I went to a track event at Buttonwillow this weekend, we just missed the rain. I had such a good time showing about 100 other drivers what these awesome cars are capable of. I had a 350Z and Carrera right behind me and they thought that a MINI would be safe to follow. I looked in my mirror out of a turn and they had both lost control and slid off the track. Few things are more rewarding than seeing an $75,000 car and a driver who thinks he's 'all that' loose it. Anyways, can you guys please take a look at the pics below and tell me what would cause this. The pads are Ferodo DS2500, they have hardly been used. This is the second track day on them, the first day it rained so they didn't get used very hard, but at Buttonwillow I was quite hard on them. It looks like the pads are chunking. Are they deffective, is it becuase they over-heated? Also, the rotors look funny. Looking at the right half of the rotor it is easy to see that they have some odd markings. Is this anything to worry about? The pads worked quite well, I hardly noticed any fade so that's why I thought it might be something other than them being cooked.

 

Yes, pad transfer and excessive heat.
You are at the limit of the parts in use is about all that can be said.

 

I thought the same thing, heat . It looks like rotors are warpped. YOU must of had a BLAST!

 

Maybe you didn't break them in correctly. You probabaly are hitting the brakes too late in the corner before the turn so the pads are heating up too quickly. You must have had fun though!!!!

 

Did you change the rotors when you put those pads in? It may be the photo, but your rotors look like there is quite an edge worn in. If they were used rotors, maybe the pads couldn't bed in right.

 

I did smell burning brakes while on the track but I was hoping that it wasn't me. Looks like I will be getting some slotted rotors and new pads before the next event. I wish I could justify the expense of a BBK and wheels to fit around it.

 

This willhelp maintain alligment and even forces.....

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...php?product=74

but it lookslike your into some upgrade.......

Matt

 

Try a set of Powerslot Cryo Rotors, and Hawk HP+ pads for very efficent track braking. HPS's work awsome and the street, and will work on the same rotor and transfer film.

Alex

 

What wheels and tires are you running? Lighter will be easier on the brakes. Are you "riding" the brakes? That is, slowly applying them? That causes more heat then if you apply more force more quickly. Road racers can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Nope, no riding the brakes. Somewhere between easing on and slamming. But I was riding them pretty hard, engaged the ABS several times. Wheels and tires: S-lites with the pirelli run flats. Those power slot cryos are looking good, same with the Hawk pads. Would those, in combination, prevent fade and burning. If I was braking hard enough to burn up the Ferodo DS 2500's and cause transfer to the rotor would the new rotors/pads be enough? I don't want to keep replacing and slowly upgrading until I finally have a BBK. Seems like a waste, if the only thing that would work is a BBK then I might as well get that right away. Does that make any sense? Thanks for the advise guys, keep it coming.

 

Concider a brake cooling system like the ones detailed here. A home grown cooling system can make a world of diffrence, without breaking the bank.

Alex

 

You also have to consider your brake fluid. If it gets hot enough, it will boil. When it boils, vapor will be introduced into the lines, and you'll experience massive fade. Running with the stock calipers, lines, and fluid might work once or twice for a serious track day, but I wouldn't do it very often.

I think you're going to find yourself band-aiding the situation if you plan to track the car often.

As for riding the brakes generating more heat than slamming them: you're still transferring the same amount of kinetic energy to heat, whether you decelerate quickly from 60 - 0 or slowly from 60 - 0. When you ride them, though, they don't have an opportunity to cool-down. I would think (without any solid physics training), though, that slamming the brakes and quickly generating heat would be worse over time, as it could cause increased stress on the metal parts.

You can leave something outside in the elements for years, letting it heat up slowly and cool slowly with ambient temperatures, and it will slowly degrade. If you take that same something and put it in the microwave over and over, it will probably degrade much more quickly (especially if it's metal ).

Physicists? Bueller?

I can say, without a doubt, that my BBK significantly outperforms the stock brakes, and does so over and over again. I've never experienced an ounce of fade, and the aluminum calipers keep things nice and cool.

 

I think the "real racers" would say you "squeeze" the brakes, not slam or ride.

Not to hijack the thread, but what did your runflats look like after that? My guess is brakes are not the only thing you will be replacing.

Dave
Sunny San Diego
2003 DS/B MCS, 15% RO_JA's and AVS's, no brake changes, just painted the calipers

 

Actually they aren't too bad. The tread is now nice and rounded in most areas, rather than squared at 90 deg angles. I am at almost 10k miles and have done 1 DE plus one in the rain that hardly counts. I have a lot more tread than I would like, I look forward to replacements.