Brake Pads + Track Days

[TheDan]

In case anyone didn't know... standard(ish) brake pads and track days don't mix!

I had around 8mm on the front pads before travelling to Bedford and 0mm by lunchtime! Oops! I had to nurse the car back home with pretty much only the rear brakes working and a terrible screeching sound from the fronts every time I went near the stop pedal. Fortunately it was mostly motorways back from the track so little braking actually needed.

I have now changed them for the cheapest set I can find (just so I can use the car in the meantime) as I will be doing a front brake overhaul with Brembo 4 pot calipers, 325mm discs and still undecided on the pads (either Bluestuff, CT XP8 or DS3000).

Lesson (that I already knew tbh) learnt I guess.

 

[Swampy1982]

But did you have fun tho!?

 

[mmm-five]

That's why I always carry a spare set

In my e34 M5 days I'd swap wheels/tyres and pads for the track, and then swap them back for road wheels/tyres/pads at the end of the day - only sometimes if the weather was crap would I not bother swapping back and drive home on almost bald track tyres.

 

[TheDan]

But did you have fun tho!?

Yep, had a great time in the morning while I still had some pad! Booked 3 more track days at Donny, Bedford again and Silverstone. I'll have the new brake setup by those.

 

[Swampy1982]

I'm planning to do the same, have some yellow stuff pads at the moment and will be driving for fun rather than ragging it, well, that's the intention.

The video of the m3 rolling at bedford has calmed down any crazy thoughts I may have been having.

 

[Billbob10]

I used yellow stuff pads for a track day .still using them

 

[brillomaster]

if you're serious about trackdays i'd get some serious pads - the likes of Performance friction, CarboTech or Pagid RS range. but they arent cheap - expect around £360-£400 for a full F+R set. however - they are good value, because, unlike lesser pads where you'll get 2-3 trackdays out of a set, i ran PF 08 compound pads for 6 trackdays, and they still had more than half their useable pads left.

i've tried ebc yellows and ebc blues, and both just crumble away when they get too hot. havent tried the ebc RP-1 pads.

the other thing i found very useful is that there is no front brake cooling as standard on a z4 - but its a 10 minute job to remove the front fog light access panels, and then the front fog lights themselves, and get a lot more cooling air into the wheel wells.

 

[TheDan]

the other thing i found very useful is that there is no front brake cooling as standard on a z4 - but its a 10 minute job to remove the front fog light access panels, and then the front fog lights themselves, and get a lot more cooling air into the wheel wells.

I will be doing this before the next track day. Another thing I thought about doing is cutting a hole and putting some ducting from the lower outer fake grilles on the bumper (they are easily replaceable at like £8 each). This way I can still have fog lights (you know, cos I use them ALL the time... ).

In terms of pads I will take a look at PF. Carbotech XP10 was suggested by Liam, but I need a pad that works reasonably well from cold as this is my daily driver and I will be driving to/from the track. I will also be using a slightly less aggressive, cheaper pad on the rear. If you have any specific suggestions for the above requirements, I am all ears.

 

[Ed Doe]

One thing to note Dan - Bedford is horrendously hard on brakes - I know Bradz went through a set of pads in one trackday there with the 1st Gen 135i 6-pot Calipers and CSL discs on his old 3.0si coupe. Those pads are the same pattern as the AP Racing 6-pots - probably twice the pad size compared to Stock.... Obviously cooling mods and proper track pads will significantly improve life but Bedford will always give any set up a bit of a kicking, just be aware!

Definitely worth looking into Pagid RS range, or the others recommended. I only have experience with the Pagids - yes they are expensive, and they do squeal a bit but they have fantastic bite and impressive longevity on track...