pad suggestions for a first time HPDE?

[z31maniac]

Another vote for Carbotech's here.

[SmokeE30]

Ugh, no. The HP+ can be dangerous on track. Their maximum operating temperature is not that much higher than good street pads, and they fall off a cliff when overheated. I would much rather use regular street pads with progressive fade curves than the HP+ which will feel great right up to the point when they don't work. At all.

And for most people, they are not tolerable as street pads.

Either stick with decent street pads, or just suck it up and get PFC08s. (Which are only a couple bucks more than a set of HP+ in E30 fitment, anyway.)

Not gonna say that hp+ are a track pad but at summit point last weekend the ls1 swapped e30 my buddy was running did surprisingly well with stock brakes with hp+ pads. 135+ on the straight down to ~55 for the turn braking at the 450 mark. The pads never lost grip but did need increased pedal effort once they got hot and they were seeing temps well a over 750f which is what the brakes were when we checked them once it pulled back to the paddock. Not ideal as I'm pretty sure it cooked all the grease out of the wheel bearings, but they worked the whole time and didn't disappear as I feared they might.

The drive gear se30 cars were doing just fine brake wise with stock everything with hawk blues even without ducts.

[Bimmerman325i]

Hawk blues are real race pads. Of course they didnt have a problem. I'm surprised the ls1 car didn't have a problem, but there are always exceptions. Increased pedal effort is a warning sign though of the pad losing effectiveness, assuming the fluid was in good shape.

[amcp]

Hawk blues are real race pads. Of course they didnt have a problem. I'm surprised the ls1 car didn't have a problem, but there are always exceptions. Increased pedal effort is a warning sign though of the pad losing effectiveness, assuming the fluid was in good shape.

I concur.
I use HP+ pads and I'm having issues with increase pedal travel when the pads get hot. They are a compromise. Psuedo streetable, psuedo hpde pad...suck at both.

[ForcedFirebird]

If you plan on doing more HPDE events, here's my advice (went through this with my e30, and now instruct).

You have no idea how natural of a driver you will be, some people will use up street pads in one day, some people won't phase stock pads.

If you plan on doing more track days, nice budget setup that will last you all year. Ran my car like this all the way through HPDE.

Front Carbotech xp 16 great on rotors, change them back to street pads after the track day, or when you get home, they will last about 12 track days (6 weekends). They are $134.

New stock rear pads. They will last 2 full weekends. $40-ish

Cheapest rotor blanks you can find. $20-ish

ATE type 200 or Motul 600 (~$20-35)

I have tried a bunch of rotors, and they all last about the same. None of them will stay straight if you heat soak one spot. Take the cool down lap, and light brake, keep driving a few minutes in the paddock. Once had a flat while on track, had to use an emergency road to get out of danger. No cool down lap, and wasn't about to drive around the paddocks on a flat, so the rotor warped bad. Would suck if it were a $75 rotor.

I've had a student that got the hang of things just after a couple sessions and was limited by his brakes. He was more than ready to go deeper, but pads would fade and start to boil fluid, so they were having to be constantly bled. Had other students that would feather the brakes very early no matter what was said (just like the ones that turn in early, and never get it).

[Sh3rpak!ng]

If you plan on doing more HPDE events, here's my advice (went through this with my e30, and now instruct).

You have no idea how natural of a driver you will be, some people will use up street pads in one day, some people won't phase stock pads.

If you plan on doing more track days, nice budget setup that will last you all year. Ran my car like this all the way through HPDE.

Front Carbotech xp 16 great on rotors, change them back to street pads after the track day, or when you get home, they will last about 12 track days (6 weekends). They are $134.

New stock rear pads. They will last 2 full weekends. $40-ish

Cheapest rotor blanks you can find. $20-ish

ATE type 200 or Motul 600 (~$20-35)

I have tried a bunch of rotors, and they all last about the same. None of them will stay straight if you heat soak one spot. Take the cool down lap, and light brake, keep driving a few minutes in the paddock. Once had a flat while on track, had to use an emergency road to get out of danger. No cool down lap, and wasn't about to drive around the paddocks on a flat, so the rotor warped bad. Would suck if it were a $75 rotor.

I've had a student that got the hang of things just after a couple sessions and was limited by his brakes. He was more than ready to go deeper, but pads would fade and start to boil fluid, so they were having to be constantly bled. Had other students that would feather the brakes very early no matter what was said (just like the ones that turn in early, and never get it).

It will be interesting, no doubt. I have done a few autoxs in the past so I guess I have some idea of braking and turning etc. but I also have no idea how much of that translates to the track. I am also by no means timid when it comes to closed course driving... first autox I was smacking and running over cones left and right because I was braking too late trying to post better times haha.. it was silly but it was fun

[z31maniac]

Front Carbotech xp 16 great on rotors, change them back to street pads after the track day, or when you get home, they will last about 12 track days (6 weekends). They are $134.

It's well documented that Carbotech's don't play well with other pads, even the XP's don't like the 1521/AX6.

I'd suggest pads/rotors to match each other.

Or, in reality, you could very likely do XP10 F XP8 R, and then just drive them on the street. They don't chew up rotors when cold like most race pads, they are just noisy and dust a lot.

Fortunately, the dust isn't corrosive to wheel finishes.

[Wanganstyle]

First day? Whatever's on it that has more than 50% left...

I like the Textar OEM...

t

OEM textar or Jurid are great for light duty HPDE. if you start melting the pads just stop using the brakes and use all 4 tires to slow down instead

[ForcedFirebird]

It's well documented that Carbotech's don't play well with other pads, even the XP's don't like the 1521/AX6.

I'd suggest pads/rotors to match each other.

Currently run Carbotech xp20 front and Hawk dtc70 rear in my fun/track car. Every e30 driver who takes my car out comments on how good the brakes feel.


In the chump and spec car we are using all dtc 60&70, only because we bought an entire bin of spares after one of the guys sold his chump car.

[TobyB]

...We've been having trouble with Brembo rotors up here...

t

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Rotors that turner supplied are zimmerman brand. We'll see how they hold up tomorrow with stop tech street pads. I have a set of ate oem pads for backup, as well as the pads I just pulled of the car.. dunno what brand but there's plenty of meat left on them.

[Cephas]

I've been using Brembo blanks from Tirerack and PFC08's with no real issues until my last track day when we cracked a rotor. I think it's a good idea to have another set of pads and rotors for a track car for sure.

Also, I've read that stainless lines aren't a good idea. They are known to blow fittings under extreme pressure (when you need them them the most!).

[e30_302]

Also, I've read that stainless lines aren't a good idea. They are known to blow fittings under extreme pressure (when you need them them the most!).

Have any proof of this?

[nrubenstein]

I've been using Brembo blanks from Tirerack and PFC08's with no real issues until my last track day when we cracked a rotor. I think it's a good idea to have another set of pads and rotors for a track car for sure.

Also, I've read that stainless lines aren't a good idea. They are known to blow fittings under extreme pressure (when you need them them the most!).

Shitty stainless lines do blow out. Don't skimp on the stainless lines.

[Cephas]

Have any proof of this?

Just googled stainless steel brake line failure and tons of info comes up. Basically if you are racing only, there may be a slight benefit. But even in that situation jlevie says they are crap.

See his response here: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=254443