Please don't get silly and tell me: "When they don't make the car stop anymore!"

What I'm wondering is: I've taken this bad boy to the track once, and I'm planning on another trip (or two!) plus an AutoX (or two!) before the end of the year. I would hate to get out to the track and do a run in the morning and then discover that my pads or rotors were gone and A) not be able to finish my pricey day at the track and B) be scared for my life driving the multiple hours back home that night.

So are there any easy methods or rules of thumb for determining the remaining lifespan of pads and/or rotors? As many of you already know, I'm not a pro at this by any means--just an aspiring shade tree mechanic, so the less technical and the more idiot proof the techniques to check would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

There are several things you can do. How many miles do you have on your car so far? If less than 5000 then you are likely to have lots of brake pad left. Go and look at your brake shoes. (see Randy's website and see)
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...pic=6934&0

In general before every driving school and track session you might want to check your brakes/ brake shoes for wear. If you have at least half of the pad left then you are generally good to go. How thick is the original? Either get a friend that changed out their shoes to show you theirs or go to the dealership parts dept and ask to see a MINI brake shoe- it is very thick.

When I changed out my stock brake shoes are 6700 miles here is what I found.
Front
Both sides of each front brake shoe was wearing evenly leaving the same amount of brake pad. Each pad was 10.5 mm or roughly 7/16" thick
Rear - the brake shoe with the springs was worn a bit more than the one without. Both sides were the same left and right. One shoe had 9mm (5/16&quotand the other 7mm (1/4&quot left.

Some tips on running track and autocross. Stock brakes are OK for the street but will overheat readily if you use them. So in autocross be careful to use your brakes less rather than more. Use your steering and throttle (up or down) to help you run the course- don't over use or ride your brakes. Upgraded brake shoes will help alot. If you over heat your brakes then you can warp your rotors.

15 to 20 minutes on the track will heat up everything alot- engine and brakes alike- becareful as you pit in the last lap- start to cool down and coast in to a stop (not using your brakes is nice if safe to do so). Roll to a stop and lift up the bonnet. Everything is super hot.

Someday if you don't want to have to be as worried then save up for Powerslot rotors, Ferodo DS 2500 brake shoes front and rear, and better brake fluid (Motul or Super Blue). Changing to Stainless steel brake lines is good but costs more-improves pedal feel. This setup is much better for the track or autocross but not as good for the road/street because the operating temp is hotter for those brake pads than you would normally see with street use.

One option is to have brake shoes for the track and another set for normal street use. I use Mintex Red for street use and I like it. Good stopping and wears good/long with less brake dust than OEM.

Be gentle with those brakes or your might need those nice rotors alot earlier than planned.

 

Thanks, minihune! I'm only at 3,000 miles plus one hour of track time (4 X 15 min. runs), so I don't think I have any big worries at the moment. On the other hand, I'm looking at a potential of about three more hours of track time in the next two months and one autoX. I am well aware of rotor warp potential, as I was warned of it previously and I had no problems with doing slower final runs and basically engine braking until I had it parked in between runs.

I would like to do some sort of "Stage 1" brake upgrade in the next few months (Merry Christmas for me? ) involving Powerslots and Ferrodos or Mintexs. For the short term, I just want to keep an eye on pads and rotors until I need a full change out, at which time I can upgrade at least the pads, and at most the whole 9 yards. For the short term, if I'm feeling a little edgy before trips to the track, I might just pick up those Mintex RedBox. Dang those are cheap!

Unless someone on this site is a pro and can tell me the stock width of the pads, I'm just going to call my service advisor and see if he can clue me in. I'm guessing that I can get a pretty good read on pad thickness by just raising the car and removing the wheels, right? I'm not going to need to actually remove the pads, am I? And all of minihune's points were related to pads. Do I not need to worry about rotors at all (I assume the stock pads will go long before the rotors)?

 

>>Thanks, minihune! I'm only at 3,000 miles plus one hour of track time (4 X 15 min. runs), so I don't think I have any big worries at the moment. On the other hand, I'm looking at a potential of about three more hours of track time in the next two months and one autoX. I am well aware of rotor warp potential, as I was warned of it previously and I had no problems with doing slower final runs and basically engine braking until I had it parked in between runs.

3000 miles is good. You're safe for now. Just inspect them with the wheels off.

>>I would like to do some sort of "Stage 1" brake upgrade in the next few months (Merry Christmas for me? ) involving Powerslots and Ferrodos or Mintexs. For the short term, I just want to keep an eye on pads and rotors until I need a full change out, at which time I can upgrade at least the pads, and at most the whole 9 yards. For the short term, if I'm feeling a little edgy before trips to the track, I might just pick up those Mintex RedBox. Dang those are cheap!

Yes. Merry christmas. Very good stuff. Like a super good seatbelt. Want one item to change first on a budget? Always do the pads!

>>Unless someone on this site is a pro and can tell me the stock width of the pads, I'm just going to call my service advisor and see if he can clue me in. I'm guessing that I can get a pretty good read on pad thickness by just raising the car and removing the wheels, right? I'm not going to need to actually remove the pads, am I? And all of minihune's points were related to pads. Do I not need to worry about rotors at all (I assume the stock pads will go long before the rotors)?

Brake pros? Sure we have brake pros- the tirerack to the rescue.
Read this
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech101.html
And on replacing pads
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/brake_warning.html
Brake pads should typically be replaced when approximately 1/8" to 3/16" of friction material remains on the steel backing plate.
-So in my case if I had left my brake shoes on I could loose another 5/16" on each front pad and another 2/16" on the rear pads. The fronts wear out faster than the rears by about 2:1.

For rotor wear:
Brake rotors should be replaced before their thickness has reached the prescribed “Worn Rotor Minimum Thickness” limit (expressed in millimeters) engraved on the edge of the brake disc.

Plain brake rotors may be turned on a brake lathe to remove scoring and to true the disc surfaces until this minimum thickness has been reached. Drilled and slotted rotors may not be able to be turned and should be replaced if they become scored.

For safety reasons always inspect your brakes/suspension and tires between each track session and before driving home.

On brake upgrades (you don't really need a big brake-shhhhhhhh!)
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/..._upgrades.html

Have fun

 

Thanks so much, minihune! I feel like such a mooch with you doing all of the research that I should have been able to do! Cheers!!!

 

Excellent info minihune!

Pads:
The 50% of pad thickness is good advice. Another rule of thumb is when the pad material is as thick as the backing plate, it's done (for track use). At that point there isn't enough material left to dissipate the heat and the brakes fade very quickly.

Rotors:
Inspect rotors often... they may form "heat check" cracks well before they get below the thickness limit:

The above rotors are actually safe to drive on... but if the cracks start opening up at all... or one goes to the edge, the rotor is done. I got 2 more track days out of the above rotors. Basically, if the rotors aren't cracked nor warped, you're fine (they warp pretty close to when they reach their thickness limit).

Here's a cracked rotor. Do not drive *at all* on a cracked rotor! Not even a few feet.

 

Dreamin-
Pads and rotors- Yes. Great tips. A must do.
Thanks for the pictures. I found a few more.
Brake pads old and new!


Cracked rotor-beware of crossdrilled rotors- prone to stress cracks. Better if the rotor is cast with the holes- not drilled after the fact.



Chitown-
A mooch? Nope, a friend and fellow MCO member!
I did a google search, I found this-

A Mooch and moochette? Soon to start a family with baby moochies?
_________________
ALOHA