Brakes And Track Days

[WTF-33R]

Hey all,

I'm taking my 33 to a Wakefield Park track day for the first time. My brake pads are due for changing and I'm not sure what I should do. I have purchased a full set of RDA slotted rotors (which i havent yet fitted).

Should I fit the rotors now or after the track day? I'd like to have the best brakes possible but i dont want to glaze up a new set of rotors after a day of fun.

What pads would you recommend for daily use with a bit of the odd spirited drive and for now 1 track day. I'd like something not too expensive and low dust. I have been told to go for EBC Greenstuffs. Has anybody had experience with the Greenstuffs on Skylines? Whats the wear, fade, toll on discs and price and availability like?

and lastly. A workmate of mine recommended I change my brake fluid even though it has been changed for compliance 2 months ago. Should I go for a racing fluid or will a good quality DOT4 fluid suffice (consider this is my first Track Day so I wont be lapping like Schumacher.

Thanks in advance for enduring my endless n00b questions.

Regards

WTF33R

[ferni]

Street tyres aren't to hard on brakes. Go for any decent set of pads, like the ferodo DS2500... put on your New rotors, and make sure you have good quality fluid, preferably DOT 5.1.... but you can probably get away with dot 4...

[leech_]

I went to wakefield a little while ago i have a 33gts-t that is purley a street driven car to and from work and thats about it...

DBA 4000 slotted rotors on the front with RB74 brake pads

RDA slotted rotors on the rear with standard nissan brake pads.

Bleed the whole brake system and replaced fluid with DOT4

Had a great day out no brake pad fade what so ever and they only got a little spongy after being out for a while but generally i was very impressed as to how they held up. Damn ABS can be a tad annoying though as well...

Depending on the type of street tyres you have be prepared for them to be pretty crappy if the weather is warm. I had a set of Toyo T1-R's and thought they would be good... they were until they got so hot parts started melting lol Just had to drive it for a month or two to get them looking back the way they were before.

[Roy]

Street tyres aren't to hard on brakes....

Is that what you have found since changing from street tyres to semis?

[Kennedy]

Good to here you bought some bigger rotors but honestly the stocker rotors and calipers are fine. Just get some decent pads. I've been to 4 track days this year just with Bendix Ultimates. SAU secretary Duncan (i thinks thats his title) was doing 1.12's at Wakies with this combo

[WTF-33R]

Are the Ultimates dusty, from what I found whlist searching was that the ultimates are dusty as.

ferni brings up the subject of tyres. should i use my new 18's (f 235 r 265) or should i run on my slightly old and hard 16" Potenza RE-01's that came on the car?

[GTRgeoff]

Never ever use Greenstuff on the track, especially on a car over 1100kg. Evne Greenstuff warnagainst it in their cattledog.

[WTF-33R]

i always thought the EBC Greenstuff was a semi track pad

[shanef]

what about reds?

how do the reds compare to some ds2500? or even hawk blues?

[Kennedy]

Are the Ultimates dusty, from what I found whlist searching was that the ultimates are dusty as.

ferni brings up the subject of tyres. should i use my new 18's (f 235 r 265) or should i run on my slightly old and hard 16" Potenza RE-01's that came on the car?

I know everyone says that but to be honest mine were only dusty during the bedding in process

[evil_weevil]

Sam, I did a day at OP last friday, 5 sessions and my brakes held up great, Ive got the bendix advance on all 4.

early 07 I will be doing the fluids asap.

DOT5.1 you all say?

[GTRgeoff]

Reds are apparently good for track but not sure on street. I use the Greens in my luxobarge Soarer simply due to the low dust aspect but others who used them on track had them disintegrate in one day.

I find the Bendix very dusty. They feel ok when first getting out there but a set of RB74's or better will turn you completely off them.

I use Motul DOT5.1 and it is fine, but as car speed increases may have to go up to a higher temp rating.

Always a balancing act though. Handling should increase comparatively with power and top speed, and if the handling is great then the brakes won't get worked too hard.

[ferni]

Is that what you have found since changing from street tyres to semis?

Yep. never had brake issues on street tyres... 100% confidence... never had fade, or soft brake pedal. Didn't have to touch my pads/discs/fluid for track days. Now on semis i have no confidence, because i've had soft brake pedal, run out of brakes, killed pads, and have killed discs.... I'm sure i can get more out of the stock brakes, will find out this year. Got some braided lines to put on and gotta try to get more airflow, start by removing the backing plates which are still on there.

[lingeringsoul]

did three trrack days with stock everything. don't see the point in getting super dooper brakes if you aren't going to be using it to the max

[Roy]

Yep. never had brake issues on street tyres... 100% confidence... never had fade, or soft brake pedal. Didn't have to touch my pads/discs/fluid for track days. Now on semis i have no confidence, because i've had soft brake pedal, run out of brakes, killed pads, and have killed discs.... I'm sure i can get more out of the stock brakes, will find out this year. Got some braided lines to put on and gotta try to get more airflow, start by removing the backing plates which are still on there.

Interesting...so did you ever run the car with your new motor on road tyres?

Im interested to hear from more people whether semis are harder on brakes or easier? My car doesnt really hurt brakes irrespective of tyres so cant really tell.

I would have thought with the semis you are on the brakes for a shorter period of time as your corner speed is higher and brakign distances shorter. The heat input is going to depend on grip levels but i would think the duration of braking time being longer with road tyres, combined with less corner speed will mean your brakes would be getting hotter.

Interesting to see how you go now with the pads and rotors sorted...are you sure the dead pads/run of little probs were all related to running semis?

[WTF-33R]

I've been quoted $195+tax (front) and $185+tax (rear) for EBC(not sure if its red or yellow) as i asked for pads that will withstand a track day and they just said EBC was that price.

I picked up a set of maxistop performance for the front and maxistop standards for the rear $140+GST for bedding the new rotors in. if they are any good on the road ill just use them otherwise ill move to the EBC's

I've been quoted $195+tax (front) and $185+tax (rear) for EBC(not sure if its red or yellow) as i asked for pads that will withstand a track day and they just said EBC was that price.

I picked up a set of maxistop performance for the front and maxistop standards for the rear $140+GST for bedding the new rotors in. if they are any good on the road ill just use them otherwise ill move to the EBC's

[MrStabby]

I had no trouble at Wakefield in my 1500kg Porsche running EBC greens - cant say the same about my GTR with DS2500s... but you'll need to careful when drawing any conclusions from that. (Porsche 1:18, GTR 1:17)

FWIW EBC reds are marketed for similar usage to DS2500s. Also, I have heard a similar story about a single track day trashing a set of reds, but after my own good experience with greens i think i'll try them next.

[GTRgeoff]

From EBC site discussing Geenstuff

For heavier faster cars and vehicles above 200bhp we strongly recommend Redstuff which DOES offer much less dust.

http://www.ebcbrakes.com/Automotive.html

and the equivalent materials chart http://www.ebcbrakes.com/trackday&race.html

I actually find the pedal feel of Greens to be even softer than Bendix ultimates, but then it is only for the barge

[WTF-33R]

I had no trouble at Wakefield in my 1500kg Porsche running EBC greens - cant say the same about my GTR with DS2500s... but you'll need to careful when drawing any conclusions from that. (Porsche 1:18, GTR 1:17)

FWIW EBC reds are marketed for similar usage to DS2500s. Also, I have heard a similar story about a single track day trashing a set of reds, but after my own good experience with greens i think i'll try them next.

what model porsche are you referring to? (i Love porsches and work on them for a living) i bedded in the maxistops and already they have faded on bedding in (maybe i cooked them) i jsut hope i didnt cook the new discs

[MANWHORE]

Are you sure what you experienced is pad fade bedding in the pads on the street? that's pretty hard to believe.