9 track days this year in a nearly bone stock 2004 RX-8 (which is for sale, shameless plug...). In it's stock form, the car is VERY competent on track while still being very comfortable on the street.

My modifications:
- Voodoo shift **** (just the ****, no short shifter needed IMHO)
- CG Lock seatbelt locks
- Carbotech Bobcat brake pads for street
- Carbotech XP-8 front brake pads for track (Bobcats on the rear)
- Ford HD DOT3 brake fluid, flushed after every 4 track days
- 17x9 wheels with Nitto NT01 R compound tires
- "Performance alignment"

Everything else is stock - shocks, sway bars, exhaust, intake, etc. I've tracked the car this year with 3 different tire combinations
- 18x9 wheels with 245/40/18 Azenis 615
- 18x8 OEM wheels with 245/35/18 Kumho V710
- 17x9 wheels with 245/45/17 Nittos mentioned above.

What I've used up/broken this year
- 1 set of rear OEM brake pads. They were fine with track pads in the front, they just wore quickly. I replaced them after 4 track days (car had 19K miles on it at the time)
- 1 set of front rotors. I had them turned for use on the street, but I swap in a new set of OEM front rotors for track days. Once the rotor set screw is eliminated, it takes me about 5 min longer per side to swap rotors when I'm swapping in the track pads.
- 1 set of spark plugs. Newer ECU flashes are helping with that.

I haven't had problems with it yet, but the ignition coils are also a potential failure under the extreme heat conditions on track.

Spin9k

SouthFL, sounds like youre having fun with the subie. Ive done 2.5 yrs of tracking the RX8, most of it with a stock car. Brakes are amazing, they just take the punishment wo-complaint. They do get hot of course, so I gave them some brake cooling ducts. Suspension is stock, with WL says and an Autoexe front-rear strut bars. It works pretty well, but I can see where a better suspension setup would help. Just more work to maintain, not as good street ride.

This yr I got Halk plus pads and front 2piece rotors just for grins. Didnt notice much actual performance dif, just cooler running. RX8 is a good car to mix street and track wo much work. Its happy in both environments as is.

SouthFL

This is exatcly the info I'm looking for. Thank you very much.
Did you ever encounter any fade with your brake setup?

SouthFL

I was getting away with running HP Plus pads at stock vehicle power level and at introductory driver level. They simply don't cut it anymore (on the wagon). Lately I've been experiencing fade when I step out of any sort of disciplined brake zone timing.
Again, I can continue modding the wagon to do what I want it to do in terms of brake sustainability, but this is counteractive to my big picture desire of not needing to mod.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

the stock brakes on the 8 is big enough (13" on the front, 12" on the rear?) and the car being relatively light (<= 3000 lbs give or take), that upgraded pads and fluids should be able to handle your track use in an otherwise near-stock RX8.

they really overengineered the brakes on this thing, at least for street use it is overengineered lol

SouthFL

That's what I want to hear. My car is over 200 lbs heavier and has a 294mm (11.545") rotor up front. Again, I can do a BBK, but that would be more modding.

CosmosMpower

Brakes should be fine with a dedicated track pad and DOT3+ fluid. You will definetely miss the power/torque going from a stage 2 WRX to the RX8.

SouthFL

That's fine.
I've also established a trend over the years of going from higher to lower powered cars. I had a 460rwhp (~540 crank) daily driven Fbod a couple years ago.

tomfree

Never. Not one time. The worst I've seen is some additional pedal travel with some tired fluid, but my braking capacity was still very strong. I'm not exactly easy on the brakes either. The car has outstanding brakes.

You will miss the hp/tq of the Subie, but IMO, the driving dynamics of the RX-8 are worlds better than the standard WRX. Steering feel, brakes, shifter - all are just more friendly on the RX-8 than the Subie.

One other thing to note - if you do choose to use R-Comps on the track, you don't need a tire trailer. 4 wheels and tires fit nicely in the back seat of the RX-8. I've astounded friends with how much stuff I've fit in the car. I can fit my tires, track tools, jack, helmet, cooler, clothes, and camping equipment in the car with room to spare. It takes me forever to pack the car, but that's an acceptable tradeoff.

CosmosMpower

How do you fit an extra set of wheels in the backseats? I just picked up a set of 17X9.5 Enkeis and I couldn't for the life of me stuff all 4 in the backseats. I ended up putting 1 in the trunk. Do you stand them up side by side? Maybe because the wheels had 275 tires on them they didn't fit.

SouthFL

This all sounds very good.

From my RX8 test drive experience, I agree on the dynamics and overall feel comment. There is far greater feedback on all levels in the RX8. I was also expecting a torqueless power deilvery, but proper gear selection to stay within the powerband yielded very pleasing power output and I was not disappointed.

The only thing I will miss are the comments I get from other drivers when they walk up to me in the paddocks and say "how the hell did you keep up/pass me with that wagon!" It's quite a sleeper.

tomfree

I do stand them up, side by side. I have each tire wrapped in 2 industrial garbage can liners to keep the interior of the car clean, but I have room to spare with a 245 on a 9" wheel. I know that Aaron Buckley fit 4 275's in the back of Brian Hertweck's car, but that was on 8" wide rims.

The combo of the 275 on a 9.5" rim may be just too much.

CosmosMpower

Thanks for the info, I thought I could fit them side by side. I got them in with one partially sitting on top of the center console and then I realized I couldn't close the door. I will be running street tires so I'll just change the stock wheels to the 275's in the garage and drive out to the event ready to go.

altiain

iTrader: (3)

cosmos, your overall diameter should be up about 3.7% over the 245/35-18s that I stuff in the back, but they should still fit. The trick is to stand them up, but get the back ones far enough back and inboard that the half doors will close. Typically, this means that the seatbacks are what is actually keeping the tires from falling forward.

I'd also recommend getting something to protect the rear center console. The previous owner of my car didn't, and I've got the scratches to prove it. I now use a large padded pet blanket that I bought from Jon's company (Afterthoughts Automotive) to minimize the damage to the rear console.

CosmosMpower

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. However, I'll probably just throw all 4 into the back of the Pilot and take them to wherever to get the street tires put on. I may have to change tires at the track one day but hopefully not this coming season.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

I think baseline...it is one of the most fun cars I have driven.

92tsiawd

I've lapped my car 10 times this past summer, it's been really fun except for the getting pulled by almost everything in the straights. The thing you really need is just brake fluid as I have boiled the stock fluid on a hot summer day. Other than that even the stock pads work great. There's another thing I don't like about the car, gas mileage, it's already bad for normal driving, but lapping is another beast of it's own. The most damage I've done is after filling up right outside the track, lapped 130kms ~= 78 miles and the low fuel light came on. Nevertheless I burned two tanks of gas at the track that day

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Awe...come on...you don't like 6mpg LOL The 8 isn't really that much worse that anyting else though....my buddies Subaru geta about 7.....and it's FUGLY

SouthFL

Went out today and purchased the last '06 on the lot.
So, what's a good street/track alignment?

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Do a search ....I'll say it first cause you will get it a lot if you don't search before you ask an asked question

try the wheels tires suspension and the Competition Forums!

Congrats on the new baby!