Wired 24/7

iTrader: (2)

Regarding the recent Buttonwillow Excursion, (Socal), and some of the purchases I have made leading up to said event:

I took the recommendations of quite a few people on these forums when deciding on not only my tires, BF Goodrich KDW-NT (KDW2), but also the overwhelming recommendation of the Hawk HPS pads, as well as the generally good reviews of Hotchkis springs and sways.

After my first track event, all I can say is I couldn't've asked for sticker tires, better brake pads, or more anti-roll stability.

(As a side note, I just want to say that, while Iris has a pretty much stock Z (I think??), and given that she was really eating up the track, I don't think you really *need* any of this stuff for a beginner track day like today's. That having been said, I could certainly feel the difference the good equipment made.)

The hotchkis kit is very well balanced. I have the sways on the medium settings and I feel that my steering was as close to neutral as I could've asked for. The springs are pretty close to stock in terms of spring rate, so I don't notice much except for the effect of the sways.

The Hawk pads are really made for higher-than-street temps, that's why they did pretty well on the track. On the street, I actually get nervous that the hawk pads won't even stop the car because they're too cold, and they feel weak.

But on the track, they got nice and grippy, and they were really reliable. I strongly doubt anyone with a NA car would really need a BBK if you just get good pads. Not that Hawk HPS is the be-all and end-all for track pads, obviously there are such things as HP+ and higher temp pads. But on a cold day like today, the HPS were perfect.

The BFG tires, what can I say... they were amazing. Reliable. Predictable. They held up amazingly well even screetching through a few turns. Thank you everyone for your recommendations.

For my next track event, I definitely plan on getting some more upgrades, SS lines and higher temp brake fluid at least.

Oh yeah, got a few comments from random guys there about my rims too. , in particular from this guy with a friggin beast of an Acura RSX-S with a TSX motor and supercharger, lots of custom fabrication, some kind of cams, lots of misc. work done (and he STILL managed to boil his brake fluid in the 50F weather).


Frankly, at first I was kind of disappointed with the performance of the 19" rims, but that is on the street where the car feels kinda slow due to the increased rotational inertia of the bigger wheels.

After this event, I'm actually REALLY satisfied with my purchase and I think if not for that wider wheel / rubber, I would've eaten the dirt a few times for sure. I made through the day without any incidents though! :knock on wood:

1nate7

iTrader: (19)

It sounds like you had a lot of fun. I would not recommend HPS pads for track use though, although it appears you didn't have any issues. IMHO, the only thing the HPS pads have going for them is low dust and cost.

jimster716

iTrader: (3)

After a few more track events and practice you'll be braking later and harder as you build confidence in yourself and your car. In this regard, I would respectfully disagree with you on the suitability of the OEM brakes. I've cooked pads and forget about having a full day of solid runs...the last time I think I may have spent the last half of the day compensating for horrible brakes. I did what I had to do, I bought a BBK. Glad you had fun. See ya on the track!

Wired 24/7

iTrader: (2)

You're probably right, I was just speaking generally from a beginner's point of view.

Wired 24/7

iTrader: (2)

Just curious, what kind of pads do you prefer for track use? I'm always open to suggestions.

jimster716

iTrader: (3)

If I can jump in here, I would recommend the Porterfield R4S - very good streetability and nice track performance (the pads I cooked weren't these and I wish I wouldve just kept my old R4S pads). Not many people use this pad for some reason. If you can sacrifice a bit of streetability the R4 (not the R4S) pad is great (needs to get up to temp). Porterfields tend to be a bit on the pricier side but not because they're the latest gotta-have JDM thing.

knight_white99

iTrader: (5)

As jimster said, definitely have to agree with the BBK. The first time I tracked my Z, I came into the pits and smoke was pouring off the brakes, front and rear. The stock rear pads were TOTALLY GONE. And I had boiled the fluid. No way the stock (non-brembo) brakes are up to any serious track work, no matter what pads you use.

That said, welcome to the track! Once you get some more experience and build confidence and speed, you're braking needs will increase. See what you think after a few more track days.