LexFather

Click the link in this forum!!! SELOC and Clublexus have always had a brotherly relationship, we have many people on both forums.

SELOC started 5 years ago and has gone from one meet a month to two and we engage in:
Car Shows, small and large
Track Events we host
Driving in the Mountains
Just hanging out at our local meet
Meeting other clubs

Check out www.seloc.net and I'm over there as 1SICKLEX as well or e-mail me at seloc1@gmail.com for more info.

Have a blast with a cool crowd!!

PR FIEBRU

Whats up SOLOC. I am down in Georgia for a few more weeks what is here to do. So far I have just been enjoying the pool.

GGPIS3

its seloc..


1st Thursday of every month - go to the downtown Varsity for the largest meet in Atlanta.

1st Sunday of every month - go to Caffeine & Octane at the Roswell Starbucks (google it)

other than that... check out the other forums along with importatlanta for more meets going on.

nabbun

driving in mountains . . . i miss north carolina

Keifer1991

New to the Lexus family and new to the site. I am in Augusta, GA about an hour from Columbia, SC and about two from Atlanta, GA. Would love to get to know some of the site members better and hopefully get some hints toward bringing my LS400 back to life and the level of the cars on the site. I hit up the SELOC site and am just waiting for my link activation. Looking forward to learning as much as I can about these vehicles.

Accelerato

Is there anyone in the Atlanta area who tracks (as in Road Atlanta) their Lexus? I want to make some suspension/wheel/tire changes and do some tracking at RA. I've run up there for the last few years but in a Porsche, not my Lexus. I have a 2006 IS 350.

I'm looking for some sound advice on setup for the track. Anyone out there who can help?

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I do most of my track events at CMP and Roebling. Not fond of the walls at RA...

Accelerato

Where in GA do you live? I've run at both the tracks you mentioned and like CMP. Roebling was very hard on the left rear tire bc of all the power the turbo engine was making. I do DE's only.

I plan just a few mods but don't seem to find anything on the LC forum that would give me any insight as to what parts to buy. Most of the wheel and suspension threads have nothing to do with tracking and in fact, I haven't found a single one that does. I plan to change to slotted Stoptech rotors and am going to try the Hawk HS Plus pads (squeeling and lots of dust) but that's as far as I've gotten with my decisions. When the Porsche engine was being built, I did a DE at RA in my IS and after about 15 minutes in the 3rd session the brakes failed coming into 10A and I got a ride through the kitty litter. I plan to do some coilovers and get a dedicated set of track wheels and tires. I sold my trailer so I will be driving to and from the track. I won't be running racing slicks like I had on the Porsche. I will probably get some Hoosier R6's and drive to the track on them. They have DOT stamping so I won't get a ticket and I live about 25 minutes from the track so they won't get a lot of highway wear. I plan to lower the car but I don't know how much increase in negative camber to expect and I have no idea what offsets to buy for wheels. I'm just looking for a cheap set of track wheels; not anything expensive like I used to run. I also don't know how the Lexus is going to like the heavy lateral G's that the R6's will produce. I don't want anything crumpling or giving up with the suspension or the metal where the suspension pick up points are located. Some of it doesn't look real sturdy.
I see lots of bracing available but wouldn't have a clue whether I need any or not. I'm not trying to make a dedicated track car like the Porsche was bc the Lexus will be my daily driver. I just don't want to get passed by everyone in the instructor group. I'm used to passing all of them but now will need to learn how to use my rear view mirror. :-)
Which car do you track?
Can you give me any guidance or do you know someone who can?
Thanks,

Al

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Al, what run group did you drive in with PCA DE events?

What kind of brake fluid were you running when you had the problems at Road Atlanta?

Accelerato

Hi Dave,

Last 2 1/2 years I was in Group 5 (instructor). I haven't done any events this year. Ran a silver 996 turbo with a GT3 RSR (cup car) wing and a home made black 4" splitter attached to the bottom of the front spoiler. Used to be a scary ride around turn 9 which isn't much of a turn unless you're going really fast. After I added all that downforce it felt much safer and it left me with some margin for error into the braking zone for turn 10.

When I took the Lexus up there about 4 years ago I was running stock pads and OEM brake fluid. I think I boiled it in the pistons. After that I flushed the system with Castrol SRF (same fluid I ran in the Porsche) but I haven't had the Lexus back to the track since that time.

Have you run some PCA events? I also instructed for BMW and may've seen you there in your wife's E36. That's a nice track car right out of the box.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

My wife actually drives and I take pictures, check pressures, wash the windows, etc. She's also an instructor for both PCA and BMWCCA and we run primarily at CMP, VIR and Roebling Road. She started tracking with her 996 but moved back to a better 'starter car we could leave in a wall and not feel bad' with a Spec E30 and now with the E36, which is now pretty close to full track prep for Nasa GT2 / BMWCCA IP.

I suspect your problem was the fluid more than anything on your earlier event (if you weren't in an advanced group, would have been subtly suggesting maybe it was the driver, lol). SRF is amazing stuff and what she uses as well.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I run my IS-F, and like you, it's my DD. Did you turn off the stability controls? They'll kill your brakes. I run Carbotech pads - XP12s in front and XP10s in the rear with Brembo LCF fluid. I also drive to the track.

I used to race motorcycles. I'm not nearly as fast in cars, I don't understand them as well as bikes.

Sounds like you're close to me. I'm in John's Creek, about 25 minutes from RA.

I'd be surprised if you crumpled anything even with the R6's, but you will loosen things up a bit. Ideally you'd want to double (or triple) the chassis spot welds to help minimize this long term.

There's very little on performance suspension because Lexus isn't known for performance. Most threads are focused on appearance and street ride quality, not track performance.

The IS is heavy. Really heavy for a "performance" vehicle, but it's typically Toyota - so is my Supra despite everything they did to make it lighter, it's still heavier than a Corvette or any Euro sports car. I still have a lot of fun with the F.

Accelerato

Thanks for the input. I run with stability control on all the time, except at auto-x events which I no longer do. I'm not fond of the walls at RA either. I always had problems with clearance on the driver's side with the large turbos on the Porsche and during the course of running at RA, I cut down 3 left rear racing slicks. Without the stability management system on, I'm sure I would have been into the wall more than once. I will sacrifice brakes for the sake of safety if an unexpected situation should occur. Smooth out of the corners with moderation in throttle application and staying off of ABS will do a lot towards preserving the brakes. I learned how to drive this way with the high-powered Porsche. It was really easy to get too much power on too quickly.

Can you recommend anyone in our area who would know how to properly strengthen the chassis with spot welds in all the right places? They would probably need to understand where the stresses would occur in braking and cornering.

You should come try the Chin event at RA in July. Don't know if you've ever run with them, but there is a ton of track time each day. If you figure the entry cost in terms of dollars per minute of track time, they beat all the rest. There are only 3 run groups. The Green is novice and beginner and is all instructed. The Blue and Red are predominantly solo with open passing anywhere on the track with a point by. some subtle differences in point by rules in Red, which is the advanced and instructor group. It's a good club to run with and there are always some fast cars to play with. Unfortunately, I will no longer be a contender for the fast cars.

If you're not an instructor and want some extra input, I could go out with you a session or 2 and show you the safe way around the track. I started there in 1985 with SCCA running Sports 2000, so I know the track fairly well.