Tracking my FC, what brake rotors?
 

so, i just started doing some track days. lots of fun.
the only issue i had was some decent (very heavy) brake fade.
so, i ordered up a set of hawk HP+ pads, but im trying to figure out which rotors to go with.
the car is daily driven only to the events, track time, back home, and thats about it.
so, im trying to decide between the powerslot cyro rotors, or the brembo blanks, or anything else i havent heard of yet.
what do people who track there cars use?
remember, its not a hard core race car, but it is used 75% of the time on the track.

Stock rotors are fine. We buy ones from NAPA for two different E Production race cars. Good pads are the first step, the HP's should be OK for a little track use. They will be a lot better than regular pads. If you like the Hawk products a set of Blues that you put on just for track days will be a HUGE improvment.

+1. Stock rotors and swap in a set of Hawk Blue's or HT10's for your track day (make sure to swap them back out afterwards, they eat rotors, are loud, and need high temps to operate properly).

does hawk make a set that are good for daily driving?

I use the Hawk HPS on my 323 GTX. I like the pedal feel and they pull the car down from speed pretty quickly with out fade. Dust is tolerable, I have these 5 spoke wheels with all kinds of grooves(man they were awesome in 1990!!) that are a PITA to keep clean so that was one of my selling points.

I also use Hawk HPS on my (non-track) FD. I like them. HP+'s are "streetable", but they will squeal and dust heavily. I have run the HP+ as a track pad and they were fine. I did manage to fade them once at an HPDE but this was a) on a track that was very hard on brakes, and b) we were double stinting the car (two drivers in back-to-back sessions) so the brakes were getting quite a workout.

I now run Hawk Blues on my FC, but this is a track only vehicle and it has good sticky tires (Toyo RA1s) that can take advantage of the pads. Blues should never be run on the street - they will eat your rotors and never get up to temp so th stopping power is actually less that a set of normal street pads.

Of course whenever you change your pads for the track you should also be bleeding your brakes and getting all that old fluid out of your calipers. Having good fresh fluid is the system goes hand-in-hand with having the proper brake pad.

Good luck,

-bill

wow. thanks for the really great anwsers everyone.
the race car section seems to consist of a lot more intelligent people, lol.

anyway, i went ahead and ordered the brembo blanks. im glad i surveyed some people in here first, because i feel a lot better getting those, at $90 shipped, as opposed to the powerslots, at $290 shipped.
they should be here on wednesday, so ill get them and the pads in, and see what i think (and report back with findings!)
thanks for the help guys!

Hands down the best street/track compromise pads I've ever tried are Project MU or Ferrodo DS2500

not car related, but i ran hawk HP+ on my wrx wagon daily. while at first they were loud they actually got alot quieter the more events i put on them.

HP+ will go on my FD, i think they are great street and track pad, but i love the release and grab of a track pad.
I run hawks on my formula mazda as well.
However, the ITA miata gets carbotechs.

I just use cheapest rotors.
most important thing is NOT to get drilled rotors.

HP plus a a more of a street pads. Get some real race pads for track. Spec Miata crowds love carbotech.

at 315whp, i cook HP+'s in a couple laps. They might be ok with ducting and no more power, but its iffy. definately a compromise pad. they're probably best left to NA guys, if that.

http://store.revolutionbrake.com/marx7genii5l.html

Cheapest package I've found so far.
Not pads per say but an improvement none the less.

That is a nice deal indeed!

I'm considering this rotor upgrade for the front...
http://roninspeedworks.squarespace.c...le-big-brakes/

...and these for the rear...
http://www.corksport.com/corksport-r...grade-kit.html

and just getting some upgraded pads

I know you already bought pads, but I would've recommended EBC Yellow Stuff. Stock rotors are fine too there is plenty more surface to surface contact than with cross drilled and slotted or any other pretty rotor. If you're worried about cooling run some ducting to your brakes but I don't think it should be an issue. Have fun at the track!

I just saw that Ronin wing on their site... :blush: wow. Now if only it were 1/2 the price

Light track duty with street rubber:

Blue's or HT-10s in front (swap them out for HPS pads at the end of the day).

HP+ in the rear, no swapping.

I personally prefer the HT-10s because the dust is not NEARLY as corrosive and they are slightly easier on rotors, especially at low temp.

Once you graduate to race tires. DTC-60 hands down. Then either stay with whatever in the rear or go DTC-30 for brake balance, the FC is a bit too rear bias from the factory.

I've used carbotechs in 2 previous track cars and found them to be great. I have already ordered a set for the FD but haven't ran them yet. Ultimately you're going to need a set of track only brake pads and street pads.

Have you upgraded fluid?

haha, a bunch of replies in the last 4 years.
I suppose the last I posted, I said I would report back with findings. I've since ran numerous pads, rotors, and types of fluid, with both my FC and FD.
I prefer the blank rotors, although the powerslot are nice as well, and I didn't notice much of a difference, so I'll stick with whatever is cheaper (just so happened that last brake change, the powerslots were VERY cheap, so I tried them out)
Pads: I liked the HP+ very much, also tried the HPS, didn't care for them as much. 4 years later, and I honestly still haven't tried the hawk blues yet.
Fluid: A few kinds. first, prestone dot4. worked fine, very inexpensive. next, brakebest dot4. worked okay. noticed a little fade late in the day, but still better than my first round 4 years ago. Lastly: ATP blue and amber. its cheap enough to justify, buying, and you can still change it after every track day and not feel like you've wasted money. I can't imagine someone on a budget paying for castrol srf.

Lastly: one other BIG improvement was the addition of titanium backing shims. these seriously helped! I was surprised at the difference. I can't remember where I got them (it was, after all, 4 years ago) but they really helped fight brake fade.
just some (hopefully) helpful tips for someone on a budget after 4 years of trial.

+1 on the Carbotech's... we ran them on a 3300+ (yes, 3300 lbs - obviously not our 84 GSL-SE) and they are phenomenal. Had them ducted fairly well too.

Carbotech's tech support is superb too - you actually talk to employees (usually one of the owners) who actually race and provide great feedback...

Anyone know where to find a full big brake kit for the FC? Front and rear?

You will find that the faster you go and more brake you use, heat will be your #1 enemy. The mass of the rotor takes some of that heat away, and the more air you pass over the brakes/rotors, the better, so duct air to them. To avoid fade, buy a good brake fluid with a high wet boiling point, I use ATE blue and gold alternatively. Now brake pads, you want a pad that has a large heat range. An overheated pad will wear down too fast, and feel mushy. An aggressive pad will not be rot rotor friendly and dust much like hawks blue, and not be able to modulate. these pads would be on or off! and not much in between. if you buy expensive rotors, you would buy rotor friendly pads. If you don't mind work, buy cheap rotors and aggressive pads(Hawk blues)...... you will change rotors and pads frequently, dust and ruin the wheels, and brake on a dime. I found Porterfield pads tp be a good race pad with a high temp operating range, rotor friendly, low dust, easy to modulate ( like not over brake), and non squealing on the street or track. I use these pads all year round.
Brakes are over rated anyway......... the more experienced you get, the less you use the brakes. Brakes are not for stopping, but just to adjust the speed of the car to negotiate the next turn.