As any self-respecting racing enthusiast who feels the need for speed when he gets behind the wheel and likes to live life in the fast lane, you need a car that can support your passion.
And yet, unless you have an unlimited budget and you can afford any car your heart desires, chances are the vehicle you own didn’t roll off the production line ready to hit the tracks and win race after race. Even if you have a car that performs well on the race track, there’s always room for improvement.
In the world of speed, adrenaline, and purring engines, car modifications represent that special ingredient that can take your car to the next level and give you a competitive advantage. However, you have to be careful about the changes that you give to your car if you don’t want to get the opposite result.
So, if you’ve decided that your beloved four-wheeler could use a bit of tuning to give it that racing edge and bring it to the performance level you want, here are some of the modifications that you should consider.
Tyres
When it comes to parts that can easily increase a car’s performance, tyres are pretty high on our list. Most experts would agree that replacing your regular tyres with performance tyres is one of the simplest and most affordable modifications you could give your car to make it behave better on the race track. With the right set of performance tyres, you get better traction and increased handling response in all racing conditions, which translates into higher speed and a smoother driving experience.
Our recommendation is to purchase a dedicated set of performance tyres that you only use on the race track and switch back to regular tyres when you’re in normal driving mode, so you can extend the life of your tyres.
Brakes
A common mistake that car owners make when looking to improve their vehicle’s performance is focusing only on speed and power, without thinking that a good race car must also come to a fast stop when necessary. After investing lots of money into making their cars faster, some people might find it pointless to invest in a new brake kit, but as counterintuitive as it may sound, a set of good brake pads can make a big difference in your car’s performance.
The explanation is simple: with a car that stops in a split second, you’ll be able to brake later and win valuable seconds each lap, thus increasing your overall speed.
Brake Fluid
Since you’ll be putting your brakes to some serious tests on the race track and using them to their full potential, you have to make sure you won’t mess them up completely because of the high temperatures that are being generated while you’re chasing the first position. If you don’t want your brake system to fail you when you most need it, it’s a good idea to use high-temperature brake fluid. Also, make sure to change the brake fluid regularly, as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Suspension
Most car manufacturers focus a lot on comfort, but in their quest for making the vehicle as comfortable as possible, they usually sacrifice handling capabilities. That wouldn’t be an issue if you’d only drive your car on smooth city roads, but if you intend to take it to the race track, it can turn into a very uncomfortable problem.
The secret to improving your car’s handling often lies in having a good suspension setup. Unlike the other alterations that we’ve suggested, modifying a car’s suspension is a bit more complicated, but we can assure you it’s a worthwhile effort.
ECU Tuning
Newer car models have an Engine Control Unit or ECU which is basically an electronic device that controls how your engine behaves in order to provide optimum performance. All cars come with default ECU settings from the factory in order to strike a balance between performance and cost-effectiveness.
However, these settings might not serve your race driving needs, and that’s where ECU tuning or remapping can improve a cars torque and BHP, so it can produce optimal results on the race track. Through this process, you’ll be able to adjust your vehicle’s ECU by overwriting the manufacturer’s factory settings and making your car function at its full potential.
Exhaust System
Exhaust systems play a very important role in your vehicle: their purpose is to remove the toxic emissions your car produces and reduce the air pollution your car releases into the environment.
That’s all well and good, but when you push your car to its limits, your exhaust system might not be able to handle all the workload, meaning the harmful gases can be pushed back to the engine, decreasing its performance. Modifying your exhaust system can ensure better exhaust flow, allowing your engine to perform optimally even when you’re going fast on the race track.
Sports Seats
When you’re driving a race car, the last thing you want to focus on is keeping yourself being tossed around in your car and struggling to find proper support. This brings us to a less technical aspect of improving a car’s performance, which is installing racing seats and harnesses. Luckily, these days you can find a wide variety of sports seats and harnesses on the market that provide proper support and will keep you safe in case something goes wrong. This will allow for enhanced focus and better reaction time when racing.
Final Thoughts…
If there’s one rule of thumb you should follow when it comes to improving your car’s performance that would be to choose your alterations wisely. It’s important to know where to invest your time, effort, and money in order to get the best results. You don’t need to spend a fortune on performance car parts to turn your vehicle into a competitive race car. The changes we’ve listed above can serve as a great starting point in this direction.
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