Brake setup question
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: SF East Bay, CA
Brake setup question
Alright, here it goes: I'll be taking my 993 to Thunderhill for 2 track days in August. I've got previous DE experience with BMWs but not in this car. The car has stock brakes (OEM pads). I also plan to run street tires for now. I am worried about the heat in the brakes and also the stock pads possibly not lasting 2 full track days. I also would like to do 3-4 track days a year, although this could change over time 
I plan to change the brake fluid before the event, so here are the questions:
1. Castrol SRF vs ATE? I'm favoring Castrol given the extra safety.
2. Stock pads vs track pads (probably Pagid Yellows)?
3. Cooling ducts?
I've searched the threads but haven't found the answers I'm looking for. On the track, the street tires would likely go first before the brakes, so I'm not sure if the brake temps will get high enough to be a concern.
Part of me wants to do the cooling ducts since this is a good long term investment (I know, I'm deluding myself when I call this an investment), then work up to track pads later. Any thoughts from the track junkies?
I plan to change the brake fluid before the event, so here are the questions:
1. Castrol SRF vs ATE? I'm favoring Castrol given the extra safety.
2. Stock pads vs track pads (probably Pagid Yellows)?
3. Cooling ducts?
I've searched the threads but haven't found the answers I'm looking for. On the track, the street tires would likely go first before the brakes, so I'm not sure if the brake temps will get high enough to be a concern.
Part of me wants to do the cooling ducts since this is a good long term investment (I know, I'm deluding myself when I call this an investment), then work up to track pads later. Any thoughts from the track junkies?
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From: Onterrible
Mike,
If you show up with 'new' aka recently bedded in OEM pads you'll be fine in terms of them lasting for 2 days. The thicker the pad, the more it can absorb and dissipate heat. Obviously, you'll get more grip with Pagids.
What street tires are you running?
Cooling ducts aren't a bad 'investment'.... Ducts from Better Bodies are $100 and there's a DIY kicking around online somewhere re. running the ducting.
I'll let others comment re. boiling points and real world relevance of your brake fluid question.
If you show up with 'new' aka recently bedded in OEM pads you'll be fine in terms of them lasting for 2 days. The thicker the pad, the more it can absorb and dissipate heat. Obviously, you'll get more grip with Pagids.
What street tires are you running?
Cooling ducts aren't a bad 'investment'.... Ducts from Better Bodies are $100 and there's a DIY kicking around online somewhere re. running the ducting.
I'll let others comment re. boiling points and real world relevance of your brake fluid question.
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From: Onterrible
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From: Baltimore, MD
Mike,
How much experience do you have? You should be fine with stock Textar pads. I can't speak for the stock Jurid pads, though.
I prefer the higher boiling point of Castrol SRF and think it's a worthwhile investment.
How much experience do you have? You should be fine with stock Textar pads. I can't speak for the stock Jurid pads, though.
I prefer the higher boiling point of Castrol SRF and think it's a worthwhile investment.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: SF East Bay, CA
Matt, the pads and rotors have about 10k of street use so far, which makes me think, if I'm going to swap them for the track, I should just put track pads on. Yeah, I've already read that DIY several times. Cost is obviously not an issue for the ducts, it's the time..... I currently have P-zeros on, which I inherited from the PO. The fronts need to go, so this is a good chance for me to get new tires. I'm strongly considering the Sumitomo HTR-Z IIIs as replacements (seems like you can get good bang for the buck with them).
Mark,
I've always run the DEs organized by BMWs in the past, and I usually run in Group B solo. The track is also new to me, so I'm not sure how hard it is on brakes (watching videos on youtube only tell you so much).
Any other thoughts?
Mark,
I've always run the DEs organized by BMWs in the past, and I usually run in Group B solo. The track is also new to me, so I'm not sure how hard it is on brakes (watching videos on youtube only tell you so much).
Any other thoughts?
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I think personally you are fine with stock pads. My first DE was Thunderhill (and LOVE LOVE that track). I was street everything for a long time. The fluid I've had was the ATE, as I'm not racing. Never had a problem with well-bled ATE. The tire debate is the subject of many many threads of debate. I ran stock Bridgestone RE-750s for quite awhile and still passed a few peeps... 
I think make sure you have good thickness left in them. If in doubt, get another set from Sunset to have just in case, and worry about the shift to Pagids with more experience. IMHO no need for the $$ for the little bit of time saved at this point.
Just my $.02.
I think make sure you have good thickness left in them. If in doubt, get another set from Sunset to have just in case, and worry about the shift to Pagids with more experience. IMHO no need for the $$ for the little bit of time saved at this point.
Just my $.02.
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You can certainly run your first 10-20 days with OEM textar pads. Moving up to R-comps will be a good time to move to racing pads (which of course makes sense). There are plenty of less expensive alternatives to Pagid pads, too. I'm very happy with Hawk HT-10 myself.
As for cooling ducts, I can't say how much difference they make. Probably don't hurt, though.
As for cooling ducts, I can't say how much difference they make. Probably don't hurt, though.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: SF East Bay, CA
Thanks for all the advice guys. After what JPS said, I think I'll just get an extra set of OEM Textars to bring to the track and see how things go. I'll probably wait on the brake ducts for now. Even though the SRF is so expensive, I agree with Mark that not having to bleed the brakes in itself is worth its price.
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I had done many an even with the OEM Textars before going to the PFC 97s. The OE pads are great. Not the best of cousre, but they feel good even when hot (though the feel degrades a tad as the session wears on if a hot day), and I experienced no fade. Obviously not my first choice in a track pad, but they certainly do the job fine with a fresh bleed of ATE. Perhaps if one is a realllly fast driver (or has poor braking technique) they my fade, but my experience with them had been very positive.
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