The owner's manual stated 29F and 31R cold. I've used that and don't have any problems.

 

you have a GT3 car - it is aprecision instrument that can be custom tuned to any personal preference. stock form came with street friendly setup which is not optimal for a track. track setup will be different as you will set considerably more camber , less front toe and less rear toe.
it is what was described as 'proper alignment'. it got nothing to do with factory.

best thing is to find a good local mechanic who knows racing cars and 997 gt3 cars specifically and simply ask him to do a usual mixed DE-street setup.

 

Also suggest you get windshield protection (Nascar peel off layers from Pro-tint) as well as clear bra paintwork protection if you are tracking . I just got the windshield protection film applied over last winter to prevent rock chips on windshield.

 

LMOA.

 

I wonder if something changed for MY 2010 and beyond because the manual for my '11 RS has one set of alignment specs for track and street use. And it specifically states that the same settings should be used on track and street.

 

FWIW, the well-meaning folks on this forum gave you TOO much advice.
All you need to do is show up and drive the car. Nothing else.
Just my $02, but I have been to several hundred HPDE's.
Mr. B

 

If you have unlimited funds, mod away, but if it were me, I would spend money on coaching on track/in car and just simply track time with car as is (excluding braided lines, race brake fluid and roll cage obviously) to improve my ability up to the car.

Lots of guys I used to race on bikes had expensive Ohlins rear suspension and forks, blue printed motors, lightweight wheels, fancy exhaust, carbon fiber fairings, etc and could not use 8/10ths of the bike in stock form and I used to laugh passing them on a basically stock motor with upgraded brakes and suspension mods only. For some novices, the more sophisticated suspension parts required more knowledge than they had to really use and almost can make the situation worse.

Technique and experience always trumps expensive upgrades only. Just my opinion and we all have those, but I would spend cash on track time, good tires and lessons and once i got good, then spend some cash on mods that make my car faster once I could use the extra speed. Faster cars are harder to drive than slow ones.....why? because everything happens faster.....

Good luck out there!!

 

I considered my response, and kept it simple. If the OP were to run street tire pressures, the pressures can get into the 50 psi range very easily on track. At these pressures it is hard to have fun while the car gets squirrely.

 

if he will get on a track with rear toe out of whack in 1.x area what was seen on some cars from ractory he may not have anything of rear tires left at the end of the day. alignment only costs $150, new tires set is $1500+.

 

thanks guys for your opinions and advice. My thought would be to have my local dealership set the car up for a moderately aggressive tract alignment as to give me a little less understeer(which I was frustrated with in my turbo) without excessive tire wear for the street. I really want my first experience with this car to be positive and build my confidence. I really hate having to back off when you want and should get on it. You know what I talking about?

 

Like Mr. B said and many others have concurred, don't do anything to the car before driving it on the track first at factory recommended tire pressures, and stock alignment. Acclimate yourself to the baseline settings first and learn the car and calibrate your butt sensors to this new car. You are not going to get understeer out of your Gt3 compared to the Turbo (unless the alignment is really screwed up from the factory!). The recommended pressures are based on Porsche engineers testing and validating the N0, N1, etc tires that come with the car. Those pressures are going to give best wear servicelife, grip levels etc. for a car that is driven on the streets and highways of Germany. Using the 29F and 31 R pressures , when heated up after 2 laps the pressures go to 34F and 37R). My tires are evenly worn all around after 12 track days. Never had any problems with grip. Steel brake lines are not necessary nor beneficial in any way over factory rubber lines. Steel brake lines have to be checked frequently for vibration induced loosening and OEM rubber lines are superior from Porsche if fresh (less than 5 years old). The advice about getting professional coaching (improving the driver) instead of spending money modifying the new car is the best advice given so far.

 

Appreciate the compliment above LOL. On the braided line issue, cant speak for cars, and sounds like you can from personal experience, but have you ever experienced brake fade with rubber hoses? As the fluid heats up under use, on bikes, I always found that rubber hoses expanded and delivered less consistent brake application. And for racing, braided lines for WERA & AMA were required to pass tech inspection. Just curious what your experience has been in that regard. Appreciate any feedback.

 

Last bit of advice, I promise. But remember the scene in the movie Colors with Sean Penn and Robert Duval? When Sean Penn says hey lets go arrest those guys, and Duval tells the little bull and big bull story that said basically dont run down the hill to get one cow, walk down the hill and get all the cows? Well, racing is sorta that way, you gotta walk up to the edge, not try to run up to it. I mean on the straights and lower speed corners with ample run off room, you can have a little fun if no one else in around you as you learn, but dont feel like you have to "keep up" with more experienced guys (i.e. backing off when you should be getting on it").

By no means being critical and appreciate the sentiment, but have seen more than my fair share of novice license guys, and for sure provisional novice guys, get in over their heads early on trying to prove themselves and make massive mistakes. My endurance racing partner did just that at Road Atlanta in his first year in the expert class and not only broke his arm and collar bone, but managed to total our endurance bike as well. He was going faster and faster throughout the race and his confidence was building, but I knew he was beginning to push beyond his experience base and finally got in over his head. Now granted you dont get better by not pushing yourself, but its takes hours on the track to really get good. So manage your own expectations is all I am saying. Take it slow and work your way up, its still sick fun just to be on the track!

 

Thanks for the advice turbodogue and others. I will heed you warnings and suggestions. The last thing I want to do is get hurt or hurt others or damage my car or anyone else's. i certainly have gone off track occasionally without significant harm and quite honestly I have learned more about my limits and car's limits with such off road excursions. I do recognize the danger of being overconfident and allowing the "red fog" of friendly competition affect your better judgement.

 

steel brake lines are for race cars only, my mechanic has plenty of samples of cracked steel brake lines when they are used on a street cars.

standard stock brake lines are more than sufficient.