Seeing that some of us are running quick laps at COTA in the 2:30’s, we should be amazed at the pace of F1 cars and IndyCars. Mercedes AMG’s Lewis Hamilton holds the lap record at 132.2. The IndyCars run about 14 seconds behind the F1 cars.

 

To be honest I first drove the car in march with Hoosier tires and I felt the car could put power down really well coming out of the slow corners when you had the tires up to temp. Went back in April running the cup 2 but we had rain delay for 2 days so I got 1 wet/damp session and I couldn't get on the power very well, LOL.

I think once I really cant push anything else out of the car I would do a tune, after some aero work. What I think it really needs is a DIET but I DD my GTR so I don't want to be swapping out for lightweight seats and stripping the interior...yet. I really want a set of track wheels. I'm switching out the steel rotors today so i want to compare weight on stock vs Girodisc although I don't think it will be much.

 

Did U run the 2:30 with the AMG Academy? If so given the track limit and braking zone restrictions that’s really a fast time.

In Race mode the car stays between 5-7K rpm. Not sure that a tune is going to help anywhere except for perhaps a few more mph down the straights.

Bish

 

Tikt ducts are AMAZING! I never experienced brake fade (I'm on girodisc steel rotors and cobalt friction XR1 pad) and not heating up the brakes as much, the tires were not over heating as quickly as well. My friend was there too with his GTR on steel rotors also had cobalt pads and his front pads were close to gone after 1.5 days at the track while my pads still looked new.

I highly recommend them foe whoever is on steel rotors and are experiencing fade or even if you are are CCM and want to make your pads last longer.

 

I drive one of these at the AMG Academy at Road Atlanta. I was very impressed. The road holding and traction control is excellent. The car seems to benefit from both bigger tires and a lot of downforce in the corners. The traction on exit speed is really impressive. The steering is also very precise (in between what you get on a 911 GT3 and a GT3 RS). Obviously since I haven't driven the Porsche's on the same track I can't comment on which is better, but this car felt like it was in between those 2 models, and beyond both in power delivery.

Really nice car!

BTW it was interesting but when we were lapping in the GTS and GTR the groups in the SLK and SL cars would have to pull to the side to let us through. But when we were lapping in the SLK43, the GTS and GTR group had to pull over to let us through. So it tells you that driver capability is still often more important than the car when it comes to amateur drivers.

 

l

Pulling over for the SLKs was far more likely to be based on logistics than actual track times with the Academy. An amateur run group is going to be far quicker in a GTS and certainly a GTR than they are in a SLK.

Now if if it was a bunch of instructors, all bets are off! lol

And welcome over from the M5 forum.

Bish

 

This was this past Sunday at COTA track temps were in the 90s and the track was about 1.5 seconds off March. Blew turn 20 and lost 1 second there. 2:24.8

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2dvzzj3c1o...-2019.mp4?dl=0

 

Mom the back strut bar or suctioned to the ceiling?

 

Gopro is on a Ram Mount on the roll bar. I know I have to fix the angle. I have to get some type of extension.

 

Great to hear these are successful. CCM needs them too!

I took my GTR to track last night for the first time since October last year. I bought a E92 M3 race car a while back and so I've been playing on track in that instead.

Admittedly the E92 is built for the track but coming from that to the GTR it really highlighted the deficiencies in the GTRs front end grip. When my PRO comes later this year I'm hoping that the additional adjustments will allow us to run a more aggressive setup and get this thing turning in better.

 

Whitblack,

I wouldn't know how the pad wear looks like for the CCMs but I would think it would help for sure.

Also have you ever done anything to your alignment? As in any other set up besides the stock?

 

I have a little extra camber at the front but that's it. The plan was to spend a day with my setup guy at a track and figure things out but it never got done for various reasons.

 

Same. The shop i went to could only get the front to -2.2 but I'm told the dealership has shims for the car to get the desired camber. I'm going to try out -2.7 in front, if possible.

 

My MB dealers would never do anything that didn't fall within specs. Let us know how you get on.

 

So the car comes from the factory; at least mine did, with -2.2 front and -1.8 rear camber. I do not think you can adjust it (the camber) at all without factory shims.

Front end grip is helped tremendously when running the option tyre.

 

I should've done some research before taking it to the shop. I'm running 295 in the front so that also helps. I was able to get -2.0 on the rears. Going to call my dealer next month to see if they can get the camber I want, if not at least supply me the shims and do it somewhere else.

 

Do you DD yours or is it pretty much 100% a track car?

I ask because my independent shop is getting ready to adjust the alignment next week at my request, but tbh I’m having second thoughts. I’m afraid of making the street experience a bit more ‘fidgety’ than I’d like, and given that my tyre wear on the MPSC2 ZPs is great at the track, I’m leaning towards just leaving it alone and working on my skills instead! lol

 

Bish,

I do DD my car (although I'm still looking for a new DD)

To my understanding, your independent shop wont be able to go below -2.2 +/- in the front without Mercedes Benz shims. I am not certain about the rear as I had requested -2 and they were able to get the car to that. I think what they gave me was pretty much how it was suppose to come from factory, or at least very close so the car feels exactly the same as it did from when I bought it. I would have to double check the alignment sheet to see what I had before.

I'm going to visit the dealer next week and ask about the shims for the desired camber I want.

 

Sorry, I didn’t make myself very clear. The indie shop I use is fantastic, and run by top notch guys They are buying shims from my MB dealership and if they need more they will just make them as they have CAD/CAM facilities.

I just need yo make up my mind as to what I want to do with the car. It takes much longer to do the alignment due to the use of shims instead of adjustable bolts, but the beauty is that once set the alignment won’t migrate over time.

Bish

 

Ahh gotcha. Well please let us know what you decide to end up doing. I only drive about 5 miles a day so I'm not too worried about my tires but I understand your point.

 

This is what my car is currently sitting at. Shop that did the work kept it mild for good street manners.

LF=-2.4, Toe=0.03
RF=-2.7, Toe=0.03

LR=-2.2, Toe=0.08
RR=-2.1, Toe=0.06


I bought the shims, but now that the shop has them, they can make their own shims to suit now.