pad suggestions for a first time HPDE?

[Sh3rpak!ng]

I will be going to willow springs in 2 weeks (24th) for my first HPDE. I am planning on doing a full brake refresh, OE rotors, brake flush, but I have no idea what pads to run. I will be driving the car to the event (1989 325i).

Suggestions? Should I swap pads when I get to the track? If so, which pads for street which pads for track?

Thanks

[nando]

I wouldn't go crazy if it's your first HPDE. some hawk HP+ would probably suffice.

[jstam]

bleed/new fluid should do fine on that track w/ an e30/m20. If you want to upgrade a bit you could add ss lines (esp if current ones are original).

If you want pads, I've had amazing results w/ performance friction 06's (now 08's I think). Last forever, great on track, decent as a DD although a little squeaky. Just be sure you get everything bedded in correctly and you'll be good to go for a long time. There is no perfect street/track pad - you give something up somewhere.

[nrubenstein]

I wouldn't go crazy if it's your first HPDE. some hawk HP+ would probably suffice.

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.)

[Wh33lhop]

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.)

Agreed. If you are going to buy dedicated track pads, buy actual track pads.

[Bimmerman325i]

First track day? Stock with fresh fluid.

Second track day? HT10

Once those wear out? You should be experienced enough to know what you do/dont want in a pad and can choose any on the market.

And agreed x2 on the HP+. They worked great until they didn't, which was naturally when I was braking from 90 down to about 30 for a 90deg right hander and went waaay off.

[matthugie]

Yeah, I ran HP+ for my first track day. Went through the pads in 4 sessions and ate the rotors. Had to limp home 1.5 hours with pretty much no brakes as I didn't bring spares, assuming a new set of pads would get me through one day. Now I take spares...

[e30_302]

Make sure you bed the new pads in, and let them cool, before you beat on them.

[TobyB]

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

I like the Textar OEM...

t

[Feffman]

Carbotech (www.CTBrakes.com) pads and new high temp (DOT4) brake fluid. Their pads are easy on rotors and work very well. Call Danny Puskar at Carbotech to help you decide which compound.

Feff

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Thanks guys for the suggestions, I think I will go with stock pads and rotors and a flush and bleed. My main goal is to learn the car as I build/upgrade it and I think maybe it would be better to first drive it with stock pads so I have a "base" understanding and I can better appreciate and understand the car before I change things too drastically.

I will definitely refer back to this for my next event(s) :) Thanks

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Ordered OEM rotors, set of stoptech street performance pads, and a set of oem pads (for backup), ATE type 200 fluid

so I will still have the original to the car pads and rotors which both had decent life left...should keep me covered

[roguetoaster]

By OEM rotors you mean what? They could be anything from cheap junk to good stuff.

FYI Brembo (not that I am in love with the brand) blanks seem to hold up best to track abuse. I like them so much I cleaned out Rock Autos stash when they went on sale some time ago.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

By OEM rotors you mean what? They could be anything from cheap junk to good stuff.

FYI Brembo (not that I am in love with the brand) blanks seem to hold up best to track abuse. I like them so much I cleaned out Rock Autos stash when they went on sale some time ago.

I know my post count and join date might suggest otherwise, but I am not new to the BMW world... been into e36s and e46s for years :) just bought the e30 hence just joined r3v

that being said, I am no stranger to the danger of buying any old part labeled oem. I ordered everything from turner (I don't use them for everything, but sometimes they are convenient and priced well)... they list their "suppliers" as oem suppliers: Ate, Balo, Brembo, Zimmeran and Sebro.

THAT being said... next time I'll search around for somewhere that is selling the brembo blanks. Thanks for the tip.

I'll post up which ones turner supplies

[Wh33lhop]

By OEM rotors you mean what? They could be anything from cheap junk to good stuff.

FYI Brembo (not that I am in love with the brand) blanks seem to hold up best to track abuse. I like them so much I cleaned out Rock Autos stash when they went on sale some time ago.

Any blank rotor will do fine, especially if you're on stock pads. The pad is way more important. I run pfc11s on whatever cheapo chinese blank rotors I can find.