SRT8 Road Racing Mods

Discussion in 'Autocross/Road Racing' started by Bud, Jun 24, 2008.

  1. nevinsrt

    nevinsrt Getaway driver for hire

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    true.

    yeah i always look at it for seat time rather then mods.
    and supporting mods that help keep getting you seat time
    ie. brakes, lines, fluid, tires

    i know rick has had seat time in different schools mainly Rally.

    him and jason are always rallying there ford focus rental :grin:
     
  2. Vipz

    Vipz Attack the 'Ring

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    I want to rally so badly. I am going to a rally-x with a friend in NY hopefully at the end of the summer in his sti
     
  3. nevinsrt

    nevinsrt Getaway driver for hire

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    I missed a RallyX event being on travel
     
  4. SRT8U

    SRT8U Supporting Vendor

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    Thanks Cam. Are you saying our system is not a hydraboost style system like is found on many vehicles? I assumed it was especially due to several instances of brake and power steering failure simultanously. I know this happened to Lou at a track event here, once the brakes cooled the power steering also came back. Most cars use the power steering pump for extra boost for the brakes. If we don't have this system maybe he just cooked both fluids at the same time, but I had assumed we had that setup. Mustangs have this setup, and also sometimes have that issue on the track, so I automatically assumed we did as well.
     
  5. Cam

    Cam Management up n smoke

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    Correct, I didn't know the stangs had this, but the GM's do. Our system is supported off vacuum from the manifold. The power steering system is isolated. I don't know what happened to Lou, but if you'll notice. He seems to have one off problems all the time :dumb: :grin:
     
  6. Walt SRT8

    Walt SRT8 Finding The Line

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    I agree.........

    Good points CAM............(My 1st post and I am agreeing with you bud..........
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2008
  7. 1bad4dr

    1bad4dr Mr. Meany

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    Well there goes the neighborhood. lol

    Wazzup Walt? Long time no see man.
     
  8. MoneyPit

    MoneyPit Exposed Member

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    random thoughts while bored:

    You don't need big brakes. You need track pads. EBC Yellow Stuff is the most common choice for a streetable track pad. 0.5 friction coefficient but they do not publish what the performance is as temp climbs. I just bought a set of Porterfield R-4 carbon-kevlar pads for my rear brakes. They give a 0.5 friction coefficient up into the 1200-degree range which is what I am after in a rear pad. I use Wilwood Polymatrix H for the front, which gives 0.64 up to 1300 degrees and thats pretty much unmatched... but its not available for SRT calipers. Sorry. Maybe the R-4 will be good for your fronts as I don't think there is anything better when it comes to verifiable performance vs. marketing. We'll see. I haven't run them yet. I have measured 1250 degree temps on my front rotors (via temperature paint) so figure you are going there on a seriously twisty track and plan for it.

    The Wilwood 570 fluid is going to give you the best high dry boiling point, coupled to compatibility and with price thrown into the equation. Motul 600 or 660 is much more expensive and you get very little for the extra money. Also the seriously uber fluids do need to be changed frequently. We are talking a couple of weeks before they drop to their wet boiling point. The Super Blue fluid is decent but second best. If you go that route, buy one can of Super Blue and one of Super Amber. Both the same fluid. You alternate colors and when flushing, when the blue stops and the amber starts you have flushed the old fluid. But bleeding is simple so don't let that make your buy decision.

    A good fluid comparison chart:
    http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=BRAKEFLUID

    x2 on all the bleed-before-tracking advice. I will add that you should bleed during as well. If nothing else check for bubbles. I have boiled fluid midday and since I had a bleeder wrench, bottle and fluid my day did not end for lack of five dollars worth of fluid.

    Don't waste your money on a power bleeder unless you are rich. This will do nicely.
    http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecId=2926

    Powered brake ducts result in front rotors being 200 degrees cooler than the rear, rather than the reverse. Sure the SRT has brake ducts, but they are not true spindle ducts and, while better than nothing, they aren't something to do backflips over. However if you treat the rotors as disposable (they *will* crack no matter what you do) and just buy new ones when you can't stand looking at them anymore you will do ok. Front SRT rotors MSRP at $85 each and you can get them for $65 or so.

    You must do a power steering cooler. I have yet to see anything better than the Derale 'frankencooler'. It takes a full quart of fluid, which helps all by itself, and its freakin huge. I am still using my original p/s pump and hoses so it must do something right.

    get a 180 tstat if you haven't already.

    When buying coolers pay attention to the BTU/hr ratings. The Earl's tranny cooler is rated at 37,000 btu/hr which is massive. Dropped 20 degrees off my engine water (the stock tranny cooler dumps its heat into the radiator). The Mopar oil cooler put at least some of that back. I am running both the Mopar and the Earl's oil coolers and given how an SRT heats up the oil, you should think on doing the same after measuring oil temps (plumb a gauge). If you go insane like I did, you will have two tranny coolers, two oil coolers, a power steering cooler and a Saudi-spec Mopar Maximum Duty radiator. Your track temps will never go past 195 for anything even after 20 minutes of hot laps.

    zoiks. Thats incorrect. Check the thread. The B&M is rated for only 14,400 btu/hr. I'm sure it will help but the Earls coolers outperform even the ridiculously expensive Setrabs. The B&M is going to help but you will have to flush-mount it to the front of the existing condenser/stock tranny cooler and that will rob you of the airflow benefit that causes the radiator temps to drop when you do a stacked plate cooler mounted to the bumper. Like I said... 20 degree water temp drop. Totally unexpected but very real.

    Short version: Stacked plate coolers provide a lot of surface area (hidden in the depth of the unit) and the good ones have obstructions inside that slow down the flow ("turbolators") so the fluid stays in the airstream longer. Thats how a cooler as small or smaller than the B&M can have almost triple its capacity (and double its price too). This would be a crappy choice for p/s fluid because you need free flow.

    On water/meth, since you are hauling ass on the track it seems that the speed of the car takes care of intake temps. My steel airhammer is a worst-case and it takes about 1/2 of your first lap which is usually under yellow anyway... but on Willow Springs in July? Probably wouldn't hurt.

    Put a cage in if you are serious about this, and do a harness.

    Get some geek racing clothes. Start with underwear so you won't be a noob in a suit and a laughingstock. Carmyth long underwear is hideously expensive and the best. $200 for pants. $200 for the shirt. $100 for the balaclava. Nomex gloves: $120. Nomex socks: $20. Nomex shoes: $120+. Don't buy those pretty Piloti's unless you want to make a fashion statement. Your next step is an SFI 5 suit. Simpson makes a great one cheap for $400. Your helmet needs to be SA 2005. Saferacer.com sells it all at best prices.

    Get two or three gas cans nad bring them full. You will need them to refill the car. Gas at the track requires a co-signer.

    An MSD DashHawk has a tranny temp gauge and a lot of others. I use a 4-gauge view. All it lacks is oil temp which you will have to plumb a sensor for. MSD will have a plugin someday for that.

    Tires: Tires are EVERYTHING. Your motor doesn't make the car go. Your brakes don't stop it. Your suspension doesn't corner the car. The tires do ALL that. We are severely challenged due to weight. Sidewalls don't hold up on an extremely twisty course. Physics is a bitch. Best tires ever ever EVER are Bridgestone RE-050A Pole Positions. 140 treadwear and AA traction. Compare that to the GY F1 Supercar's 220 treadwear and A traction. The B's only come in 255/35/20 and 245/35/20. I put the 245's on the front (see avatar... thats the front tire rolling over in The Corkscrew) for a little better steering response and 255's in the rear. They are 27" tires so you get a gear reduction, and the car is lowered a full inch (watch your ass driving on the street with these. I am dropped 3" with them on). They have XL sidewalls and need them, and the sidewalls are shorter and you need that in hard cornering. They stick like glue. Way better than GY's. So good I don't want to tell people about them so they will suck and I won't.

    The 245's exhibited torque cracking after three days and had to be retired. 255's in the front might fix this. Research continues. But three days for tires is good. And they are still good for street use.

    Put in tow hooks if you do this more than a little. It could be the difference between a harmless tow out of the kitty litter and an effed up car when the tow guy hooks onto whatever he feels like and drags you out of 20 feet of gravel thats 8 inches deep. LX's weigh a ton so save the JDM tow plates on EBay for bottle openers. I have a big steel Rennline hook going in along with the rest of the Mopar setup in a week or two. Parts from Jeff @ MPSC and making a custom shank for the hook to fit into the bracket in front.
     
  9. Bud

    Bud GG EVO IX MR

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    Damn Matt....thanks for the awesome writeup once again. I am now able to add ONE more chapter to my book I'm writing called "Matt Robertson's LX Road Racing 101". I do appreciate the info. And, I wouldn't tell too many secrets....cause I'm gunning for you!! LOL
     
  10. nevinsrt

    nevinsrt Getaway driver for hire

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    WOW!! that alot of info :thumb:
     
  11. MoneyPit

    MoneyPit Exposed Member

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    No worries. I have extra bright bulbs in my taillights so you can see them for a little while longer.

    :bye:

    :harhar:
     
  12. Bud

    Bud GG EVO IX MR

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    Next question: What about a torque converter? To me it almost sounds like an auto trans version of the Heel-and-Toe down shift. How does it work in autostick? Is it only good from a dead stop?
     
  13. MoneyPit

    MoneyPit Exposed Member

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    Its only 'good' from 1st gear. You get down into first from, say, a super hard corner (turn 11 at Laguna) and the 'verter is in play. You want a lower stall on it than what guys are typically using. Mine came from Pro Torque and, at the time it was a custom-order 2600 stall that Josh at HHP talked them into doing for me. I think its a generally available option now.

    Out of 1st gear, I think at best its maybe built a little better as a precision part.
     
  14. Bud

    Bud GG EVO IX MR

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    Thanks Matt! So unless I drag race more or have more money to throw around a tc isn't a must have item?!!!
     
  15. MoneyPit

    MoneyPit Exposed Member

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    yeahhhhh pretty much. I think it is part of an overall package but its not a huge deal in road racing.
     
  16. Bud

    Bud GG EVO IX MR

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    I have to say that the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta SUV tires are the best handling mod I've done to date. The stiffer sidewall associated with the SUV branding is just what our 2 ton beasts need (thanks Quick). I recently switched to the Nitto Invo's and they suck in comparison to lateral G-force's. The Invo's collapse with HARD cornering. I have adjusted the hell out of the tire pressures and damping settings of my coilovers and NOTHING is bringing them close to the performance of the V's.
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2008
  17. MotherMopar

    MotherMopar The One, The Only... MOMO

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    Can I get an amen brothers and sisters?!?!
     
  18. Quick

    Quick Mgmt. - I can't help you

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    Well... How do they compare to the F1's? If they're a lot better than the F1's (even though not as good as the V's) some people like Momo might be looking for a little more cush for the tush.

    I suppose you're the wrong person to ask for how they stack up for launching. I've heard they are stickier off the line than the V's.
     
  19. Bud

    Bud GG EVO IX MR

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    I think...based on driving Momo's car....that the Invo's are a comparable tire to the F1's.
     
  20. Cheatek

    Cheatek SRT once, SRT always

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    So you're saying the F1s suck, do I got that right? Hmmmm ...