Murphdog

Long story short: I'm looking to purchase a new set of wheels/tires in the next few days. Some of the wheel choices I like don't support big brakes because of the caliper size limitations.

I'm not looking to purchase a new brake kit right now, but can anyone suggest / recommend some better-than-stock / high performance brakes that are not "big brakes"?

If I can receive those suggestions from you this weekend, and purchase the wheels I really like, then I won't worry about not getting Brembo's in the future. I'm kinda on a time crunch as I have a road trip at the end of the month and don't want to run on the same Pirelli's I used during a Road Racing course (Driveway Austin) I took back in December. I know I burned some rubber back then but not extremely so that I had to replace them right away. I did replace my brakes and rotors afterwords.

Thanks
Murphy

Norm Peterson

How serious do you see any track day habit becoming? How hard were you on your pads and rotors for the track time that you've already done? Got any pictures of the old bits that you took off?

For track time, you're going to want better pads and higher temperature fluid regardless of whether or not you get a BBK. Some ducting to improve brake cooling is always a good idea, but that tends to be a separate kit anyway.

Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a true dual-purpose street/track pad. But if you can live with a few generally minor compromises, Carbotech's XP10 pads seem to be at least work-able either way (I've had these on my own car - which probably has about the same power as yours and is at a roughly similar level of suspension development - for about a year and half a dozen track days driving solo in intermediate and advanced run groups).

About compromises . . . it's a question of either maintaining separate sets of pads (and possibly rotors) for street vs track, or live with entry-level-ish track pads (dust, noise, possibly accelerated rotor wear rates, and reduced effectiveness when dead cold) on the street. The first option is generally preferable, but the second is do-able as long as you can keep your head in the game for the street driving side of it. If/when that becomes not enough pad for your track time, you really need to be giving bigger brakes (and wheels that fit them) more serious thought.


Norm

808muscle

Changing over to stainless steel lines improved feel a lot. I would suggest that. Pedal is much better.

Murphdog

No pictures unfortunately

Right now, I can go to the course and practice in 20 minute sessions if I wanted to at any time. I'd like to make it back at least once a month to practice, in between the actual, full days worth of lessons. So far just the one lesson. After that first day of close to 150 miles worth of driving around the short course (7 turns all requiring braking and track length, if I recall correctly, was .8 miles) I had to replace my stock rotors and pads, I just haven't been back yet because I want to make sure that on the short practice sessions, that I can have a setup that won't quit on me too quickly.

BlindGUYnAR

So NON-big brake upgrade I suggest to put the brackets and rotors from 2012-14 and SS lines on you 08. They are about an inch bigger than your 08 rotors so a bit better braking and heat resistance. A rim for 2005-2015 should clear. Pad choice and rotor choice for additional performance as well. Did it this winter.

Norm Peterson

I'm guessing that your speeds don't get over about 100 mph except maybe in a couple of places. On longer and somewhat higher speed courses (125-ish down to 60 or 70, 95 to 45 - 50), I found that XP8's weren't quite enough pad (both they and the front rotors developed heat checks/cracks without the pads becoming too far worn to start another day with). Haven't inspected the XP10's closely yet, but the rotors are still OK.


Norm

Murphdog

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Giving me some ideas.