How much does simple tracking really wear down a vehicle?

"WhiskeyGolf" (whiskeygolf) 07/09/2015 at 18:01 • Filed to: None

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So at this point I’ve spent a few hours on track in my car (Golf, not 12C) and I like the experience. To drive any faster I know I’m going to need to do some work to my car, for safety (brake pads, fluid, tires, etc). I also know that any time spent on the track will accelerate the wear on the car but speaking with a friend yesterday who used to have a turboed out Sentra that lived on the track, it sounds like any time at all spent on a track, regardless of speed, will effectively destroy my car. Prevailing wisdom is that you shouldn’t track a car unless you’re willing to see it die, but I find it unlikely that lapping days will immediately explode suspension bits and shred the tires completely, particularly if you drive smart and don’t overdrive the conditions. The question is, how quickly does this wear actually happen in an otherwise stock vehicle? I can’t wait to get a new car and drive at other tracks haha.

Bullitt Ride > WhiskeyGolf 07/09/2015 at 18:10

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There’s some sort of rule of thumb, I’m not sure exactly what it is, and I’m sure it varies from car to car and track to track, and based on your driving habits, but it’s something like 1 mile on the track is the same as 100 miles on the road in terms of vehicle wear and tear. That’s mainly in terms of the brakes, bushings, suspension bits. For example, if normally you’d replace your bushings every 40,000 miles, you should probably replace them after 400 miles of track driving.

Dsscats > WhiskeyGolf 07/09/2015 at 18:11

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Wait, you have a Golf and a 12C? Kind of awesome combo lol.

As for the track thing, I have several friends who regularly track their cars (a few in newer cars like a CLA45, a few in older cars like an R32 GTR). It will definitely cause extra wear and a few more parts to fail, but it doesn’t “destroy” the car. Of course wear on brakes and tires are increased. The other thing would be try to use some form of paint protection if you can. I’ve seen the results of you don’t, and it’s not pretty.

kanadanmajava1 > WhiskeyGolf 07/09/2015 at 18:12

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My friend modified an Escort Mk4 for track use. And it came apparent that the rear wheel bearings couldn’t take the extra punishment and they were constantly failing. Eventually he swapped to modified Mondeo hubs and bearings to solve the problem.

So you might find some part that isn’t tough enough. But besides the tires and brake parts there isn’t any clear rule what’s going to need extra attention.

Switching to higher grade lubricant in wheel bearings and might be good idea if you are doing long sessions. Some standard lubricants have tendency to liquefy enough to escape from the grease cups.

WhiskeyGolf > Bullitt Ride 07/09/2015 at 18:13

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That’s a lot more logical to me, since the cars that people track are generally designed to corner reasonably hard, this is just driving at the upper end of that design envelope.

WhiskeyGolf > Dsscats 07/09/2015 at 18:13

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Haha I only have the Golf, although if I did have a 12C I’d track that thing mercilessly.