So I have been posting around here for advise on cool air for my brakes, things like ducting and cutting the dust shields. Well I had two track days, I went to my first day with brand new rear pads nicely bedded (Hawk HP+) and about 70% pads on the front (Hawk HP+).

This was the second event of my career. It was on the same track so I could do more learning. The first session was great, 20 minutes, braking harder for less time to prevent draging and overheating the brakes. The next was a 1 hour session, we agreed with my instructor we would run or about 20 mins come back let the brakes cool, talk for a bit and go back out. I was son consentrated and so was my instructor that about 10 mins before the session was over we noticed we hadn't stopped.

I guess if I had more experience I would have known better than to not check the brakes. The problems began to show during the next session. after about 5 minutes as I was still braking hard my brakes fadded a little, and the brake pedal went to the floor for about a minute, but Iwas bale to stop for the turn. I thought it was some fade so I kept going. I reralized there was a problem when my brake light turned on, so we went to pits, and as I started going slow I heard a terrible noice while braking.

I didnt complete my full day. I got home to inspect my brakes. The rear pads where gone. And the rest I let the pictures do the talking. Needless to say I couldnt attend my second day.

Front inner pad + bent + welded piston!!


Front outter pad + crack


Rear inner pad + bent




Rear inner mettal shimmy (or whatever is called) + bent


Front rotor inside side + pad residue + metal scrape (thanks to no pad and powerfull piston power)


More on the Front pad:

 

Wow, I didn't think your brakes were that bad. Good thing you replaced them...lol

 

Lol, yeah pretty bad. Thanks to your brakes I can drive my car until I get enough $$$ to buy a BBK.

 

Yet another example of why its important to PAY ATTENTION to the car when at a track. You car was telling you about this problem for lap after lap and I'm really surprised your instructor didn't notice and have you pull into the pits to check things out.

Once you take a car on to a race track, its needs constant attention and inspection. At a minimum you should:

1. Slow down on the cool down lap and check the steering, brakes, and handling. Go into every gear. Pay attention to how the car feels and sounds.

2. Jack the car up, pull off each wheel/tire, and check the brakes and suspension after each session. Check each tire for cuts, punctures, and cord.

3. Open the hood and check all the fluids, belts, and hoses and give the engine compartment a good going over after each session.

 

Were you properly using ur brakes? Holding the brakes is possibly the worst thing. However, I can't blame you. Even though I dont do HDPE or any high speed road course, when I took off my brake pad off my stock rear piston, I noticed that there was a small amount of fluid leak past the gaskets on the piston. ****ty brakes if you ask me. I can't wait to get a BBK for this car. Its my next endeavor.

 

Yep, I guess you live and you learn. But as the car started showing signs the instructor and I noticed there was something wrong, and we pulled out. Nothing happened before that would have given me a sign that there was something wrong.

I still believe that even if I had sone 20 minute sessions the brekes would have had somewhat the same issue. I believe the stock brakes dont discipate heat very well.

 

time to invest on some big brake kits. crazy pics

 

Which track was that at ? and what tires were you using ?

 

Homestead Speedway. I was using Khumo Ecsta MX.

Here is a diagram of the track:

 

Yeah, that track looks like it's a brake-eater...

 

Defenetly, turn 6 and turn 8 the car reaches between 100-120 if not more, then you better stop.

 

You are lucky to have made it home safe.
Unfortunately it's not going to be cheap to get a BBK.
I recently got front OE Brembo's but I still have the OE rears to worry about.

 

How hard were you pressing on the pedal?? You may not have realised that your brakes were fading and just kept pressing harder and harder, putting even more heat into them and bending the backing plate. I have bent the backing plates because of this in the past. I had fade but did not realise it until after because it was the first time that I had ever experienced fade.

Had you used a race pad instead of HP+ and not ran more than 25mins, this might not have happened.

 

I was pressing hard on the peddal, so that I would not drag the brakes as much, and instead brake later but harder.

I probably did get some fade, and probably race pads would be better.

 

+1 for both the front and rear BBK it will atleast run you 5K.

 

Wow Nicolay, that is madness...i'm happy to hear you made it out safely!!

What are you doing for brakes in the meantime? Or are you not driving her at all?

 

Yep thank God nothing happened, I wa surprissed on how well the brakes did after the damage they took.

I bought Jeff's stock brakes, including calipers and rotors. So I will attend the Auto-x event this Sunday. Are you going?

 

When you removed the wheels and saw that, did you wet your pants ?
I would have...

 

There are some misconceptions about the performance capabilities of Hawk HP+ pads. You are hardly the first person to use them on a race track and find out they aren't up to the task. Too bad you found out the hard way. That was an expensive lesson learned! If you are in the market for another set of OEM rotors and calipers, I have my old ones- The fronts need to be serviced, but you can PM me if you can't budget some good brakes yet. Otherwise, Fastbrakes has a pretty inexpensive Wilwood 4 piston setup. That track looks brutal for brakes. How were the tires on the track?

 

Glad to hear you are rolling again...I will be at the autoX this Sunday. I missed the PCA event last weekend cause I was just too exhausted to go. Looking forward to it...we need to catch up.