After the disappointing day on the Grand Prix circuit in May we went home and after much head scratching traced the issue the rear suspension, Initially changed the rear springs from 300lb to 250lb in an attempt to soften the rear. However whilst doing this the real issue became apparent. The bump stops which had been provided were thick enough to restrict the rear suspension movement.
we cut down the rear bump stops, raised the rear ride height by 10mm and adjusted the shocks in order to get sufficient suspension movement before heading off to Brands hatch for a trackday.
by the end of the first lap it was quite apparent that we'd made significant improvements to the car and the only corner we felt the suspension was still causing an issue was at surtees , later in the day raising the rear a further 5mm seamed to improve this.
Now can look forward to the next rounds at Oulton Park.
Thursday, 6 June 2013
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Brands Hatch GP - 12th April 2013 - PBMW Rounds 3 &4
Reflecting on the weekend a couple of days after and I think the only positive thing I say take away is that a few worthwhile lessons were learned.
Firstly even though Friday testing was restricted to indy circuit we should have done it just to check all was well with the car. Unfortunately jury service had meant that I couldn't do the test day on the GP circuit the week before so qualifying was always going to be compromised.
Secondly don't change / upgrade major suspension components or settings and just assume it will be better, I cannot believe how differently the car drove.
Unfortunately the car sustained a little damage to the rear quarter on the Saturday when being driven by Ben Woodcock in the P8RS race, a some what unnecessary and desperate dive up the inside by another driver has left us with a reasonable bill for fixing the car, annoyingly no attempt to wander over and apologize was made which in my opinion was more annoying than the move itself.
Come Sunday that was all put behind me as I was looking forward to my first chance to drive the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch, The first few laps of qualifying was just about learning the circuit by about the 5th lap I was just about starting to get to grips with the GP loop and was looking like getting a more reasonable time when coming across Steve Murphy stranded upside down in a gravel trap on the GP loop, quite rightly the red flags were out seconds later but this meant what I'm sure would have been a better lap wasn't finished.
Speaking to people about suspension settings before the first race we set the shocks to 12 rear and 9 front which seams to be a reasonable place to be, however come the race it was quickly apparent that the shocks, in particular the rears were far to hard, we struggled with a little understeer followed by pretty bad oversteer, ending in a spin at Paddock Hill.
Ended up finishing 2nd to last which was my worse result to date.
Before race 2 we softened the suspension taking it down to 5 on the rear and 6 on the front, results were slightly better and had a couple of fun battles at the back of the field. Still went away slightly disappointed but I guess that's just the way it goes some days.
A little research is needed in order to look into the suspension settings and at least 1 trackday and testday prior to the next round at Oulton Park, fingers crossed that we can start to improve.
Firstly even though Friday testing was restricted to indy circuit we should have done it just to check all was well with the car. Unfortunately jury service had meant that I couldn't do the test day on the GP circuit the week before so qualifying was always going to be compromised.
Secondly don't change / upgrade major suspension components or settings and just assume it will be better, I cannot believe how differently the car drove.
Unfortunately the car sustained a little damage to the rear quarter on the Saturday when being driven by Ben Woodcock in the P8RS race, a some what unnecessary and desperate dive up the inside by another driver has left us with a reasonable bill for fixing the car, annoyingly no attempt to wander over and apologize was made which in my opinion was more annoying than the move itself.
Come Sunday that was all put behind me as I was looking forward to my first chance to drive the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch, The first few laps of qualifying was just about learning the circuit by about the 5th lap I was just about starting to get to grips with the GP loop and was looking like getting a more reasonable time when coming across Steve Murphy stranded upside down in a gravel trap on the GP loop, quite rightly the red flags were out seconds later but this meant what I'm sure would have been a better lap wasn't finished.
Speaking to people about suspension settings before the first race we set the shocks to 12 rear and 9 front which seams to be a reasonable place to be, however come the race it was quickly apparent that the shocks, in particular the rears were far to hard, we struggled with a little understeer followed by pretty bad oversteer, ending in a spin at Paddock Hill.
Ended up finishing 2nd to last which was my worse result to date.
Before race 2 we softened the suspension taking it down to 5 on the rear and 6 on the front, results were slightly better and had a couple of fun battles at the back of the field. Still went away slightly disappointed but I guess that's just the way it goes some days.
A little research is needed in order to look into the suspension settings and at least 1 trackday and testday prior to the next round at Oulton Park, fingers crossed that we can start to improve.
Thursday, 9 May 2013
A few ungrades for Brands Hatch
Following a reasonable run at Snetterton I felt it was time to look at suspension options, The set up I've always run up until now was a spax RSX kit with inboard rear springs. I've always felt there was better options out there but stuck with them for the first year.
One option was to rebuild the spax as they'd done 2 years racing, however after chatting to a few people in the paddock I was offered a set of Gaz Gold full coilovers.
Also added a new set of Pagid discs (kept the Pagid RS29 pads) as the old one's had terrible vibration at Snetterton, and new front wheel bearings.
The first test will be on the Brands Hatch GP circuit this weekend so fingers crossed there's some improvement over the old set up, otherwise I'll have to find another excuse for not moving up the field.
One option was to rebuild the spax as they'd done 2 years racing, however after chatting to a few people in the paddock I was offered a set of Gaz Gold full coilovers.
Also added a new set of Pagid discs (kept the Pagid RS29 pads) as the old one's had terrible vibration at Snetterton, and new front wheel bearings.
The first test will be on the Brands Hatch GP circuit this weekend so fingers crossed there's some improvement over the old set up, otherwise I'll have to find another excuse for not moving up the field.
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Snetterton 300 - 7th April 2013 - PBMW rounds 1 & 2
After what seamed like the longest, coldest winter in memory it was time for the first 2 rounds of the 2013 Production BMW championship,which took place on the 7th April on the Snetterton 300 circuit.
It doesn't seam right that one of the biggest worries going in to the first rounds was to be the very real chance of snow making an appearance at Snetterton. Thankfully the Sun cam out for us which made for a much more pleasant trip.
We spend Friday testing the car were a number of respectable sub 2:30m laps were put so went into qualifying feeling positive. However I got stuck it a bit of traffic and despite trying to drop back and leave a gap I was unable to repeat the times of Friday. Ended up qualifying 24th out of 33 with a time of 2:31.498.
After a slightly disappointing start there were further issues when existing the first corner all I could see was smoke where another competitor had spun, unfortunately being in the middle of the track I had little choice but to brake whilst cars on the outside could pass. Managed to pick up a place over all and had a great battle with Kevin Hodgin
Started Race 2 in 23rd a much less eventful race mostly spent chasing and eventually passing Rob Cooper for 19th with a much more positive best lap of 2:29.724 which whilst sill a far way off of the front runners was 0.8s faster than last year.
Now just need to get the car ready for rounds 3 and 4 on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. we were having a lot of vibration under breaking so new discs have been ordered and hopefully will have new coilovers and all of the geometry looked at in time for Brands.
It doesn't seam right that one of the biggest worries going in to the first rounds was to be the very real chance of snow making an appearance at Snetterton. Thankfully the Sun cam out for us which made for a much more pleasant trip.
We spend Friday testing the car were a number of respectable sub 2:30m laps were put so went into qualifying feeling positive. However I got stuck it a bit of traffic and despite trying to drop back and leave a gap I was unable to repeat the times of Friday. Ended up qualifying 24th out of 33 with a time of 2:31.498.
After a slightly disappointing start there were further issues when existing the first corner all I could see was smoke where another competitor had spun, unfortunately being in the middle of the track I had little choice but to brake whilst cars on the outside could pass. Managed to pick up a place over all and had a great battle with Kevin Hodgin
Started Race 2 in 23rd a much less eventful race mostly spent chasing and eventually passing Rob Cooper for 19th with a much more positive best lap of 2:29.724 which whilst sill a far way off of the front runners was 0.8s faster than last year.
Now just need to get the car ready for rounds 3 and 4 on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. we were having a lot of vibration under breaking so new discs have been ordered and hopefully will have new coilovers and all of the geometry looked at in time for Brands.
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
2013 and time for a bit of colour & test day
The test day started off with a light dusting of snow which made for an interesting first run of the year. A damp morning gave the opportunity to try the car on a damp circuit for the first time.
By the afternoon the track had dried and some sensible laps put in to get used to driving the car again.
Car all seams to be running well, with just a few tweaks required before the first race of the season at Snetterton in a few weeks.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Snetterton 300 - 1st July 2012 - PBMW rounds 7 & 8
Having competed in the Project 8 races the day before I went into qualifying fairly confident, a few clear laps gave me a best lap of 2:30:508 and 21st out of 34 on the grid for the first race. Slightly disappointed after better qualifying in the previous round at Silverstone, however looking at the times 15th on the grid was within a second.
The first race didn't exactly go to plan, a fairly awful start (might have tried to pull away in third) left me in a position where I was hit by a spinning car before I'd even got to the start line.
Having got through the first couple of corners I thought I'd got away with it and would be able to continue in the race, however at the first left hander it was very apparent that the front wing was fouling the wheel and I'd have to retire. A little hammering the front and rear arches straight enough and far enough away from the wheels to be safe for race 2.
Retiring from race 1 meant I'd have to start race 2 from the back of the grid, not wanting a repeat of race 1 I opted for a conservative run through the first 2 corners, the second corner is a very tight hairpin and a common place for a little contact. Having made it through the first couple of corners I then got on with the job of trying to make up as many places as possible in the 15minute race. Finished in 24th which was quite respectable having started from the back of the grid.
Now just need to sort out a new front wing before Oulton Park on the 21st July
The first race didn't exactly go to plan, a fairly awful start (might have tried to pull away in third) left me in a position where I was hit by a spinning car before I'd even got to the start line.
Having got through the first couple of corners I thought I'd got away with it and would be able to continue in the race, however at the first left hander it was very apparent that the front wing was fouling the wheel and I'd have to retire. A little hammering the front and rear arches straight enough and far enough away from the wheels to be safe for race 2.
Retiring from race 1 meant I'd have to start race 2 from the back of the grid, not wanting a repeat of race 1 I opted for a conservative run through the first 2 corners, the second corner is a very tight hairpin and a common place for a little contact. Having made it through the first couple of corners I then got on with the job of trying to make up as many places as possible in the 15minute race. Finished in 24th which was quite respectable having started from the back of the grid.
Now just need to sort out a new front wing before Oulton Park on the 21st July
Snetterton 300 - 30th June Project 8 racing saloons
Normally the car is run in Project 8 racing saloons by a friend but as he had other work commitments I took the opportunity for some extra track time. The PBMW cars have there own class within the project 8 Racing Saloons series.
A total of 9 entrants made up this class so I was please to qualify 4th of 9 in class F and 20th/27 overall.
A couple of enjoyable races but frustrating at time when racing with cars that were faster on the straight but slower through the bends, maybe a little more race craft is required on my part. Finished 5th and 6th in class F after a couple of close races.
A total of 9 entrants made up this class so I was please to qualify 4th of 9 in class F and 20th/27 overall.
A couple of enjoyable races but frustrating at time when racing with cars that were faster on the straight but slower through the bends, maybe a little more race craft is required on my part. Finished 5th and 6th in class F after a couple of close races.
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