Post-Dragstrip Maintenance

[neodark]

Hey guys/gals,

I have a few questions as I'm fairly new to the dragstrip. What if any maintenance do you guys perform after a day @ the dragstrip?

I have an auto. Usually, check the oil, coolant and change as needed. Brakes aren't warm enough to boil fluid I'd assume. And, check tires for any wear/tear.

Am I missing anything? Haven't done anything to the transmission yet.

Thanks for the suggestions

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[Whiskey11]

Hey guys/gals,

I have a few questions as I'm fairly new to the dragstrip. What if any maintenance do you guys perform after a day @ the dragstrip?

I have an auto. Usually, check the oil, coolant and change as needed. Brakes aren't warm enough to boil fluid I'd assume. And, check tires for any wear/tear.

Am I missing anything? Haven't done anything to the transmission yet.

Thanks for the suggestions

<looks at section> <looks at section again> <looks at post title> addle:

We don't take kindly to your types around here!



Just kidding... I think you got the wrong section here! ;) If it were me, I'd check fluids and bushing wear, inspect the half shafts for damage and anything else is just extra... for track days (road course) we've got a lot more to look at because we have a lot more consumables being used up.

 

[neodark]

<looks at section> <looks at section again> <looks at post title> addle:

We don't take kindly to your types around here!



Just kidding... I think you got the wrong section here! ;) If it were me, I'd check fluids and bushing wear, inspect the half shafts for damage and anything else is just extra... for track days (road course) we've got a lot more to look at because we have a lot more consumables being used up.

hahah, my bad... If it's any better, I'm also looking to auto-x soon

 

[wildcatgoal]

After a drag strip day? Let's see. Maybe you get about 10 runs in if things are moving with approximately 10 minutes or more in-between each run. You might light up the tires on a forgiving surface each time to clean them off using launch control or just gunning it. Then for 12-14 seconds give it the beans. Aside from the burn out (again, on a forgiving surface), it's not much worse than being aggressive in traffic. Just do your usual fluid checks (which, in this car, is basically... the engine oil) and let the car's computer tell you if things went to hell. Sure, check the half shafts and rear wheel bearings, too, but... nothing to be paranoid about. I'd be more worried about checking the car BEFORE the drag strip day.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Hey guys/gals,

I have a few questions as I'm fairly new to the dragstrip. What if any maintenance do you guys perform after a day @ the dragstrip?

I have an auto. Usually, check the oil, coolant and change as needed. Brakes aren't warm enough to boil fluid I'd assume. And, check tires for any wear/tear.

Am I missing anything? Haven't done anything to the transmission yet.

Thanks for the suggestions

For maintenance I might follow a schedule somewhat more frequent than whatever Ford considers "severe service" to be. Drag racing isn't nearly as sustained as HPDE road course tracking, so you probably don't need to be changing oil every other track day (maybe 250 track miles plus a few hundred street miles). Maybe a 2500 - 3000 mile interval?

I'm guessing that your AT fluid would warrant changing once you catch the faintest whiff of "burnt toast", and that hitting the wear bars on street tires would be your tip there (I doubt you'd cord a tire during a single day at the dragstrip like you can at autocross or HPDE). I have no idea whatsoever how many miles/passes that might take.


Norm

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