Best Brake Pads for Track Days

[witz323]

After purchasing my '04 last summer I've really caught the racing bug, and I'm trying to participate in my first track day this weekend. Numerous people have suggested adding new pads for the saturday event, maybe even fronts only. Can anyone suggest a specific brand that will allow me to have a great track day, but won't destroy my rotors? I'm new to this, so I will be driving in the beginner class, so I probably won't be punishing the brakes too bad. As always any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DMan]

I'm subscribing, I have the same question.

I have used EBC reds in the past & liked them (on other cars). I have a set now in the box for my viper, but I've searched and found negative feedback on them vs going with Hawks. I'm wondering if it's worth installing the EBC's I have or to just write them off and order Hawk pads.

 

[Catwood]

IF you are running the beginner class just run the stock OEM pads. Once you start moving up talk to the local guys and see what they run. On my GTS I like the Hawk HT10 front and blues rear the best. But that was on a car without ABS and a rear bias adjuster. Keep in mind racing pads tend to like heat before they work well. Also the "bite" factor, and the "release" factor is important. You'll need to considter the weight of the car. That's a lot to consider and part of it's trail and error based on what you think feels good. But keep in mind what feels good needs to be validated with actual data. Since I was just having fun I went for feel first and what felt safe. Some of other pads tended to lock quick and wouldn't release. That most likely wont be an issue on an ABS car.

 

[Dave Moore]

Like Catwood said run the stock pads for now.
When you are ready to move to a more aggressive pad and are ready to deal with the compromises of a track compund on the street ( meaning squeeking...alot, brake dust) you can try the brakeman 3's. They really hold up.
BTW I wouldn't start messing with different front and back pads untill you get a much better feel for the car. You might upset the balance and not like the consequences.

my 2 cents...
Dave

 

[witz323]

Thanks for the feedback...I'll run the OEM pads this weekend and let you know how it went. Now I need to figure out arm-restraints. I believe they are required for open-top cars.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Different pads for different folks. Pretty much what Cat and Dave said. There are many variables for different car setups. If you are a beginner just get a good pad and focus on learning how to track.

I would not recommend EBC however. Ok for the street, not for the track. JMO.

 

[fireball]

Stock Viper brakes are excellent brakes - some of the best OEM brakes in the world. There's better, but they usually come with some compromises that you don't have to make with the Viper brakes. A good example is the Gallardo Superleggera. The brakes are awesomely powerful at threshold braking and TERRIBLE everywhere else. Plus they cost tens of thousands of dollars....

Anyway. The OEM stuff is just fine - especially for less track experienced drivers.

Greg

 

[Tom Shapiro]

As the other guys have said, for your first event stock pads will be fine. Make sure there is at least 60-70% of the pad left. Less than half and I would change them out. More importantly, make sure your brake fluid is fresh. If you're going to change the fluid and bleed the brakes, then use a good Dot 4 like Motul 600 or Castrol SRF. I get good performance using Mintex pads up front and stock pads on the rear. I also used that combo on my 03. As Chuck has said, focus on learning the track. Speed will come. Have fun!

 

[Catwood]

Also...I always switched pads & rotors from a track day to regular day once I got into it. The track pads are crap when they are cold and the HAWKs will chew up a rotor when cold. Once hot the wear is reasonable but they will never get up to temp on the street. It was part of the prep time for a track day.

 

[NI-KA]

I have been looking into better pads (for my 2006 coupe)for the similar reasons and the fact that even daily driving I have been noticing the smell of brake lining.

I am going to go with a compound originally offered for off-road applications by Hawk; DTC-30 (which I was told by a factory tech. is going to replace the HPS compounds).

The lower temp. characteristics look promising (daily driving) while performance appears to extend into much higher temperatures with friction levels competing with the Black, Blue and HT-10 pads (track type compounds). I didn't want to mix compounds for fear of setting off the ABS.

Take a look at the link I found on-line that compares relative performance - it appears that the chart is un-official but usefull.

http://www.andrew-racing.com/compound comparison chart.pdf

 

[rcl4668]

I've run multiple HPDE events in the Intermediate and Advanced categories and have never seen the need to go beyond the stock pads.

 

[BennyBad]

stock pad holding up fine, depends on the driver and how heavy, often and late you brake which will effect your brake fluid before your pads.

 

[YellowViperSRT10]

Stock Viper pads, yet EXCELLENT for street and track, are nothing compared to a full race compound pad. For those who say they do not need a need to switch away from stock, then you are not approaching that turn as fast as you should be. I run Porterfield R4 race pads on the track and it is a dramatic difference in stopping when they are hot compared to stock pads, you cannot even compare it.

 

[Leslie]

Stock Viper pads, yet EXCELLENT for street and track, are nothing compared to a full race compound pad. For those who say they do not need a need to switch away from stock, then you are not approaching that turn as fast as you should be. I run Porterfield R4 race pads on the track and it is a dramatic difference in stopping when they are hot compared to stock pads, you cannot even compare it.

oh yeh....there's NOTHING better than a LATE apex

like someone else mentioned, FRESH Dot 4 fluid, check your rotors, torque your lug nuts, check tire wear/correct pressures for the track and be safe.

once you advance then you will start looking for more STUFF that you can spend your money on...it's like CRACK, I am warnin' ya'!!! first it's brakes, then it's BIGGER calipers, stickier tires, shocks, suspension components, then your ADDICTED....start dreamin' about a roll cage and slicks.

 

[Viper X]

As above, stay with stock pads in good condition, i.e. better than 50% remaining for beginner / intermediate levels.

When you get better in a year or three, depending on how much time you spend tracking, you can step up to Porterfield R4 or Brakeman 3's for the front, fresh OE pads on the back.

As you improve to advanced or running with race cars in your street car, you may want to go to PFC's or Mintex up front and R4 or B3's at the rear.

Anybody that tells you stock pads are good for advanced driving in a heavy car like a Viper isn't pushing it hard enough ..... yet.

And re-read what Leslie said. Fresh fluids, tires, pressures, rotors, lug nut torque, etc. etc. Race pads will put more heat into the rotors and heat up your brake fluid. At some point, you'll want to add air ducting to your front brakes.

Be safe and don't try to overdrive the car.

Dan

 

[Boxer12]

I recommend Mintex front and B3 rear. Archer Racing can fix you up.

 

[2001-V10 Power Nut]

Here ya go, I've used them and love them, they're customer service people are very helpful

& Motul 600

Carbotech Performance Brakes

attend a Viper Days/NARRA event, they are well worth the money & you will be driving with mostly other high performance cars

 

[rcl4668]

I've run multiple HPDE events in the Intermediate and Advanced categories and have never seen the need to go beyond the stock pads.

I have to add that I did upgrade my car with Stoptech ACR rotors. Motul RBF 600 brake fluid and Stoptech stainless steel brake lines. This was done more for cheap insurance against brake failure than any performance shortomings at the track.

I stand by my statement though that the stock pads offer a performance envelope that the vast majority of track day enthusiasts will not exceed. From what I gather, the original poster will be attending his first track day shortly which will make him a relative novice, at least to track days. I question whether it is necessary for that person to go to any more aggressive brake pad at this stage.

It's similar to folks who want to install R-compound tires on their track cars while novices or intermediate drivers; the reality is that you will learn more about car control on your street tires before pulling the trigger (and spending the money) on upgrades like that.

/Rich

 

[Leslie]

Here ya go, I've used them and love them, they're customer service people are very helpful

& Motul 600

Carbotech Performance Brakes

attend a Viper Days/NARRA event, they are well worth the money & you will be driving with mostly other high performance cars

yeh those are the pads I run on my track car (Z06)....do they make those for a Viper too? I have some street Carbotech's for my GTS I have been meaning to put on.

they have soooo much BITE it's crazy, perfect modulation and are always there when you need them. I run the XP 10/8 combo and they last me about 3-4 track days. I keep them on my car all the time but then again I only drive that car on the street to/from the track.

I personally found the XP12's chewed through my rotors too much.

 

[Cop Magnet]

If you go stock, just make sure there is more than 50% pad left at the start of each session. The wear rate for the last half is much higher than the first half, due to more heat being absorbed into a smaller mass. Stock pads handle heat less well, and will disintegrate if pushed too hard when too thin. Anyway, not to stress you out, just keep an eye on all fluids and your pads. FYI, I use Brakeman #3's front and rear on the track, EBC greens on the street. Jon at PartsRack will hook you up when you are ready for an upgrade.

 

[JonB]

Thanks for the feedback...I'll run the OEM pads this weekend and let you know how it went. Now I need to figure out arm-restraints. I believe they are required for open-top cars.

I sell brake pads and upgrades for a living, and I agree 100% with the comments so far: USE UP YOUR OE PADS before changing to a more aggressive pad. Perfect for Novice to Intermediate, and a good REAR pad for Advanced!

ARM RESTRAINTS: At PartsRack, too. These are cheap insurance against rollover injuries. I remember Tommy Archer telling me he was in a NASTY-NASTY rollover in a coupe and the G-forces THREW his unrestrained left arm out the window. He watched in angst as the rolling car steamrolled toward his arm, and he fought against the centrifugal forces to pull it back in the car. The car slowed enuf just before his arm would be CRUSHED and he yanked it back in....... Whew

NOW, he runs coupes with arm restraints.


$35 in choice of colors

 

[sleeplezz_swe]

EBC really ***** i think... I use Performance Friction or Carbotech - they are great! But most importand is freash brake fluid, the Motul 600 is reallt good and cheap, If you want the best Castrol has a sick brake fluid we use on our bikes but the price is insane...

 

[witz323]

First of all, thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on this thread. I had an absolute BLAST at my first trackday. I ended up running the OEM pads with Motul 600 fluid. I ran (6) 20 min sessions, and the car was great. I was able to get down to a consistent 1:28:00 laptime at Blackhawk, which I thought was pretty decent for a racetrack ******. A couple issues did pop up with the car though. First, I now have the orange light illuminated on my dash, so somehow i must have tripped a code. I think it might be related to the Belanger headers/exhaust/hi-flow cats I had installed last month. Second, it now takes two hands and an intense tug to get the shifter into the reverse gear. Not sure on this one, but I did have a brand new clutch installed last year at 3,000 miles. Previous owner didn't know how to drive stick well, at least that's what i'm thinking. I'm gonna try to get it into the dealer in the next week or so and have it checked out.

 

[rcl4668]

I sell brake pads and upgrades for a living, and I agree 100% with the comments so far: USE UP YOUR OE PADS before changing to a more aggressive pad. Perfect for Novice to Intermediate, and a good REAR pad for Advanced!

ARM RESTRAINTS: At PartsRack, too. These are cheap insurance against rollover injuries. I remember Tommy Archer telling me he was in a NASTY-NASTY rollover in a coupe and the G-forces THREW his unrestrained left arm out the window. He watched in angst as the rolling car steamrolled toward his arm, and he fought against the centrifugal forces to pull it back in the car. The car slowed enuf just before his arm would be CRUSHED and he yanked it back in....... Whew

NOW, he runs coupes with arm restraints.


$35 in choice of colors

Jon --

As the owner of a convertible, what is involved in the installation of arm restraints for both driver and passenger? As with the Teamtech 6-points you sold me, can the arm restraints be tucked away during regular street driving? Thanks!

/Rich

 

[Shandon]

First of all, thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on this thread. I had an absolute BLAST at my first trackday. I ended up running the OEM pads with Motul 600 fluid. I ran (6) 20 min sessions, and the car was great. I was able to get down to a consistent 1:28:00 laptime at Blackhawk, which I thought was pretty decent for a racetrack ******. A couple issues did pop up with the car though. First, I now have the orange light illuminated on my dash, so somehow i must have tripped a code. I think it might be related to the Belanger headers/exhaust/hi-flow cats I had installed last month. Second, it now takes two hands and an intense tug to get the shifter into the reverse gear. Not sure on this one, but I did have a brand new clutch installed last year at 3,000 miles. Previous owner didn't know how to drive stick well, at least that's what i'm thinking. I'm gonna try to get it into the dealer in the next week or so and have it checked out.

I can solve all your problems on this one!!

1. You melted the secondary 02 wires on one of the sides probably the right. (PM me and I can tell you more on my experience on eliminating this problem and some other very improtant facts with the belanger setup)
2. look in your fuse box under the hood and you will find the 15amp fuse blown (Thats runs the reverse selenoid) replace fuse and reverse is all fixed up.
3. Disconect battery at the fuse box and let sit a minute or three and your code is cleared.

All the above problems stem from the secondary o2 sensors or the wires. You didn't have this problem until the track because you finally got the system cooking nice and toasty like

I had your exact experience shortly after installing my Belanger Headers, Corsa Cat setup.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

1:28:00 laptime at Blackhawk,

Rockford IL? I grew up in Sterling. Had a knee surgery in Rockford. I'd like to run there just because it's near my hometown.

 

[witz323]

OK, a year has gone by and i'm still enjoying the car. Just did the Longest Day Event with the Illinois Region this last weekend in Michigan. It consisted of 1 Road Racing Day at Ginergman and 1 Autocross day. I was completely surprised to have won the event! After racing at Gingerman, I feel like now it's time to either replace the stock pads (about 50% remaining) or upgrade to some sort of race pad. Maybe a race pad in front, and stock in rear? I don't want to go too extreme and ruin the rotors in 1-3 track events. I'm sort of looking for 1 step up from the stock pads. My next event is at the Autobahn Raceway in Joliet, Il. It's approx 4 miles w/ 22 turns. I don't want to change the feel of the car and the way it brakes too much, but i think i could improve braking a little.

I really appreciate the feedback.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

If you're running stock rotors I wouldn't worry about destroying them. They are relatively affordable and used rotors are free. You can stockpile them if you keep your eyes open.

 

[xr4racer]

I have many like new stock pads and brand new in the box Hawk HT60 and HT70 compound pads around here, they will be under retail. The stock pads have 5k miles on them, let me know if you are interested in any of these pads,

matt [email protected]

 

[Leslie]

OK, a year has gone by and i'm still enjoying the car. Just did the Longest Day Event with the Illinois Region this last weekend in Michigan. It consisted of 1 Road Racing Day at Ginergman and 1 Autocross day. I was completely surprised to have won the event! After racing at Gingerman, I feel like now it's time to either replace the stock pads (about 50% remaining) or upgrade to some sort of race pad. Maybe a race pad in front, and stock in rear? I don't want to go too extreme and ruin the rotors in 1-3 track events. I'm sort of looking for 1 step up from the stock pads. My next event is at the Autobahn Raceway in Joliet, Il. It's approx 4 miles w/ 22 turns. I don't want to change the feel of the car and the way it brakes too much, but i think i could improve braking a little.

I really appreciate the feedback.

hey did we meet?

I was in the sapph/silver striped GTS....Brian's ACR the same color was parked by mine.

Congrats on the award!