Considering Fiesta ST as daily driver/track day car

[razorlab]

Thanks. I'm just gonna run the stock Bridgestones. Will start with 39/36 cold.

Way too much pressure for track use. I would start with low 30's cold so you hit around mid to high 30's hot.

 

[Phreak]

Planning on using mine for both autocross and a nearby road course once it opens here (hopefully next year)

I'd love to run 15" rims to keep the tire cost down, but I've read that the Fiesta ST brakes get pretty hot and they benefit from using larger dia rims that allow more airflow. Any truth to that?

 

[rodmoe]

The only time I have seen the brakes on my ST get too hot is when I was on track and left ESC full on then it got rather warm. I am not sure I agreed with the less air flow on a proper open wheel of any size though I did here something about runner steel wheels

 

[nttdemented]

I ran mine at the local track bone stock last weekend for the first time, the only mod was stop tech brake lines and motul 600 brake fluid. My local track was at 110F and 90% humidity, in these conditions our cars won't do more than 2 or 3 laps before getting to hot. I have a COBB AP3 but ran it STG0 and used it to monitor temps, I would quickly see coolant temps of 240+ and oil temps reached 260 after 4 laps or so. If your local track conditions are as hot and humid as mine keep that in mind. I have contacted 2JRacing about their radiator and I'm paying a heavy premium to have one of their radiators built and shipped to me to fix the problem.

Appart from that the car is bloody FANTASTIC!!! I used the stock tires, did an alignment with some camber bolts and got -2.5 degrees of camber up front, 0'ed the toe for daily use, I was running 32psi up front and 37psi in the rear when hot, did not have any issues with shoulder rolling on the stock tires and the car rotated and changed directions on command of either a left foot brake tap or throttle lift. The stock brakes never faded ONCE even in my super hot conditions. I was hammering hard on them during both days and they worked awesomely all weekend. Needless to say, the OEM pads left me HIGHLY impressed.

After the event I did do a brake inspection and it seems like I killed my front rotors and my front pads got crystallized after the 2nd day, various chunks of brake pad material flew off the pads and most of them cracked slightly down the middle of the pad. So yeah, 90 laps or so around a short but fast and demanding track in very hot temps, the brakes will not fail but you will kill them. I already changed my pads on all 4 corners to a set of Ferrodo DS2500's but my front rotors got so chewed up they aren't grabbing well until they bed in to the current shape of the front rotors. Going to order new front rotors ASAP and re-bed my Ferrodo pads onto the new rotors.

In the end I was so impressed by the capabilities of the car that I don't intend on modifying it heavily for next years season, just a few more cooling and power upgrades and a set of super sticky hoosier slicks to stay in and dominate my current category.

We use a system based on the NASA-X rules at our track, the car ran in TTD class but was incorrectly categorized there, it should've been TTE with +14 handycap points. I still won 1st place in TTD class! Hence why my mod plans are short and sweet so that with the added mod points I don't exceed TTD class. If I beat every TTD class car out there stock, I can't imagine what I'll do to them with more power and Hossier slicks, it's gonna be a massacre!

 

[TemecFist]

Tbh, I think the Recaros suck, and the only reason people rave about them, is because that's the only option available from the factory. If another option was available (Such as Sparco, Momo, etc) it would be interesting to see how many people would still choose the Recaros. I have Sparcos in mine, and everyone that has Recaros and has sat in it, state that they are much better than the Recaros. Just my .02.

 

[rattmobbins]

Tbh, I think the Recaros suck, and the only reason people rave about them, is because that's the only option available from the factory. If another option was available (Such as Sparco, Momo, etc) it would be interesting to see how many people would still choose the Recaros. I have Sparcos in mine, and everyone that has Recaros and has sat in it, state that they are much better than the Recaros. Just my .02.

You seriously felt the need to bring a 4 year old thread back from the dead for this stunning insight???

 

[TemecFist]

Lol. True. I didnt notice it was 4 years old. Oh well. What's worse tho? Me bringing it back, or you knowing it was 4 years old, but still replying in order to make a worthless comment?
Haha.
Dont forget what happened here today.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Tbh, I think the Recaros suck, and the only reason people rave about them, is because that's the only option available from the factory. If another option was available (Such as Sparco, Momo, etc) it would be interesting to see how many people would still choose the Recaros. I have Sparcos in mine, and everyone that has Recaros and has sat in it, state that they are much better than the Recaros. Just my .02.

I agree, and as long as I can get an insurance company to fully insure my medical part of my auto policy (for an increased premium of course) because I dumped the (sometimes MORE dangerous than NOT having them), exploding whoopee cushions, I will eventually install some Status Spa alcantara covered recliner seats, and a Sparco mod 383 suede covered steering wheel as well.