Brakes Suggestions

[RTR077]

After my first track day, my brakes seem to be the weakest link. I have stock components all around.

What would be your advice on upgrades? Rotors/Calipers/Pads.

I'm happy to save and go all in to upgrade all these components, but if there is a cheaper option (i.e. just pads and upgraded brake fluids) I am all ears.

Plan is to track 3-4 times a year. Otherwise its a weekend car.

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[NightmareMoon]

What front brakes did your car come with? 6-pot brembos or other?

Why do you say the brakes are the weak link? Did you experience fade with a soft pedal or fade with a hard pedal or some other issue?

 

[RTR077]

Brakes are 6 piston ford.

Good question on the fade. Thinking back I would say soft pedal; just didn't bite well coming from a 120 straight down to a chicane. They were smoking up a nice stink.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Soft pedal is brake fluid. Pretty much should always bleed the brakes before your track day (if not entirely flush it) and we're assuming you're using good high temp track fluid like Motul and not the stock motorcraft stuff. The motorcraft fluid does not have the temperature range you need on the track.

You should also have pads with at least 50% or more of their thickness left (for the extra thermal capacity, not entirely for wear reasons). If the track is a fast track with heavy braking zones (120 is getting up there), then you might overdo the pad compound (i.e. you might be over temp for your pad compound), but that's usually a firm pedal with inadequate slowing. The easiest fix is to switch to track pads before your track days (hopefully ones compatible with your street pads so you don't have to swap or resurface the rotors). No, there is no good pad which is quiet and low dust on the street, but also covers track temperature ranges.

If you're already on a good track fluid like Motul 660 and you're using good track pads like GLOC R12/R10 (front/rear), and you're still having issues, then you need to adjust your technique and/or look at additional brake cooling.

 

[RTR077]

Thanks @NightmareMoon I am on standard Penzoil DOT 4 with stock brake pads. I'll look into both the pads and Motul, which was also recommended from one of track guys I was talking to.

 

[shogun32]

there's been quite a few (long) threads on braking in this section or similar...

 

[1995_4.6]

Motul 660 fluid. Hawk DTC 60 front, DTC 30 rear.

 

[GTP]

Motul 660 fluid. Hawk DTC 60 front, DTC 30 rear.

That's a good combo.

I ran OEM fluid for four years without issue. Always a firm pedal. This summer I put in ATE 200 brake fluid, from Pegasus Racing.

Mine is PP1 car. I've been swapping front rotors and all pads back and forth for track days. Getting a little tired of that. Plus the rear calipers rubber parts don't stand up to the heat.

I decided to go to a full gt350 brake upgrade. A bit extreme, I know.

 

[NightmareMoon]

IDK about hawk brake pads. For one thing, the dust embeds in wheel finishes. For another, Hawks have a bad reputation for eating rotors (and I've seen the shower of sparks first hand). GLOCs have neither of those downsides.

 

[Biggsy]

I decided to go to a full gt350 brake upgrade. A bit extreme, I know.

Why the added weight vs the PP set up? I guess no plans to run 18s?

 

[Ewheels]

IDK about hawk brake pads. For one thing, the dust embeds in wheel finishes. For another, Hawks have a bad reputation for eating rotors (and I've seen the shower of sparks first hand). GLOCs have neither of those downsides.

I think this mindset might be outdated. I know it was true for Hawk's older pads but I don't think it's true anymore.

I leave my Hawk DTC60's in year round, street and track - I never have an issue washing the dust off the wheels.
Also, I would think any aggressive track pad will eat away at rotors when cold. If any pad is not in its designed heat range, it will chew up the rotors. Also, this may be more of an issue if the car sees a lot of street miles but in my experience, the rotors crack from heat cycling long before they get too thin.

 

[GTP]

Why the added weight vs the PP set up? I guess no plans to run 18s?

I'm tired of dealing with the rear caliper rubber not holding up to heat or to the piston rewind process. Also, it's getting old changing front rotors between street/track.
My new plan is to run solid rotors all the time, and then change pads only (using the Caliperflexion extenders up front).

As for weight, perhaps 2-piece rotors aren't heavier than 1-piece, plus the front knuckles are aluminum instead of iron. The gt350 rear calipers are aluminum and I think the GT's are steel. The front and rear gt350 calipers don't feel that heavy.

 

[69boss]

Any recommendations for brake fluid? PP Brembo brakes. Daily driver, with occasional track day. I've seen Motul 660 thrown around. Is that good for a daily? How much will I need?

 

[Biggsy]

Any recommendations for brake fluid? PP Brembo brakes. Daily driver, with occasional track day. I've seen Motul 660 thrown around. Is that good for a daily? How much will I need?

Before switch to SRF, I used Motul 600 for a couple years without issue. 3 bottles (500mL) should be enough for a flush

 

[NightmareMoon]

Motul 660 or 600 are fine. If you’re flushing, how much you need depends on how efficient you are at getting the old fluid out. Optimally I think its 2l?

expect to bleed/flush fluid more often with Motul or similar fluids, the absorb water faster than stock fluids.

SRF is $$ but hold up well and last longer than Motul, buuut it might be bad for clutch components. Consider that a rumor, I dont have much data but its something I’ve heard.

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