With the weather beginning to warm up and the track day season fast approaching, I caught up with the mercurial Mr Steve “Rookie” Rooke, Head of Servicing at Ariel in Somerset, to ask him if he had any advice for members that are thinking about dusting off their cars and getting out on track, or on the road, after being SORN’d.
Clearly a good strategy is to book your car in for a service at the factory (using your members discount). This time of year is always busy in Crewkerne and up at Corton Miller, Ariel’s new approved service partner, so plan ahead.
If you do decide to have your car serviced there are still some things you can do to ensure you get the best reslts, and if you are planning on doing the pre-flight checks yourself, the points below are still very useful.
Here’s Rookies Top Tips for getting your car track and road ready after a winter lay up.
1. Tyres:
- Check for flat spots caused by the car sitting in one position for a long period. Rotate the tyres if needed.
- Inspect tyre pressure, as it may decrease during storage. Inflate as required
- Inspect for any cracks, bulges, or wear and check the date code on the tyre wall – older tyres are not like wine, they get worse with age, not better!
2. Fluids:
- Puddles: Check under the car and on the floor for any tell tale signs of leaks.
- Oil: Check the oil level(s) and quality. If in doubt change it out.
- Brake Fluid: Ensure the brake fluid is at the proper level and hasn’t absorbed moisture, which can affect braking performance. Spongy pedals are no fun.
- Coolant: Check the level and condition of the coolant in the radiator. Your looking for contamination and leaks mainly.
- Fuel: If the car’s been stored for a long time, ensure the fuel is fresh. Old fuel can degrade and cause starting or running issues. If can foul the plugs so you may want to have a look at these too.
3. Brakes:
- Brake Pads: Check for wear and any signs of cracking or degradation. Track day use is hard on pads, so you may need fresh ones.
- Brake Discs/Rotors: Inspect for wear, warping, scoring, or rust. Oxidisation/corrosion can form during storage but should easily be cleaned off with a few hard braking attempts.
- Brake Lines: Ensure there are no visible leaks and the lines are intact.
4. Battery:
- The big one. Hopefully the car has been on trickle charger over the winter as the lightweight batteries we use do not like being fully discharged. Check the battery voltage. Rookie says that most of the calls he gets at this time of year are because people don’t have enough charge in their battery to turn the engine over. If your battery is flat, try investing in a reconditioner/trickle charger (CTek do a good range) to see if you can recover the situation before you order a new battery.
- Clean the battery terminals to avoid any corrosion that could cause starting issues.
- Check the restraining straps are in good order, especially if you have moved the battery out of the bay to charge.
- Engine Immobiliser – find your fobs etc and check that they are still powered.
5. Suspension:
- Check for leaks and also have a look at the settings (if you ave adjustable units) as you make have left them on ‘maximum attack’ after your last session!
- Inspect all suspension components (control arms, bushings, etc.) for signs of wear or damage.
- If you can, lift each corner of the car and rotate the wheel, listening for any grumbles form bearings etc (bear in mind that you may hear some noise as your pads encounter friction from slightly oxidised discs.
6. Belts and Hoses:
- Inspect all hoses and belts for free play cracking, fraying, or wear.
- Check for any leaks in the coolant hoses.
7. Air Filter:
- Inspect the air filter for dirt and debris. If it’s clogged, it will affect engine performance, so a clean or new filter is a good idea.
- If you have side pods, check that they are clear of debris and that the heat exchange elements in side are not damaged.
8. Electrical System:
- Check the lights, indicators, and any track-specific electronics (like lap timers, cameras, etc.) to ensure everything is working.
- Fuse Box: Make sure all fuses are intact and functional.
9. Frame:
- Inspect the frame and panels for any sign of damage.
- If you have aero , check for cracks and damage
10. Safety Equipment:
- Helmet: If you haven’t used your helmet in a while, check for cracks or wear.
- Harnesses: Ensure your harnesses are not frayed and are functioning properly.
- Fire Extinguisher: Check the expiry date and mount to make sure it’s ready for use.
- Roll Cage: If applicable, inspect for any cracks or signs of damage.
11. Test Run:
- Once you’ve inspected everything, take the car for a short drive or some laps (depending on what’s safe). Listen for any unusual sounds and feel for performance issues. As always wait for things to get up to operating temperature and always drive to the conditions.
The team at the factory and at Corten Miller are always happy to take your call, but a quick work through the piuts above will mean that they have more time to burn through the services we are all going to book in the next few months!
See you on track!
