Charlie C

I recently did my first DE event at Watkins Glen in July. For those of you who participate in DE events, do you trailer your tires or your car? Or do you drive it with your street tires or drive to the event on your track tires?

I drove my car to the event with my street tires (my only tires) and couldn't believe how much of the outer tread got worn off. I saw a combination of mini tire trailers as well as trailered cars.

Ray S

I drive to the events with my R compounds on (MPSC). What tires are you using?

I have never noticed much wear from the trip to the track and back, even when that trip is several hundred miles.

Charlie C

Since it was my first DE, I figured I'd use what was on the car when I bought it new. They're Michelin Pilot Sports. They only had about 9K miles on before I went. The edges were fairly squared off before, but when I got home from the DE, the were sort of rounded off.

I'm thinking if I do a DE again (and I'm sure I will) I'll get another set of wheels with track tires. For me, it was about 200 miles so maybe I'd just put them on before I left and hope for NO RAIN! I've heard that track tires aren't too good in the rain.

ar38070

Your problem is your alignment. Ideally you need to lower your car with either aftermarket springs or coilovers. If you do not change you suspension then at least max out the negative camber up front. Most stock cars can get about -.8 degrees. This will help with your wear issue. Just trailering track tires will not fix the uneven wear problem.

Ray S

I agree

Charlie C

I'll talk to my mechanic about it but FYI, my Boxster Anniv. model has the sports suspension which is lowered to some extent already. I know it's not lowered as much as the ROW, but it's lowered.

Ray S

Your car is slightly lower, but it still comes from the factory with US alignment settings. More camber will give you more grip (and better tire wear) at the track. However, it may also give you uneven wear on the street (everything is a compromise ).

Also, the Michelin Pilot Sport is a great street tire, but if you decide to get a set of dedicated track wheels you might think about trying some R compound tires. They are still street legal, but the difference in grip level is large (be aware they wear much faster).

Good luck!

Good luck!

ar38070

Even with the sport suspension the factory alignment has almost zero camber. Unless you had the alignment changed you need to max out the camber to help with your tire wear. The USA sport suspension is not significantly lower than the non-sport suspension. Maybe the anniversary edition is different. The ROW sport suspension is lower by about 20mm so if they did lower it, it cannot be very much. Measure your front ride height at the highest point of the wheel well arch. If it measures over 26 inches then the car is not lowered by any significant amount.

You can tell if your car is maxed out for camber by looking at the top of the strut where it is bolted to the body. Look underneath the plastic covers on either side of the battery cover (you will need a Torx 25 bit to remove the covers). You will see the three bolts that hold the strut in place. If you remove one of the nuts (this wont hurt the alignment, tightening torque is 27 ft-lbs) and you will see the strut mounting stud sitting in a slot cut in the body. If the stud is not pushed all of the way towards the centerline of the car then the car does not have as much negative camber as it could have.

schnell987

Any recommendations on lowering springs that should be used for best track performance? Does PASM have any impact on choice of springs? Also, do anti-sway bars and/or shocks also have to be changed so that all of the components match for track use?

Thanks in advance.