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Brake dilemma for next track day

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88
60
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Cantley
I bought the 6 piston Brembos and upgraded lines. The pads that came with the kit are Centric Posi-Quiet. I am aware they are not the best for the track.
My dilemma : should I keep my 4 piston calipers with fresh Hawk HPS 5.0 pads and wait until I receive proper track pads before I install the big brake kit?
In other words, will BBK brake better with Posi-Quiet pads than the standard GT brakes with HPS 5.0?
Thanks!
 
Last edited:
501
550
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Snowy North
What's the nature of your track...the type of braking zones? What tires are you running? What run group do you use...intermediate, experienced, etc? Have you added significant hp or tq to the car?

All are important considerations for offering advice :).
 
88
60
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Cantley
What's the nature of your track...the type of braking zones? What tires are you running? What run group do you use...intermediate, experienced, etc? Have you added significant hp or tq to the car?

All are important considerations for offering advice :).
The track is two miles all flat with esses, a carousel, three 100mph straights braking into three sub 50mph hairpins/slow turns. I am new to the intermediate group. The car has 305 square MPS4S and no significant power increase from stock. I've done the whole season so far with regular gt brakes and hawk 5.0 pads while I was waiting for my BBK to arrive. I'm wondering if I will be taking a step back in braking power running the posi quiet pads on the bigger brakes, compared to staying with my regular GT brakes until I get DCT-60 pads for the BBK
 
501
550
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Snowy North
Great info. With this understood, I'd prob stick with what you know will work and use all available sessions to improve your skills...instead of risking (or worrying about) pad fade and wasting some or all of a day managing that risk.

It's challenging to learn or trust the characteristics of your new brakes if you run pads that aren't track capable...except that they'll smoke heavily or perhaps even burn piston seals.

Take care and have fun.
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,425
8,356
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
I would agree with RES_22 completely, since the pads you got with the car are fine for the street, but I would not advise use on a road course in most cases. The questions RES asked were quite relevant and I think he is spot on for your coming track event. Get some solid racing pads and I have found a balance from front to back is beneficial --- in other words quite aggressive up front and a less aggressive pad in the rear.
 
1,119
1,110
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Lenoir City TN
Sticking with what you know is good advice. I am not familiar with the Centric pads, but the Hawk HPS 5.0 pads on the 4 piston calipers are not really up to track duty either.
 
88
60
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Cantley
Sticking with what you know is good advice. I am not familiar with the Centric pads, but the Hawk HPS 5.0 pads on the 4 piston calipers are not really up to track duty either.
I agree they are not. I was a complete noob at the beginning of the season and they did the job while I was learning to take my first baby steps. My pace has increased 15% and I am within 8% of the fastest drivers on similar car with street tires. Now the brakes are my big limiting factor but I manage the heat and keep my pace safe until I get the proper pads for the bbk. That is why I was thinking I should not be worse off with the bbk and weak pads than I already am with regular brakes and hps 5.0 pads.
I know both are not good for the track. It was just a matter of trying to gauge whether it would be at least roughly the same as what I have, until I get the good pads which will become the real definitive fix
 
1,119
1,110
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Lenoir City TN
I ran Hawk HPS 5.0 pads for my first couple of track days as well. I didn't change then out until they were worn out. I didn't realize how much they were holding me back until I went to G-Loc R10 front R8 rears. The first time out on a familiar track I almost stopped in the middle of a corner using the same braking point. I have outgrown pads a couple more times since them, but I am still running my 14" 4 pot Brembos and they are still stopping just fine. I am up to the G-Loc R16 fronts with R12 rears at this point. I do have a set of S550 6 piston calipers that I plan to put on when I wear out my 14" rotors.
 
77
56
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
TX
I bought the 6 piston Brembos and upgraded lines. The pads that came with the kit are Centric Posi-Quiet. I am aware they are not the best for the track.
My dilemma : should I keep my 4 piston calipers with fresh Hawk HPS 5.0 pads and wait until I receive proper track pads before I install the big brake kit?
In other words, will BBK brake better with Posi-Quiet pads than the standard GT brakes with HPS 5.0?
Thanks!
I ran HPS 5.0 pads and did NOT like them at all for the track. Lots of fade in as little as one lap. I would not recommend them for the track, but if you have to use them, be very mindful of their fall off.
 
88
60
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Cantley
I ran Hawk HPS 5.0 pads for my first couple of track days as well. I didn't change then out until they were worn out. I didn't realize how much they were holding me back until I went to G-Loc R10 front R8 rears. The first time out on a familiar track I almost stopped in the middle of a corner using the same braking point. I have outgrown pads a couple more times since them, but I am still running my 14" 4 pot Brembos and they are still stopping just fine. I am up to the G-Loc R16 fronts with R12 rears at this point. I do have a set of S550 6 piston calipers that I plan to put on when I wear out my 14" rotors.
Since I'm tracking the car, is there value in going R12-R10 or should I just go straight to the R16-R12, since that's likely where I will end up?
 
77
56
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
TX
Since I'm tracking the car, is there value in going R12-R10 or should I just go straight to the R16-R12, since that's likely where I will end up?
The R12's will be consumed more quickly as they have a lower overall operating temp. So track / tire / driving style will all contribute to the pad's durability. The R16's are for a aggressive low tw count or a racing tire. One thing you will notice as you get better tires and brakes is that they will each contribute to faster wear on one another since they will be able to do their job more efficiently. Being that the mustang is kinda heavy you'll chew through consumables, I have not found a way around that.
 
1,119
1,110
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Lenoir City TN
Since I'm tracking the car, is there value in going R12-R10 or should I just go straight to the R16-R12, since that's likely where I will end up?
Not necessarily, some never go beyond the R12/R10 combination. Like ShatterPoint said, it depends on your driving style and what tires you are running. I ran the R12/R10 combination for a couple of years and just recently moved up to the R16's after moving to a stickier tire. I ran them with R10's on the back the first weekend and then switched to the R12's when the R10's were getting thin. So far I like the braking, but the R16's are down to about 3mm after 2 weekends. I was getting 3-4 weekends out of the R12's, but with a harder tire. The pad life on the R10's is much better than the more aggressive pads, for me anyway.
 

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