Looking for the best pads possible (that we can reasonably afford) for our 24 Hours of LeMons FD. Currently we are running Hawk HP + and they are good, but not great.

Also, what are good allignment settings for a road course FD? What are some good, relatively inexpensive tools we can use to allign it ourselves?

We were running out of time before the last race and since the wheels were all obviously pointing different directions, we just took it to NTB and put a "stock" allignment on it. Car tended to understeer a lot and push its way through the corners instead of turning through them.

We had lots of brake problems with the car at the last race and did a hasty ABS pump removal (it was a fire damaged car so the ABS pump was inop anyway). Turned out, it was the master cylinder that would not let the brakes release. After making the best master cylinder we could out of two bad ones, we were able to get some OK braking action but the rears tended to lock up. Plan for the next race is to get a new master cylinder.

Car set the fastest lap of the race but finished way down in the standings due to a thirsty engine / frequent fillups, and troublesome brakes.

I think we can do a lot better just making the car handle better and stop correctly.

 

EBC Yellows or Blues.

Start with the yellows. If you still don't like the life you get swap up to the blues. Blues are a true track pad and need some heat in them to work properly. The yellows are track capable but still useable when cold.

One thing about the yellows. Since they are full organic they should only be used on a clean rotor or a rotor previously used with a 100% organic pad.

 

A LeMons FD...... Sad

Hawk DTC60 or 70 up front and 60 or 30 rear w/ a brake bias adjuster. Also Raybestos or Porterfields could work. Porterfield makes the R4E endurance pad iirc.

 

A LeMons FD isn't sad really.... we gave a crusher bound car a shot at the track!

Price and wear are options too. We need pads that last, yet are fade resistant.

 

For brakes you definitely need to ditch the HP+. DTC-60s are great, but I'm doubtful they'll last an entire 24 hours without needing replacements at least on the front. I ran EBC Yellows on my M3 and they take the heat and last a long time, but I hated the feel, felt like bricks with an on/off switch and nothing else.

What are you running for suspension, wheels, and tires?

 

I'd recommend PFC 97s

If they don't make the rears go with a similar endurance pad out back or hawk blacks.

Alignment:
F 2 camber
5.5 caster
toe 1/16 total

R 1.8 camber
toe 0

 

Can I get an inexpensive gauge or ? to do the allignment myself? Where would I get the tool if there is one?

I'm not sure if we got the 90 day allignment at NTB or what. Maybe if I'm cool and come in late, they will adjust to my specs. They told me they are only allowed to allign to stock specs, but maybe I can toss the guy some cash on the side.

I've looked into some of the other pads metioned above and looks like the Hawks are the most reasonably priced. Other than the EBC's, they seem the easiest to find everywhere. Tire Rack has:
Hawk Blue Track Only
Hawk Black Track Only
Hawk HT10 Track Only
Hawk DTC60 Track Only
Brakes for 1993 Mazda RX-7

Of course, there is no real way to compare them except price. We are some cheap bastards and don't want to spend extra money if the difference is negligible.

We have stock FD wheels with Star Spec ZII 225/50/16 tires. They have one race on them.
Car has Eibach Pro Kit springs that came on the car. It has stock struts but the fronts are leaking badly - we think the heat from the fire damaged them. We have another used stock set to install already acquired.

 

I'd go blue front and black back for safe consistent braking

For alignment you can get those camber things: Caster/Camber Gauges - SmartCamber Caster Camber Tool

And use strings for the toe.

 

Personally I hate the blues. I'd go DTC 60s. They feel less binary than the blues and easier to drive IMO.

Try and do some ducting for the front pads.

 

The only driveable pads from hawk are the DTCs.

I have fallen in love with Cobalts recently...

 

They are proud of the DTC-60's! I'm now thinking this is what we will get but it will be a hard sell to a team of guys who would just throw Autozone pads on the car - if I'd let them.

 

we went from hawk to cobalt to PFC, and PFC is just better.

 

Go talk to Texas Track Works. They have a year long alignment program with multiple visits for one price.

 

93-95 Racing Brake Pads

R4-E's. They're not cheap, but the current set on our Lemons FC is on its fourth set of rotors and still going strong.

Also, you'd be surprised at how accurate the string and level DIY method for camber and toe is.

 

^^^ Yeah, there is no damn way I'm gonna get the team to spring for that amount of cash for brake pads - on a LeMons Car.

We have 330+ hp at the wheels. May be time to install the air brake from our FC on the FD. I have it in my parts room still.

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