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I can't wait to see how this car feels on track. The steering is pretty freaking awesome. However, I have found that I cannot heel-toe very well in this car. The brake bit is high and the throttle is much lower than some of my other track cars. Are others experiencing this same feeling? I will say that when I drove a 981 Cayman S I was able to heel-toe with ease - I'm talking EASE. It was a gem to drive on street.
I initially had trouble with heel-toe in this car. My blips were also too large just on regular downshifts. Both issues just turned out to be muscle memory from my E92 M3 that had to be adjusted. It took maybe a week of practice if that and I can now easily heel toe even on the road where I'm not braking as hard. I just had to retrain my foot to rotate a bit differently and maybe press the brake from a different position (right on the lower-right corner of the pedal with just the upper-left corner of my foot).
I initially had trouble with heel-toe in this car. My blips were also too large just on regular downshifts. Both issues just turned out to be muscle memory from my E92 M3 that had to be adjusted. It took maybe a week of practice if that and I can now easily heel toe even on the road where I'm not braking as hard. I just had to retrain my foot to rotate a bit differently and maybe press the brake from a different position (right on the lower-right corner of the pedal with just the upper-left corner of my foot).
For me, the heel-toe spacing is perfect. When I sit in my seat my hand can perfectly reach the sport button.
More seriously, I found that rolling my foot is to use the outside edge is easier for me than actually using my heel in the gt4.
For me, the heel-toe spacing is perfect. When I sit in my seat my hand can perfectly reach the sport button.
More seriously, I found that rolling my foot is to use the outside edge is easier for me than actually using my heel in the gt4.
Agreed, heel-toe is a misnomer for these cars. It works for cars with top-mounted throttle pedals, but floor-mounted pedals generally work better with the method you describe.
Heads up for everyone as well- make sure you're checking your side intake ducts regularly for rubber clag build up. Pics below show what was removed from a GT4's side ducts after a 2 day weekend at COTA. Third picture with the ratchet is for scale reference:
Is this clag visible by peering into the ducting or should I be sticking my arm in like a horse-doctor assisting a foaling?
Practice your horse doctoring technique
It's not particularly visible from external viewing but easily felt by hand once you shove elbow deep. There are metal screens inside the duct that you'll feel and the clag will be collected on the metal screens.
Heads up for everyone as well- make sure you're checking your side intake ducts regularly for rubber clag build up. Pics below show what was removed from a GT4's side ducts after a 2 day weekend at COTA. Third picture with the ratchet is for scale reference:
Thanks!
~Jared
Get with Tim Olsen, he has a great set of stainless screens that he is making.
If someone still has a policy with their road car insurance and you are involved in an accident with that person you may get a lesson in subrogation.
Most companies have included language which eliminates any insurance coverage if you are on a track. However, if you are unlucky enough to get involved in an accident with one of the few with coverage including track you may get hit with a subrogation claim. The insurance company won't care that everyone signed a waiver. Why? Because they didn't sign a waiver. This isn't speculation. It happened to me.
Thoughts on a section for HPDE/track insurance? Interest in recommendations, positive experiences from those that had a claim for example.
Track insurance is a Must!, I have been fortunate to not need it, but my buddy hit a deer in his GT3 last fall. He had the car insured to the max at the time of 125K, initial est was 45K to fix, final bill was just under 85K, GT4's are the same type of repair costs of the the GT3, so unless you are a gambling man or have a spare 50k around get it!, BTW he still had just about 18K out of pocket for deductible and taxes. I think he had Lockton but not sure. He said they were easy to work with.
When you move into the Porsche GT cars for Track all of your costs are going to go up. Insurance for my GT4 at WGI runs about 685 an event vs about 435 for my Cayman R. Some tracks are more some are less, The Glen tends to be a little more due to the number of incidents and the proximity of the Armco. I think VIR insurance ran me about 640. You can get multi day discounts by buying a package. Hope this helps.
If someone still has a policy with their road car insurance and you are involved in an accident with that person you may get a lesson in subrogation.
Most companies have included language which eliminates any insurance coverage if you are on a track. However, if you are unlucky enough to get involved in an accident with one of the few with coverage including track you may get hit with a subrogation claim. The insurance company won't care that everyone signed a waiver. Why? Because they didn't sign a waiver. This isn't speculation. It happened to me.
Subrogation is available but only to the extent the insured did NOT waive the right to come after you. An insurer steps into the shoes of the insured with subrogation; so, if the driver/insured waived it, then insurer/bastards SHOULD NOT prevail (they does not stop them from trying).
Tarett seems to have changed their toe link recommendations. Their "Rear Toe Control Arm" pair (linked in Post #1) originally said "For GT4" and in the product description noted that they would clear a 19" wheel on the GT4 -- and when I talked to Ira on the phone prior to purchasing, he indicated it was an updated design, also applicable to other Porsches, over their original Toe Link product (sold as each, not a pair) I think to allow more wheel clearance if memory serves. But I just checked today and that new Rear Toe Control Arm pair now says "981 *Not for GT4". Meanwhile that original Toe Link product that existed beforehand and that didn't mention the GT4 specifically before now specifically says "981 & GT4" and the product description says "Provides the most wheel clearance on the GT4". I emailed Ira asking if one or both of these products were redesigned to prompt the change in recommendation or if a problem was discovered running the Toe Control Arms on GT4s or if this is just a simple listing error. I'll post what I hear back.
But myBailey07, you might end up needing to update Post #1.
Tarett seems to have changed their toe link recommendations. Their "Rear Toe Control Arm" pair (linked in Post #1) originally said "For GT4" and in the product description noted that they would clear a 19" wheel on the GT4 -- and when I talked to Ira on the phone prior to purchasing, he indicated it was an updated design, also applicable to other Porsches, over their original Toe Link product (sold as each, not a pair) I think to allow more wheel clearance if memory serves. But I just checked today and that new Rear Toe Control Arm pair now says "981 *Not for GT4". Meanwhile that original Toe Link product that existed beforehand and that didn't mention the GT4 specifically before now specifically says "981 & GT4" and the product description says "Provides the most wheel clearance on the GT4". I emailed Ira asking if one or both of these products were redesigned to prompt the change in recommendation or if a problem was discovered running the Toe Control Arms on GT4s or if this is just a simple listing error. I'll post what I hear back.
But myBailey07, you might end up needing to update Post #1.
Thanks for keeping me updated and let me know what you hear back. It is time in any way for me to update the post with some additional info (gear oils, studs, TPC products etc that have become available)
Thanks for keeping me updated and let me know what you hear back. It is time in any way for me to update the post with some additional info (gear oils, studs, TPC products etc that have become available)
Ok, received a call from Tarett (not Ira himself since he's on vacation), and the answer was a bit strange. First and most importantly for people who have already bought the Rear Toe Control Arm pair, there is no problem with running them. That product is one of Tarett's own (which explains why they cost less) and was designed to clear a 19" wheel on the GT4. The other non-bump steer toe links they offer, sold individually rather than as a pair, are actually made by ERP and according to the rep I talked to offer even more clearance than Tarett's own. I explained that I was confused why Tarett would design their own toe links to provide more wheel clearance than an existing product they were already selling (ERP's, which have not just been redesigned or anything) and then end up in a situation where the previous product offered more clearance, and I didn't get a clear answer there. Maybe Tarett only wanted to offer more clearance than OEM?
So based on that, in the absence of other information about any performance differences between them like those TPC has been discussing in their thread, if I were buying today I might still buy Tarett's links since they apparently clear 19" wheels and frankly I'm not even sure I'll run something other than the OEM 20s. But I guess for people trying to run 18s or who like ERP or who just like the idea of maximum flexibility, the marginal cost seems small and I'm not aware of any downside to the ERP links. I definitely won't be rushing out to swap toe links and get a new alignment, though.
But it still would have been nice for this all to have been clearer from the start on Tarett's site.
07-03-2016, 10:49 AM
