# Understeer and brakes



## irishsteve (Dec 18, 2012)

I took my (new to me) standard 2012 GTR to Donington on Friday for its first track day and it was every bit as much fun as I hoped.

I need to make a few tweaks though. I knew it was likely to understeer a bit and it did. What are the most common approaches to dealing with it?

The brakes were absolutely shot. I think it is running Pagid J-hook discs so I assumed the pads had been upgraded as well but I don't know for sure. Either way, after a few laps the pedal was getting longer and longer and I had managed to melt the pads all over the discs. So this definitely needs either some cooling or a set of APs. Can the standard brakes be made to work, or are upgrades a false economy and go straight for the APs?

By the end of the day there was a little drop of oil dangling from a weird metal stump underneath the rear diff so that is a bit worrying. Hoping it is nothing too serious...


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

You have to take the brave pills, throw the car in a bit more aggressively, push through the understeer and the rear end will come alive.

Don***8217;t go all Ken Block though, or the rear end will come alive in ways you don***8217;t want!


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## irishsteve (Dec 18, 2012)

Trev said:


> You have to take the brave pills, throw the car in a bit more aggressively, push through the understeer and the rear end will come alive.
> 
> Don’t go all Ken Block though, or the rear end will come alive in ways you don’t want!


Changing driving style will be much cheaper than upgrades!


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## L6DJX (Sep 15, 2017)

irishsteve said:


> I took my (new to me) standard 2012 GTR to Donington on Friday for its first track day and it was every bit as much fun as I hoped.
> 
> I need to make a few tweaks though. I knew it was likely to understeer a bit and it did. What are the most common approaches to dealing with it?
> 
> ...


I use standard brake calipers, but upgraded to carbon ceramic rotors by Surface Transforms, they're incredible, and never fade, are light, and most importantly (joking) they look sick.

As for understeer, getting some decent coilovers, along with some proper geometry alignment will help. And as others said, try and throw it in a bit, wait for a spit of oversteer and itll come round...

Tyres help also.

As for the oil, you might have boiled the rear diff oil? were you constantly checking the temp screen? I know if it goes over 135? (someone check) it will need replacing (rather pricey) 

hope that helps...


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## irishsteve (Dec 18, 2012)

L6DJX said:


> I use standard brake calipers, but upgraded to carbon ceramic rotors by Surface Transforms, they're incredible, and never fade, are light, and most importantly (joking) they look sick.
> 
> As for understeer, getting some decent coilovers, along with some proper geometry alignment will help. And as others said, try and throw it in a bit, wait for a spit of oversteer and itll come round...
> 
> ...


Yes, it does help a lot. Thanks!

The transmission temps did get ridiculously hot, I saw 125 degrees after a cooldown lap. Sounds like I better get that looked at. Looking at Litchfield here and they do upgraded diff oil so maybe a worthwhile spend there.

Here was me thinking this would be good for track days straight out of the box


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## L6DJX (Sep 15, 2017)

i use their oil, and i have also just asked them to install a diff cooler and gearbox cooler, for the exact reason... 

It isnt a great track tool out the box, well, it is, but it needs some TLC


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