Mustang GT Non performance pack 4 piston brakes - Track use

[aerok]

Community, I have a 2018 GT Manual non performance pack 4 piston brake setup that am starting to take it to the track but also is my daily and only car.

Currently I have only taken my car once since I bought it and already starting to think in improving/upgrading them.

First of all, I really wanted to prove (also for laziness and time and cost related to it) the OE set up in a track day environment even knowing was not the best thing to do. The results, well speak for themselves...
Next the list of repairs/concerns about that only trackday of 5 sessions of 25 mins (each) with this setup in a friendly brake track...

OE Pads (according to shop) were calcined but still have 50% at least of life, I was required to change them for my safety
OE DOT 4 needed to be replaced (according to shop as well) for the same reason as last point
Rotors of all 4 corners needed to be resurface to eliminate scratches in order to work properly with new pads

What I want to try next time, before I break the bank with something that I probably don't need at the moment, like a big brake kit upgrade. Is to buy good brake pads and maybe stainless steel brake lines for both front and back, am sure someone has done this brake setup for track use before, and would like to know how was it? which issues arise? recommended actions?

Am planning on taking my car to track around 10 times a year switching pads to OE for street use and for track any suggestions?

In summary would like to know a mid budget friendly set up for my brakes. Rotors, Track Pads, Brakes lines?

In addition the pads that am looking at are Hawk HB802G.661 Front and HB774G.650 Rear

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[1 old racer]

It depends on how fast you want to go. Back in 1995 my cobra mustang had four piston calipers and were considered to be the best available on a production car. Times change and tech. is improved. I am a firm believer in learning your cars limits before you mod anything. The best mod is you and that is called seat time. However, to start with just change the pads to a track type pad and upgrade the rotors to high carbon slotted rotors. Bleed the brake fluid with some dot 4 fluid. I use the color change method. I flush out the brake system using Blue ATE dot 4 and when the color is nice and blue I know i have done a good flush. Then the next time out I use Motul dot 4, when the color is nice and gold in color I know its been flushed. You get the pitcher. .

 

[VooDooDaddy]

It depends on how fast you want to go. Back in 1995 my cobra mustang had four piston calipers and were considered to be the best available on a production car. Times change and tech. is improved. I am a firm believer in learning your cars limits before you mod anything. The best mod is you and that is called seat time. However, to start with just change the pads to a track type pad and upgrade the rotors to high carbon slotted rotors. Bleed the brake fluid with some dot 4 fluid. I use the color change method. I flush out the brake system using Blue ATE dot 4 and when the color is nice and blue I know i have done a good flush. Then the next time out I use Motul dot 4, when the color is nice and gold in color I know its been flushed. You get the pitcher. .

^^^^^THIS

The stock, 4 piston calipers on the non-PP cars are quite good. The overall brake limitations of your set-up are pad/rotors.

Go with the above recommendations of "1 old racer". At your beginner level this is all you need. You are going to hit your limitations much sooner than you reach your car's limitations.

 

[TicTocTach]

I think the big issue with the standard GT (and EBPP) 4-piston brakes is the rotor venting... They're vented from the outside rather than from the inside like the GTPP rotors. This means you can't get proper brake ducts set up to cool the brakes when not in use. All the cooling air has to come from outside the wheel and that just doesn't work very well.

Short of upgrading the rotors & calipers to the GTPP parts (or the Steeda? rotors), I think you're on the right track going with pads designed for high temps, as well as the DOT4 fluid. There are a number of threads on living with these rotors (I have them, too), so I'll see if I can dig up some that I have saved.

 

[aerok]

^^^^^THIS

The stock, 4 piston calipers on the non-PP cars are quite good. The overall brake limitations of your set-up are pad/rotors.

Go with the above recommendations of "1 old racer". At your beginner level this is all you need. You are going to hit your limitations much sooner than you reach your car's limitations.

I think the big issue with the standard GT (and EBPP) 4-piston brakes is the rotor venting... They're vented from the outside rather than from the inside like the GTPP rotors. This means you can't get proper brake ducts set up to cool the brakes when not in use. All the cooling air has to come from outside the wheel and that just doesn't work very well.

Short of upgrading the rotors & calipers to the GTPP parts (or the Steeda? rotors), I think you're on the right track going with pads designed for high temps, as well as the DOT4 fluid. There are a number of threads on living with these rotors (I have them, too), so I'll see if I can dig up some that I have saved.

Totally agree with the vents, they should have put them from the back so I can build/buy a cooling duct coming from the inside. I did check the Steeda rotors, those and the Baer Eradispeed are at the top of my list, after the OE are done, I refuse to start investing in something is not necessary. But when the time is right all the comments that am reading will be taking in consideration for mods to come.

what I will do as first step is to buy the pads for the track. That is a most and next mod for sure
Thanks for the feedback

 

[IPOGT]

I could be wrong, but other than diameter I do not remember any other difference between my stock 4 piston rotors and the PP rotors I installed.

 

[aerok]

I could be wrong, but other than diameter I do not remember any other difference between my stock 4 piston rotors and the PP rotors I installed.

Did you track your 4 pots brakes before you upgrade them? if so what are your required changes according to your experience? or why did you decide to upgrade them for the six pots?

 

[shogun32]

The 6-pot upgrade is about $1100. Steeda's replacement GT rotors aren't cheap (~$800) and 2-piece. I think(?) they are vented "correctly". You really want to look at the HPDE sub-section for a few conversations about this topic.

Pads and Fluid are mandatory changes to be made.

 

[CORNYOTE]

You can get Performance Pack Brembo rotors and Calipers for $500-600 with low miles from people looking to go to drag brakes for 1/4 mile cars. I did the swap and love them.

 

[Commbubba19]

tracked my gt with standard brakes. no issues.

pads/fluid when worn should be upgraded. rotors aren’t as necessary.

also depends on the track. long straight aways trying to bring the car down from 120+ will need to dissipate a lot more heat vs a twisty track that you don’t brake over 100 or less.

 

[Ebm]

The standard GT brakes are pretty good. In fact the standard GT brakes on the 15+ cars are quite an improvement over my '14 Brembo brakes.

You should have no problem tracking those brakes, but I would get pads meant for the track and swap the brake fluid out every few times. Just my opinion.

 

[strike-eagle]

Definitely change out the pads and fluid. I made a huge mistake running stock pads which were completely toast after 3 sessions.

I tried the Powerstop Track Day pads as a cheaper pad from recommendation of someone else on here and they worked great. I would suggest skipping out on more expensive pads and putting that money towards Brembo take offs, then buying pads for those. You can snag take offs from shelbyauctions on ebay for just over $500 shipped. That includes calipers, rotors, and pads and is a hell of a good deal.

 

[TheReaper]

The standard GT brakes are pretty good. In fact the standard GT brakes on the 15+ cars are quite an improvement over my '14 Brembo brakes.

You should have no problem tracking those brakes, but I would get pads meant for the track and swap the brake fluid out every few times. Just my opinion.

The Brembo's on my 2014 were a lot smoother when braking at high speed.

 

[Andy13186]

Ive heard the non pp rotors arent good for cooling, some type of airflow flaw in the design basically. Id do the brembo swap if I didnt already have them.

 

[aerok]

Definitely change out the pads and fluid. I made a huge mistake running stock pads which were completely toast after 3 sessions.

I tried the Powerstop Track Day pads as a cheaper pad from recommendation of someone else on here and they worked great. I would suggest skipping out on more expensive pads and putting that money towards Brembo take offs, then buying pads for those. You can snag take offs from shelbyauctions on ebay for just over $500 shipped. That includes calipers, rotors, and pads and is a hell of a good deal.

good advice I have not check anything from Power stop, I will check those pads as well, which ither brands should I consider?

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