Hello people! So I'm searching around the forums but I haven't found THE awesome brake pad thread yet. So I'm hoping someone has it bookmarked, or can share first hand experience with me.

I've got a '15 JCW R58 on order. I'm looking for a pad that will handle a typical HDPE (Group A or B), 20-30 minute sessions. Probably for driving on Sonoma, Laguna, and maybe Thunderhill later.

I'd ideally like to drive on the pads to the event if possible, just swap at home.

Here is my current list of things to do:
* Swap fluid to Castrol SRF or something similar
* Replace pads to track pads
* Maybe get stainless steel lines (If anyone thinks they're needed)

Bonus question: How do these cars hold up under track use?

 

Also links to vendors would be very welcome. I haven't had a mini for a while so I'm not sure who is the best MINI brake part vendor around these days.

 

I just had my first track day on my original 70k miles pads and they held up fine through four 30 min lapping sessions. I didn't push the car too hard though, but the brakes did get literally smoking hot but never faded.

I also would like to know if someone has a good recommendation as I am about to get mine changed.

 

Look to Way Motor Works and Detroit Tuned and talk to Way and Chad for what they recommend.

 

I have run EBC Yellows at Laguna a few times now with no problems. I swap them in the weekend before and out the weekend after. I also did a flush with Motul RB600. Never even a hint of brake fade. SS brake lines not strictly required but as long as I was doing the flush I installed SS lines anyway. I got the pads and brake lines from Way.

 

What car do you have? Maybe at some point we should try and have a mini contingent at a track day!

 

Carbotech have good options of compounds for the JCW brembo calipers. XP12 is a good choice for track use. I personally used the RP2 carbotech compound, which is similar, but is an endurance formula.

With decent pads and good brake fluid you will be good. Castrol SRF is definitely the best, but pricey. Stainless braided lines are good, but not essential.

Be aware that the JCW brembos have very cheaply constructed pistons. Under hard prolonged track use these have been known to crack or partially collapse due to heat damage. I had this happen on my dedicated JCW racecar. Keep an eye on this, it wont happen straight away, but can develop with prolonged track use. If you want to fix this permanently you can upgrade to metal pistons. This is not unique to the JCW, the brembo 6 pot calipers in the GP2 and BMW 135 have the same problem.

 

Robbo, how does one go about upgrading to metal pistons? This is the first time I hear about this problem. Thanks for sharing.

 

Where do you get your carbotech pads? And I'm also interested in the metal piston upgrade. Might as well just do it right out of the box.

 

http://www.racingbrake.com/category-s/7058.htm

I wonder if any of the vendors here sell a brembo rebuild kit.

 

I have been using Carbotech pads for years on all my race cars, including MINIs. We are one of the largest Carbotech dealers and keep most MINI JCW pads in stock. I would start with a XP10 on the front and XP8 on the rear of your JCW. As you get faster you can move to a XP12 in the front or use our brake cooler kit and keep the XP10s. XP10s are cheaper than XP12s. And yes upgrade to stainless steel brake lines.
http://www.sneed4speed.com/products/...carbotech.html

 

For the XP10 / XP8 combo would you suggest swapping before and after events? Or could you DD with those?

Are the SS lines mandatory? How easy are they to install?

 

You can DD the Xp10s and 8s, they last a long time and stop better than stock pads even when they are cold but do squeak some during light braking. I drive mine all the time. If you are going to swap race to street brake pads between track days then use the Carbotech 1521s on the street and you wont need to rebed the race pads each time you swap them.

 

In regards to rebuilding pistons, I talked to Robbo and he is not sure where his mechanic got them from, plus he is in Australia. I hope racingbrake.com can make some for us.

 

So then with your suggestion it would be:

Track: XP10 Front / XP8 Rear
DD: 1521 Front / XP8 Rear(or switch ti 1521 here too?)

In your experience how many track sessions do you get out of a set of Carbotech XPs?

I'm surprised none of the other vendors have chimed in yet.

 

It really depends on the track but at VIR I get between 32 and 40 sessions on the front pads and triple that on the back. I figured 4 30min sessions a day for 8 to 10 track days.

 

I stick with stock pads until you prove you need otherwise. That way MINI will replace them for you, they don't seem to mind if its more than about 10,000 miles since the last set.

We went several years on stock pads in the 08 (S, not JCW) before the wear became a problem. After that we used EBC Yellowstuff in the JCW for a couple of years.

I'm currently experimenting with EBC Bluestuff (not generally available) or Raybestos ST-43, Porterfield brakes will make them in any shape for you.

Laguna is by far the hardest track on the brakes.

Fluid is whatever GMS flushes with. I've never bothered with stainless lines.

Apart from the brakes and tires, the MINI hardly seems to notice the track use.

 

Awesome. Great info here. Now I just need a VIN and a build date.

 

Hi. Anyone have any luck on a source for the metal pistons? Recently noticed the caliper pistons on my car are crumbling. Might explain the very uneven pad wear.

Thanks,

Jim

 

Got pics?

 

No, no pics. Piston tops are uneven and crumbling.

 

Just got this link from racing brake today:

http://www.racingbrake.com/Save-10-o...p/bb-41bsp.htm

 

Hmmm, doesn't state which MINI this fits so I sent them an email. Thanks for sharing!


Jim

 

This was sent during our email discussion of metal pistons for the JCW 4-piston Brembo front calipers. So it's for the Brembo JCW 4-piston front brake calipers.

 

The JCW brembos are the only 4 piston brake on the whole mini model range, so it can only be that anyway.