As the new racing year approaches I'd like to track my car some. My biggest concern is brakes, especially if I am going to be running here at Summit Point or VIR which have heavy heavy braking zones.

I've been looking at BBK for a while now, and I got my hands on a template which I could print out and check to see if they would fit my wheels. Long story short, the template shows that the caliper, StopTech, would hit my wheels. Now a friend who works for my father says just grind them down because it's only a 2 or 3mm were are talking about here. I could also run spacers, but the offset of my wheels are currently 37 and I don't think I want to move them out much further. So I started to look at some PowerSlot rotors and some real racing pads.

My question is how much different is the braking distance and the pedal feel of a BBK versus a "Stage 1" brake kit (lines, rotors, pads, fluid)? Am I splitting hairs here? I definatly don't want to spend the 8 or 9 hundred dollars on rotors and pads if the difference is significant. Or, do you have any ideas how I could fit some StopTech's with my current wheel (BBS RZ)?

Thanks
Tom

 

TomM,

For track use I think a reasonable place to start would be a stage 1 brake upgrade. Power slot rotors front and rear and Ferodo DSC 2500 brake pads, stock brake linings and ATE superblue brake fluid would make for a decent set up with a near stock brake pedal feel (not too firm from changing to stainless steel brake linings).

You might talk to Randy Webb, I know he is putting together a big brake kit for 17" wheels and for 16" wheels for the MINI at a pretty decent price. Eric at Helix13 is another good person to talk to about setting up a decent stage 1 brake upgrade for you.

I have a feeling that the stage 1 brake upgrade would be all that you would need. StopTech and other big brake kits do cost quite a bit more. And then there is the M7 Big brake kit for nearly $4000.