This is what happens when you track a 4000 lb audi...
08-26-2006, 10:53 AM
#1
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This is what happens when you track a 4000 lb audi...
These were brand new Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3's on 18x8.5 RS4 replicas after just 3 days of lapping. On the third day, I had to rotate the fronts to the rears because the fronts were chunking so bad that I did not want to risk catastrophic failure at high speed mid-corner. The rears faired much better. Granted, I did not have the tires shaved or anything. Don't get me wrong, it was all worth destroying these tires for 
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/BHF06/IMG_2446.jpg">
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/BHF06/IMG_2447.jpg">
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/BHF06/IMG_2448.jpg">
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/BHF06/IMG_2449.jpg">
I've got lots of other action pics and vids to share but I haven't U/L'd them to my mac yet. Will post soon.
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/BHF06/IMG_2446.jpg">
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/BHF06/IMG_2447.jpg">
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/BHF06/IMG_2448.jpg">
<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/lvelano/.Pictures/random/BHF06/IMG_2449.jpg">
I've got lots of other action pics and vids to share but I haven't U/L'd them to my mac yet. Will post soon.
08-26-2006, 11:42 AM
#2
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#1 Which RS4 rep. wheels are those and where did you get them?
#2 Did you "feel" a lot of understeer or did your tires just suffer from the "nose heavy" balance of our cars? Thanks.
08-26-2006, 11:52 AM
#3
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wheels are reps from hartman in allroad ET20 fitment. fits B7 RS4 perfectly w/o need for spacers...
they are heavy so not ideal for track use and will be relegated this winter for playing in the snow.
As for the understeer, I feel Audi/Quattro GmbH has done an excellent job in dialing out the understeer in this particular car. Yes there is still understeer but very minimal and it's not any more than my 4200 lb M5 which I drove back to back on the same track at this particular DE. I believe the understeer is more a factor of the car's overall sheer weight rather than its characteristic handling dynamics. In some corners, I even felt a bit of oversteer. I'm very happy with the way the car composes itself on the track. It is very balanced despite what you see on paper regarding weight distribution.
As for the understeer, I feel Audi/Quattro GmbH has done an excellent job in dialing out the understeer in this particular car. Yes there is still understeer but very minimal and it's not any more than my 4200 lb M5 which I drove back to back on the same track at this particular DE. I believe the understeer is more a factor of the car's overall sheer weight rather than its characteristic handling dynamics. In some corners, I even felt a bit of oversteer. I'm very happy with the way the car composes itself on the track. It is very balanced despite what you see on paper regarding weight distribution.
08-26-2006, 12:10 PM
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Were you running enough pressure Larry?
Looks like you're rolling over a little hard on the sidewall. I've tracked many Audi's but never seen it that bad. If you're pressures are fine, might I suggest earlier braking, less push through the front to reduce the scrubbing (makes you slower through the turn anyway and kills the front tires needlessly) and accelerating through just as you get to the apex.
08-26-2006, 01:05 PM
#6
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yes. I kept a good check on pressures often... even used tire chalk and a pyrometer....
it wasn't rolling over too bad. What you see is from earlier in the day when the pressures were low on cold tires.
And earlier braking isn't going to do much when most of this seems to have resulted from a relatively fast sweeper and a set of linked turns that were just punishing heavy cars because I didn't scrub much at the end of the straights entering into the turn. This was a very tight track that was hard on brakes, and hard on porkers trying to be track cars. Lets be honest with ourselves here... it's a heavy car, this is a natural consequence, and I'll be damned if I back off on my driving just to save the tires. My main objective was to have fun with it, not to conserve rubber.
And earlier braking isn't going to do much when most of this seems to have resulted from a relatively fast sweeper and a set of linked turns that were just punishing heavy cars because I didn't scrub much at the end of the straights entering into the turn. This was a very tight track that was hard on brakes, and hard on porkers trying to be track cars. Lets be honest with ourselves here... it's a heavy car, this is a natural consequence, and I'll be damned if I back off on my driving just to save the tires. My main objective was to have fun with it, not to conserve rubber.
08-26-2006, 01:33 PM
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yep, not to mention the less than optimal weight distribution.
Kinda sucks, it's so competent on the track but no matter what, when a car weighs 2 tons is gonna go through tires and brakes like water.
Also I've heard those tires chunk pretty bad...might wanna try something different if you plan on tracking it regularly.
Also I've heard those tires chunk pretty bad...might wanna try something different if you plan on tracking it regularly.
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08-26-2006, 04:12 PM
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C&D mentioned this...
in their picky review. They seemed to focus on the "gentle rear-end boogie" they experienced at 150MPH. I'm sure if the car wore badges from a different German manufacturer the review would have read differently. Evo, on the other hand, seemed to think the RS4 was the most steady car at speed - better than a 911CS.
08-26-2006, 06:07 PM
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I'd say bad tires as much as a heavy car?
My stock Continentals with 6track weekends and about 20hrs of track time still have some shoulder block remaining, plenty of center tread and they have 7k miles on them as well.
Buddies Dunlop R tires with an 80 wear rating didn't look that bad after 2 track events, he was running in advanced group about 20mph faster per lap than I was, both our cars are Avant's?
As I have said before the Avant's although being heavier are better balanced than the sedan and thus will protect, front tires, suspension and brakes more.
My Avant did 4 events without any front brake crazing/blueing, was on my 3rd event, ran against a new sedan with 3400mi vs. my 16k mi who in 2 days crazed and blued his rotors using 30% of his pads, tons of brake dust almost black vs. mine with little or no dust.
Could be proven with the RS4 if we would get an RS4 Avant and run them head to head.
Buddies Dunlop R tires with an 80 wear rating didn't look that bad after 2 track events, he was running in advanced group about 20mph faster per lap than I was, both our cars are Avant's?
As I have said before the Avant's although being heavier are better balanced than the sedan and thus will protect, front tires, suspension and brakes more.
My Avant did 4 events without any front brake crazing/blueing, was on my 3rd event, ran against a new sedan with 3400mi vs. my 16k mi who in 2 days crazed and blued his rotors using 30% of his pads, tons of brake dust almost black vs. mine with little or no dust.
Could be proven with the RS4 if we would get an RS4 Avant and run them head to head.