Brake ducting and track day tires

[emcdonald]

Well I just got back from my first track day with my new E30, a 1988 325is with GC coils, a Z3 rack, and the UUC BBK with the DC30 pads and have a bit more work to do. I was at Thunderhill and the brakes were great, but only for a couple of laps. I'm wondering if any of you have suggestions for how to improve the braking. I'm going to get some ducts on there ASAP to help with the cooling, but am also looking to possibly get new pads. Any suggestions for compounds that won't fade on me? I'm also using Super Blue fluid.

I also need to get some new tires. Right now I'm driving the tires to the track, so they need to be streetable, but I'm only driving the car to and from the track and not around town at all. I was thinking of doing Azenis, but wanted to see if anyone else had a better suggestion.

Thanks!

[iwantspeed]

http://www.harrisonmotorsports.com/spec-e30-racing-parts/brakes-en/spec-e30-brake-duct-kits-and-backing-plates-en.html

[TobyB]

Anything with a full wrap and a 3" duct is pretty much ideal...

http://www.bmpdesign.com/product-exec/product_id/1486/category_id/63/search_year/1993/search_model/34

was what I SHOULD have bought...

t

[BlackbirdM3]

I've had very good luck with KFP Magnum Gold pads on both a 24hrs of Lemons car (stock rotors and calipers, Ford zx2 Escort) and on my Datsun roadster. Also at T-hill you can go a long way with brake management. T-hill is a fast track. I've got lots of laps there. I've also seen how different drivers overwork a set of brake pads.

At one race at T-hill a couple years ago two of our drivers were frequent track guys, I had some experience, but it had been a couple years since I had been on track, and our 4th driver had never been on track before. (He owns a 914 that has turned a 1:40 at Sears Point , not with him driving it however.) Our first driver loved the pads, I was second out and used too much brake for the 2 hour session, but didnt kill them. The 3rd guy (stupid fast 914 guy) went out and was the slowest of the bunch, a good 15 seconds per lap off my times (the following day I had the fastest average lap of the bunch, I was slow on day one however.) After his 2 hr stint we did a driver change and stuck the car owner in. half way through his first lap the brake light came on. The pads were metal on metal. I did the worlds fastest brake pad swap with a set of used pads just to get him back out on track.

The following day with a new set of pads in the car we went the distance on one set of KFPs. The brake pedal gets long, but always had plenty of stopping ability. Turns 9 and 10 being the tough ones. 9 because if you get 8 right you are still doing 90 mph as you enter the braking zone, and 10 because its down hill, fast and the pads are heat soaked from the hard braking for 9. We never had an issue. If you manage your brakes well, you can use half the lap to really cool them off, and by the braking zone for turn 3, the pedal should be back to full feel.

We managed to get a set of KFPs to go the distance for a full 24 hr race at Reno Fernly as well (that was a long race.) The pads are very good.

I also run KFP Golds on my Datsun vintage race car. They are 2 piston calipers but the pads are only 4inch by 4 inch. The rotors are also solid 11.25" non-vented. I've turned the rotors blue, but had brakes to the end (perhaps not good brakes, but I could still stop the car, and they would come back if I backed off some.) They are very good pads.

As for tires, don't bother with the falkens. They are crap. They get greasy when the get hot, and they don't have much in the way of grip to start with. I've had good luck with the Hankook RS3s, I've also seen the Dunlop Direzza star specs go the distance and put down some fast times (both autoX and on the track. Wet and dry.) If you are willing to go for some real race tires, look at a set of Toyo RA1s. They wear well, and are fast tires.

Will

[nrubenstein]

Personally, I would run Performance Friction 08 compound pads. Under normal circumstances with cooling, they will give unbelievable life and great braking torque.

[e30s50dan]

..and braking comes with experience ..good pads,brake fluid,and ...modulation !!!!

[porschelou]

Ditto on PFC 08's - I have run Hawk HT-10's and Other PFC compounds. We do Lemons with a e30/M30. Ran our first race with the PFC08's in March and they were amazing - They lasted 18hrs at CMP , Plus a 3 day school at VIR with Mike Skeen taking turns in the car and I still have 1/4 of the pad left in the front / rears 3/4.

We run full duct cooling , rebuilt calipers every other race, new blue fluid, guide pins, SS lines and SS pistons.

[emcdonald]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to order the brake duct kit from Harrison and look into the PF08 all around.

Are the RA1s a tire I'd want to drive to and from the track? Right now I've got just 1 set of wheels. What do people think of the R888's?

Thanks again for all the suggestions

[nrubenstein]

888s suck. They heat cycle out faster than the tread wears. RA-1s are good to the cords for DEs. Driving to the track is fine on RA-1s, but I would have at least two spare wheels.