GT3CAR

I would like to hear from 997 GT3 drivers. Do you turn off TC when you are on the track? I have tried it both ways and for me it depends on the track. However, I am not sure if that is because of my driving skills or not. I guess I should be able to develop a feel for the throttle to manage the acceleration no matter what track I am driving. At some tracks I seem to have trouble managing the throttle coming out of the corners with TC off. I run it off at Sebring and do not seem to have any issues at all with throttle control. I have more experience at Sebring than anywhere else. Thoughts?

RonCT

Drove my GT3 about 8 times on the track last season, TC left on and never kicked in that I could tell. No unusual brake wear at the rears to suggest it did.

TR6

GT3's have traction control??? I did not know that...

GT3CAR

Yes, TC and PASM but no PSM....

RonCT

Yah, 997 does. Not as a nanny, but to insure traction under various conditions. Kind of like how F1 cars had traction control...

Terry L

Here is my experience. Originally, I left it on and it never intruded. I swapped cars with a 996 GT3 driver and he complained that it came on all the time and really interfered with his driving. Since we were more or less equal in lap times I concluded that my somewhat smoother style tended not to trigger the system as much as his. Later that year, the TC light started to come on a lot for me. Either (1) I was getting faster (doubtful), (2) my tires were shot, allowing more wheelspin, or (3) my LSD had worn out (it had) and that allowed more spin. Since then, I have replaced tires, replaced the LSD with a Guard unit, and turned off TC on the track. YMMV.

Larry Herman

Real GT3s don't have traction control!

BobbyC

Up until a week ago I always left the TC on. But it rarely ever intruded, i.e., never saw the lights come on. Then because of the extended discussions re the quick rear brake pads wear I decided to turn the TC off.

Did 2 track days this week at NJMP with TC off (2nd day was in pelting rain). I swear I didn't notice any darn difference in handling with or without the TC on. Now it remains to be seen if leaving it off helps the pad wear.

Terry L

Uncharacteristically, Larry Herman is wrong. Having TC you can turn off is better than not having it at all. As I recall, Larry's 996 GT3 had ABS, syncromesh transmission, independent rear suspension, slicks and other crutches, and he was pleased to use all of them.

Larry Herman

And rumor has it that he used them all pretty well.

Bob Rouleau

I turn it off unless it rains. On sticky tires it intervenes needlessly at several locations on my home track.

KOAN

I had a student at Watkins Glen with a 997 GT3, and he was wearing through pads at an alarming rate. I don't have the choice on my 6GT3, but if I did, I'd leave it off. It will make you a better driver. You may be faster at first with it. It depends what your goals are.

Larry Herman

I think that the goals for most GT3 students should be to keep them off the guard rails, especially when you consider how many of them are crashed. If they were REALLY interested in developing all of the skills needed to drive such powerful cars, they'd start with a something a lot slower, but that's another thread isn't it.

roberga

always off

todinlaw

After reading posts of abnormal rear pad wear my last time out at Mid Ohio I ventured out with out TC. I did not notice any difference powering out of a corner but I notices that when I lift to rotate the car a few times coming in to a apex it came around a little quicker and a few times over rotated on me, not to the point of losing control but different. I was getting abnormal rear pad wear, and was just at nelsons ledges a few weeks ago, I left it on since that was only my second time at that track and notices that my left rear pad were worse than the right rear.

I don't think you always see or notice if the TC light comes on, or if it is, I am never looking at it, as I have never seen it come on.

I am going to continue to learn to drive with it off.