Guide: Pre-track checks

[Piggy]

Please keep only valid/useful add on sugguestions in this thread...see other thread for arguments/other comments

PRE-TRACK CHECKS

If you plan to take your car on track, be it a dedicated track car, weekend car or your fun daily, its worthwhile considering doing some checks before you leave home and taking a few bits with you.

After all, how often on the roads do you test your tyres/brakes/engine to its limit?

CHECKS

• Tyres - tread depth/pressure/balancing/alignment
  
• Fluids - oil/coolant/brake fluid etc
  
• Brakes - pedal feel, travel, pad thickness etc
  
• Wheel bolt torques
  
• Suspension joints check
  
• Lights - working order, no broken lenses
  
• Windscreen - clean inside/out, wipers good
  
• Torque check subframe/axle/suspension joints
  
• check Engine bay - mounts/leaks/worn pipes/lose wires etc
  
• FUEL!
  
• Consider track insurance
  

THINGS TO TAKE

• basic tool kit, don't forget a torch wrench and pressure gauge
  
• trolley jack
  
• cable ties
  
• duct tape or similar
  
• spare fuses/wire/crimps
  
• Track wheels/tyres (if required/own!)
  
• helmet, tinted visor/sunglasses too
  
• money
  
• tickets - be annoying to leave them at home right!
  
• driving licence
  
• breakdown recovery info/insurance info
  
• spare fluids, water/oil etc
  
• Water for you
  
• Snickers bar or similar for snack
  
• foot pump
  
• long sleeve top/trousers or overalls/race gear
  
• appropriate footwear...sandles/wellies are not best for car control!...I bought boxing boots for £16, do the job perfectly!
  

hopefully those check lists will help make your track day go a little smoother!

[cully]

fluids for self as you will dehydrate working hard in the car

[Piggy]

fluids for self as you will dehydrate working hard in the car

alcohol is dehydrating cully

[Niall]

Track insurance. Greenlight will insure you for a track day for £45 a day which includes an agreed price on your car should you take it out and also third party on any other cars you take out.

[RetroPug]

Redbull will also dehydrate you, caffiene, like alcohol, is diuretic, and red bull's got a fair bit of that in it.

[Poodle]

Drinking redbull or similar before going on track isn't a great idea tbh, the dehydration combined with the stimulants and adrenaline can be a bit too much, ups your anxiety and reduces your attention span. Most tracks will insist you wear a long-sleeved top. Worth taking spare brake pads, front and rear, as if you cook them on track they can fall apart in a matter of minutes. Take a foot pump or similar - after a few laps you'll most likely want to let your tyres down a little.

[Piggy]

thanks guys...amended

[RetroPug]

Bring a couple of snickers bars etc. for when you inevitably get hungry!
Don't want to lose concentration and have a crappy session just because you need a bit of chocolate.

[THE_Liam]

Take a pair of decent shades or have a tinted visor for your lid, nowt worse than being blinded by the sun on the entry to a tricky bend!

[welshpug]

Torque wrench, pressure gauge, if its not safe for the road its not safe for the track!

[Pebbles167]

if its not safe for the road its not safe for the track!

Ain't that the truth.

Also, one thats happened to me a few times is unsecured luggage/items/rubbish/nonsense coming lose and freely making their way around the interior of the car. If its not needed for track, stick it in your pals motor. A minor annoyance if its some McDonald's trash, but downright scary if its a wheel brace and a claw hammer! Trust me, I know.

[ally406]

Check wheel bolt torque after each session. Front wheels in particular can reach very high temperatures, and the expansion/contraction can cause wheel bolts to unwind. Likewise over-torqued wheel bolts can fracture and can be just as dangerous as loose wheels bolts.

If there is tuition at the track, take some, it's the most effective way to improve your performance. You'll be overtaking clowns in £50k cars that won't spend £50 on a lesson in no time. The glass is half empty, leave the ego at home.

I used to get Greenlight insurance but don't bother now. The excess is stupidly high(mine was £1000) meaning if you have a low value car it's not worthwhile, or you have to properly bin it to make it worth claiming. A claim for a trackday with Greenlight also affects your no claims, as I found out going through the claims procedure after binning it at Oulton Park. Policies with optional track cover are also underwritten by Highway, this may or may not be a desirable thing.

Boxing boots are very much like professional driving boots, only without the fire protection, and huge price tag!