I have an 08 MCS. I had hoped the motor in my race car (BMW e30) would be done by now, but it's not. So, I figured I'd do some track days in the Mini. I wouldn't be running these on the street. I'm looking for a good track pad to work with the stock rotors, as I have the extended maintenance/service plan. I'm currently running 205/45/16 Dunlop Direzzas and will probably be moving to 225s after I burn these up. I may move to an R compound, but for now I'll be running the Direzzas.

What are your recommendations for pads and do you recommend the same compound front and rear?

 

Anyone? Anyone?

 

Would it be for track only or both track and street?

 

The only street time these would see is if I get too lazy to swap them out between track days (a few days here and there). Plus a have another car and I walk to work, so think track only.

 

A fellow E30 owner, and a Bostonian, to boot. I'm in Medford and I'll be doing the 4/13 White Mountain BMWCCA event at NHMS. Not sure if the E30 or R53 will be going. The E30's going to be swapped for a Subaru BRZ in May, I hope. But I digress.

I've got Mintex Extreme pads on my E30, and they're what my LeMons team has used for a couple of years on our E30. They've held up very well on the track and have been fine on the street. I walk and take the T, so it doesn't get driven all that much…

They were available from BavAuto on closeout last fall; not sure if they're (a) available for an R56 or (b) available at all.

 

Small world. We may even already know each other. I'll be instructing at the 4/13 White Mountain BMWCCA event at NHMS (bringing the mini) and I drove at the last NHMS Lemons race in an e30 and will be again this year in both Races.

My e30 is Red with a white cage, BMW club racing #6 (Although I lost my number to Eric Heinrich, because I haven't raced in two years - Oh well). I'll be racing both BMWCCA and NASA this year.

In terms of pads I change compounds on the e30 based on the track. At tracks like NHMS and LimeRock I'd use Hawk blues, where at the Glen and Mt. Tremblant I'd use PF97s.

PM me so we can exchange info. I'll see you at the track.

 

HAWK HT60's up front and, depending on how you like the handling, same on the rear or, go a little softer and less expensive back there.

 

Thanks. In your experience, does the stock fluid hold up, or do I need to go to something with a higher boiling point?

 

Check out the EBC Yellows

As for fluid, YES UPGRADE to the Motul brake fluid.

 

I run Castrol SRF in the race car. However, it seems a bit overkill (and expensive) for this application. Motul 600 seems like a good option.

I've never run EBC pads before. I'll look into them.

Thanks for the advice.

 

EBC Yellow Stuff has worked great for me on the track. Much better than the Hawks I previously tried.

 

I started the mini on EBC yellows about 4.5 years ago and found them ok on the track. But I moved to Carbotechs XP10 or XP12 and really like them much better. Superior brake feel/modulation and much better on the rotors.

 

I agree that the Carbtechs are a good choice for the MINI. After trying numberous pads I've settled on the Carbotech HP10 and Prospeed RS 683 fluid. While the car is good for the first few laps, the brakes get soft quickly. In fact they get so hot that the wheel weights fall off (no, the wheel weights were not taped at the time).

The stock Cooper S brakes are simple inadequate for the track. However, I think that ducting should fix the issue. I plan in using the inlets for the fog lights to run the ducting. Then hole saw the baking plates and weld on some tubing to get the air directly to the rotor.

I'll report back after I make the mods. However, this may not be until next season as my focus right now is on the racecar.

 

Yup, those brakes do get real hot. I run Wilwood FSL with 13" rotors and a couple of times I saw smoke rising from the XP12 front pads after extended run sessions at WGI, around 45 minutes. Brakes must have been around 1600-1800 degrees or so. I would not touch the rims or measure the tire pressures as they will burn your hands even after cool down lap and extra cool down driving around the infield area.

Good luck with the race car.

 

I run X-8 rears and X-10 Carbotach track and street. Rotor wear has been excellent. The X-10 are loud on the street. You just deal with it. I do not think I could take X-12's for street and track use. I have the Brembo's on my jcw so a lot more brake. My set up works great unless I stand on them with my Nitto NT01's on. I will start to melt both front and rears. I can shave time running that hard but running 10/10th is not always a good thing. For pure track I would go X-12 all around. I heard Jan was coming out with his own pads. I would most likely give those a shot first.

 

Dump those nitto nt01 and use BFG r1. You will know what I mean once you tried it.

I don't recommend track pads for the street. I change them out.

 

I'm running the direzza star specs on the MINI (its a street car that sees no more than a dozen track days per year) and the BFG R1 on the race car. The direzzas may be the best street tire I've ever run. The BFGs are not as fast as the Hoosiers for the first few laps, but they're far more consistiant from start to finish, plus they wear better. I haven't run the BFG R1 Sprint tires yet, but I've heard that they're as fast if not faster than the Hoosiers.

 

I'm running the direzza star specs on the MINI (it's a street car that see no more than a dozen track days per year) and the BFG R1 on the race car. The direzzas may be the best street tire I've ever run. The BFGs are not as fast as the Hoosiers for the first few laps, but they're far more consistiant from start to finish, plus they wear better. I haven't run the BFG R1 Sprint tires yet, but I've heard that they're as fast if not faster than the Hoosiers.

 

Just finished 2 days at WGI with Dunlop star specs and Carbotech XP10s all around. Great combination for a street MINI on the track. I found this a little better than having the XP8s in the back. That would make the back dance a little under hard braking. No drama with the XP 10s all around, very nice.

The MINI S brakes are fine with the right pad and fluid. However, as the pads wear, the caliper side will wear the fastest and as it gets close to worn out, the heat will melt the rubber dust shields on the pistons. I would put in a new set when the pads have about 1/3 remaining.

BTY - I the Carbotechs on the street but I don't drive much.

 

I have tried both Ferodo 2500 pads, front and rear, and Carbotech XP12 front and XP10 rear. I definitely like the Carbotechs better, stronger bite, wider temp range, easier modulation. For fluid I rotate between ATE Super Blue and either ATE Amber or Motul 600

Installing cooling ducts was also a huge help. I use a kit from MINImania http://new.minimania.com/part/NMB400...52-53-Cooper-s
After the backing plates are installed the rest can be installed at the track in about five minutes per side. The only problem that I have found, and it isn't a serious one, is that steering lock is slightly reduced. A little care is needed when entering or leaving the garage. Once on the track there is no interference.

I have been running Falken Azenis RT-615K tires and find they do well for my auto-x, time trials, relay races, and HPDE track days. The traction at the track does not seem to fall off, even during 30 - 40 minute session in 73 - 78 degree air temperatures, and approx 90+ degree track temps.

 

I concur. Carbo

I tried ferado, and EBC yellows. I did not like either.

 

Do you use the X-12's on the street? How loud are they? X-10's are pretty bad as is but once you have them you hate to go backwards. When I am really standing ont he brakes and braking later into the turns I will start to get some transfer onto the rotors. The fronts are usually worse and I only see a little on the rears with the X-8's. Thinking x-12 fronts and 10's on the rear next time. The JCW has the ducting and the bigger Brembo's so the car has lots of brake and cooling. I did a two day racing class with Phil Wicks in his race car. Phil did a few laps at my request to watch his style behind the wheel. Not sure I cuold ever punish my DD as hard as he pushed his race car. Was just bruttle and man can he down shift,lol. I learned the way to get better times was to stand on the brakes and use everything they can give you. Biggest problem at first was over braking and scrubbing off more speed than required. Had to balance between street and track runing the same pads. Looks like I might be changing pads along with the tires in the future.

 

Don't think of it as standing on the brakes. Its about how smoothly you transfer the weight on and off the brake pedal.

This video of Jackie Stewart explains the concept perfectly!
http://blackcoffee.posterous.com/jac...xplains-monaco

 

I try to change my pads for street and track. I tend to drive to the track and back home on track pads. During my pre/post track maintenance and check, I try to change everything out at home.

Yes those track pads can be pretty noisy when you use them on the street.

 

JS is one of the absolute masters.