track event virgin/esp.Brakes

[Kaklikian, Gary]

On Mon, 22 Jan 2001 18:49:12 "Chris Dyer" <chrisdyer at hotmail.com> writes:
>Hoping to do my first track event in Las Vegas in March. Car is a 
>daily 
>driven '87 5kcstq w/much fixed/replaced since my ownership. Track 
>event is 
>simply driving w/a pro, learning you & your car's limits on the track. 
>I 
>hope to do this every other month. Keep in mind this isn't "racing", 
>but is 
>driving to the "limits" over a 1 or 2 day period. (I sometimes feel 
>that 
>driving in L.A. is already over the limit...)
>
>Looking to you racers/autoxers for advice:
>
>1. pre-"race" I plan on brake inspection & bleed w/pentosin dot 4. I 
>have 
>powerdisk fr. & stock rr disks, oem pads. I was thinking of trying a 
>different pads. Keep in mind this is also my daily driver. 
>Suggestions/avoidances/BTDT's on non-oem pads for combined use.

I think poor brakes has to be the bane of most production cars used on the
track.
Don't we all wish we had Big Reds? --- well I don't either, so IMO:

-Bleed the brakes with fresh Dot 4, like ATE Super Blue.
-Use an aggressive street pad, but not a race pad. Race pads will work well
initially, but will generate a lot of heat in the caliper and fluid,
resulting in fade. Plus, they will wear very rapidly and possibly score or
cause surface cracks on the rotors. 
You might want to try the Porterfield 4S or Performance Friction Z-rated
pads.
-Installing cheap cooling ducts for the front brakes, like homemade ones
using dryer ducting, will really help.
-If you insist on using race pads in the future, get a set of
cryogenically-treated rotors (ideally slotted or powerdisks).  I destroyed a
set of nearly new stock rotors with Hawk race pads in less than an hour of
track use last year.  The cryo-treated rotors are much more durable, thought
the choice of pad compound is still important. I really like the Performance
Friction race pads, esp. the 90 compound. 

And, of course, the more obvious:
-Concentrate on cornering lines and fast exits, rather than late hard
braking, particularly if the brakes start to fade. 
-Let the brakes (and everything else) cool for a lap or two before coming
off the track. Do not apply the parking brake in the pits.
-Take a spare set of front pads, and possibly rotors, if you're attending a
multi-day event.
-Have fun - it's addictive!

Gary Kaklikian
86 4ktq 
92 S4