Vauxhall Owners Forum banner

mk2 gte 16v astra trackday prep advice

1K views 34 replies 12 participants last post by  mk1rs2000 
#1 ·
Hi chaps
Right with the astra's first trackday looming (19th june) i am now considering what needs to be done.
Mods so far are full koni adjustable suspension which i will be adding upper + lower strut braces.
Brakes will be getting a 5.1 fluid change
Now what i am considering doing is getting the quickrack and ditching the power steering to regain some feel.
Also i understand there are oil surge issues on the XE lump and oil enters the TB through the main breather pipe.
I have tried a pipercross breather on this but i was getting oil seepage from the oil cap seal so i think i will have to buy a new one before i do this again.
Other than what i have listed above are there anyother cheap/easy mods to improve the astra on track and to ensure reliability. A new cam belt and waterpump are being fitted next week just incase.
cheers
duncan
ps anyone got any part worn 195/50/15 tyres?
 
#8 ·
I would polybush the rear beam, will make a huge difference, and don't cost much either considering its improvement to the car.

Mine only took about half hour to do as well, some can take days to get the old buggers out though.
 
#10 ·
aftyer CC theres no way i abuse my car to the level i did out there. the heat in the breaks the clutch, the tyres, they wouldt last 5 mins if I drove like I did on the track on the road.

oil change is routine and nouthing I would do for a track day specifically unless I had about 1000miles or less to go unitll I was due one, even then it would only be done If I could be arsedlmaolmao
 
#12 ·
The car has to last a whole day of track action not just one session ;)
this could mean upto 200 track miles.
i won't be giving it death but will be pushing fairly hard :D
I have the rear beam polybushes but have so far bottled fitting them as it's my luck it won't be an easy job :rolleyes: anyone want to do it lol is there a special puller for the job?

Not fussed about rear brace tbh car feels well planted at the rear, my main concern is the brakes and any oil surge issues. The suspension is pretty well sorted with the new koni setup which included top mounts. will be setting it on full hard that's for sure lmao
Also i would really like to get some incar video footage is there any kind soul out there that could help?
cheers
duncan
 
#23 · (Edited)
0ddball said:
the tops of the shock absorbers have no bearing on suspension geometry.
But on the Cavalier and presume Mk2 Astra the shock absorbers move up and down with rubbers either side. The bar forces them to move together reducing movement in the rear beam setup. Also because there is less play the damper can do its job better. The bar actually makes the rear of the car more comfortable. On the road the rear brace reduced rear body roll that in turn stoped the front from body rolling, got better turn-in and high corner speeds. All for a £19 bar.
 
#25 ·
Yes but just because it's not helping geometry does not mean it won't help. I'm talking about somthing thats reducing movement in the rear beam.

Saying this one of the feeling I had when driving the car was that it helped hold the car's geometry in tight corners. It felt the rear wheels tracked better on tight/fast roundbouts - but the rear brace helped in all type of corners, the benefit was as much as a front brace.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top