Off season track car improvements.

[newz1]

What off season improvements are you track rats are planning. With the first snow fall of winter here in the Detroit area today I started day dreaming about rear subframe bushings , front camber plates, and putting on the rear tow hook kit I have had for a year. How about the rest of you ?

[Matty Ice]

Not a track rat but here is the list for spring. Will purchase the parts over the winter.

Purchase/install Z06 calipers w/ SS lines.
Install Z28 front wheel bearings.
Purchase/install Z28 brake ducts.
Purchase tires- Triple 8's or MPSS4's, can't decide.
Purchase/install rear sub frame bushings.
Purchase/install MGW shifter.
Finally install the cooling lines for my Z28 Diff.
Purchase a helmet so I can get this thing on a track!

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by Matty Ice

Not a track rat but here is the list for spring. Will purchase the parts over the winter.

Purchase/install Z06 calipers w/ SS lines.
Install Z28 front wheel bearings.
Purchase/install Z28 brake ducts.
Purchase tires- Triple 8's or MPSS4's, can't decide.
Purchase/install rear sub frame bushings.
Purchase/install MGW shifter.
Finally install the cooling lines for my Z28 Diff.
Purchase a helmet so I can get this thing on a track!

Matty,
Unless your front wheel bearings are bad I would just keep using what's on the car. I track mine quite a bit and I'm still on my stock original front wheel bearings. 1LE's received the upgraded ZL1 wheel bearings anyhow so they are already upgraded over a regular SS. I do both autocross and road course tracking as well.

Also if you want to skip the OEM prices you can buy the SKF X-tracker bearing from RockAuto for a lot less.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/sk...+assembly,1636

[olblue75]

Is the X Tracker a quality bearing unit?

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by olblue75

Is the X Tracker a quality bearing unit?

Yes it is. Search on Corvetteforum for X-tracker and you'll see it's the bearing the serious road course guys use.

https://www.skf.com/us/industry-solu...ker/index.html

[Matty Ice]

Nick S-
Thanks for the advice. Of course I find about the X-tracker bearing now as I already bought the Z28 bearings. You know how these builds go, one thing always leads to another. I bought the Z28 diff, then I was like, since I have to pull the half shaft might as well get/install the Z28 knuckles, since I have to pull the bearings I might as well get/install the Z28 bearings. Down the rabbit hole I go! Since I put Z28 bearings in the back, might as well put them in the front when I do the Z06 calipers/brakes. Been following you on the forum for a long time, hopefully we will cross paths one of these days.
Since you live in the artic with me, with our cooler temps, do have a tire recommendation? The stock G2's just don't work on the street most of the year.

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by Matty Ice

Nick S-
Thanks for the advice. Of course I find about the X-tracker bearing now as I already bought the Z28 bearings. You know how these builds go, one thing always leads to another. I bought the Z28 diff, then I was like, since I have to pull the half shaft might as well get/install the Z28 knuckles, since I have to pull the bearings I might as well get/install the Z28 bearings. Down the rabbit hole I go! Since I put Z28 bearings in the back, might as well put them in the front when I do the Z06 calipers/brakes. Been following you on the forum for a long time, hopefully we will cross paths one of these days.
Since you live in the artic with me, with our cooler temps, do have a tire recommendation? The stock G2's just don't work on the street most of the year.

Hi Matty,
For tires as a general street tire I had Michelin Pilot Super Sports at one point. They were awesome tires. Ride quality was improved because I think the sidewalls we a little more forgiving. The wet traction was MUCH better over the stock Goodyear G2's. I even used the PSS's for autocross for a couple of years and they were surprisingly very capable for autocross too. They are also a capable tire to use on the track in cooler weather or wet weather. During the warmer summer months though I would not want to use them on track as they would overheat too quickly and traction would fall off. Also over heating them just uses them up much more quickly and wastes tire life. I think the PS4's have since replaced the PSS's. All the reviews I've seen of the PS4's say they are everything the PSS's were and more. So if I were looking for an all purpose street tire that could be used in spring, summer, fall I would be looking at the PS4.

That said I primarily put most of my miles on my car driving to and from autocross events and then I trailer my car to the big tracks. Most of my actual use anymore is for autocross and road course use. So my tire selection tends to favor the RE71-R's now and I do have a set of the Goodyear F1 G3's Supercars from the 6th gen 1LE's. They are better than the G2's but still not great in wet or cold temps.

It would be very cool to meet you at an event sometime. I participate in the High Speed Autocross with the Midwestern Council. Our first event is always Memorial Day Monday at Blackhawk farms. You get three 20 minute HPDE sessions in the morning to practice the track and adjust your car if needed. Then the afternoon is single lap timed runs like Autocross.

Here is a video of one of my timed runs a couple years ago for reference:
https://youtu.be/-eB42vWttqU

[Matty Ice]

Thanks for the tire recommendation, I never drive in the rain, just need a tire that works in 50-70 degree temps. We just don't get too many 80+ degree days here in WI, especially by the big cold ass lake. Looks like I will be getting the MPSS4's, I just don't like the way the side wall looks. I think the G2 is one of the best looking tires. I'll have to get another set of wheels/tires for the track, probably the G3's.

Awesome video, I am definitely gonna have to get down there next year. I haven't been in a big hurry to get out on the track because the last thing I need is to get addicted to an expensive hobby! : )

[Nick S]

Originally Posted by Matty Ice

Thanks for the tire recommendation, I never drive in the rain, just need a tire that works in 50-70 degree temps. We just don't get too many 80+ degree days here in WI, especially by the big cold ass lake. Looks like I will be getting the MPSS4's, I just don't like the way the side wall looks. I think the G2 is one of the best looking tires. I'll have to get another set of wheels/tires for the track, probably the G3's.

Awesome video, I am definitely gonna have to get down there next year. I haven't been in a big hurry to get out on the track because the last thing I need is to get addicted to an expensive hobby! : )

Well I can't promise you won't get addicted to tracking your car! Even if you ever want to just check out the High Speed Autocross sometime all of our events are free for spectators and if you make it to one and are there during the morning HPDE I'd be happy to give you a ride on track so you can see what it's all about!

Good luck with your mods!

[Matty Ice]

Thanks Nick!

I will definitely take you up on the offer. : )