mark kibort

stock pads will not be up to the task.. plus, if you are new to the game, you are probably riding the brakes a bit too. post some video and we can make suggestions. but first, get a set of pagid orange 4-4 pads . you cant go wrong there with starting there.

Slakker

When you say 5mm, is that pad and backing or you still had 5mm of pad surface left?

white924s

5mm of pad material is about 50% for 981 brakes - I would guess he's getting down to 5mm of pad material

zedcat

50% in 8 sessions seems like a fairly high wear rate. Hope you still got in a few sessions on Sunday. The blue Cayman GTS in the instructor group was running 1:55s on stock brakes. I think he is getting a couple of PDS weekends out of front pads, so that's a lower wear rate. All that said, going to track/race pads will help. I ran the pagid yellow-f/black-r combo on the Cayman R for awhile with good results. currently running PFC-11 and like them as well.

mglobe

Personally, I would stay with stock rotors, or similar slotted rotors. You really don't need to spend more than what stock rotors cost.

And FYI, there was nothing at all misleading about your original post. You're pads were done in one day. Fact. Even if they had been done in one weekend, it would be unacceptable wear in my opinion.

Slakker

I would hate to think he missed a day because he "only" had 5mm of pad material.

ExMB

Normal DEs are about 4 sessions a day. Doing 8 in a day is a different story. Toast after 4 sessions could indicate a mechanical issue whereas 8 could be driver induced. Thats why I called it misleading when I read his initial post since it didn't clarify, only that he didn't get a 2nd day.

mglobe

ExMB

mark kibort

I agree. however, ill let you in on a little secret I found out 2 years ago. 2 piece rotors will last 2-3 x longer than stock rotors as you start finding the limits of you and the car. AND, surprising to me, the pads last longer too. about 2x as long. I suppose it might have something to do with the aluminum hats to shed heat better and faster. heat is the enemy and the solid rotors don't do a very good job of this compared to a 2 piece rotor. at comparable pricing, its a GREAT upgrade for any level of driving. plus saving 5lb per rotating corner is not a bad thing either.

Berringer

Well I finally got a chance to get online and participate in my own discussion (anybody else find the iphone app unusable) anyhoo... thanks for all the feedback. My concern is that the pads I'm getting since having this problem have been from the same source. For what it's worth, I appreciate and expected the "driving style is the cause" responses, so it might help to know that I have had a variety of strong instructors and coaches, at least 4 of which are very active on this forum. I'm not going to post video for a variety of reasons. I run right at the 2flat /sub 2 minute mark at TWS. (Those 1:55's mentioned before are pretty damn impressive and I'm pissed at myself that I didn't take the opportunity to chat with him).
Another interesting note is that while I have now gone completely through 5 sets of new pads in as many weekends, I have been on the same stock rotors the whole time (about 25 track days) and bet I still have another weekend on them. Changing the ducts is cheap and easy, so I plan to do that in the next couple of weeks.
It's the product (Texstar pad) I was wondering if anyone else had issues with. I'll check back in in a bit,, have to board a flight...

Bill Lehman

A set of pads in one weekend is excessive. Try a set of PFC 08 which is an endurance type compound. If you trash them in a weekend, look for other issues. It won't be rotors.

mark kibort

yep, texar are very soft and will wear out quickly, and are very unforgiving for being over heated. (wear quickly) again, get some PFC-08s like were mentioned or pagid orange RS4-4. I have seen this many times before. guy shows up with the Evo and porsche big red brakes.. tries to keep up with me and my car 100hp down, and comes into the pits complaining of brake failure. cooking the pads. pedal soft, boiling fluid, etc etc. in denial about driving style. he is "so fast" that the car just cant handle his performance..... hmmmm but yet, he is 4 seconds a lap slower...........what gives? it's all in the braking style and techique. later, he cleans it up and everything is fine.... seen this a hundred times!

send me your video link via PM and im sure i can pick up a few things that can help. But yes, that kind of wear , is excessive and even a Textar street pad should last more than a couple of weekends. (with sub optimal performance)

Berringer

Ok, easy big fella! Just so we're clear folks... I'm not in denial about anything. I don't think you saw me post that I don't need, want or appreciate any good coaching I can get. All my best coaches have their egos at the door and I strive to be that way as well and take heart in the fact that that 75% of a DE field has forgotten more about driving than I know.
I mentioned that I currently have a great stable of instructors so no one got the impression that I'm running hot shot solo with my hair on fire and my middle fingers up to the red group. Apparently there must be a lot of that on here because it seems to have soured a few people here and quite frankly it makes posting anything on here way more intimidating than it should be.
Now that we have that out of the way... I can send you aim data, video, gps tracking of my line, what ever you would take if I thought you could make me better (and I'm positive that you could). I would love that actually! I'm just not interested in the **** show that follows posting a video. I'll PM later this week...and thanks.

linzman

Unfortunately, it's hard to avoid the stih show around here, but most people genuinely want to help. As you start getting faster, street pads become inadequate. They just can't tolerate the constant heat buildup and the material wears quickly, or even begins to chunk off. Yes, technique can overcome that a little, but not much. At some point you will need to upgrade your brake pads and/or improve brake cooling.

As far as the less braking comments, it comes with time. But you can't defeat physics. It takes a certain amount of braking to slow from 150 to 50 for that tight 90 degree turn. Part of the technique is learning to modulate the brake and gas pedal to keep maximum contact with all 4 tires on the road at turn in, keeping the car balanced and thus being able to carry a little more speed through the turn. How much less braking? In this case, not that much, it might mean being able to go 52 vs 50 MPH into the turn, but you still have to slow from 150. But through the big sweepers, you may find that you can brake a whole lot less if you can do it without upsetting the car, again maximizing the contact patches, and letting the car do the work instead of fighting the car through the turn. By not stabbing the brake pedal, and avoiding the nose diving on brake application and the opposite as you get off the brake, you will be able to carry more speed, and thus have to brake less. Smoothness.