Daily + track use, trying to stay alive

Technical Area Motorsport & Trackday Preparation
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  1. My model of MX-5 is: 2011 Sport Tech
  2. I’m based near: Hemel
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: General track prep/parts

I recently went on the track all of 20 minutes and was instantly hooked. I am now looking to make the car a bit more safe (and then a bit faster) without completely ruining it for daily use.

I have found a ton of conflicting information online about having a rollbar, harness, etc. and would love input.

I was planning to install a GCFab rollbar, 4 point harness, and get a nice full-face helmet from demontweaks. I was NOT planning on replacing the stock seats (because they are heated and I am cold all the time), but I saw some people saying that the stock seats are not safe with a harness, does anyone know if this is the case/if I can somehow reinforce them without fully replacing?

I also saw some people saying that if you are going to run a harness and helmet, you should get a HANs device to avoid neck injuries. I don’t mind spending money to keep my head in place, but I would prefer not to waste money if it could be better spent on other parts (brakes, ARBs, etc.). Some people suggested neck rolls(?) as a replacement to HANs, is that a safe alternative?

I am aware that running a harness while driving around normally is NOT recommended, so I am planning to leave the OEM seatbelt in place (unless there is a reason not to?)

Once I’ve done the interior safety, I was planning to get a BBK, YSR coilovers, and new ARBs(probably whiteline).

Additionally, I’d like to get a tow hook/strap, but most seem to be cosmetic. Does anyone have an aftermarket tow hook/strap that can actually be used that they recommend? I would use the stock ones, but I saw a post saying some tracks don’t allow them because they stick out too far?

If anything isn’t clear, I can provide more details. Thanks in advance!

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Its all personal. You can fit all those things and yes you will be safer. I track my car and dont feel any need for a new seat, seems to fit nicely, harness… never had an issue with standard belt.

The funny thing is that i would consider the normal roads are more dangerous than tracks. A head on crash into another car coming the other way is conna be worse than anything on track, just my 2 pence.

If your in a standard MX5 then you wont be going that quickly, get better front brake pads, coilovers, roll bars (just get RX8 Yellow dots) and track tyres.

Once you have that you can look at power.

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Appreciate the insight (was actually just watching your video about the Clio brakes). I found myself sliding about and found my head getting thrown around quite a bit when in the standard seats, which is what brought me down this rabbit hole in the first place.

I think I will do pretty much exactly what you’ve said though, brakes, coilovers, ARBs, and then see how it feels!

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Coilovers, brakes and arb make a great road car. I haven’t set out to track mine (at least for now) and it’s really nice on the road with all the above :+1:

I may replace the brake hoses with braided items to sharpen the pedal response up a bit but not much else until I can hopefully go turbo eventually.

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Definitely make sure your pads will last the day. Worst thing you can do is turn up and find they need replacing after an hour or so. Rest of the day is ruined if that happens.

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I own an NB for the track.

Rollbar, fluids and pads are pretty much all you need to have fun.

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Completely Driven has good advice right there. While it is hard to ever say safety items are not important, because if a event happens where that item is needed, you will be glad, there is also the likelihood of it happening. While not at all impossible, it is rare for an MX-5 to go over, even in racing. Harnesses again in standard seats are pretty irrelevant as the seat isn’t designed for them, most people don’t adjust them correctly or have them anywhere near tight enough, and if this is still a road car, you are highly likely to still have your air bags. There is nothing wrong with a standard tow hook on a track day.

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My car’s the same sort of age and I had to purchase a tap off eBay and ream out the tow hook threads to free them from 10 years of rust. The front one was the worst.

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Decent track focused brake fluid & pads to start. Then consider more track focused tyres on a spare set of wheels for convenience if possible. Been doing track days in my Fiesta ST180 car for 5 years and other than tuning mods (Runs at circa 230 bhp Stage 2+) and very regular oil & filter changes that’s all I have done. Buying stuff that you don’t actually need is very tempting when you first start doing track days.

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Thanks everyone! I am going to skip out on the rollbar, harness, and seats for now! I am somewhat in need of new brake pads anyway, so its the perfect excuse to get nicer ones, and my tires could probably use a swap too.

After that will be ARBs and suspension!

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For some uprated ebc pads (green for me for road), and drilled coated rotors from mtec brakes, new fluid and pins from biggredd I think it came in at a little over 300 total for the job (a bit more with track pads but as I won’t get them hot enough on the road it would have been a waste for me and probably detrimental). A nice improvement for relatively little money DIY when a simple pad change all round would probably cost you that or more from a dealer. One of the first things I did on my 5 after cleaning it as they tend to stand for long periods during people’s ownership and the brakes suffer for it. :+1:

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I wrote a guide about supension ARB’s and the like. its somewhere in the technical session. I would personally get the cybul roll bar - it fits with no bother, with minimal adjustment to plastics and you can actually get that in a reasonable timeframe. drive the car stock for a couple of trackdays and once you learn a bit more how the car behaves you can decide what you want to do.

airbags and helmet in a cabrio is a must but you don’t need hans or 5 point harness. if you remove the airbags then you could fit those.

re power… anything over a tune a manifold and a sports back box (for personal sound pleasure) is ok but anything more it will be costly, will increase unreliability. maybe if you want that look at a different more powerful car - at the end of the day its more full finding the limit in a slower car and be on the tail of a faster one…

re suspension - my suggestion learn your car and what you personally need before making any changes to the car suspension based on the internet’s recommendation. imho maybe a sportier alignment is the first thing you should be doing. and remember, if the car rolls a bit you you still have traction and get more grip as the wheels are still in contact with the road - so if the track is a bit wet you kinda want a “softer” car

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Thank you again all! Just wanted to provide a quick update.

I ordered parts Friday! In the end I got

  • IL Sport ARB +End links from MX5 Parts.
  • MTEC discs and Roddisons pads.
  • YSR Coilovers.

Realistically, I didn’t need the coil overs, but I love the look of the slightly lower than stock MK3s

Will make a final update when I get everything installed.

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Long live rock and roll! Having fun on stock suspension.

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