Just completed a track day, the first for the new-to-me 2011 Clio 200 Cup FF but not for me. Oh yes...I'm in Australia.
On the whole, she performed pretty well -- it was pretty wet in the morning, so I ventured out with its near-new PS3 tyres (36/34psi cold), which gave very good wet grip. ESP remained on, for obvious reasons. Noticed the rear moving around quite a bit under hard (straight) braking, which was less pleasant than I'd like. Is this normal? (Standard Cup Brembo brakes and pads, still meaty, fluid flush and bleed before the day, wheel alignment with tyre replacement in Sept 2016, no obvious undue wear).Once the track dried out, I fitted track wheels and semis to the car (Federal FZ-201s 28/26 psi cold). Once warmed, these increased the car's grip very nicely...but they exaggerated that rear brake imbalance even more, and the ESP intervention in corners was PITA (yes, of course I could have done the obvious, but the infield was still very wet; I didn't fancy getting bogged when I ran out of talent!) Again, does this accord with others' experiences? The Clio was probably lifting a rear wheel in some places, which usually gives ESP and ABS a hissy fit...but that doesn't explain the straight line braking imbalance.
I'm keen to hear what others have found. Obviously, I'll get another alignment done. A brake upgrade is planned -- nothing too radical; slotted rotors / Ferodo 2500 pads. I was hoping to keep standard Cup suspension, but maybe the semis are highlighting some issues.
Please let me know what you think
On the whole, she performed pretty well -- it was pretty wet in the morning, so I ventured out with its near-new PS3 tyres (36/34psi cold), which gave very good wet grip. ESP remained on, for obvious reasons. Noticed the rear moving around quite a bit under hard (straight) braking, which was less pleasant than I'd like. Is this normal? (Standard Cup Brembo brakes and pads, still meaty, fluid flush and bleed before the day, wheel alignment with tyre replacement in Sept 2016, no obvious undue wear).Once the track dried out, I fitted track wheels and semis to the car (Federal FZ-201s 28/26 psi cold). Once warmed, these increased the car's grip very nicely...but they exaggerated that rear brake imbalance even more, and the ESP intervention in corners was PITA (yes, of course I could have done the obvious, but the infield was still very wet; I didn't fancy getting bogged when I ran out of talent!) Again, does this accord with others' experiences? The Clio was probably lifting a rear wheel in some places, which usually gives ESP and ABS a hissy fit...but that doesn't explain the straight line braking imbalance.
I'm keen to hear what others have found. Obviously, I'll get another alignment done. A brake upgrade is planned -- nothing too radical; slotted rotors / Ferodo 2500 pads. I was hoping to keep standard Cup suspension, but maybe the semis are highlighting some issues.
Please let me know what you think
