Warning: noob alert

So I track my daily driver, bone stock '03 Touring about every 2-3 months at Homestead and of course the OEM brakes suck massively. I've changed the fluid to Motul 600 and put in SS lines already to keep the pedal firm. Now I've been doing some research and thinking about the best course of action for future sessions.

Should I just buy cheap Centric Premium rotors with aggressive Carbotech pads (or similar) and switch them out the day before? Then change back to standard StopTech slotted (or similar) with low noise, low dust street pads afterwards? My brother used to track his 'Vette and this is what most guys on his forum recommended since they considered pads/rotors basically "consumables" like fluid.

Is it worth running using upgraded rotors (DBA T3s seem reasonable) with race pads or are the pads just going convert any rotor into dust after a year (4 to 5 full track days)? What wears faster - the pads or the rotors? How long should I expect either to last? Clearly with pads its all about temperature, bite and release, so it makes to put money into them instead of rotors. Are the rotors mostly about looks (bling)?

Once again sorry for the noob questions but like most folks I'm trying to stretch my $$$ and don't want to waste resources on shiny brand X parts that do the same thing as generic parts. From what I've read you can't really compromise between street and track applications - its either one or the other, which makes sense. I'm not hard core enough to drop big coin into BBK upgrades for a daily driver that see limited track time. However on the track I need to be safe and braking confidence is pretty critical.

 

Centric premiums will be more than sufficient for you. Dont go too brake crazy until you have mastered what braking performance you can gain from some good pads.

You can swap back and fourth, if you prefer. No problem there.

 

2nd that, Centric rotors are very good quality and will serve you well. I have two sets of rotors, one for Carbotech pads and one for street pads. Carbotech will tell you not to run their pads on the same rotors that you run other pads on.

From their website:
2. Do I have to resurface (turn) the rotors, or get new rotors?
If you have had another manufacturers brake pads on those same rotors; then you will ABSOLUTELY have to replace or resurface (turn) those rotors before installing the Carbotech brake pads.

http://www.ctbrakes.com/faqs.asp#bedding2

 

I understand the bedding process and not to mix pad materials, so I would have two sets of rotors.

Thus basically your saying the pads make a bigger difference then the rotors and thus "cheap" rotors are fine on the track.

 

fwiw, i'm still using my oem rotors with my second set of carbo xp10. My oem rotors are still within oem spec. I've never changed back to normal street pads once i went with Carbo. I don't DD my car, but I do drive it to and from the track.

 

Good info thanks. The '06 have larger OEM rotors right? but they are heavier so I guess it all equals out.

My plan was to change pads/rotors the day before and drive to/from the track on the race setup. Not sure there is enough time after the drivers meeting and before the session starts to sway out pads and rotors on all four corners unless someone is helping me.

 

don't put hp track pads on unless you want tons of squeal and noise.... I did this there about worn out and I will go ceramic...don't get me wrong the pads will make you loose your lunch but not worth the noise like a train on the brakes

 

"Stoptech slot rotor made from Centric Premium rotors, benefits are remove pad dust & help initial bite" I was told by Stoptech staff at expo

 

Direct from their website:

Every StopTech® Sport Rotor is produced from a high quality Centric Parts® blank casting and finished in a durable e-coating for corrosion resistance.

http://www.stoptech.com/products/rot...h-sport-rotors

 

Yeah StopTech is just adding the slots or holes, both of which actually weakens the brakes based on what I've read:

https://my350z.com/forum/autocross-r...-high-end.html

https://my350z.com/forum/autocross-r...ay-rotors.html

https://my350z.com/forum/autocross-r...ot-rotors.html

My main idea was having TWO complete sets of brakes: one for the street with slotted rotors (just for looks and having them stay clean) and one for the track with solid rotors and more aggressive pads like the Carbotechs that everyone here seems to LOVE so much I hope this would allow both sets to last a LONG time. Trying to get street and track use out of the same rotors (or pads) doesn't seem like a good long term plan

I've got slotted rotors on my truck (Dodge Dakota) and they do seem to hold up in the Florida heat while towing my boat. Granted in FL we don't have hills, but I was fighting warping rotors and fading brakes in traffic. Not sure why but people seems to have a nasty habit of passing my rig and slowing down quickly in front of me. Don't they realize with the extra weight of the boat I need MORE stopping distance?

 

For those using centric premiums and carbotech pads. How many times do you change rotors compared to pads? 1 set of rotors per 2 set of pads? more/less?

 

I just bought this so i cant comment on the longevity, but I heard good things about carbotech pads being kind to rotors. As opposed to the track only HP pads. Im using carb xp10's F and xp8's R

 

Believe it or not running aggressive pads like the carbotech XP10 actually make dedicated rotors last longer. What they do is allow shorter braking times so less heat is generated. As far as rotors go, you just wanted interior into the rotors. Anything with slots or holes were drilled as such and not cast. This causes micro cracks in the rotor itself and as they do several heat cycles they will expand into larger ones that will cause rotor failure.

I have found over the years that having dedicated street pads in a separate set of dedicated trackpad actually become cheaper option as each set of pads last significantly longer if you use them instead of hybrid or aggressive street pads

 

I switched to the Centric Premium rotors about 1.5 years ago. I start the new "season" with new rotors.
I run between 20-30 track days a year (HPDE and TT)
Rears made all of last season. Changed Fronts 1/2 way through the season due to heat cracks ( or whatever the technical term is)

XP12's up front, XP10's in the rear. I do have brake ducts for cooling --which made a major difference in longevity of pads and rotors. The car is driven on the street a few times a month.

 

mhoward1 & 91rs13 - great information, that's what I was looking - confirmation that I am on the right path getting brakes duct on the car sounds like my next project.

 

I run Raybestos ST45 F/R with $60 pep boy rotors.

 

Looks like you are getting good advice here.

One issue to consider: you can easily over power your tires with racing brake pads. XP12 can easily cause you to go into ABS lockup on street tires. (even cold R-compounds).

So match your pad compound to your tires... i.e. street tires need less "bite" that R compounds.

So consider using XP8 or XP10 or similar pads with street tires...

BTW: I love Carbotech pads...can't go wrong with the.

 

+1 carbotech.

I run carbotech xp10 front and xp8 rear and love them.

 

I've run the Carbotech XP 10/8 combo for about 12 events with street tires. Love the pads. I use cheap Centric rotors as well. I've never had a rotor failure but one set did get a lot of micro cracks.

I agree with the two set approach. I change pads and rotors for every event. I've left the Carbotechs on for daily driving and they work fine but I get tired of the dust and noise. (The dust is not corrosive but there is a lot of it.)

I recently got RS-3 tires and the performance difference over high performance summer tires is huge and wonder if an XP 12/10 would better but will stick with the 10/8s for now.

 

I have the stock Brembo brakes, run Dunlop Star Specs 275 tires, and had ran XP10/8 for 3 track days. I was pleased with them but had a lot of noise and a little vibration near the end of my sessions. I suspected I was overheating the pads so I thought I would try XP12/10. On cold tires on a 40°F morning the brakes can easily over power the tires, however once I got some heat in the tires it was very manageable (this was first impressions when I bedded them in). This weekend I did 2 full days 4 sessions x 30 minutes each day with the XP12/10 setup and it worked fantastic. The XP12/10 is not too much pad at all for sticky street tires like the Star Specs or similar in my opinion.