Tesla Model 3 Performance Street/Track Setup

[davidato]

Hey everyone,

I've got a Model 3 Performance on order coming in within the next month or so and was wondering what order of parts you guys recommend first to set up the car into a daily driver/track car.

A little bit of background of myself and where I want the car to be. I'm coming from the Civic Type R crowd where I want to say a good amount of us actually use the car in this fashion, a competent track car that you can still drive to work every day in. I probably go to the track 4-5 times a year, and looking to obviously have fun but also set decent lap times. FWIW I only ran swift springs and wheels/tires pretty much on this car and ran a 2.00 at Buttonwillow.

I know there's already an existing thread sort of relating to this, but I'm curious if things have changed, new products came out, and if there is a specific order of parts that make larger impacts than others. I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say!

 

[evroro]

I would start with coilovers, wheels, and tires. MPP Sports Coilovers + Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires would be my recommendation.

And pads and brake fluid for the track, of course.

 

[gearchruncher]

First thing you need is FUCA's to fix the camber, or you'll be spending on tires. Coilovers next for me, but the car is competent out of the box, and I'd probably rather spend my money on tires and track time than coilovers if it came down to it. Some good ~275 wide tires probably do more for lap time than coilovers.

 

[davidato]

I would start with coilovers, wheels, and tires. MPP Sports Coilovers + Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires would be my recommendation.

And pads and brake fluid for the track, of course.

Is what I hear about KW true for MPP? Any track use on coilovers void warranty?

 

[davidato]

First thing you need is FUCA's to fix the camber, or you'll be spending on tires. Coilovers next for me, but the car is competent out of the box, and I'd probably rather spend my money on tires and track time than coilovers if it came down to it. Some good ~275 wide tires probably do more for lap time than coilovers.

I do look to downsize wheels/tires. This is mainly out of an aesthetic move cause I never liked humungous wheels on cars. Are stock shocks plus lowering springs enough for these cars?

 

[Motion122]

It depends how much time you would like to spend preparing for each track day. If running with your existing wheels and tires, get a good set of coilovers from KW or wait for the Ohlins R&T(Swift Metric spring conversion can be done to any coilovers to further improve ride and/or handling). Lowered(you will get some additional camber) with zero toe front and slight toe-in the car will do great on the track! If you are swapping wheel and tires for the track(you likely already know better tires will make more difference than suspension) and likely to tinker with with the suspension, then get some adjustable front upper arms for additional camber and add lower control arm bearings to control dynamic camber changes. You can then add compression rod inserts or bearings to control caster and toe under heavy cornering or braking loads. Then you have toe arms, traction arms, & trailing arms. How crazy do you want to go? Just keep in mind that each of these adjustable arms with bearings will add NVH, some more than others.

 

[8rain]

The old adage - if you want to go faster, start by fixing the nut behind the wheel!

I'll see myself out.

 

[gearchruncher]

Are stock shocks plus lowering springs enough for these cars?

Look around, but generally people aren't very happy with lowering springs on this platform. It's really coilovers or nothing.
If you are getting a brand new M3P, it will be higher than cars in the past though as Tesla took away the "lowered" suspension on the M3P,

 

[gearchruncher]

Any track use on coilovers void warranty?

Correct, all KW based shocks have this limit.
Of course, Tesla has it for the whole car too....

 

[davidato]

It depends how much time you would like to spend preparing for each track day. If running with your existing wheels and tires, get a good set of coilovers from KW or wait for the Ohlins R&T(Swift Metric spring conversion can be done to any coilovers to further improve ride and/or handling). Lowered(you will get some additional camber) with zero toe front and slight toe-in the car will do great on the track! If you are swapping wheel and tires for the track(you likely already know better tires will make more difference than suspension) and likely to tinker with with the suspension, then get some adjustable front upper arms for additional camber and add lower control arm bearings to control dynamic camber changes. You can then add compression rod inserts or bearings to control caster and toe under heavy cornering or braking loads. Then you have toe arms, traction arms, & trailing arms. How crazy do you want to go? Just keep in mind that each of these adjustable arms with bearings will add NVH, some more than others.

Thanks for the insight! In terms of nvh these bearings can’t be worse than a Honda with 70A engine mounts right?

 

[davidato]

The old adage - if you want to go faster, start by fixing the nut behind the wheel!

I'll see myself out.

driver mod is the best mod!

 

[davidato]

Look around, but generally people aren't very happy with lowering springs on this platform. It's really coilovers or nothing.
If you are getting a brand new M3P, it will be higher than cars in the past though as Tesla took away the "lowered" suspension on the M3P,

Thanks for the insight!

 

[Ren.OG]

Just buy everything on the MPP website, you'll be fast AF.
The biggest difference you'll feel is the weight of the car.

 

[MountainPass]

Is what I hear about KW true for MPP? Any track use on coilovers void warranty?

Don't tell me you went to the track

 

[MountainPass]

Just buy everything on the MPP website, you'll be fast AF.
The biggest difference you'll feel is the weight of the car.

If you buy everything on our site the car will be fast AF, it just depends on whether you need to tighten up the nut behind the steering wheel!

 

[davidato]

If you buy everything on our site the car will be fast AF, it just depends on whether you need to tighten up the nut behind the steering wheel!

Speaking of tightening up the nut behind the steering wheel… can you guys point me in the right direction on how to change out the seats? I already know the stock seats are not even close to ctr seats. Thinking of sportster cs

 

[SK360]

If you buy everything on our site the car will be fast AF, it just depends on whether you need to tighten up the nut behind the steering wheel!

Can confirm. Only have half of the website on the car but car is fast AF.

 

[tm1v2]

I do look to downsize wheels/tires. This is mainly out of an aesthetic move cause I never liked humungous wheels on cars. Are stock shocks plus lowering springs enough for these cars?

@davidato Downsizing the wheel diameter is a good move in every functional sense! 18" and 19" are both good options depending on your priorities. Generally best to maintain close to stock outer tire diameter of course.

DO NOT put stiffer springs on the stock dampers on this car if you're after better performance. (If you're just after looks that's fine, do what makes you happy!) I guess maybe they could help on smooth racetracks, but the stock dampers already get overwhelmed in hard street driving through tight, twisty, uneven back roads. I cannot imagine firmer lowering springs doing much good for this car's real-world handling, without upgrading the dampers too.

Just a few weeks ago I was behind a lowered Model 3 on the highway that was bouncing and oscillating coming out of dips...I can only assume they put lowering springs on the stock dampers.

I'm not always against firmer springs on a car's stock dampers btw. There are sporty cars out there with pretty solid damping from the factory that can pair well with somewhat firmer springs or sway bars or such. The Model 3 just isn't one of them (M3P or otherwise). At least not 2021+ Model 3. If you dig through these forums there's lots of reports that older ones were stiffer from the factory, but since you're buying a new one that's not relevant to you.

 

[tm1v2]

Can confirm. Only have half of the website on the car but car is fast AF.

@SK360 When's your S Plaid coming so you can install the other half?

 

[SK360]

@SK360 When's your S Plaid coming so you can install the other half?

*Checks gofundme*.... Not anytime soon.